Rib protection? (not for downhill)

Adam_DT3

I had my first big MTB injury at the weekend on the red at Innerleithen, where I have cracked a rib.

This isn't pain I would want on a regular occurrence, so I was wondering if there was some protection lightweight and non bulky that exists, as most solutions seem geared to downhill, and I am more at red level XC? Cheap too if possible (ironically just bought set of FOX attack pads one day prior to the accident lol)

Any advice would be great thanks ( I got 6-8 weeks off the bike now so no rush lol )

ride_whenever

not really, most of it is pretty hard AFAIK there isn't anything d3o based yet.

You're best of buying a horse riding body protector, but way too sweaty for even light riding. Very good protection though, once saw a horse land from a 2' drop with both front hooves on the guys chest and he was fine... just a couple of horse shoe shaped bruises.

rockmonkeysc

There is the 661 Sub Gear protection which might stop some bruises & gravel rash. Even my 661 Vapor pressure suit doesn't stop you breaking ribs (trust me I know).
Some training would do you more good to help keep you on the bike.

ride_whenever

Or more muscle and learning how to fall, generally if you land on something pointy enough to focus the force you will brake a rib.

tom_howard

Padding rarely stops breakages and fractures as if you hit something hard enough to break a bone chances are it'll break the pads too (i too have cracked a rib wilst wearing a chest protector with hard and soft protection). dont want to put a curse on you but for the amount of pain youll prevent, youll pay for in double by being hot and sweaty from the outset on rides, not really worth it if your riding is mainly xc red routes

Best way to aviod the pain is not to crash though

peter413

Tom Howard wrote:

not really worth it if your riding is mainly xc red routes

Sorry but this really annoys me when people say this sort of thing. People are allowed to wear however much or little armour they want to. If they decide they would rather add a little bit more protection and get all hot and sweaty, let them, don't go trying to make the decision for them.

I'm pretty sure the 661 Core Suit's spine plate is removable which would leave you with the chest plate and padding on the shoulders. The other things to look at is the pressure suits spine plates are removable so if you choose to use arm pads then it obviously has them attached to the suit along with the shoulder pads.

Northwind

Ribs are difficult... Armour's good for protecting you from the ground but what breaks your ribs is usually you. Bit of an unwieldy metaphor, but it's like putting a really good bumper and airbag in a car, then getting squashed by the ton of bricks you've put in the boot. Same as collarbones, it's your momentum rather than the thing you hit.

As for "not worth it on XC red routes", I've never hurt myself downhilling but I've broken ribs on glentress red, on a wee unmapped bit at Dalbeattie, on an easy grassy descent in the Pentlands, oh and at a Fear Factory gig. None of them were technically challenging, rocky, or dangerous, they just happened to be where I screwed up. Inattention can get you anywhere. But I still wouldn't wear my pressure suit for XC

tom_howard

peter413 wrote:

Tom Howard wrote:

not really worth it if your riding is mainly xc red routes

Sorry but this really annoys me when people say this sort of thing. People are allowed to wear however much or little armour they want to. If they decide they would rather add a little bit more protection and get all hot and sweaty, let them, don't go trying to make the decision for them.

Totally agree, a person is free to wear as much or as little as they like. However, if they are asking me (or anyone else) for advice on what protection is available, my opinion is that the padding available, while offering tons of protection, isnt ideal for longer rides (assuming thats what the OP is doing) because its big, heavy and sweaty. (much like 'er indoors).

Happy now?

peter413

I'm never happy

Still think it's slightly wrong what you are saying, I have a mate who wears his pressure suit minus the spine plate a lot, nearly every ride he does, it isn't that much hotter than an extra jersey and it isn't that big either, he happily wears a bag with his and it doesn't interfere at all. I have also worn a bag once with mine but since I can't really wear a bag with my neck brace and never wear a pressure suit without a full face burt when I did, it didn't interfere and was comfortable, I just personally prefer no arm pads for nearly all my riding, Fort William and the like are about all they come out at.

bluechair84

Personal taste really, but speaking for someone else (which is always the best kind of speaking), a lad went almost the entire week in the Alps with just knee+ shines, had two big offs before deciding just to wear his pressure suit (had no subsequent offs mind), and exclaimed he couldn't understand why he hadn't just ridden the whole week with it because it made such little difference to him.

tom_howard

I may try a normal ride in full armour, just to see how i get on.

its a 15-20 mile ride, on a hardtail, consisting of 8 miles road (getting to stainburn and back from home) and 7-12 miles off road (red-black xc with a smattering of DH and northshore). The route has a bit of everything, and ill be wearing:

a full face and maybe goggles (normally open face for this ride)
Upper body jacket, so arms elbows shoulder chest and back protector with a kidney belt which is normally reserved for DH, and has been needed!
Hip/thigh soft pads (rarely wear them) and heavy duty shorts
Knee and shin armour (normally wear this, but more to protect me from my pedals, branches etc rather than falls/injury).

plus all the normal stuff and a daypack.

ill report back in a week or so (depends on the weather) on added confidence while riding, any ill effects from having to cart the extra weight around, if i have to take on extra fluids from the extra sweating, plus any restrictions on movement. and finally if, in my opinion, its 'worth it'. Should get some funny looks

Mr Bluechair84, care to join me? all padded up?

Northwind

I was foooooooooked after doing the climb at the endurance downhill in full kit, big cricket shinpads, pressure suit, armoured shorts, fullface, plus supertackies on the bike... You could've picked me up, wrung me out over somalia and cured famine.

But otoh a mate of mine rides like that all the time, and doesn't seem to mind. Prefers sweat to pain apparently.

paul.skibum

DH in the alps, DH in BC I wear knee pads and elbows and either a full face or my xc lid, xc in any part of the world I wear my knees and carry my elbow pads for extended downs - body suits for me are too uncomfortable and sweaty.

I work in a rental department and we offer everyone the full body suits (Fox Titan which if it fits you is not horrendously uncomfortable but on a cool day riding DH it comes back soaked in sweat so the prospects of a warm uphill ride would result in massive dehydration!

kmather2012

Great discussion as I heal up from 3 rib Fractures and a punctured lung.
I did it to myself, Smoothish 40s 50 psi thinking I was on a mountain bike. CLASSIC error. sand and gravel washed narrow trail just across the GG bridge @ the Marin Head lands. (one week old bike)
Im 73 and don't want to take unnecessary risk on the bike, It just does not Matter that you sweat abundantly
that won't break a Rib. Just about any thing else will, i felt pretty bummed until i heard of a fellow that was thrown by his Mule.
Seven rib fractures.
so I'm looking as I age ,retired with more time to ride I'm just trying to be smart.
rib and heart protection.
for off road use. this is 2019 we should have the protective gear for that specific use road not so much but i would use it. at times vanity has no place in the ER.

every one has their own ideas on this issue. a good product can be designed and produced on a small level. it does not need to be mainstream.
I'm doing research.
light protection would have many uses among aging athletes and the youth. Ideas? thanks

steve_sordy

@kmather2012 Do you realise that the thread you replied to is from 2011?
Never mind it was a good thread anyway. If anything was strong enough to prevent me breaking my ribs, to be honest I wouldn't want to wear it.
I have never broken any ribs but I've cracked loads. I always do this when I fall off and land on my side. Often my elbow gets forced into my ribs and pain ensues. Not even my elbow guards help.