Crash Tested: Brake Failure in the Cuyamaca Mountains
October 31, 2024
There is no better feeling than the thrill of riding through the scenic Cuyamaca Mountains in Southern California. For the story hero Kaelan, the feeling we describe turned into a dramatic twist of events. Chilly October morning started as a relaxing ride with friends and quickly turned into a terrifying crash that could have ended far worse if it weren’t for his protective gear that day—SKIN UH AAA protective motorcycle base layer / pants.
Twist of Events in the Mountains
While navigating the curves on his BMW R NineT of the charming mountains lightened by the morning sun, Kaelan was riding with confidence. Having two hours under his belt, Kaelan had a good feeling about the ride: his bike, the road, and his casual motorcycle gear. As he reached the crossroads, Kaelan made a quick stop to switch the music before heading forward towards the town of Julian.
As Kaelan returned to the road, things took an unexpected twist. Riding through the first half of a mild S-curve, he prepared to transition into the second half when he noticed that something is wrong. “I suddenly felt as if I had no front brakes,” he recalls. “The lever felt woody, oily, and unresponsive, and there was no change in my bike’s geometry as I applied more pressure.” Realizing that his brakes are failing and there is nearly no time to react, Kaelan made all the efforts leaning into the curve. But the odds were not in his favor that crispy October morning.
The bike ran wide onto a soft shoulder. As it made contact with exposed granite boulders, Kaelan could barely control it. The tires caught the edge of the rocks. Both Kaelan and his BMW were sent flying into the air and back onto the mountain road. It felt like an eternity. Flipping head over heels and tumbling down the pavement – it took approximately 60 meters.
The Importance of Armor in Motorcycle Gear
Luckily, that day Kaelan was prepared for the unexpected. Under the ordinary soft-shell camping pants, he was wearing SKIN UH AAA protective motorcycle base layer / pants. As Kaelan hit the ground and slid across the road, the armored leggings turned into his defense. Intended to be worn as a foundation layer below casual pants, the SKIN UH AAA protective motorcycle base layer / pants are made of Balistex, a material renowned for its exceptional durability and abrasion resistance. The leggings are rated at the highest safety level, AAA. Thus, riders rely on these leggings to provide crucial protection in such high-risk scenarios as Kaelan’s.
Kaelan flipped over and landed on his back half-tucked. “I tumbled and slid for what felt like forever,” he recalls. As he was tumbling down, his legs, hips, and knees were left untouched—the sturdy material of the leggings and the well-placed armor inserts protected them. When Kaelan finally stopped, he was conscious but in shock. Farther down the road, his bike had cartwheeled past him, a twisted jumble of metal. He managed to stumble to the side of the road, and the medics were called.
“The Right Gear Made All the Difference”, Doctors Told
Kaelan was instantly rushed to the hospital. To everyone’s surprise, Kaelan suffered minimal injuries given the scenario of the crash. Doctors and medics were stunned. “Miraculously, I was discharged later that day with only a small laceration on my thigh and some bumps and bruises all over—no fractures, no brain damage,” Kaelan recalls. “My leggings were cut off by the trauma staff, and it was discovered that they had kept me from all road rash, and the padding in the knees and hips prevented worse damage to those areas.”
In this scenario, the true value of SKIN UH AAA protective motorcycle base layer / pants revealed itself. The base layer’s hip and knee protectors are made to cushion impacts and lessen the force that a rider experiences in an accident. During Kaelan’s fall, they did exactly that— prevented his legs, hips, and knees from any severe injuries. The leggings served their purpose ideally—preventing road rash from his skin and bones from shattering.
Ideal Balance between Safety and Functionality
Pando Moto is dedicated to offering an ideal balance between safety, functionality, style, and quality to their customers. In this instance, the promise was fulfilled. The special high-quality fabric 15 times stronger than steel—Balistex—of the leggings served as armor against tearing and abrasion while in contact with the road. Maintaining flexibility and comfort, the leggings proved their AAA rating top-level protection. All of this was achieved without compromising the style, as the leggings fit seamlessly under regular pants.
No rider anticipates what is coming for them, but being prepared is crucial. Kaelan’s story is a powerful reminder that the right motorcycle riding gear makes all the difference between keeping your body intact during the crash or suffering life-threatening injuries. No one can predict the road or the mechanical failure, but having gear that combines cutting-edge technology with functionality and design can provide readiness for the unexpected.
“I’m grateful to be walking,” Kaelan admits, reflecting on that chilly October morning.
