# Protection



## Peter88 (1 Oct 2011)

Started riding with a club recently mainly on trails and xc. After a couple of off's have been looking at some arm and leg protection.

Have been looking at the Raceface FR's
Legs 
Arms
but wanted to know if anyone has any other suggestions?


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## Panter (1 Oct 2011)

Look like absolute bargains to me at that price.
I personally use the CRC Brand X stuff for the rockier stuff in Wales etc, for more local rides I use the Lizard Skins soft pads. But, those were choices governed by price more than anything


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## Cubist (2 Oct 2011)

Peter88 said:


> Started riding with a club recently mainly on trails and xc. After a couple of off's have been looking at some arm and leg protection.
> 
> Have been looking at the Raceface FR's
> Legs
> ...



If anything I'd say your links were to DH oriented stuff, which may be a bit sweaty/cumbersome on XC rides. Look at 661 Kyle Straight, or Veggie stuff. 
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=30894

These look like a bargain
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=39496


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## Muddy Ground (10 Oct 2011)

Not wishing to sound rude, but have you thought of doing a 'basic' skills course? My wife sent me on one recently, and I learnt more in three hours training than I have in several decades worth of mountain biking. I was very dismissive of the thing initially, especially as it was being run by a girl, but she had skills beyond us mere mortals. I'd not do the very basic "what is a bike" version, but the intermediate to advanced are very good, especially the singletrack / energy management ones. Believe me, there's a world of difference between what you or I do on a Sunday and what a professional does by way of routine riding.

If I had the choice between spending money on shin pads or a course, I'd do a course every single time.

Also don't forget the more gear you have, the greater the danger is of hitting the "All gear, no idea" zone!

MG


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## screenman (10 Oct 2011)

According to the anti helmet brigade you are more likely to come a cropper if you wear protective gear. I agree with Muddy Gear, in fact my Daughter in Law just did a course in France and was convinced of it's benefits, she has raced for many years and been National Points winner and I think is still ranked number one in UK for Vet women, so if she can benefit as Muddy says us mere mortals.


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## david1701 (10 Oct 2011)

rule 52......
Rule #52 / Padding or body armor of any kind is not allowed.If you find you need it, try pointing your bike _up_ the hill for a change.




http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/


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## Kirstie (10 Oct 2011)

If you want to know about energy conservation then ride singlespeed....


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## Muddy Ground (10 Oct 2011)

Yeah, one of the guys we had as a teacher rode a singlespeed - he'd just completed the Trans Rocky alone on one. In terms of energy management it was more about maintaining speed without pedaling, so laying the bike down whilst standing up type of thing. They showed us that falling off is more about the tyres not being correctly loaded, poor body position or not enough speed.

Really - don't buy / waste money on protective gear until you've looked into the course option. How many cross country racers do you see wearing shin pads etc.? Bet ten pounds to a penny they do more extreme stuff than 99% of us here. Have you seen XC courses these days? I rode one in Belgium that had harder sections on it than I found coming down Snowdon recently. And look at Dalby's XC course.....

MG


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## zizou (10 Oct 2011)

Knee pads are not essential but they are useful for preventing banged or bloody knees, the sort of injury that might not be serious but makes cycling until it heals quite difficult. A skills course is always a good recommendation but even with great skills you are still going to fall off sometimes.

661 kyle straits are probably the most popular choice and i'd recommend them too. Comfortable and pretty good protection. If you ride clipless then you dont need shin pads. if you ride pedals with sharpish pins then they can become more useful.

I've never tried elbow pads on their own, one of my friends uses them and he seems to have problems with them falling down or moving out of place when on a rough descent


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## Cubist (17 Oct 2011)

Zizou makes some good points. OK, so we can all come out with replies that "If you rode well enough you won't fall off, so learn to ride etc etc"

I had a bad fall a couple of years back. It knocked my confidence so badly it took me months to trust myself on a loose rocky descent. Even then I would stutter down it gingerly, which we all know is counterproductive. I just got myself back into riding something like when I binned it, big style, on a steep downhill riding over loose hardcore, and stuffed a brick end into the tender spot just under my kneecap. 

I was on the point of giving up completely and selling the bike, but my son lent me his Kyle Straits and dragged me to a local quarry. Within half an hour I had plucked up enough courage to do a couple of chutes, and by the end of the week I was able to be a bit braver. 

Now, whenever we go to a trail centre, I'll pack some pads, and wear them in the skills park to get a bit bigger/faster etc. On certain trails I wouldn't ride without them, as the confidence they give me is the difference between getting off and carrying the bike, or riding a tough section. 

If the OP needs that boost of confidence, then a cheapish lightweight pair of kneepads may well be the answer.


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## User482 (18 Oct 2011)

screenman said:


> According to the anti helmet brigade you are more likely to come a cropper if you wear protective gear...



This is a gross misrepresentation of the concept of risk compensation.

MTBers deliberately take risks - it's part of the appeal. So if you're looking to push the boundaries, then some protective gear is sensible. Nothing to do with whether or not it's sensible to wear a helmet on the road.


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## Zoiders (18 Oct 2011)

If it's a good club you shouldn't have to pay to do a course elsewhere the expertise should exist within the club and people will share it with you.

Despite what people think a lot of good riders got that way by riding a lot, not because they payed to be instructed how to do so.

How do you think the "instructors" got to that level?


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## GilesM (19 Oct 2011)

I would suggest that the more flexible pads would be better for XC type riding, as already mentioned, something like the 661 Kyle Straight would be pretty good, I'd recommend going to a good bike shop and try different pads on, see which ones you are happy with.


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## GilesM (19 Oct 2011)

Zoiders said:


> If it's a good club you shouldn't have to pay to do a course elsewhere the expertise should exist within the club and people will share it with you.
> 
> Despite what people think a lot of good riders got that way by riding a lot, not because they payed to be instructed how to do so.
> 
> How do you think the "instructors" got to that level?



I'm sure the best riders could learn something from a top instructor, however as I'm just about to book a course with Dirtschool (Chris Ball's company) I'll let you know if it was money well spent, best bit is my employer pays a sports bonus, so it won't actually cost me anything.


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## Zoiders (19 Oct 2011)

I still have issue with this concept that you have to shell out cash on instruction to be good at every activity.

It's just doesn't chime with my experience of certain sports, MTB-ing simply for pleasure becoming a monetized industry where everyone thinks they have to stump up for lessons just seems a bit odd.


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## Panter (19 Oct 2011)

Zoiders said:


> I still have issue with this concept that you have to shell out cash on instruction to be good at every activity.
> 
> It's just doesn't chime with my experience of certain sports, MTB-ing simply for pleasure becoming a monetized industry where everyone thinks they have to stump up for lessons just seems a bit odd.



Well you don't_ have_ to, but if you want to improve...


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## Zoiders (19 Oct 2011)

Panter said:


> Well you don't_ have_ to, but if you want to improve...


This is not so.

Improving at something is not a commodity you have to stump up cash for.


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## Panter (19 Oct 2011)

Zoiders said:


> This is not so.
> 
> Improving at something is not a commodity you have to stump up cash for.



That's a ridiculous thing to say!

If I'm no good at something, or wish to improve, then paying for training is logical, no?


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## Cubist (19 Oct 2011)

Zoiders said:


> I still have issue with this concept that you have to shell out cash on instruction to be good at every activity.
> 
> It's just doesn't chime with my experience of certain sports, MTB-ing simply for pleasure becoming a monetized industry where everyone thinks they have to stump up for lessons just seems a bit odd.



However, you don't know what you don't know. I've heard of people coming back from courses exclaiming that they knew a bit about riding, but got some really top tips that now put them well ahead of the field. 

I'd love to go on a course, as I acknowledge that I have a lot to learn.


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## lukesdad (19 Oct 2011)

If you dont know you dont know. How do you know ( acknowledge, good one  ) you have a lot to learn


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## Cubist (19 Oct 2011)

I don't know, but I suspect that there could be some stuff that I don't know. In which case, ....well, you never know!






Besides which, I've never felt happy with know-it-alls. A self-taught know-it-all is, potentially, extremely flawed, especially as there's no knowing just how knowledgeable they are, or not.


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## GilesM (20 Oct 2011)

Zoiders said:


> I still have issue with this concept that you have to shell out cash on instruction to be good at every activity.
> 
> It's just doesn't chime with my experience of certain sports, MTB-ing simply for pleasure becoming a monetized industry where everyone thinks they have to stump up for lessons just seems a bit odd.



I understand your point, and most people do get better just from riding more, and pushing yourself to ride more technical routes, I'm at the stage now where I want to try more extreme stuff, stuff that will hurt in the morning if it goes wrong, and it will be easier for me to make the step if somebody who knows their stuff gives me some pointers, and is with me when I first try some of the more risky riding, or perhaps I've lost my bottle and I just need someone to hold my hand. The other options is to dress up like a gladiator and only do up lift days, however I prefer to ride up the hills aswell. Anyway, I'll be honest about how good the course is and let you know.


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## lukesdad (20 Oct 2011)

Cubist said:


> I don't know, but I suspect that there could be some stuff that I don't know. In which case, ....well, you never know!
> 
> 
> 
> ...




A fine explanation if ever I saw one.


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## Muddy Ground (21 Oct 2011)

It would be nice for the OP to put us back on track ;¬) 

MG


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