The riding jacket we recommended is a versatile option. It’s light, reflective for better visibility, and water resistant. It’s both vented and has a removable thermal liner. The removable CE certified protectors and pockets for added body armor make it safe as well. While it’s not perfect in every scenario, it’s a great choice for many situations.

We agree that two helmets are great. The helmet we proposed was about as close as you can get to what you describe in a single helmet. It’s a great modular helmet with outstanding visibility. It allows the protection of a full face helmet, but opens up to a high visibility and awareness. The jaw and shield can even removed to use it as an open face helmet. It’s almost like two helmets in one.

Your first aid kit recommendations are spot on! Thank you for these tips!

As far as a map goes many riders will have a GPS or will be able to navigate by phone. Our concern was to have some sort of a backup, rather than primary navigation system. I use a thick plastic laminated map showing all main roads and highways. This type of map is easy to get from any gas station, will survive some rain, and it light and convenient. I only tend to carry what I need for the places I’m traveling in.

We generally prefer high visibility, but if you need to lay low your advice on bike covers is excellent.

As far as gloves go, we try to recommend something that will work for most situations. These will cover hot, dry, wet, and cool. The vibration reducing inserts also help keep your hands comfortable on long rides. When the weather gets down right cold though, you would be more comfortable with a second pair.

Another great tip with the bandanas. Thanks!

We appreciate your feedback and we hope that this helped you to see why we recommended these items. I’m sure you’re experienced, and have learned a lot the hard way. Our goal here is to recommend a great starting point, and let everyone learn from there.

You don’t need a “jacket” because you’re not going to remove your riding jacket to put on some unarmoured piece of nylon, you need a shell and pants to go OVER your riding gear.

If you’re a real rider you know you need 2 helmets: at least one full face and a second either full face or shorty. In an unfamiliar, high intensity/low speed urban environment you’ll want the shorty for maximum vision and audio: you have full peripheral vision and can hear that tuktuk driver cutting up on the inside. Also, nice to have a spare helmet when you make a new friend along the way.

Your first aid kit should be optimised for a crash, not a papercut. You need surgical gloves, a big spray bottle of antiseptic to wash out gravel, bleedstop, large no-stick bandages, tension bandages to hold sprains in place and cold packs.

Not a map but a road atlas. One map is an invitation to have it get wet and fall apart. Tearing pages out of an atlas is perfectly acceptable, rip out what you need for the day and pack the rest away in a bag.

A bike cover should be either black, or camouflage. Sometimes you need to free-camp in places that wouldn’t appreciate you being there: out of sight, out of mind. Bonus points if it has a silver lining, then you can reverse it for if you need high visibility, like marking a crash.

One set of gloves? How about an insulated, waterproof pair and a warm weather pair.

Also, bring a couple bandanas. Wipe your face, dry your hands, clean your goggles and visor, tie on a bandage, emergency socks, protect your neck, eye covering for napping after lunch, lots of uses.

Good article for selling stuff, poor effort at helping riders.