Re: riding clothes

["spencer" <spencer@inu.net>]

Re: Australian riding pants.  Bought some a couple of yrs ago made from the
cotton/spandex.  Never fit right, crotch came unstitched, if snagged by
anything it make a hole and they were expensive.  The bottom part had tight
elastic and when I rode them for 25 miler, my ankles and feet were VERY
swollen.  I had already returned them because the crotch came unstitched
and it wasn't inexpensive to keep mailing them back.  Consequently, I have
not ordered any else from them.  The pants never fit right and I only use
them when no one else is around.  I was VERY DISAPPOINTED!!

RE:  Helmets.  I also used a bicycle hat after I had been using a rock
climbing hat as those black velvet things were WAY TOO HOT.  One of my
concerns about the hats is that the back of the head is not as protected as
the front. You can loos part of your frontal brain and do ok, but it the
back lower part of your head is injured then you can damage the brain stem
that controls your breathing and vital signs to say nothing about the top
of your spinal column.  When I wore my Bell bike hat, I adjusted it more
back than front.  Can't do that with the troxel or the others.  Don't
reallly know if it is critical, but still have to wonder if you look at the
mechanism and the physics of falling.  Everyone here wears a hard hat.  I
don't like to wear hats, but also found the hat gives some shade.  It
bothers me to see so many kids riding barrels, etc, with the hats.  
Mary Ann, Tx

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From: Horsestwo <Horsestwo@aol.com>
To: RudeCoInc@aol.com
Cc: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: Re: riding clothes
Date: Tuesday, May 12, 1998 1:53 PM

Linda;
I started years ago, as many did, with a bicycle helmet.  Many used the hot
and heavy polo or hunt cap style.  Thankfully, Troxel and Lexington started
making lightweight, comfortable, affordable helmets.  My personal
preference
is the Troxel EQ (I think that's the model).  It's got lots of air vents,
comes in white, and has add in wedges to customize fit.  The Lexington may
have all those features, I don't know.  The determining factor would be
price;
check all the catalogues.  If you are already wearing something then
getting
used to a helmet shouldn't be a problem.  Be sure to wear it low enough on
your forehead to do some good and make sure the strap under your chin is
snug.
Also, it comes with a visor that is held on with Velcro so it can come off
during a spill.  There are stretchy big visors that fit over the helmet if
you
need (I'd like one of those if anyone out there knows where to get it).

I'm not one to push for mandatory helmet wearing but I do feel STRONGLY
about
the need to inform, cajole, pressure, shame, challenge those of you not
wearing a helmet every time you ride.  I ride in the desert SW and other
than
matting my hair down I'm not bothered by my helmet.  If you're so vain as
to
worry what your hair looks like you're probably not a serious endurance
rider,
IMHO!  Who cares what their hair looks like when they're in the emergency
room?  I have taken several spills both off the horse and with the horse
and I
know the helmet has done its job because I have had whiplash where my head
had
bounced off the ground.  Troxel had a replacement service for the helmet: I
paid for shipping and handling.
It is also important to wear the helmet every time you ride because if you
knew when you were going to fall off you wouldn't ride that day!  You can
recover from the broken bones and contusions caused by a serious accident
but
it takes only a little blow to the head to have deadly consequences.

As for the riding pants, the Australian Connection catalogue has custom fit
tights at a very reasonable rate of $50.  I've not tried them but they
stand
by what they sell.  They also sell the O'Keaheys that I like.  Their # is
800
847-8521 to get a catalogue.  Good Luck.

Melanie in AZ