Protection tights without padding?

Onades

I'm relatively new to MTBing and really enjoy going through narrow trails. What I'm looking for are some kind of full length tights that offer both protection against scraps from trees and bushes and from a possible fall on the gravel/rocks during a decent. I can live with the bruising, but like to avoid the open skin (my main hobby is windsurfing and open skin with a two day soak in salt water is not recommended; bruising I'm used to ).
As I happen to live in sunny Catalonia, I'd rather avoid heavy padding which seems overkill anyway at the moment.
Can anyone point me in the right direction or maybe has some clever ideas.
Thxs

cooldad

California? Like USA style?
Tights keep you warm - probably the last thing you need.
I would just MTFU.

If you are worried about rocks get some knee pads.

neilrosser

He said CATALONIA, get you eyes tested old man :shock: , mind you the rest of your post is still relevant

cooldad

Bugger - I've been meaning to get them looked at for a while. Guess sooner rather than later.

Onades

Indeed, Catalonia in Spain. :roll: Still warm though; today I was out two hours in 29 degrees C. :oops:
And yes, I understand that tights keep you warm. I used to do trailrunning in compression tights until I tore two of my knee ligaments landing a bad jump windsurfing.
Still I like to know if anyone has any suggestion; preferable with no (or minimal) padding and breathable.

And for those who haven't the experience: skin wounds in salt water don't close and "grow" deeper after prolonged salt water exposure. It's not nice and something I like to avoid if possible 8)

bennett_346

There is no such product.

+1 for the above comments, just man up. Scared of salt water in a cut? WTF?

Onades

Good to know that everyone here is such a Rambo on his bike..... you probably all have enough padding already!
Thought I asked a reasonable question (if maybe dumb!).
But we probably all have to man up and joint the potbellies on the trails.....
Cheers!

bennett_346

Potbellies? I'm 6 foot tall and 12 stone...

And no i don't wear any padding, i'm young enough to bounce.

cooldad

At my age I just go splat and it hurts, and takes ages to heal.
Fortunately I have awesome skillz so I don't fall off.
I do have a pot belly though, a real manly man's one.

clamps81

You're screwed unfortunately. Tights are all warm, insulating jobbies and do bugger all protection wise anyway. I've got a beauty of a 3 inch scar on my shin where I scraped it on a rock wearing my nice thick winter bib tights. Best of with knee/shin pads if you want to avoid taking bits out of yourself. Get some that are easy to get on/off and just wear them for the descents.

Onades

@clamps81
Thanks for the reply; was afraid it would be like that. I remember from long ago that you had motorcycle jeans with kevlar woven through. Thought that maybe there would be something similar for biking by now. Not the jeans part, but more the reinforced fabric as a first protection layer.
Doesn't sound like such a stupid idea to me, but what do I know :?

bennett_346

Thing is, there's a difference between falling off a motorbike and sliding along tarmac at 90mph and tumbling off a bicycle onto gravel at 10mph.

cooldad

You don't have to pedal very hard on a motorcycle neither.

danlikesbikes

Why not try something like a softshell option seems to be a few about that cover knee/shin;
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/race-face-charg ... in-guards/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sixsixone-rhyth ... shin-pads/

Should keep you safe but without the need for a full on set of pads

felix.london

Probably the closest you're gonna get tbh;

http://www.blisscamp.com/bike/

Onades

@danlikesbikes & @felix.london
That's indeed more what I'm looking for. It all still has padding, but after a couple of tumbles I did today, that might not be a bad thing.
Thanks guys!

danlikesbikes

Long time ago I used to wear something similar when out on the XC bike in the summer as some of the best single tracks had some nasty thorns which at speed were no full time after time.

Could also try looking at motor bike type protection as often they do leg protection sown into mesh trousers for use under over trousers

cj11

I surf (wave powered not wind) and ride too. Last year i had a minor disagreement with a flat pedal as a result had fifteen stitches on one wound and six steristrips on another. My shin was a bit of a mess but i carried on surfing after a lay off of just a week and found the salt water helped rather than caused a problem. After this i tried to find something like you are after but could not find anything unless you want downhill style plastic shin guards (ott for my riding)agood guality dressing on the wound under a wet suit was fine and anyway chicks dig scars :roll:

Onades

@cj11
Glad to hear I'm not the only one with a salty affection. And so true; salt water cleans everything up. But go a week to a warm(er) location and spend a couple of hours a day in the water and see what happens then...
Still find it strange there's not something intermediate on the market which doesn't make you look like an NFL player. And as Dan says it doesn't have to be tights, some lightweight airy pants would also work.
The search continues.....

Mark909

Look up hot weather compression tights on google

cj11

Not lucky enough to have the option of warm water surfing. But what you say about intermediate protection is true there seems to be lots around for the upper body like 661sub gear but nothing for legs good luck with the search if you find anything suitable let me know.

Onades

So apparently I'm not alone.... (http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/stantovelo-arm-warmers-offer-road-rash-protection-37298/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRMTBHOME).

In the meantime I bought a pair of 661 Rhythm Elbow Guards & 661 Rhythm Knee/Shin Guards (thanks Danlikesbikes) which work, but it becomes a bit warm altogether. With the 50% of at ChainReaction I think they are worth it, but otherwise they are too expensive for what they offer.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=72463
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=72464

Kowalski675

bennett_346 wrote:

Thing is, there's a difference between falling off a motorbike and sliding along tarmac at 90mph and tumbling off a bicycle onto gravel at 10mph.

I've done both, and can comfirm that they are indeed different, lol.

Dannyboy95

cooldad wrote:

At my age I just go splat and it hurts, and takes ages to heal.
Fortunately I have awesome skillz so I don't fall off.
I do have a pot belly though, a real manly man's one.

SKILLZ are you trying to get down with the kids to?

cooldad

Dannyboy95 wrote:

cooldad wrote:

At my age I just go splat and it hurts, and takes ages to heal.
Fortunately I have awesome skillz so I don't fall off.
I do have a pot belly though, a real manly man's one.

SKILLZ are you trying to get down with the kids to?

There is no other way of expressing awesome gnarrrly skillz.
Fortunately, when I need to, I am aware of the correct words to use too.