after crashing my bike twice this month on icy roads, I am contemplating wearing some sort of riot gear armor. If I was not so fat, I think I would have easily broken some bones.

If you are a C-class hero, sure. But remember, all the armor in the world won't save you against any Demon-level threat. Or Tiger. Or maybe Wolf even.

Yes, I would anticipate the skin tight cycling gear fad will go away, and everyone will start riding bikes wearing sumo suits.

As far as padded cycling gear, like skateboard gear. I don't know. The likelihood to go down is so rare for many cyclists, that I really don't think it would be necessary. Plus, unlike a helmet, it would provide less protection against fatalities and brain damage, so saving a person from pain, but less impacting life vs death.

There could be exceptions, for example with elderly riders that were in fear of breaking bones.

Perhaps the place it would help the most would be in races, but also it would be the least likelihood to be used due to weight, restrictive movements, and aerodynamics.

For winter cycling, perhaps extra heavy clothing? Leathers if it is dry out?

More people are injured in cars, so helmets & body armor for motorists.

Your solution is simple = NO ICE rides. You do have studded tires, right????

Now there's cycling kit my wife would laugh at. Great pic.

Here's a start...


next a whole body suit????

When you ride on ice you should expect to crash.

If you seriously want body armor, look in a motorcycle shops. They have all kinds of cool gear.

One thing motorcyclists sometimes wear is a torso protector that has hard shells down the spine and the shoulders and elbows. Basically all the easy to break areas. Doesn't do anything for a stress fracture of your arms, but it'll protect you from the BANG of hitting the pavement on your elbows or sliding across the road on your back.

It's impact protections, not "my arm bent backwards when I fell" protection.

Basically they are designs to keep you from having all your skin scraped off and your joints destroyed if you fall off a motorcycle at 60 mph and go sliding across the pavement.

Example...

https://www.walmart.com/ip/WOW-MOTOR...&wl13=&veh=sem

Also might come in handy once the zombie apocalypse comes. So there's that, too.

Probably be hot and miserable bicycling with it though. Doesn't look like it's breaths easily. So you might die of dehydration and heat stroke.....but no broken elbows! Like Gozer the Gozarian says...choose the method of your destruction.

Uh no......and I crashed Friday.

Seriously, get a trainer and stay off the icy roads. Nothing good will come of it.

The flaw in that is that it doesn't do much for a low hanging tree branch.

I don't have full on crashes much where I need head protection against slamming into the pavement. My last one was when I was like 13.

But on a fairly regular basis I'll be riding and not see a low hanging tree branch that gives my helmet a good thwack. Nothing that hurts the helmet, but enough that would hurt like the dickens if it was across my head.

That said...this tech looks cool.

I wonder if you could trigger it by shaking your head too hard. Sometimes I'll be riding along, signing a song and doing a little head banging dance on the bike....BAM!!! Inflatahelmet!

Do you encounter ice often during winter? Buy some studded tires, and go easy on the cornering.

Not any time soon but since you ask about "future trend" I think that shear thickening fluid has potential for active wear armor. Fluid and flexible until there is a shear force and it stiffens up. Imagine a tech fabric that feels like a bike jersey, maybe a little heavier, that wicks sweat, breaths like normal active wear, yet instantly resists impacts. I'd probably wear it.

Or atleast get a mountain or trail bike assuming your on a road commuter ?

I knew that some are already available, and even being tested in some military applications, but it's still got a ways to go to be acceptable for most road cyclist use. Weave it into fabric so that it doesn't look like bulky body armor, I think that will be key. I imagine that it might even be useful in helmets, given the right response to shear maybe they could be made thinner and less enveloping. I'm just speculating about future capabilities of course, but I see a market for it so I'd be fairly confident.

some classical head banging
I might have had some benefit with helmet type and even more benefit if there was a full body type () when I crashed in 2011 and broke my neck+.

I agree with others: prevent the crash in the first place is far more effective than protecting when it happens.

What are you riding on ice?

I am sure armor will sell ... because the alternative, riding sensibly, is harder to package and market.

Your post is sort of "Every time I hit myself in the head with this hammer it really hurts ... can you recommend a better hammer?"

It will work as well as Belgium is flat.

You can get airbag armor for skiing, motorcycling, and horseback riding. I don't see why it couldn't be adapted for use on bicycles.
https://www.dainese.com/protection/d-air-ski/
D-Air: Dainese's Intelligent, Inflatable Suit Hits The U.S. Market
Equestrians? Latest Safety Option Is the Air Bag - The New York Times

A future trend? Is there an increase in anxiety disorders?

Sure seems like it, but it's probably better diagnosis and more open discussion.

You need safety foam from Demolition Man.

Yes, but you still can't wear underwear.