Knee and elbow pads?

[Wes Turner]

I am new to e-biking. In the last month, I have had 2 minor spills. There were no injuries in one and only minor scrapes to both knees and one elbow in the other.

What's the best protection I can get? Are there knee and elbow pads that are reasonably comfortable? What about protective clothing that is not too hot?

Thanks

 

[6zfshdb]

Welcome to the forum! I'm sure you'll get a few good recommendations here for protective gear but remember, what works for some may not for all. It usually comes down to buy & try.

In addition to knee & elbow protection, don't forget footwear. Comfortable, sturdy shoes are a must. I see many bikers riding in flip flops which is asking for injury. E-bikes are prone to more breakdowns than conventional models so the chances of having to walk are greater.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Knee and elbow pads are not normally worn on the city e-bike rides. However, if you feel you should ride well protected because of your age, you are free to wear the additional protection. Examples:
Knee pads: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/atlas-knee-pads/p/159677?color=242304-159677
Elbow pads: https://bicyclewarehouse.com/products/fox-enduro-d30-mtb-elbow-guards-black

Just to stop you before you overdo it: No one wears a full face bike helmet in the city

@6zfshdb is right: good cycling shoes are worth every cent. Look up Adidas FiveTen Freerider Pro cycling shoes.

 

[Djangodog]

A good helmet is probably the most important protection, but the best protection is good bike handling skills. If you are having trouble handling the bike, I would suggest taking it to a forgiving area, (soft), so that you can practice whatever maneuver is causing you problems. Maybe you could film your practice and analyze it to see where the problem is. If the issue is caused by a physical limitation, then you might want to reconsider your options. Knee and elbow pads might help to limit minor injuries, but they won’t do much in a serious crash.

If you share information regarding the spills, people may be able to provide some advice that will address your issues. Best of luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[Wes Turner]

Welcome to the forum! I'm sure you'll get a few good recommendations here for protective gear but remember, what works for some may not for all. It usually comes down to buy & try.

In addition to knee & elbow protection, don't forget footwear. Comfortable, sturdy shoes are a must. I see many bikers riding in flip flops which is asking for injury. E-bikes are prone to more breakdowns than conventional models so the chances of having to walk are greater.

I never wear flip flops and would never wear them on a bike. Yikes! When I am going to play tennis, I wear my tennis shoes. Other times, I wear a pair of lightweight walking shoes.

 

[Wes Turner]

Knee and elbow pads are not normally worn on the city e-bike rides. However, if you feel you should ride well protected because of your age, you are free to wear the additional protection. Examples:
Knee pads: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/atlas-knee-pads/p/159677?color=242304-159677
Elbow pads: https://bicyclewarehouse.com/products/fox-enduro-d30-mtb-elbow-guards-black

Just to stop you before you overdo it: No one wears a full face bike helmet in the city

@6zfshdb is right: good cycling shoes are worth every cent. Look up Adidas FiveTen Freerider Pro cycling shoes.

Thanks for the knee and elbow pad links. Those knee pads look good. I didn't see anything on Amazon that looked as good.

No, I wasn't planning on a full face helmet.

I think these are the cycling shoes you recommended. How are they different from (better than) lightweight walking shoes? Is it the impact resistant toe, the pedal-gripping sole, or ???

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RJXL7WC/

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I think these are the cycling shoes you recommended. How are they different from (better than) lightweight walking shoes? Is it the impact resistant toe, the pedal-gripping sole, or ???

It is slightly harder to walk in them but walking is still doable without effort. The toe protection is perfect. Suffice to say I once incidentally dropped a heavy hammer on my bad foot in the FiveTens and felt no impact The grippy sole is the best of all the shoes I've ever owned. Usually, riders combine FiveTens with traction-pin flat pedals, so your foot would never drop from the pedal regardless of the weather conditions. The sole is hard, which helps transfering your leg power to the pedal. As I'm writing it, I have the Freeriders on my feet as I am going outside for some cycling

 

[Wes Turner]

A good helmet is probably the most important protection, but the best protection is good bike handling skills. If you are having trouble handling the bike, I would suggest taking it to a forgiving area, (soft), so that you can practice whatever maneuver is causing you problems. Maybe you could film your practice and analyze it to see where the problem is. If the issue is caused by a physical limitation, then you might want to reconsider your options. Knee and elbow pads might help to limit minor injuries, but they won’t do much in a serious crash.

If you share information regarding the spills, people may be able to provide some advice that will address your issues. Best of luck and welcome to the forum.

I do have a helmet and I will buy a better one.

One of the spills was in the driveway. I had just come back from tennis. I had my tennis bag in the saddlebag with the racket handle pointing up. The bike is not step though and when I tried to swing my leg off, it hit the racket and I lost my balance. I now tie the racket horizontally, so that shouldn't happen again. This bike is a loaner from a neighbor. When I buy mine, it will be step-through.

The other was a bit more scary. I needed to go over a narrow bridge with concrete walls on both sides and with no bike path. On the way out, I had no problems, but there were no cars on the bridge. On the way back, there were several cars coming in the opposite direction. One of them was a little closer to my lane so I slowed down and tried to move closer to the wall. It was very slightly uphill and I was in a gear that was too high. As I lost speed, the bike wobbled and the right handlebar bumped the wall and I tipped over. In the future, I will maintain speed and have the bike in the right gear and with full power so I can accelerate if I need to.

There is a very narrow tunnel under some railroad tracks that I have to go through on the way to tennis. I have been able to manage it with no problems by maintaining a moderate speed and with full power assist. So I think I can manage that bridge if I ever need to go that way again, but I think knee pads and maybe elbow pads would be good as well as gloves.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I am new to e-biking. In the last month, I have had 2 minor spills. There were no injuries in one and only minor scrapes to both knees and one elbow in the other.

What's the best protection I can get? Are there knee and elbow pads that are reasonably comfortable? What about protective clothing that is not too hot?

Thanks

You might find the current crop of knee/elbow pads are focused more on protecting the rider than anything else. However, there are light pads such as ones from Sweet Protection that offer minimal protection without the bulk of full on mtb trail versions. Bear in mind, one can’t compromise on safety even if it’s a result of a minor spill but at least you’ll have protection from odd bumps or scrapes. They do offer some breathability compared to other pads but I think that I would consider wearing shorts rather than pants for better ventilation.

You might (if you haven’t already) consider investing in a pair of full fingered or mtb gloves to protect your hands in case of a fall. A buddy of mine wears Mechanix gloves and find them to be just as suitable for his needs.

 

[Wes Turner]

It is slightly harder to walk in them but walking is still doable without effort. The toe protection is perfect. Suffice to say I once incidentally dropped a heavy hammer on my bad foot in the FiveTens and felt no impact The grippy sole is the best of all the shoes I've ever owned. Usually, riders combine FiveTens with traction-pin flat pedals, so your foot would never drop from the pedal regardless of the weather conditions. The sole is hard, which helps transfering your leg power to the pedal. As I'm writing it, I have the Freeriders on my feet as I am going outside for some cycling

Are these the pedals you mean?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FFJNL89/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CWRQQGD/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09R79WC7P/

Do the anti-skid nails grab the shoes too much causing problems lifting the foot off the pedal? I have noticed that if I lift my left foot off the pedal when that pedal is forward, the right foot pushes its pedal down causing the left pedal to raise up under the shoe that is trying to get off. That's not a problem if the shoe can slide off the pedal.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Wes Turner]

You might find the current crop of knee/elbow pads are focused more on protecting the rider than anything else. However, there are light pads such as ones from Sweet Protection that offer minimal protection without the bulk of full on mtb trail versions. Bear in mind, one can’t compromise on safety even if it’s a result of a minor spill but at least you’ll have protection from odd bumps or scrapes. They do offer some breathability compared to other pads but I think that I would consider wearing shorts rather than pants for better ventilation.

You might (if you haven’t already) consider investing in a pair of full fingered or mtb gloves to protect your hands in case of a fall. A buddy of mine wears Mechanix gloves and find them to be just as suitable for his needs.

Thanks. I'll look into both the pads and the gloves.

 

[indianajo]

I prevent skin abrasion in falls by wearing polyester/cotton Mechanic's wear. Heavyweight. Dickies & Red Hat are two brands. I wear long sleeves & long pants. I wear cotton poly gloves, the $1 kind from the dollar store were fine. I took a spill over the handlebars onto gravel at 25 mph in 2018, hit on my hands & arms, no skin abrasions except on my chin which was unprotected. I broke the chin, 9 stiches. Above 95 F I wear 100% cotton mechanics wear top from red hat (for welders). Also heavyweight. Over the dark blue mechanic's wear I wear an ANSI Class 2 yellow green vest with reflective stripes. Screams "Construction worker" to motorists.
I now wear a helmet with chin guard, a Fox Rampage. Could not find anything but sealed motorcycle helmets before 2018, the search term is "downhill mountain bike racing helmet". This helmet has 5 vents screened with metal mesh against branches. I try to keep my speed under 25 mph now.

 

[Wes Turner]

I prevent skin abrasion in falls by wearing polyester/cotton Mechanic's wear. Heavyweight. Dickies & Red Hat are two brands. I wear long sleeves & long pants. I wear cotton poly gloves, the $1 kind from the dollar store were fine. I took a spill over the handlebars onto gravel at 25 mph in 2018, hit on my hands & arms, no skin abrasions except on my chin which was unprotected. I broke the chin, 9 stiches. I now wear a helmet with chin guard, a Fox Rampage. I try to keep my speed under 25 mph now.

Sorry about your fall. How did that happen? I only ride on city streets, so I rarely, if ever, see any gravel.

I'll look into the mechanics wear, but I'll probably get some heavier cycling gloves.

And I will rarely exceed 20 mph.

 

[indianajo]

Sorry about your fall. How did that happen? I only ride on city streets, so I rarely, if ever, see any gravel.

Tuesday before Thanksgiving 2018 I waited all day at the wife's house for the A/C man to perform warranty work. By 1830 it was dark he didn't show or call, I gave up. Rode the bike home with a $1 LED light on front. Wasn't bright enough for 25 mph, there is a downhill under the railroad track. I was hungry, in a hurry, and don't like being in the underpass with cars coming up on me at 40 mph. I rode off the edge of the pavement and the front wheel slipped sideways on the gravel. Went down. I now have a 400 lumen headlight, although they haven't been very reliable. The niterider went inop due to rain in the button. My catseye won't let me charge the battery until nearly discharged, and sometimes what charge it had is not enough to get me to destination at night. I don't operate a car anymore, the bike is it. Falls don't hurt much except for skin abrasions (road rash) and I've prevented those by wearing the mechanic's wear & gloves. I've never hit the top sides or back of my head, but I've hit my chin 7 times in my life. Stiches twice. The stretch frame cargo bike reduces chance of front wheel snapping sideways on pavement separator, speed bump, gravel ridge (dodging truck on the paved berm), stick in the brake caliper. I went over the handlebars on my chin 5 times 2008 to 2018 due to light front weight on MTB's and a Huffy cruiser. Fast steering is the cause of instability, manufacturers took the trail out about 1990 to get better reviews from MTB racers. Also saves $1 in tubing for each frame.

 

[Wes Turner]

Tuesday before Thanksgiving 2018 I waited all day at the wife's house for the A/C man to perform warranty work. By 1830 it was dark he didn't show or call, I gave up. Rode the bike home with a $1 LED light on front. Wasn't bright enough for 25 mph, there is a downhill under the railroad track. I was hungry, in a hurry, and don't like being in the underpass with cars coming up on me at 40 mph. I rode off the edge of the pavement and the front wheel slipped sideways on the gravel. Went down. I now have a 400 lumen headlight, although they haven't been very reliable. The niterider went inop due to rain in the button. My catseye won't let me charge the battery until nearly discharged, and sometimes what charge it had is not enough to get me to destination at night. I don't operate a car anymore, the bike is it.

Ok. I will never be in that situation. I doubt I will ride at night and I doubt that I will ride in the rain -- unless I have ridden somewhere and then it rains.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Are these the pedals you mean?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FFJNL89/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CWRQQGD/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09R79WC7P/

Do the anti-skid nails grab the shoes too much causing problems lifting the foot off the pedal? I have noticed that if I lift my left foot off the pedal when that pedal is forward, the right foot pushes its pedal down causing the left pedal to raise up under the shoe that is trying to get off. That's not a problem if the shoe can slide off the pedal.

Thanks for the info.

I've had 2 different pedals with those anti-skid lugs, which are much taller and sharper on the current set.

Lifting off the pedals has never been an issue with a variety of soles, but shifting foot position laterally always requires a lift-off on the current set.

My biggest problem with the current set: The scratches on my legs when they brush the pedals while stopped. Getting better avoiding contact. Love the big pedal surface and the mid-foot pedaling position they allow, so no plans to change.

 

[Wes Turner]

I've had 2 different pedals with those anti-skid lugs, which are much taller and sharper the current set.

Lifting off the pedals has never been an issue with a variety of soles, but shifting foot position laterally always requires a lift-off on the current set.

My biggest problem with the current set: The scratches on my legs when they brush the pedals while stopped. Getting better avoiding contact. Love the big pedal surface and the mid-foot pedaling position they allow, so no plans to change.

Thanks. I would not of thought of the leg scratch problem. I'll probably get them and then I'll watch for that.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Are these the pedals you mean?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FFJNL89/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CWRQQGD/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09R79WC7P/

Do the anti-skid nails grab the shoes too much causing problems lifting the foot off the pedal? I have noticed that if I lift my left foot off the pedal when that pedal is forward, the right foot pushes its pedal down causing the left pedal to raise up under the shoe that is trying to get off. That's not a problem if the shoe can slide off the pedal.

Thanks for the info.

Yes, basically it is what I meant. I prefer Crank Brothers Stamp pedals (Stamp 1 are actually very good despite being made of a composite material), many people are happy with Race Face, of which the Ride model is known for plastic traction areas that cannot hurt your shins or calves.

Yes, you need to lift your foot a little to remove it from the steel-traction-pin pedal, so I'd recommend Race Face Ride pedals that are very safe.

 

[Wes Turner]

Yes, basically it is what I meant. I prefer Crank Brothers Stamp pedals (Stamp 1 are actually very good despite being made of a composite material), many people are happy with Race Face, of which the Ride model is known for plastic traction areas that cannot hurt your shins or calves.

Yes, you need to lift your foot a little to remove it from the steel-traction-pin pedal, so I'd recommend Race Face Ride pedals that are very safe.

Thanks

 

[DiggyGun]

My biggest problem with the current set: The scratches on my legs when they brush the pedals while stopped. Getting better avoiding contact. Love the big pedal surface and the mid-foot pedaling position they allow, so no plans to change.

I used to have that problem.

Previously had flat pedals with the screw in steel pins. But as you mentioned, if you slip and catch them, ouch.

I now use flat pedals with moulded studs. Work just as well, but don’t do as much damage.

Never have a problem lifting my foot off this type of pedal and I use 510 shoes. They are the Stealth model and you can walk in them just fine.

DG…