RidingPick

Pick gear that fits. Ignore the rest.

Straightforward guides to helmets, gloves, boots and being seen, plus two on reading reviews and listings so the marketing does not choose for you.

Helmets

Choosing a Motorcycle Helmet: Fit First, Everything Else Second

A helmet that does not fit cannot do its job, whatever it costs and whatever is printed on the box. Start with fit, then type, then certification, then comfort.

Gloves

Riding Gloves: Materials, Fit and What the Features Do

In a fall, hands go out first. Gloves are the cheapest piece of serious protection you can buy, provided they fit and stay on.

Boots

Riding Boots: What Separates Them From Ordinary Footwear

Feet and ankles sit next to hot metal, a heavy machine and the road. Proper riding boots are built for that neighbourhood in ways trainers and work boots are not.

Visibility

Being Seen: High-Visibility Gear and Reflective Detail

Protective gear helps after something has gone wrong. Visibility helps earlier, by giving other road users a better chance of noticing you in the first place.

Buying smart

How to Read Gear Reviews Without Being Sold To

Reviews help most when you know who wrote them, what they tested and what they stand to gain. The same questions work for any product or service.

Buying smart

Decoding Product Listings: Specifications Versus Sales Language

A listing mixes two kinds of sentence: ones you can check and ones designed to make you feel something. Learning to separate them saves money and disappointment.