Protection

clint29

Had an off today which resulted in a sore elbow, pin marks in my shins and the back of my left knee. All of this would have been protected with the appropriate equipment. I vary from quick blasts to five hour rides in all conditions but mainly in the Peak District so think hard protection would be the best? Any recommendations please?

Kowalski675

Nukeproof Criticals for me (elbow and knee, but they do a knee & shin version too). Comfortable, reasonable price and plenty of protection. I can hit my car tailgate hard enough with my knee to set off the alarm without feeling it in my knee, lol (not a particularly scientific test, but you get the idea).

cooldad

Sods law says next time you'll land on another bit, so maybe full body armour.

prawny

After buying, then sending back some hard elbow pads, I've come to the conclusion that softer style pads are fine. I've got Kyle Strait knees, but will try the Fox launch pros, Troy Lee or the Criticals when they die. For elbows I've got the 661 Rhythms which are better than you'd think but too hot in the summer as they come down to your wrists. Going to try and get something better soon.

The Rookie

cooldad wrote:

so maybe full body armour.

I can see you now CD



2 of my 3 falls with injuries wouldn't have been made any better by most armour, 1 was cracked ribs from landing flat on my chest hard (flat surface) and the other was a brake lever going into the inside of my upper arm.

YeehaaMcgee

cooldad wrote:

Sods law says next time you'll land on another bit, so maybe full body armour.

He's not exactly wrong. You can't protect against every possible injury, and if you're the kind of person that worries about injuring yourself, then maybe reconsider your hobbies.

Kowalski675

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

cooldad wrote:

Sods law says next time you'll land on another bit, so maybe full body armour.

He's not exactly wrong. You can't protect against every possible injury, and if you're the kind of person that worries about injuring yourself, then maybe reconsider your hobbies.

By that logic, nobody should wear a helmet either then.

Kowalski675

prawny wrote:

After buying, then sending back some hard elbow pads, I've come to the conclusion that softer style pads are fine. I've got Kyle Strait knees, but will try the Fox launch pros, Troy Lee or the Criticals when they die. For elbows I've got the 661 Rhythms which are better than you'd think but too hot in the summer as they come down to your wrists. Going to try and get something better soon.

The Critical elbow pads use soft, flexible (but CE tested) Sas-Tec armour. They're comfortable (I don't notice mine while riding), but with plenty of protection. Like all pads they're still warm on hot days, but not as bad as the Rhythms.

YeehaaMcgee

Kowalski675 wrote:

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

cooldad wrote:

Sods law says next time you'll land on another bit, so maybe full body armour.

He's not exactly wrong. You can't protect against every possible injury, and if you're the kind of person that worries about injuring yourself, then maybe reconsider your hobbies.

By that logic, nobody should wear a helmet either then.

Excuse me?

ilovedirt

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

cooldad wrote:

Sods law says next time you'll land on another bit, so maybe full body armour.

He's not exactly wrong. You can't protect against every possible injury, and if you're the kind of person that worries about injuring yourself, then maybe reconsider your hobbies.

I'd say this
I don't wear much protection, just a lid, gloves and sometimes knee pads if I feel the need. Pads won't stop you breaking bones etc, I gave my knee a proper seeing to at FOD a few months back WITH pads on. It's just a case of man up and maybe protect the bits that you go down on most frequently - for me my hands and knees. If you're riding XC with full protective gear on, you're going to overheat VERY quickly, even in the middle of winter, and then you're just putting yourself at risk of dehydration. It's up to you, but at the end of the day, I wouldn't bother. Just put up with having some minor scrapes and bruises.

cooldad

This ^^^^^^^^^^

During my riding carreer, which included spectacularly unsuccessful attempts at both motorcross, enduro and road racing, as well as more years than most people on the forum have been alive riding large motorcycles and random bicycles I have broken my arms, my breastbone, my nose, my pelvis, numerous fingers, a toe. my jaw, dozens of ribs and my neck.

I always wore appropriate gear.

The only thing I have landed on consistently and not actually broken, not counting concussion, is my skull.

So I do wear a helmet and gloves.

Depends what you ride though. I only really do XC and 'trails', whatever they are. I don't like jumping, I don't do massive gnarly drop offs, I hate pain, and my rather decrepit body takes a long time to heal.

If I did DH I'd wear the right gear but I don't, I just ride a bicycle randomly and if something scares me I push. I'm too old for shame.

YeehaaMcgee

cooldad wrote:

This ^^^^^^^^^^

During my riding carreer, which included spectacularly unsuccessful attempts at both motorcross, enduro and road racing, as well as more years than most people on the forum have been alive riding large motorcycles and random bicycles I have broken my arms, my breastbone, my nose, my pelvis, numerous fingers, a toe. my jaw, dozens of ribs and my neck.

And hearts, CD, don't forget the broken hearts.

cooldad

That was a bit of a long winded way of saying wear whatever you want I guess, because you're going to die anyway.

And I'm sorry about your heart, but you knew you'd grow up one day.

Kowalski675

cooldad wrote:

During my riding carreer, which included spectacularly unsuccessful attempts at both motorcross, enduro and road racing, as well as more years than most people on the forum have been alive riding large motorcycles and random bicycles I have broken my arms, my breastbone, my nose, my pelvis, numerous fingers, a toe. my jaw, dozens of ribs and my neck.

Sounds like you weren't very good at it.

cooldad

You must have missed the 'spectacularly unsuccesful' bit. I was rubbish.
Strangely enough I've never really been hurt on a track, but translating riding like an idiot onto the roads might have been a mistake. Cars and poles and pavements seem to jump out from nowhere.

The pelvis was fun though, rode over a small cliff onto an aloe (giant spiky type SA succulent) and the bike landed on me. Rather long, very painful ride back to civilisation.

cooldad

An aloe for anyone who cares. Yes I am bored so I might as well educate you lot . There's also a cliff thing in the background.

clint29

Thanks for the replies, I'll have a look at the criticals. I don't constantly worry about getting injured but if this off had been in the Peaks I think it'd have been a lot worse so surely a bit of protection is not a bad thing?

YeehaaMcgee

clioterus wrote:

Thanks for the replies, I'll have a look at the criticals. I don't constantly worry about getting injured but if this off had been in the Peaks I think it'd have been a lot worse so surely a bit of protection is not a bad thing?

Well, no, a bit of protection isn't a bad thing, but wrapping yourself head to toe in cotton wool and bubblewrap is pointless.
What we do is fun, because of the risks. If there was no risk, it would become a mundane activity.

clint29

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

clioterus wrote:

Thanks for the replies, I'll have a look at the criticals. I don't constantly worry about getting injured but if this off had been in the Peaks I think it'd have been a lot worse so surely a bit of protection is not a bad thing?

Well, no, a bit of protection isn't a bad thing, but wrapping yourself head to toe in cotton wool and bubblewrap is pointless.
What we do is fun, because of the risks. If there was no risk, it would become a mundane activity.

Very true think I'll get some soft knee/elbow pads and mtfu!

ilovedirt

clioterus wrote:

Thanks for the replies, I'll have a look at the criticals. I don't constantly worry about getting injured but if this off had been in the Peaks I think it'd have been a lot worse so surely a bit of protection is not a bad thing?

That's just the risk you take... You can't know what you're going to do next, so unless you cover yourself in armour, you can't have every eventuality covered. Just get some decent knee pads and maybe elbows. I quite fancy some of the g-form pads. They look good for XC.

Kowalski675

cooldad wrote:

You must have missed the 'spectacularly unsuccesful' bit. I was rubbish.
Strangely enough I've never really been hurt on a track, but translating riding like an idiot onto the roads might have been a mistake.

Aye, crashing on a track is a lot safer than on the road, even somewhere like Cadwell. Tbh, I never expected to see my 30th birthday, the way we used to ride on the road, never mind be still sat here at forty. It wasn't a proper ride unless you'd had at least one near death experience, lol.

step83

Body armours one of those annoying things where you need to balance out what you need to by whats feasible.

Currently (when i say current i mean when it was very hot) I only have some light mitts a pair of fox launch knee pads and some modified slip in shin pads. Course i have the helmet but thats it.

When its a bit cooler I tend to have the same unless I fancy being silly then ill lob on some full finger gloves an some forearm and elbow pads.

As has been said you can wrap yourself up in bubble wrap all you want youll still break something its the nature of riding youll never know your limit till you pass it and break something. Body armours more to stop cuts and reduce bruising than anything else.
Theres nothing worse than a snake bite from a pedal strike to ruin a days ride which is where a bit of protection helps shins will sort that they also help if like me you go down nettle strewn single track.

Best advice I can give is yes a bit of protection, learn to fall safely and make sure your helmets a good fit.
Most of all enjoy riding no point being scared or youll never get the full enjoyment from it.

ilovedirt

Step83 wrote:

Theres nothing worse than a snake bite from a pedal strike to ruin a days ride which is where a bit of protection helps shins will sort that they also help if like me you go down nettle strewn single track.

Half the reason I went clipped in, I don't have that problem any more.

rockmonkeysc

Personally I find the discomfort of wearing pads for xc rides worse than the occasional cut/bruise/graze that they might protect against.
Plus chicks dig scars.

clint29

Looking at Criticals/Launch/G-form arm and knee combo not sure which yet? My head and neck took the brunt of the impact but at the time the pedal cuts hurt the most! I'm already covered in scars and now I'm approaching 40 not that bothered about any more!

ilovedirt

Well you have a lid for your head, you could get a neck brace but you'd need a full face lid, and that would be horrible for XC.

As for the pedals, either try clips, or get some knee/shins.
Fox launch (i have the launch pro knees) and nukeproof criticals are more for downhill. I wouldn't wear them for XC. G-forms are designed to be lightweight and not too restrictive, perfect for XC, but I don't know that they do shin pads.

Kowalski675

ilovedirt wrote:

Fox launch (i have the launch pro knees) and nukeproof criticals are more for downhill. I wouldn't wear them for XC.

The Criticals are comfortable enough to wear all day.

rockmonkeysc

Kowalski675 wrote:

ilovedirt wrote:

Fox launch (i have the launch pro knees) and nukeproof criticals are more for downhill. I wouldn't wear them for XC.

The Criticals are comfortable enough to wear all day.

I have critical knee pads and can't wait to get them off after four or five downhill runs. I would never wear them for XC. The thought of pedalling for hours in those sweaty things just makes me sad.

Kowalski675

Mine must be different, lol.

ilovedirt

Maybe some people get on with them better than others. A group of guys I used to ride with were always telling me to wear knee pads for XC when I crashed, and just looked at me funny when I told them I don't like wearing them...
The criticals seem pretty similar to every other soft shell knee pad - doesn't really translate into all day comfort and breathability.

Kowalski675

ilovedirt wrote:

Maybe some people get on with them better than others. A group of guys I used to ride with were always telling me to wear knee pads for XC when I crashed, and just looked at me funny when I told them I don't like wearing them...
The criticals seem pretty similar to every other soft shell knee pad - doesn't really translate into all day comfort and breathability.

They're not as comfortable as not wearing them, but a whole lot more comfortable than crashing without them, and could make the difference between getting up and laughing, or not being able to carry on. Tbh, if I was riding XC, particularly on a warm day, then I'd be tempted to leave them at home (or get something lighter duty, like the Race Face Charge), but for trail centre riding it's knee and elbow pads every time for me. Whatever anyone else wants to do is their choice - other people f*****g up their knees doesn't hurt me, lol.