Digital Gee

Okay, I know next to nothing about riding rocky trails. As I was bopping around on them yesterday, the thought occurred to me that I might actually fall one of these days. I know, hard to believe. Then I got to wondering whether MTBers ever wear knee pads or elbow pads? Feels like that's an uber-Fred question, but then again, I happen to enjoy my fully functioning knees and elbows.

BluesDawg

Beyond Fred.
Kids in skateboard parks on stunt bikes wear them and I think downhill racers sometimes wear them, but I have never seen knee or elbow pads on a singletrack trail.

Nightshade

anyone with hip/knee, etc. replacements would know it's best to
protect that joint while riding as best they can.

overthehillmedi

For you Mr.G,I think that that red protective suit they wear on Mythbusters would be the best for you to wear while riding your Mtb.After all one must protect your manly good looks for when you are riding the Ruby on pathways along the beach come summer.

divingbiker

I've fallen a number of times, and my knee or elbow haven't hit the ground first, or even gotten skinned. Usually it's my head, face, and shoulder that take the brunt of the fall. I'm not sure what kind of armor would work for that.

Tex_Arcana

Heh, that's nothing. When I told my doctor that I am an avid cyclist she asked if I wore a helmet. I told her yes, and then she says she thinks I ought to wear body armor too. I told her I just ride streets not bmx, and she says it's still a good idea.

Somehow I couldn't convince her that wearing that in Houston heat and humidity would probably kill me via rapid dehydration and heat stroke. I finally told her that the couple of times I actually fell of my years of judo training practicing break falls has always kicked in and I escaped with minor scrapes and bruising. One thing judo does do is teach you how to fall down a lot.

stapfam

This might work- but for a different type of steed


https://www.knightsroyal.co.uk/gallery.htm

And how are a few scars and loss of a bit of blood going to harm you?

RockyTopBiker

I was with a group hiking on an extremely rocky, dangerous trail in North Carolina last year and we met up with five or six mountain bikers who were armored to the teeth. There was about 25 creek crossings and terrain that would be impossible to ride in the saddle. I can't imagine how this could be fun to mountain bike but, to each his own, I guess. I had on underwear older than all of them put together. If I were you, I'd also consider a mouthpiece and cup and I don't mean for drinking!!

big john

https://www.bikemag.com/gear/apparel/...est/index.html
Some guys wear body armor for downhill, jumping, or stunts. Some guys who "Free-ride" will carry knee and elbow pads, and even a full face helmet, on the climbs, then put everything on for the descent. They even make backbacks for this purpose.
Some guys I know even wear pads on the road to protect exsisting injuries.
https://lizardskins.com/products/?typ...tective%20gear

Little Darwin

I have a friend (ironically named Fred). When I told him I was getting back into bike riding (we both rode in our youth) I mentioned I was wearing a helmet, and he suggested elbow pads and knee pads... and that I don't attach myself to the pedals.

So, it depends on the level of risk you are willing to accept, based on the expense/bother of dealing with the risk.

BSLeVan

I would suggest that there is a subtle psychology here that you want to avoid. If you start wearing knee and elbow pads, you've given in and allowed yourself to get sucked into falling an inevitable. I say forgo the pads and adopt the very tough mental stand of, "I ride upright and keep the clean side up! I balance, I zig, I zag, I'm swift, and I'm very, very good at this. Nobody is better at this than me." I know you probably think I'm not being serious, and on one level I'm not. But on another level I am very serious.

An acquaintance from 20 years ago was a psychology professor at a university in the Mid-West. Each year he would have his graduate students conduct the same experiment at a pre-school day care program. A student would be assigned to work with a group of five year olds on a cooking project. As part of the experiment the student would say, "OK, this is going to be really fun, and I'm excited. These cookies are going to taste so good. But before we get started we need to carry the eggs in this bowl across the room. I want each of you to take one egg from the bowl and carry it across the room and put in the bowl over there. But... don't drop any eggs or break any." Then the experiment would be repeated with a different group of children...only this time the final words of the instructions were not to avoid breaking any eggs, but these words, "Now carry the eggs very carefully as if they were the most important thing you have." He did this experiment for over ten years and each and every time the first group always broke more eggs.

Artkansas 

The only time I wore knee pads was scrubbing the floors of our house. My ex always wanted me to also wear a thong, but that's another story. LOL.


But yes, on an MTB, you will fall one day. Take whatever steps you deem wise to protect yourself.

stapfam

Of course you will fall- but Keep the hands on the bars and feet on the pedals and nothing gets broken. You only fall when you try something stupid or beyond your capabilities. My BIG mate Martyn has never fallen. but then he is a wimp. Mind you- I would still like to catch him up some of the hills.

Motorad

Actually, a more accurate poll could be: What body parts get injured when riding on platforms ... and ... What body parts get injured when riding with clipless pedals/shoes.

Last year while in the POP (plain ole' platforms) mode ... road riding:
* Over the handlebars, and landed on right shoulder. Retro-thought: brakes too sensitive.
* Over the handlebars, and landed on right shoulder and head. Retro-thought: brakes too sensitive.
* Rode on sidewalk ... underneath an overpass ... booby trapped with 2 inches of sand: Landed on right hip.

One ride this year with clipless pedals ... road riding:
* One hour of successful riding, worked great!
* Last redlight of group ride:
(A) Question: Wonder how long I can balance (track) on both pedals, while still attached to both egg beaters ... at a standstill?
(B) Answer: Not long. Landed on left hip. The Brooks saddle sustained a brutal scar.

maddmaxx 

Can anyone picture DG in a bombsquad suit riding an orange bicycles is the hills of California.






I can...................

Actually, DG I fee like I can agree with you. The terrain around you pictures is pretty hard and rocky. Most of my fall offs are going to be in mud and on soft stuff.

JanMM

Go ahead, wear the protective gear. Everybody will think it's the reasonable, mature thing to do. Yuk! Yuk! Yuk! Snort!

swan652

If you don't have good trial skills or aren't a downhiller then don't bother with the armor...kind of like wearing knickers (not that kind Stapfam) on the golf course...if you aren't a scratch golfer, you're going to look like an idiot. When you decided to take your bike off-road, you accepted the fact that you're going to fall and (most probably) get dinged up. Take Stapfam's advice and hold onto the bars and keep your feet on the pedals.

Terrierman

Pamestique 

It's not unusual to see riders with full body armor on but generally those are freeriders and they are crashing down steep (I mean roller coaster steep!), rocky, inclines. I have had several bad crashes where I came down on my left elbow (always the left!) and eventually it caused me to have surgery. So now I do wear a pad on my left elbow (but not if I am doing easy, flat trail). Better that than surgery again. My knees? Well between road and trail crashes they are a mess. Nothing much left there to protect.

One thing I do recommend are a good pair of mountain biking gloves (I like Fox's Mojaves), full fingers perferably. When you crash downhill into some rocks & cactus you and your hands will thank me later!!! Also mountain biking shorts do have a function. Those long, baggy shorts protect your legs from prickly brush and if you fall will protect more than spandex. Get those and save yourself the embarassment wearing pads.

deraltekluge

I think knee and elbow pads mainly protect you from scrapes, not "real" injuries. I was wearing skateboard-style knee pads when I fell off my bike, cracked a tibia, and tore an ACL.

Blanchje

Helmet goes without saying. After that, good gloves. It's hard to wipe with no skin on your hands Everything else will heal.

CACycling

We were hiking through the Forest of Nisene Marks in the Santa Cruz, CA area last fall and came across a group of cyclists that had elbow pads, knee pads and shin guards, in addition to helmets and gloves, coming off one of the trails. I guess you need all that when you are doing trail riding on unicycles.

Terex

Just make sure you wear a Camelback - protects your spine.

Dogbait

For the uber-cautious Fred, nothing beats a Bear Suit. Good for traffic too.

JanMM

Should the Camelback be filled with hard water or soft water?