NoWhammies

What's the thinking on pads? Specifically knee pads vs. shin pads?

When I was at the LBS getting an education on mountain bikes, the sales fellow was recommending shin pads over knee pads. His thinking was I would be whacking my shins on pedals (with those nice spikes/pins) and that I would get much more value from purchasing shin pads.

With that in mind, does anyone have any recommendations re: which pads to purchase? Also, I bought a bike with clipless pedals. Are shin pads still the way to go?

Leebo

I use G form knee/shin pads. Stay put, lightweight, not that sweaty.

Darth Lefty 

Knee pads will protect most of your shin.

Elbows too while you're at it.

I think mine are Alpinestars

carlosponti

I like my G-Form knee pads.

qclabrat

My body doesn't fit gforms well. I went through 6 sets before finding something I liked. Dainese. Light weight pads are good for pedal whacks and small falls. So depending what type of projection you're looking for gforms might be the ticket. If you are going clipless, no need for shin guards. One draw back with knee protection is that it does hinder pedaling a bit.

NoWhammies

@Leebo thanks! I've heard good things about G-form pads. Expensive but worth it from what I've read.

@Gclabrat Hmm. Never occurred to me that my body might not fit the pads I'll google Dainese and see what they look like. My bike has clipless pedals, so that's a good point about the need for shin guards. When I was thinking of shin guards in the first place it was when the fellow at the LBS was suggesting I go with flats. The shin guards would protect me from the spikes.



So do you guys wear your pads to ride? Or do you put them on after climbing to the top of your ride?

Darth Lefty 

Some people like to pull them down to their ankles while pedaling, especially if they're tough and clunky. My favorite local trail is along a ridge with lots of up and down so I got pretty light ones and leave them on. (I looked them up, they are Alpinestars Paragon).

I also tend to wear them more in the winter and spring when it's damp around here and easier to go fast and not so sweaty to wear armor, in the summer it's hot and loose and I go a lot slower. That's not ATGATT, so YMMV