Cheap full face helmet and possibly more protective gear?

broona

Just signed up to do a free Bell uplift day at Hamsterley Forest, and they stipulate a full face helmet to ride the DH tracks, this will be my first uplift day, so I don't have one, what would people recommend please?

Also, regarding other protection, I already have some TLD KG5450 or KG5400 knee pads, and will be getting some elbow pads too, is there anything else worth investing in?

poah

661 comp - cheap, well vented, light and comfy. I have one and so does my son.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/661- ... prod113734

paul.skibum

knee and elbow is all I wear in Whistler bike park, I cant imagine you will need more than that at Hamsterly.

welshkev

paul.skibum wrote:

knee and elbow is all I wear in Whistler bike park, I cant imagine you will need more than that at Hamsterly.

I think it comes down to preference and how safe you feel.

I only wear full face and knee pads at antur stiniog but I saw people (inc my mates) who were padded up to the max.

I also saw a girl at ashton court in Bristol the other day in full body armour and full face helmet - the trail is pretty much flat! but if she felt more comfortable like that then fair do's to her, at least she was out riding

rockmonkeysc

661 Full face helmets are cheap but they aren't too nicely lined or as well ventilated as some others.
Personally I like Urge Down-O-Matic or Bell Drop. Both are good value, well vented and comfortable.
I don't bother with elbow guards, I just use Nukeproof critical knee pads and Troy Lee hot weather, short sleeve armour.

.blitz

POAH wrote:

661 comp - cheap, well vented, light and comfy. I have one and so does my son.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/661- ... prod113734

+1
light, fits more like a trail helmet, big aperture, not too moto

broona

Thanks for the replies.

I'm gonna try some helmets on this weekend and see what's comfortable, at least I've got a few to look at now, and I think I might get a 661 Sub Gear L-S Shirt too - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/661- ... prod113565

.blitz

Have got a couple of those they're OK if you don't enjoy using your elbows as brakes or shoulder-charging trees

rockmonkeysc

The subgear vest is fairly pointless. They're more psychology protection than actual protection.
These are really good. http://www.dirtbikebitz.com/troy-lee-bp ... oogleBase1
Nice and cool but with more protective padding. Very well vented. I bought mine after cooking in my 661 vapour armour. No armour is likely to prevent broken bones but it can save you some nasty cuts and gravel rash.

poah

RockmonkeySC wrote:

661 Full face helmets are cheap but they aren't too nicely lined or as well ventilated as some others.
Personally I like Urge Down-O-Matic or Bell Drop. Both are good value, well vented and comfortable.
I don't bother with elbow guards, I just use Nukeproof critical knee pads and Troy Lee hot weather, short sleeve armour.

he said cheap - Urge Down-O-Matic is about £130.

Sothis

I suggest ebay depending on how much time you've got. My friend was /budgeting/ it and he got a Fox carbon helmet for £100, another one bought 661 comp for £30 + delivery. Just buy new, and not used ones and there is quite a few for sale.

I'm also an avid supporter of all d3o body protectors, have got the race face knee/shin guards and a back protector. Its not very cheap but affordable and offers light and super good protection

rockmonkeysc

POAH wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

661 Full face helmets are cheap but they aren't too nicely lined or as well ventilated as some others.
Personally I like Urge Down-O-Matic or Bell Drop. Both are good value, well vented and comfortable.
I don't bother with elbow guards, I just use Nukeproof critical knee pads and Troy Lee hot weather, short sleeve armour.

he said cheap - Urge Down-O-Matic is about £130.

I am on my third and haven't paid more than £70 for one yet.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobi ... lsrc=aw.ds

poah

RockmonkeySC wrote:

POAH wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

661 Full face helmets are cheap but they aren't too nicely lined or as well ventilated as some others.
Personally I like Urge Down-O-Matic or Bell Drop. Both are good value, well vented and comfortable.
I don't bother with elbow guards, I just use Nukeproof critical knee pads and Troy Lee hot weather, short sleeve armour.

he said cheap - Urge Down-O-Matic is about £130.

I am on my third and haven't paid more than £70 for one yet.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobi ... lsrc=aw.ds

yeah thanks for that

broona

I really like the Urge helmet, mate rides in a Enduromatic and I've always liked that, so that's straight to the top of my list!

Borrowing a mates MX helmet to try out tomorrow, but I think that if I like the uplift day, I'll be doing more, so having my own kit is probably a better idea.

Like the look of the TLD stuff, but don't know if I can justify that kind of money when it might just be a one off, hmmm...

PS, any cheap goggles too please?

russyh

I bought a pair of 100% thors from crc for about £20 if I remember, absolutely perfect for me.

mcnultycop

I've got a set if the sub gear and I really like it. I used to wear elbow pads and they annoyed me, moving and slipping, The sub gear elbow pads stay in place with the benefit of some shoulder protection and a nice compression layer for free. I've fallen on my shoulder twice since getting it ( slow sideways falls) so not completely useless.

If I was a downhiller I'd want more. With a pack the sub gear makes sense to me.

rockmonkeysc

Sub gear is not up to the job for downhill. Its just not designed for the speeds and impacts involved in downhill crashes. And you don't want a pack for downhill unless you want spinal injuries

poah

depends whats in the pack. I've got two, a basic camel back with nothing but a bladder and a EVOC FR lite. sure if you are going to have tools etc in the pack thats going to cause issues.

rockmonkeysc

Anything on your back is dangerous, thats why all packs including small camelbacks are banned by BC/UCI in downhill racing. If you land on your back anything which can flex your spine backwards is bad. You don't want to risk it, as I have found out, you never fully recover from a spinal injury.
Why would you want a camel back for downhill. In the UK at least, you never have much more than a three minute descent and a twenty minute push up. Just leave it at the top or bottom of the hill.

poah

I'm not saying for racing - but if you fall on your back then somthing to absorb impact is better than nothing surely - obviously this depends on the landing

rockmonkeysc

Better to keep your back straight rather than bending it around something. Also better to not have anything to effect the way you roll or bounce.
There is no difference between racing and uplift days, it's all about riding flat out in downhill and crashes are always big and painful.

russyh

Agree with Rockmonkey with this, i never wear my Camelback when Downhill (sounds like i do it every weekend) There is no need, i tie my bike to a trailer sit in a mini bus, driven to the top 5 minutes later i am back at the bottom (hopefully) I take a bottle and leave it by the uplift or by the car.