The end purpose of riding gear is to protect skin and cushion the brain against sudden impacts. If you want to see what good protective gear looks like, study what the roadracers wear. Racers don’t intend to crash, but they understand that crashing goes with the territory of flirting with the traction envelope. Of course, roadracing leathers aren’t very practical for day-to-day commuting or touring. For the road rider who spends days and sometimes weeks in the saddle at more civilized speeds, comfort rather than abrasion resistance may be the most important factor in choosing riding gear. Protection against heat, cold, precipitation, wind, noise, and debris, or even the style of your gear, may be just as important to you as abrasion and impact resistance.