clothing and helmet » Summer 2026 Clothing

Hi all- any recommendations for a summer suit? I'm looking for something that allows airflow but isn't just denim reinforced with Kevlar. Over the years I've tried various BMW suits, Joe Rocket gear, and an Aerostich. My current setup is a BMW Airflow 2, which isn't bad but is giving way slowly. My backup Streetguard is really heavy and hot. I'm in Central Illinois where it can get fairly hot- 90-100F with high humidity. Any thoughts on Rukka gear? Much obliged. IGC

Thanks much Wessie.

Another fan of Rukka mesh gear for summer riding here (I have a full 'Forsair' suit). Highly recommended.
As well as a waterproof oversuit in case of rain, I also carry a lightweight Klim Zephyr windproof jacket when away on tour - it's windproof, intended for wearing under the mesh jacket on cooler days, and doubles as a lightweight jacket for the evenings.

I have the summer Klim pants and light coat. The pants never fit that well, and I like to wear the klims pants over my carhartt style pants I wear all the time. But I just wasn't able to get the klim summer pants in a large enough waist to do that well. It barely worked for a while, then I washed them and no way they will fit now. Also the pads don't really stay home where there supposed to be. The knee pad is always down on the chin it seems.
So I already knew the carhartt type jeans are double walled in the front with a pocket for a knee pad to be inserted. So I took the knee pads out of the klims and put those in my regular carhartt jeans. Then I hung the hip pads from the klims in my carhartt jeans from a belt loop on the out side. With the right amount of slack, this keeps your hip pad right over your hips better that any other system I've used including the bicycle set up I use. I'm pretty happy with this as I no longer have to step out of the klims when I go somewhere, with my regular pants on under the klims, of course.
I also noted that I am much more physically agile with just the one pants on. The Klims are 6 inches too long anyway and greatly impede my movement on and off the bike. I am wondering if this may have contributed to my dumping the GS in a parking lot, a month ago. The first ride with the new set up was on the RS. The RS is much easier for me to handle, as I can get all my weight off of it standing over it. Much lighter, lower center, than the GS in feel for sure.
This new set up is a little agrarian but gives me much better feel and control I think and the pads do stay home, right where you really need them.
The Klim coat I really like and it didn't seem to be as affected by the wash in size so it stays ....

In hot weather, I wear a Klim Induction Pro, single layer Belstaff AA rated jeans and TCX sneaker style riding shoes. The latter are probably the weakest link.

Rukka is definitely top notch.

Zitat von Paul911 im Beitrag #6

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In hot weather, I wear a Klim Induction Pro, single layer Belstaff AA rated jeans and TCX sneaker style riding shoes. The latter are probably the weakest link.

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I wear Daytona MX boots- they're not great to walk around in and it can get warm in them but the protection seems worth it. The last time I went down the boots were critical in reducing injury to a fractured fibula. Else, it would have been a lot worse.

Zitat von paleolithictech im Beitrag #7

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[quote="Paul911"|p65753 So, do those shoes have good ankle protection? Besides elbows and knees the ankles are very very vulnerable. They take years to heal ... I like my Zambelaine premo hiking boots as they have a very heavy padded area covering the knob on your ankle. I also have some Keens that I use a lot too, again above ankle ....

Personally, I would have all the TI plates and pads if I could all the time .... I have no idea why we don't do that ......

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Zitat von Paul911 im Beitrag #10

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They have ankle protection, but it certainly could be better. That said, I think they\'re better than pretty much any hiking shoe.

I also have some Daytona GTX boots that I wear as often as I can, but they can be too much in truly hot weather.

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I'm looking at replacing the TCXs with these.

https://rideheld.com/collections/boots/p...=44326373982453

Those look good with the fiberglass ankle and shin protection .... I'm surprised that it has taken so long for people to get proactive about protective safety gear, but at least now we are seeing some built in ankle protection in any outdoor shoe or boot ....
I've been thinking of getting some sort of riding boot, with platform soles, to handle the height of a GS with sport suspension. It might be just enough with my above mentioned pants. Hate to get rid of the bike just because of that. The shop had a lowered used 1250 GS in for about 3 days, there must be a crater where it was sitting it sold so fast .... lol

Wow that would do it, two inches more. But what would that be like...... stilts I guess. I might have to try that. Maybe they will have something like that at performance cycle, a couple of blocks from BMW of denver. I haven't had the best of luck buying shoes online, much better to try them on first. Do any of you guys with Daytonas boots have anything on how they fit? Bigger, smaller and so on .....