Do i need pads for xc/trail?

JamesBrckmn

I'm thinking of getting 661 knee/shin race lite guards and 661 elbow/forearm race guards, but do i really need them? I generally ride the surrey hills (holmbury hill/leith hill etc.) and swinley forest. I fall of about once a ride, but haven't had a big crash... yet - the biggest i've had was into a tree at bout 5mph and when i went over the back of the bike doing a wheelie.
Do you wear pads for xc/trail riding?

Northwind

The question, do you need them? No you don't. Might you want to wear them anyway? Yes you might.

This'll turn into the same thread as all the other pad threads, so I'll get my say in first Good quality modern pads are no hassle to ride in, a set of Kyle Straits or Race Face FRs or POCs won't negatively impact your riding at all except for possibly being a little sweaty- but even then, I wore my kyle straits all summer, no problem at all. They don't restrict, they don't chafe, they're not heavy or uncomfortable.... So, there's no major downside, other than possibly looking like a plum.

So, maybe you'll never have that big accident, maybe you will. But at the weekend we were at Kirroughtree, a mate had a nasty fall on McMoab, got up, dusted off his leg pads, carried on, had another one, stopped due to a broken mech hanger but still didn't have so much as a scratch on him. If he'd not had the pads he'd not have been crippled but I bet 2 sore knees would have taken the shine off the next 15km of riding, or the 20km the next day. Pads won't neccesarily stop any major injuries, most riders will never smash a kneecap or shin or elbow, but they can easily keep you riding happily when without them a ride might have been spoiled. And that's why I love them.

The Northern Monkey

I wear my kyle straits whenever I ride. Along with a helmet.... 2 most essential items of protection IMO...

ragtop

i wear a pair of kyle strait knee pads for xc and trail riding. It really depends on your own reasons. I have a couple of dodgy knees so i want as much protection as i can should i leave my bike unexpectedly.

It's a matter of personal choice. You just have to bear in mind whether you are comfortable when riding in them. I find my legs get a bit warm when riding in mine but with the winter coming that's not a bad thing.

rhyko7

JamesBrckmn wrote:

I'm thinking of getting 661 knee/shin race lite guards and 661 elbow/forearm race guards, but do i really need them? I generally ride the surrey hills (holmbury hill/leith hill etc.) and swinley forest. I fall of about once a ride, but haven't had a big crash... yet - the biggest i've had was into a tree at bout 5mph and when i went over the back of the bike doing a wheelie.
Do you wear pads for xc/trail riding?

if you can get comfy ones you barely notice you have them on

OH NO Dan

Ive not used any pads since i started riding which is about 6 months ago. Ive had many crashes where ive bashed/cut my knees. Another one which hurt last week so now im after some pads. I might not use them on warmer days, cause like other folk have said, will maybe get a little sweaty.

The Northern Monkey

used my kyle straits throughtout summer.. didn't get too sweaty!

XxxBFGxxX

if ya had of asked tyhis 3 weeks ago i would of said no. but since i am sitting wigth my 3rd injury in 3 month this being the worse. a broken coller bone iam gonna say yes. i ride trails and little slope style and from now on i will be wearing armour just for that little bit extra protection. i am sure if i had of padded up i would not have the injurys i have.

P-Jay

Have a look at the "longest time off injured thread" most of the injuries were trail riding ones.

Up to you, but they're really no drama to wear.

ESHER SHORE

I usually ride in 661 Kyle Straits or 661 Evo knees, gloves and a helmet (Giro Xen) for trail / all-mountain riding

I like to wear my knee pads as you never know what could happen on a ride, and after the head and hands, the knees take much of the brunt of a bad slam

the problem with knees is that they are complex, and if damaged, can cause life-long problems

as a bike rider, you need your knees to be in good working order!!

its actually not that hot or restrictive riding in the kyle straits, I prefer them to my 661 Evo knees as the Kyle Straits are actually more "rigid" as a structure and tend to stay clear of my knee cap as I pedal - I have found the Evo's to tend to rub / touch the knee cap as they are more flexible (especially once the d30 has warmed up) which doesn't really effect pedalling but is more uncomfortable and mentally irritating

JamesBrckmn

Thanks for the advice.
Because of what you have said, and hearing about mtbing injuries, i will get the knee pads, but do you think i need the elbow pads?

Doombrain

i don't. however i did get one hell of a rock crack me on the shin, wish i had pads on that day.

The Northern Monkey

I've got elbow pads, but don't wear them that often... only when i'm riding something a bit bigger.

Raymondavalon

I value my joints and always wear pads (Kyle Strait Knee and Chicken Wing Elbow) when I do anything other than a recreational ride.
Prevention beats cure and the 661 pads don't hinder my knee/elbow articulation in any way at all..

ExeterSimon

hmmmmm...I love my POCs.

So good you forget you are wearing them.

andituk

I bought some Kyle Straits thinking I'd just wear them at trail centres and rougher stuff, but tbh, after a minute or two wearing them, you forget they're on, so you might as well wear them all the time.

Sods law says the ride you don't wear them is the ride you'll need them too

Sarnian

Always wear my veggie rap shin pads.

crust

I went over the bars at Swindley doing less than 5 mph the first weekend in March.

Landed on the edge of a stump with the point of my shoulder.

Broke the side off the humurous bone/shoulder joint. On the monday they screwed and pinned the bone.

In July I went back in to have the screws and pins removed and the shoulder replaced.

Its October and I'm going back there for the first time this coming weekend.

I'll be wearing full armour.

Do you have to/need to wear armour? Its entirely down to you and how lucky you feel, you can f*%k yourself up anywhere, wear what you feel comfortable with and dont let other people influence you

The one thing the hospital were really concerned about was a helmet, everyone asked if I was wearing one, I was, and they were very happy about that, pretty much everything else they can fix.

crust

Hercule Q

i always wear my knee shins since ruining my knee in august aswell as a helmet.

you can really hurt yourself from the stupiest of falls. but pads really are personal preferance

MacAndCheese

Got some Kyle Straits and some veggie shin wraps. Wear the knees all the time now, there comfy and as others have said you don't notice them. shins are comfy to but the stitching has come apart a bit after not many hours.

buduk

with the wife buying me a HT for my 40th started going on trails as iam slow and pretty crap but enjoying it didnt want knee pads mainly for the above reasons (slow and old ) came off at mabie really slowly knee covered in blood finished the ride went back home early wife said it was a scratch but hurt like hell :oops: so my 661 should be here tomoz

the article don

661 Veggie Shins are great - you don't really notice them other than the fact that they keep winter chill off your legs

jools182

I didn't wear them, until I cracked my knee on a rock, and it hurt, a lot

so I wear them all the time now

marcaudsley

As others have said. Kyle Straits are comfy and protective.
I had a bad crash while on holiday
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... highlight=
Really wish i had been wearing knee pads then, my knee is still painful 3 mths on
So i wear them all the time now regardless of where i am riding

jools182

just been for a trip over the handlebars on a very loose rocky descent

hurt my hand and shin but soooooooo glad I was wearing the knee pads!

dave_hill

JamesBrckmn wrote:

Do you wear pads for xc/trail riding?

If you're learning they can be a great confidence booster. But they can be sweaty and restrictive if you don't get the right size or a badly designed set.

I wear mine if the going is likely to be very rocky and or slippery/icy, and I always wear them at trail centres, especially if I'm going to be doing black runs.

But at the end of the day, its up to you - do what feels right. If other people can't hack it that's there problem, not yours.

I once had a smart arse tell me in the car park at Kirroughtree that I wouldn't need my knee-and-shin guards. I told him to go away in short jerky movements and mind his own business.

yoohoo999

yeah, as everyone else has said, wear what make you feel comfortable. forget what others might think, it's your body at the end of the day.

a helmet is a must, as are gloves IMO (putting your hand on the deck at 25mph on rocks/gravel is NOT pretty), also handy for wet/cold winter weather (nothing like your hand sliding off the end of your bars when you land a drop/jump - bye bye ribs!)

i always wear some sort of shin protection (veggie wraps or dainese knee + shin) but that's mainly because I ride very sharp flat pedals and do a lot of drops. I've had more than enough pedals striking my shins in the past to know that they are worth their weight in gold! You don't even notice you are wearing them!

I'm probably going to get some upper body around this winter. I've been in pain for days after continually losing my front wheel on really rooty sections and my shoulders/upper arms taking the brunt. screw what everyone else thinks, the idiots are the ones that think their body is tougher than trees and rocks

armour in general is soooooo much better than it was 10 years ago and most of it can be worn comfortably for a days riding without being too prohibitive in respect of movement.

i'd rather look like a plum on the trails (as northwind described it) than have to tell my firm that i can't come to work because I fell off my bike. bye bye career if that happens more than once.

largephil

Ive always worn a helmet and gloves. I started wearing knee pads after a mate of mine got him self a massive gash on his knee. I'm happy with my knees not to be smashed up like that so I bought 661 vegie pads and now wear them every ride. Previous experience of broken coller bones and dislocated shoulders tells me I should be wearing some upper body armour also :roll: I'm no Steve Peat so its a matter of time before I have a decent tumble.

mac_man

Another shout for the Kyle's, after 2 bloody knees in as many outings.

Only just started riding again recently, but they feel really comfortable and I just don't notice them when riding.

AlteredCarbon

How do the 661 Race knee/shin versions compare against the Kyle Straits fit/comfort wise?

I was about to push the button on some Kyle Straits but after painful pedal/shin interface on Sunday thinking about getting some shin protection as well. Tried a set on at the LBS but wasn't sure how 'noticeable' they'd be wearing them over longer periods.

Alex

If you are going to wear pads when you go to a trail centre, that's fine, a sensible choice if you're a bit prone to tumbling.

However, if you turn up to a trail centre wearing body armour or pads, or both, but no lid at all, please understand when you are set upon by a crowd of angry hecklers baying for the blood of your youngest offspring. This is because you are a fool. Take off the pads and be "one of those helmetless morons who don't get the sport", or put a lid on and be "that careful bloke". Don't be the guy who had a horrible credit card accident in the PPE shop.