Pants fitting correctly?

[MLRickards]

Here's my seemingly stupid question for the day. When I'm standing, the knee armor in my mesh pants fits right about where my knee cap is. But, when I'm in the riding position on the bike, the armor "rides up" and is positioned above my knee (on the lower thigh). It occured to me as I was driving down the road that if I hit something or went down, my knee armor would not be protecting my knee. Am I wrong? Does anybody else notice this with their pants? The pants seem to fit in all other respects.

[sherob]

They should cover your knee when riding not when you're walking ;)

[Byron]

Double check the pocket that the armor is in, mine has velco inside that lets you adjust if it rides high or low.

[MLRickards]

That seemed more logical. But, they're my first pair of non-jeans riding pants so I wanted to make sure I wasn't thinking wrong. It's weird though, because they fit perfect otherwise. Not sure how I'd change sizes to fix this problem. Anybody else have this happen with Joe Rocket mesh pants?

[MLRickards]

Thanks. I checked and there seems to be a second pocket that's slightly lower than the one the armor is in now. I've moved it...still seems to ride high, but better than before.

[EagleSix]

Here's my seemingly stupid question for the day. When I'm standing, the knee armor in my mesh pants fits right about where my knee cap is. But, when I'm in the riding position on the bike, the armor "rides up" and is positioned above my knee (on the lower thigh). It occured to me as I was driving down the road that if I hit something or went down, my knee armor would not be protecting my knee. Am I wrong? Does anybody else notice this with their pants? The pants seem to fit in all other respects.

I have Joe Rocket mesh pants. The pants fit well, but the knee protectors are actually a little low for me, not bad, but I would prefer them about 1.5" higher. Like others have already pointed out, the knee protectors on any pants seem a bit low when standing so they line up with the knee when bent in a riding position (similar position the knee will often be when impacting the ground, bent). On the other hand, mesh pants aren't the best for keeping the protection where it needs to be if your take a spill. The mesh design allows for too much slipping around. This is also more of the case with any over-pant design pants, and especially with the mesh as the mesh is normally cut with a more open style to allow more ventilation with little to no stiffness to keep protective peices in place. I took a spill on dirt with a mesh jacket and the CE approved elbow pads did a great job of protecting my upper arm that didn't need protection, but left by elbow exposed because the sleeve allow a lot of movement for the pad and it pushed up and around my arm. Better than nothing I suppose....

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[MLRickards]

I'm transitioning from the no protection mode to some form of protection. Living in Texas, the first step for me has got to be mesh. I was out in 100 degree weather with my Joe Rocket mesh pants and Phoenix 4.0 jacket (with Miracool vest) and was actually pretty comfortable. I don't know how the guys here do the full leather thing.

I actually never even thought about protection (other than the helmet and gloves) until I started reading this forum. With 30+ years of riding and only 1 parking lot drop (at rest), it's just never crossed my mind. After reading all the posts on this site about crashes and totalled ST's, I started to wonder if each year I went without a crash put me that much closer to my first one! :) So, I'm "protected" as much as mesh with armor can protect you.

Thanks for the replies.

[EagleSix]

Mark,

I think you are moving in a good direction. Sometimes our riding choices include sacrifices and compromises. Riding around the track a few times or running some errands in full leathers in 110* temps is one thing....taking a 400-500 mile ride in that condition is, well another thing!

When I leave for a ride, I like to leave prepared for anything to go anywhere and sometimes I really have no intention of a long ride and end up far from home before heading back. But I am a full time rider. My bike is my everyday ride, my Jeep sits in the garage most of the time for weeks crying for me to take her out. In our temperature during this time of the year wearing full leathers (the best protection there is) is pretty darn tough. So I compromise with mess of one sort or the other.

Just yesterday I headed out in all my mesh gear. Ended up on a hill at the seene of a fatality, was out in the sun for over 3 hours which I did not expect....long story short in the afternoon on the way back home, I'm riding super safe and conservative and stop for a break, take of the mesh pants to breath a while and start back home in jeans. Rode a little ways and got thinking.....if I crash now how silly is it to have my pants in my tank bag!! I pulled over, slipped on the pants and continued my return home safe and sound...

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[Bigfish]

Ditto EagleSix, I've done the same myself. I felt kinda silly with all that expensive gear riding in the bag. Protective padding in all my Joe rocket clothing is over areas it was meant to be, some of the pckete were massaged by a little seamstress work to get pads to stay where needed.
Bigfish