Body Armour

[madisongrrl]

It is really not necessary to buy body gear for standard mountain biking. I think it just gets in the way, its heavy, expensive and hot. The only thing that has ever given me confidence is riding more singletrack, riding with people who are better than me (watching them do difficult sections) and learning more about the techniques used in mountain biking.

Examine the situations when you hit the dirt. Think about what happended, why did it happen and how could you have approached it differently? And if your not sure of something, dismount and walk it. Then you can determine if you want to ride it or move on to the next thing. Good luck.

[SadieKate]

I absolutely believe in the right protective gear in the right situations. Sometimes all it does is let you relax a little more which means you ride the obstacle and gain some confidence. There are skills clinics which won't let you ride without -- even for skills that some might not call extreme.

Gear comes in all types and categories. I just ride technical singletrack. I do not ride downhill or take huge jumps or risks. But there are times that a little light protection helps a lot. I carry these knee and elbow guards in my hydration pack and have put them on for technical sections - and take them back off for the easier aerobic stuff.

I use Skinz knee guards - very light and comfy so can be ridden in XC applications.

And plain old Fox Launch elbow guards.

Everybody's head is in a different place and if a little Armour helps them gain confidence and learn without being hurt, go for it. I don't care how many times you watch someone, you have to take the plunge and a little armor can help your mental attitude preventing a fall. Even a minor fall or brush up against volcanic rock or sandstone can do some damage. Gauge what your risks are against the type of riding and temperature, and try to find something that you will be willing to wear.

[Pebble]

I don't think it's so much about confidence, sure you feel more protected and perhaps gain confidence from wearing armour but in the end I want to wear it for different reasons. Mainly because I ride on my own. I value my knees, and I have a couple of young kids to look after at home so downtime would not be very nice.
If I wear it and never fall off well I guess I'll consider myself lucky. I still think it's worth having and using if you want to. Just like helmets never used to be mainstream and not everyone wore them if they had the option, perhaps armour is going the same way, becoming more widely acceptable as the standard, probably due to DH & FR influences in the sport.

I reckon there are probably alot of people, and new riders in particular who would like to wear some form of armour even in xc races, but in the end worry too much about what people thing and end up going with the main stream.

It's unfortunate that most of us have to have some kind of incident before thinking "what if" or "i wish i had armor" and then the pain is soon forgotten again.
From a womens perspective if pain wasn't forgotten I don't think anyone would be having more than one kid

I think I'll be deciding between the mace tectoninc, & race face FR.

[wavedancer]

It's true that nothing builds confidence like practice and skills training. I have done a couple of skills sessions and definitely want to do more. The reality is that I'm taking up this sport a little late (I'm 57) and already have osteoporosis, so a little extra protection is probably prudent.

I try to analyze what happens on my falls, but sometimes it seems to be boom! I'm down! So far no severe damage, just lots of hematomas. I love riding single track, though, and while I would love it if all the trails were smooth, buff, swoopy, with the occasional ramped boulder, that's not always the case. I still walk a lot of loose twisty downhill stuff, but I know that much of it I could roll down. Just looking for a bit of insurance as I let myself do it.

I have not had much luck in finding guards locally to try on. I tried some 661 knee and knee-shin guards, but they were still too big, even in a small. At one shop I picked up a set of kids scooter pads! They look like they might give some decent knee protection and they even came with elbow guards. For $12.95 for the set I figure I'll give them a try!

The Skinz look interesting. SK, do you use the ones with the hard shell in them or just the nylon and neoprene? Has anyone tried Rockgardn guards? Rockgardn
They seem to have some different size options.

Once again, thanks for all the suggestions.

Linda

[SadieKate]

I just use the basic knee right at the top of the Body Armor section. It looks like the same product is made in children's sizes.

[tattiefritter]

Everybody's head is in a different place and if a little Armour helps them gain confidence and learn without being hurt, go for it. I don't care how many times you watch someone, you have to take the plunge and a little armor can help your mental attitude preventing a fall. Even a minor fall or brush up against volcanic rock or sandstone can do some damage. Gauge what your risks are against the type of riding and temperature, and try to find something that you will be willing to wear.

Your absolutely right SK, I'll get off the high horse I seem to have found myself on!

I've been riding a couple of years now and armour wasn't common at all then, very rare for XC type riding so it didn't enter my head to want it. Its still very rare anywhere except the purpose built trails in UK forestry centres. I do have to wonder whether I would be so blase about it if I was starting now. One of the things I want to do next year is learn to jump a bit,not high or big just a bit and I'll likely have armour on for that. Voluntarily launching of the upslope of a jump is something I'm not great with at all Drops of a foot or two aren't so bad but jumps (shudder).

If I ever decide to do full on downhill then I'll be first in line for the stormtrooper suit!

[mtngirl]

I have started using knee/shin guards and elbow guards when i'm riding on particularly technical stuff and i will continue to do so until i think the chances of falling are small. It's not that uncommon for me to fall and it usually means scabs and/or bruises and w/my pads my body looks better afterwards. I've seen many mtn bike girls w/really scarred up legs and i'd like to avoid that. Also, getting up in age i notice that it takes longer to heal. I did however, find a way to get hurt even w/the pads! About a month ago i was coming down San Juan mtn and fell into a bush and darn if a sharp branch in the bush didn't rip the top of my ear apart by poking right in the ear opening of my helmet. I ended up w/about 15 stitches to put it back together. I'm all good now w/a teeny scar, but trying to avoid completely wrecking my body.

[Pebble]

I've ordered a set of Race Face Rally Free Ride Pads, will report back next week after I've had a chance to have a ride etc. If the knees work well I'll consider wether I need elbows or not.



and should have a set of these on the way too!

[DirtDiva]

Well, if you're riding those nasties, you definitely want the shin coverage!

[Pebble]

My first impression was: Gee these look bulky and they are also darker grey than they look in photos. They seem slightly heavier than the fox pads too.

And the verdict is

I rode for about an hour or so (18ks), it had rained late yesterday so there was some mud on parts of the trail (otherwise it was mostly dry). Temperature today is supposed to be 36deg C, I went out about 9am before it got too hot.

I did the tops straps fairly loose to start with, one pad started croaking so after going up and down the hill I tightened them up. No chafing behind the knee at all which was my main concern when I wore them around the house.

The pads are hotter than the fox launch ones, they are bulkier, but they are really comfortable to pedal in.

Only problem is mud flicking up and for some reason it likes to get into the pads above the knee - that can lead to irritation, I found a couple of red marks just above my right knee which feel tender now that I'm back home, only thing I can put it down to is the mud that got in as the inside pads are soft as. I reckon most pads would probably have the mud problem though - fox ones certainly would as the top opens up just like the RF pads.

Coasting down hill I could feel the cool breeze coming in, but nothing like it did with the foxes - I imagine the Race Face DH version may have better front venting as it has more of a baffle system similar to the fox launch pads allowing more air flow.

In the end I reckon if you live in a hot climate you're probably used to riding in it enough not to worry about having sweaty legs - it didn't seem to make me feel any hotter overall.

And if you pedal heaps then these are worth a look, if you have big legs / calves you should probably try them on first as the straps can be on the short side. Also if you don't like burly looking pads they're probably not for you.

Protection, Comfort, that's all I ask of them, and seems to be what I'll get!

Big ugly leg - showing the mud that got in....


Gee they don't actually look that bad in a photo! Look bulkier from my point of view.

[nerdgirl]

It is really not necessary to buy body gear for standard mountain biking. I think it just gets in the way, its heavy, expensive and hot. The only thing that has ever given me confidence is riding more singletrack, riding with people who are better than me (watching them do difficult sections) and learning more about the techniques used in mountain biking.

Examine the situations when you hit the dirt. Think about what happended, why did it happen and how could you have approached it differently? And if your not sure of something, dismount and walk it. Then you can determine if you want to ride it or move on to the next thing. Good luck.

That's exactly how I ride. Great advice! Last crash, I knew it was going to happen right before it did, and at the time, there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I actually laughed afterwards simply because I knew what I did to cause it, even though I ended up with a bloody arm and a bruised rib. However, I see it as all part of the learning process. I ignored the bruised rib and rode again a couple days later, and that time, I went right through that spot no problem, because I knew what needed to be done.

I exclusively ride singletrack with my boyfriend, who is an advanced rider. It's very hilly, winding, and rocky. I always have him go in front of me and watch what he does and where he goes. I feel like I'm getting lessons, and also I know what hazards, if any, are coming because I see him do it first!

Gravity is a harsh mistress, though, and now that I am nursing a horribly painful bruised rib, I am somewhat considering some body armor, especially since I am doing some challenging dowhill. Only trouble is, I'm rather well-endowed but have a narrow waist, so finding the right size seems impossible. I'm considering trying mens. As smart as I try to ride, a little extra padding might prevent another bruised rib. I am realistic and know that if I continue to challenge myself so I can progress, there will always be crashes from time to time

[Aggie_Ama]

This is an old thread but maybe someone will comment.

How well does this protect against bruising? I now have a more professional job and would like to stop going to work looking like I have been in a fight. A few weeks ago I bruised my wrist ridiculously bad. It is too hot to wear long sleeves but those buises were terrible. I think this is really hurting my confidence because no one likes falling but when you bruise extremely easy it is embarassing to explain later.

[OakLeaf]

No input on the body armor, but plenty of experience with the bruises as a former Highlander sailor.

What about a sleeveless blouse or cami for going to and from the office, and a suit jacket? (Actually, when I was working, long sleeves were a must in any case; plus, most buildings kept the AC cranked so high that you'd want a sweater or a suit jacket anyhow.)

Darker ("suntan") pantyhose were enough to hide the bruises on my legs well enough for me. I've got so many scars on my legs that a few more bruises here and there hardly make a difference.

And, I don't see anything embarrassing about explaining that you're an active person who likes rough-and-tumble fun! I think most people assume domestic violence when they see a woman with bruises, and they may be embarrassed to say anything to you about it. Telling them a little bit about the ride where you got the bruises could be a great icebreaker.

[solobiker]

This is an old thread but maybe someone will comment.

How well does this protect against bruising? I now have a more professional job and would like to stop going to work looking like I have been in a fight. A few weeks ago I bruised my wrist ridiculously bad. It is too hot to wear long sleeves but those buises were terrible. I think this is really hurting my confidence because no one likes falling but when you bruise extremely easy it is embarassing to explain later.

I hear ya...I had a pretty bad fall 2 weeks ago. My left leg/ankle is still very swollen and I have to limp when I walk. I also have bruises on both arms from my "tumble" Luckily most people that I work with know that I am an actvie person, although they were talking about banning me from my mtn bike. I hope in another week or so I can get back out on the bike.

[crazycanuck]

Do the folks at your work know you mtn bike? Perhaps putting a pic of you on your mtn bike as computer wallpaper may be a suggestion.

AM, it's part of the game, if you don't want to explain it to them, don't do dirt.. You should see some of the bruises a friend of ours had a few weeks ago You'd think she'd been in a fight..She was,...with the dirt!