Motorbike Leathers - The hard knee slider always seems to be half way down my calf..

[thevoyager]

Bought a few pairs of ebay now, my waist and leg but the hard knee sliders always seems to be either middle or slightly upper calf / shin area.

What's going on!? I do see some people wearing them half way down shin but seems counter, are they not ALSO meant to help protect the knee area or just simply for sliding sideways. 

Surly these need to be more on the knee itself...

Any suggestions on buying used leather pants with knee slides??? I won't be going on track, was more just for protection. 

Also none have been a super tight snug fit. I am a good size, medium build, not skinny not overweight. Can old pairs stretch?

I just want a pair that hug me and have no loose bits!

Edited May 6, 2022 by thevoyager
more info

[Ian Frog]

For what it`s worth the position of knee sliders is usually based on someone being in the full on mating frog racing position which it is unlikely you will achieve in every day road riding.

Also the reason they are removable by velcro usually is partly that on the road they don`t enhance your protection but actually worsen it.

Think if you like how they would grab at anything like kerbs etc or not slide at the sort of speeds in a road off incident.

I know there are guys out there driving hard enough on the road to warrant sliders but as I have no wish to end up showering with strangers I will leave them to it and save the sliders for trackdays.

Cheers

Ian

[Fiddlesticks]

The guy in my local shop says it's a common complaint with people who try on armoured jeans... Until he gets them to sit on the CBR1000 he's managed to lug up the stairs. Then the jeans ride up a bit and everything falls into place.

 

Edit: Different issue though, ignore me

Edited May 6, 2022 by Fiddlesticks

[Ian Frog]

1 minute ago, Fiddlesticks said:

The guy in my local shop says it's a common complaint with people who try on armoured jeans... Until he gets them to sit on the CBR1000 he's managed to lug up the stairs. Then the jeans ride up a bit and everything falls into place.

And that is the slider or protector in jeans.

I think the OP was talking about the external slider or "puck" that sits outside leathers and is a completely different thing and not really part of the protection for your knee.

Cheers

Ian

[thevoyager]

4 minutes ago, Fiddlesticks said:

The guy in my local shop says it's a common complaint with people who try on armoured jeans... Until he gets them to sit on the CBR1000 he's managed to lug up the stairs. Then the jeans ride up a bit and everything falls into place.

 

Edit: Different issue though, ignore me

 

Ha, I have a CBR1000RR too... But still, just too much room around the knee, doesn't feel right, although I suppose it's about how they fit on the bike is it? Saying that, when you come off you do not remain in that position do you.... I just assumed they would be skin tight if you get me.

[Fiddlesticks]

Yes, as Ian pointed out, I was thinking of internal knee padding. My problem is lateral, rather than vertical - One of them always wanders off sideways.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

3 minutes ago, thevoyager said:

 

Ha, I have a CBR1000RR too... But still, just too much room around the knee, doesn't feel right, although I suppose it's about how they fit on the bike is it? Saying that, when you come off you do not remain in that position do you.... I just assumed they would be skin tight if you get me.

They aren't meant to protect you in an off. If anything they're more likely to cause you harm. Where are looking to use them? If it's for road riding go for armour instead.

[Ian Frog]

Sorry I should perhaps clarify.

The sliders on the outside of leathers are not about protecting you in the event of an off but about allowing you to let your knee come into contact with the ground or in extreme circumstances  exert pressure to save a slide and as such have little relevance on the road (apart from fashion lol).

Cheers

Ian

[thevoyager]

Tbh I want internal padding too, hips and knees... You know the hard foam stuff... I am wanting leather pants (I suppose for aesthetics as well as proper protection... I bought an RST textile jacket with hard armour internal inc back.. A lot of the leather pants don't seem to have internal padding.. I want the pants to fit like a glove and buying on ebay is going to be too time consuming, meant to be getting insured this weekend and now I am minus pants! Can't be paying £300 new at the moment. 

[thevoyager]

3 minutes ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

They aren't meant to protect you in an off. If anything they're more likely to cause you harm. Where are looking to use them? If it's for road riding go for armour instead.

Yes solely road riding, it's just finding a good pair of leathers with internal hard foam padding, they pretty standard?

[Ian Frog]

Are you near to a branch of J&S or the Sportsbike shop?

Best bet is to do the old fashioned try on in store bit!

My own RST 2 piece leathers feature trousers that feel comfortable and protective and funnily enough feature the velcro pad ready for sliders.

All the textile or jeans type trousers have the internal pockets and armour which you could always upgrade seperately if you felt the need.

Cheers

Ian

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

13 minutes ago, thevoyager said:

Yes solely road riding, it's just finding a good pair of leathers with internal hard foam padding, they pretty standard?

If you need something in a hurry and are buying off eBay go for textiles. Leathers need to be a snug fit when new and wear in to the individual shape of the rider. Used leathers will never fit perfectly. But you can pick up some serviceable textiles cheap. 

[thevoyager]

23 minutes ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

If you need something in a hurry and are buying off eBay go for textiles. Leathers need to be a snug fit when new and wear in to the individual shape of the rider. Used leathers will never fit perfectly. But you can pick up some serviceable textiles cheap. 

Good point, it's like RAW DENIM, you buy them and they feel like you are wearing 30mm corrugated cardboard pants, but you break them in and they create joints specific to you over time... I guess I could get lucky and maybe get a 80% match, but the ones I have tried feel like a 50% match to my body, I would look silly and would most likely put myself in danger as pants not allowing me to move right. 

Yeah might just look for textiles right now or as new as possble leather! 

Thanks

[Stu]

Pictures usually help better to understand why the knee sliders are where they are 

 

 

As you can see its the outer part of the leg that touches down and not actually the knee 

[thevoyager]

1 hour ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

If you need something in a hurry and are buying off eBay go for textiles. Leathers need to be a snug fit when new and wear in to the individual shape of the rider. Used leathers will never fit perfectly. But you can pick up some serviceable textiles cheap. 

Can you recommend any 'snug' and tight textile pants that are not like 1970s flares? 

And that also have good hard foam armour in the knee, hip and wherever else it may be needed? 

[billy sugger]

Textiles are not meant to be tight or a snug fit, the best you can hope for is the waist size and leg length fit you