Are elbow pads necessary for trail/xc riding?

step83

Ive always worn knee pads mainly because i have a habit of bailing and smahing said knees. Recently started wearing elbow/forarm pads mainly becasue where I like to ride is pretty tight and twisty or opens out into long fast single tracks with lots of prickly stuff either side. Sometimes if im going to tackle some steeper stuff ill wear some light torso armour or put the armour pad for my back on the backpack. It is very much down to personal choice.
The bails that hurt the most though have been full OTB with the bulk of the injury being the bike coming to give me a hug after. Nothing quite beats a handle bar end to the chest!

mcnultycop

After a big off and an elbow break in October I can't not wear elbow pads any more. I'm pretty sure wearing them at the time would've saved my elbow, or reduced the damage from a displaced break. As the metalwork has been working its way out over the last couple of days I'm particularly regretting not padding up back in October! I was supposed to be at Grizedale today, but I'm on the sofa sulking instead.

I was on local (but rocky!) trails that I know well when I fell off. It was just one of those things, potentially over familiarity.

I can understand why people don't wear pads, and ultimately it's their own choice to wear pads (or helmets). I'd recommend everyone find some comfortable pads that don't annoy when just bumbling along.

rockmonkeysc

How many of those who use pads for xc also wear a full face helmet for xc rides as well?

Ferrals

What do you classify as xc? I did see a guy at afan in a full Lycra skin suit with knee/shin, elbow pads and a full face before wouldn't like to do that climb from glyncorrwg in a f.f!

I was actually thinking this week, I'm most likely to injure myself xc racing as by lap 3 or 4 I'm so knackered that I don't always trust myself, for example last Sunday there was one tech(ish) drop and on lap 4 I took a chicken line through the bushes because I didn't think I could hold it. Clearly for a race, pads would be a nightmare so I guess it's just a cost benefit decision every ride.

rockmonkeysc

Traditional xc, trail and enduro are all what I meant by xc (because they were all just a part of xc until a couple years ago)

poah

in all the years you've been in a car, how many crashes have you had?

RockmonkeySC wrote:

How many years of ridimg with no problems before that nasty gash?
The way I look at it is that I tend to break something every four of five years xc riding so I can just accept that rather than wear slightly uncomfortable pads.
I always wear armour for downhill but crashes are bigger, nastier and more frequent so its more worth while.

poah

RockmonkeySC wrote:

How many of those who use pads for xc also wear a full face helmet for xc rides as well?

I've got a new met parachute, don't like open face helmets. used to wear my 661 before that. I'm happy with the protection they offer where as my bro in law who falls off frequently won't even consider the parachute. all down to personal choice, some people wear gloves some people don't.

I wear my parachute on the road, at my local easy trails, and for longer rides. I wear my 661 for inners DH.

I wear an open face piss pot and pads when I go to the indoor BMX unit though

Angus Young

POAH wrote:

where as my bro in law who falls off frequently won't even consider the parachute.

Is that because he doesn't think it offers enough protection (lots of people thinking the new parachute is the same as the old parachute) or because he thinks it's too much helmet?

POAH wrote:

all down to personal choice, some people wear gloves some people don't

I think anyone who rides without gloves hasn't fallen off enough.

poah

Angus Young wrote:

Is that because he doesn't think it offers enough protection (lots of people thinking the new parachute is the same as the old parachute) or because he thinks it's too much helmet?

no idea, he face planted before Christmas and still wont consider one

rockmonkeysc

POAH wrote:

in all the years you've been in a car, how many crashes have you had?

RockmonkeySC wrote:

How many years of ridimg with no problems before that nasty gash?
The way I look at it is that I tend to break something every four of five years xc riding so I can just accept that rather than wear slightly uncomfortable pads.
I always wear armour for downhill but crashes are bigger, nastier and more frequent so its more worth while.

Only one in 16 years and yes I still wear a seat belt but car crashes are a lot more likely to kill than falling off a bicycle. I know my abilities on a bike and cycling accidents will be only my fault, a car crash could be anyones fault so seat belt and full face & pads comparison doesnt really work.
Personally I wouldnt consider a full face for anything other than downhill or feeeride.

Herdwick

POAH wrote:

in all the years you've been in a car, how many crashes have you had?

well, you don't wear the MET while driving to the trail or bike park do you?

Never wear elbow/knee pads because I ride relativly slow, from all the times I crashed the worst I had was some scrathes and bruises, my riding buddy for a few months now wears a nukeproof body armour, pads and an open face helmet for trail riding and FF for ''downhill'' witch is basicaly medium trails, but use a lift to take us up the top again and again and again...
As somebody said, getting older takes up precious time for recovery and he is 39,

personaly I'd rather ride carefully and moderate than get overexited and come in need of padding.

The less you carry/wear with you the more enjoyable the ride is, and this is what I aim for.

BloggingFit

Full finger gloves are the extent of my extra trail protection. I have considered knee pads for the summer months where the ground is harder and padding may limit swelling and bruising when hitting the deck. Can't say I'd ever go with elbow pads and chin guard lids with maybe the exception of the Bell Super 2R for if I were having a particularly bad day.

poah

I can't tell if you are taking the piss or are actually a moron?

Herdwick wrote:

well, you don't wear the MET while driving to the trail or bike park do you?

njee20

Why? You're infinitely more likely to suffer a serious head injury in the car driving to the trails than when you're riding. It's all just calculated risk. You don't wear a helmet walking down the street either, I imagine?

You crashed at Cathkin Braes, but I didnt see anyone wearing any body armour other than a helmet at the Commonwealth Games.

Angus Young

njee20 wrote:

Why? You're infinitely more likely to suffer a serious head injury in the car driving to the trails than when you're riding. It's all just calculated risk.

When I used to rock climb the thing you got from people over and over again was, "Oh I wouldn't fancy that, far too dangerous." They were never swayed when I told them you were a thousand times more likely to get killed driving to and from the climb than on the climb.

Herdwick

POAH wrote:

I can't tell if you are taking the wee-wee or are actually a moron?

Herdwick wrote:

well, you don't wear the MET while driving to the trail or bike park do you?

next time someone plunges your car on its side, you'll have a side pillar on your head, regardless of having a seatbelt or not.
My point is you do not need a fullface riding around trails, driving around in a car is more likely you end up needing it.

paul.skibum

Oh look, the helmet argument has come around again and everyone has been passed the usual script. Saves me having to read it again I guess.

oodboo

Is this thread really still going?

All you need for xc trail riding is a bike. I wear a helmet because I've smashed enough of them to think they're worthwhile. I wear gloves because you use your hands to stop yourself if you fall. And I wear riding glasses because I need glasses.

If you feel more confident with knee or elbow pads then go ahead and wear them. Same goes for full face, body armor and gum shield. Wear whatever you're comfortable riding in, no-one else really cares.

Herdwick

Agree,
won't coment again!

Angus Young

oodboo wrote:

no-one else really cares.

And yet you'll regularly see comments about "The tosser in a FF riding XC." or "The prat in body armour on the red trail."

poah

Herdwick wrote:

next time someone plunges your car on its side, you'll have a side pillar on your head, regardless of having a seatbelt or not.
My point is you do not need a fullface riding around trails, driving around in a car is more likely you end up needing it.

I agree you don't have to wear one and I'm not saying you have to either. I choose to wear one

poah

njee20 wrote:

Why? You're infinitely more likely to suffer a serious head injury in the car driving to the trails than when you're riding. It's all just calculated risk. You don't wear a helmet walking down the street either, I imagine?

You crashed at Cathkin Braes, but I didnt see anyone wearing any body armour other than a helmet at the Commonwealth Games.

yes but the ones that did fall got scraped and bruised etc - I choose to wear pads because when I fall I do it hard. I don't care what anyone else wears but the point I'm making is that even if you do ride round a XC course you can still fall and hurt yourself. There have been few people that have seriously hurt themselves at cathkin so its up to you if you want to wear pads or not.

rockmonkeysc

A couple years ago a woman fell off her bike on the Kennet & Avon canal tow path, she was wearing a helmet but fell down a steep bank and broke her neck. Should she have been wearing a full face helmet neck brace and spine protector? It probably would have saved her.
I quite often see someone wearing a full face helmet for commuting through Bath, he does look a right plum and to be honest I think it could be counter productive by isolating him from whats going on around him.

cooldad

Being a Real Man™ I ride naked.

Angus Young

cooldad wrote:

Being a Real Man™ I ride naked.

Pictures or it didn't happen.

cooldad

You bored with the last lot I sent you already?