Knee/shin guards for XC/Trail

Traser13

I've recently had a bad enough off to get stitches in my shin. I'm looking for a set a shin gards to use over the Scottish winter months to keep it protected.

I ride XC & trail so need good freedom for pedaling. I'm considering:

GForm Pro x knee/shinpads - £75
661 Rythem - £35
POC VPD shins with a set of VPD air knee pads. -£110

Any other suggestions or ideas? Have you tried any of them out?

iwilldoit

Not shin protection but as for the knees I use Fox Enduro's very comfortable once on you tend to forget you have them on

rockmonkeysc

Prevention is the way to go. Get some skills coaching and fix the reasons for crashing.

poah

trail skins but not got much shin protection.

FishFish

661 are ok.

Traser13

Cheers for the recommendations guys but I am looking for something with shin protection.

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Prevention is the way to go. Get some skills coaching and fix the reasons for crashing.

I'd still like recommendations on shin protection to wear while i'm improving. The only prevention would be to stop riding, even the best riders come off sometimes so what chance do I have!

FishFish wrote:

661 are ok.

Cheers, what was good/bad about them?

cooldad

Problem is, sooner or later if you want to prevent everything you'll need one of these

Long_Time_Lurker

If you can find any, 661 Veggie Shins do the trick. I bought some after I had a minor op on my shin.
BUT - I don't think that they make them anymore (there are some knocking about on e-bay), but can recommend 661 in general. Mate uses 661 Rages and he has no problems with them.

The Rookie

cooldad wrote:

Problem is, sooner or later if you want to prevent everything you'll need one of these

That still has a gap on the inside of the upper arm which is exactly where I received my most serious injury!

rockmonkeysc

Traser13 wrote:

Cheers for the recommendations guys but I am looking for something with shin protection.

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Prevention is the way to go. Get some skills coaching and fix the reasons for crashing.

I'd still like recommendations on shin protection to wear while i'm improving. The only prevention would be to stop riding, even the best riders come off sometimes so what chance do I have!

Some extra skills will mean crashing a lot less often and it'll give you that bigger margin for error. Even after several years downhill racing and freeriding, the nastiest injuries I have seen have been inexperienced xc riders panic braking at the wrong time and smashing their faces in to trees or the ground. The majority of mountain bikers only need to make small changes to their riding to make a huge difference to their ability to stay on and not get hurt.

The Rookie

Sods law says that unless you go to DH armour that when you come off you'll hit the bit without protection (as I noted above), not coming off (or at least being in a better control of your trajectory when you do) is a much better way of stop yourself getting hurt.

Worst injury I've seen was a broken collar bone, clipped a tree on the inside of a bend and came off on the outside hitting the tree pretty much collar bone first nothing much was going to save that, and that was just a fastish smooth XC trail where he pushed his luck just a fraction to far.

I've had the injury above and two broken ribs from a low side where the trail crossed a wooden bridge on a curve. I consider nicks and grazes on the shins part of riding.

rockmonkeysc

No armour protects from broken collar bones, or any shoulder injury. I've smashed both my collar bones while wearing full downhill armour.
Pads and armour (with the exception of spine protectors) generally only save you from minor injuries. Not much will save you from broken bones.