Knee Protection on the Trail

[6zfshdb]

I know this has been discussed many times here before, mostly by roadies, but I'm curious how many trail riders actually use knee or elbow protectors. If so, what do you use and why?

I've talked to quite a few riders at trailheads who use protection, and almost all say they started using them after having had an accident. So far, I've only had a few minor scrapes in my travels, but I know that can change in an instant. At 77, the fewer things that break, the better. What should I be using? Any and all recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[jabberwocky]

On the mountainbike, usually yes. Especially when riding more technical trails. On the road or gravel bike? Nah. On the electric skateboard? Lol absolutely. I have a few sets. An old set of Roach Rally FR pads from my DH days. A set of Troy Lee Combats, and a set of Leatt 3DF knee/shin guards. The Leatts are what I wear these days when I want protection.

Note that knee armor is super fiddly with fit and what works for one person may not for another, so if you're shopping online you'll likely be returning a few sets before finding something works for you. Look at mountainbike armor, its actually designed to be reasonably light and let air through, and actually able to be pedaled in. Good brands are Fox Racing, Leatt, Troy Lee, 7iDP and POC.

 

[Tom@WashDC]

...I'm curious how many trail riders actually use knee or elbow protectors. If so, what do you use and why?

I'm 64. Started riding bikes daily four years ago. Since I got my emtb three years ago, I've been riding aggressively on a daily basis. I want to minimize any damage if I fall. I fell often a few years ago as I was learning. Broke my ribs twice. I don't fall anymore but maybe once a year. I want to ride for many years.

Demon United Elbow pads. I have slammed down on concrete a few times with these elbow pads. Never feel a thing.
Demon United Knee pads.
Troy Lee Designs Body Armor (Chest, ribs, back. shoulders, upper arms) Since using this upper body armor, I've fallen a few times on the trail, never a problem. It pulls on and off like a T-Shirt and it breathes.

 

[Wingrider]

Like jabber bove, on gravel/paved,no. Just gloves.

 

[CanNik]

I know this has been discussed many times here before, mostly by roadies, but I'm curious how many trail riders actually use knee or elbow protectors. If so, what do you use and why?

I've talked to quite a few riders at trailheads who use protection, and almost all say they started using them after having had an accident. So far, I've only had a few minor scrapes in my travels, but I know that can change in an instant. At 77, the fewer things that break, the better. What should I be using? Any and all recommendations would be appreciated.

66, bought knee protection never needed them, fallen off, a few times, not at speed, in summer don't even wear gloves, too hot

 

[sc00ter]

I saw this guy riding a rocket bike with shorts on but he had knee/shin protection. Looked heavy-duty as well. I missed my chance to ask him about the leg protection though at the gas station. It was starting to rain and he was outta there!

 

[indianajo]

I've spilled at 25 mph over the handlebars onto gravel in long pant long sleeve dickies workwear. No road burn, nothing broke. In hot summer Red hat makes a thick welders tunic that is 100% cotton. 2017 I did break the chin but that was before I found how to buy a helmet with a chin guard that wasn't sealed for motorcyles. Look for "downhill mountain bike racing helmet". Mine is a Fox Rampage with about 6 vents. I bought a Bell Super 3R mips helmet last December that does not really cover my chin. *(^%^$# It is at my brother's house where I spend a week a year.
If you are going to bash your knee or elbow into rocks or trees, look for armor. I can wear my dickies into restaurants, concerts, church. I just take the ANSI class I reflective yellow/green vest off. And the yellow helmet.

 

[mrgold35]

I wear my MTB specific shoes, long sleeve UV biking shirt, and gel padded gloves for all types of riding (always eye protection and helmet). I only wear my elbow and knee pads when riding single track.

Northwave MTB Escape shoes:

G-Form Pro-X Elbow and knee pads. Pretty comfy to wear on skin, on top of spandex, and no issues wearing under loose fitting fall/winter clothing.:

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I don't do MTB, and specifically, it is never a technical singletrack riding in my case. I am now a "gravel cyclist" which in the reality of my Poland's province of Mazovia means riding forest fire-roads or easy singletrack most often. I had many crashes and even accidents on my rides. I would say that for a non-technical riding, these parts of the body have to be protected:

• Head (helmet)
• Feet (good MTB cycling shoes -- SPD or flat -- with toe protection)
• Hands (gloves, which can be fingerless).

When the rider knows how to possibly safely fall with the bike (stay on the bike, hands on the grips, feet on the pedals, let the bike take the impact), and with possibly turning the body to fall on one's own back, the head would always get some hit but a good helmet would protect the skull and the brain. In case of a really unexpected crash, the next part of the body to receive the hit is the shoulder. No elbow or knee protector would have helped that.

Knee and elbow protectors add weight to the rider's body, restrain movements and worsen the perspiration. For that reason, these protectors (together with body armour) are reserved for riding technical MTB singletracks, also involving jumping. Anyone wearing body protectors in my gravel cycling community would be looked upon as someone really weird Everyone wears a helmet, gloves, and proper shoes though.

 

[PDoz]

I don't do MTB, and specifically, it is never a technical singletrack riding in my case. I am now a "gravel cyclist" which in the reality of my Poland's province of Mazovia means riding forest fire-roads or easy singletrack most often. I had many crashes and even accidents on my rides. I would say that for a non-technical riding, these parts of the body have to be protected:

• Head (helmet)
• Feet (good MTB cycling shoes -- SPD or flat -- with toe protection)
• Hands (gloves, which can be fingerless).

When the rider knows how to possibly safely fall with the bike (stay on the bike, hands on the grips, feet on the pedals, let the bike take the impact), and with possibly turning the body to fall on one's own back, the head would always get some hit but a good helmet would protect the skull and the brain. In case of a really unexpected crash, the next part of the body to receive the hit is the shoulder. No elbow or knee protector would have helped that.

Knee and elbow protectors add weight to the rider's body, restrain movements and worsen the perspiration. For that reason, these protectors (together with body armour) are reserved for riding technical MTB singletracks, also involving jumping. Anyone wearing body protectors in my gravel cycling community would be looked upon as someone really weird Everyone wears a helmet, gloves, and proper shoes though.

I'll confess to not crashing often , but when I do the last thing I want is to be tangled in the bike! The moment I recognise physics is winning I'm looking for the least painful plan B - and the bike isn't part of that plan!

For me

G form elbow pads - unobtrusive, and reasonable first impact protection. Absolutely useless for sliding down the road in - very few elbow guards are. For that, you need a strap at wrist level to stop the guard sliding up, and abrasion resistance - which is getting into good quality motorbike armour and imho a bit too restrictive for what I do.

IXS flow on the knees - a bit more bulky, but I've shattered my knee caps before and never intend to do it again.

I think that if I was road cycling regularly I'd be looking for hip pads and some sort of abrasion resistance - aramid long sleeve shirt?

I'm not a fan of soft shell shoulder protection - it feels too restrictive for the level of protection it provides on the rides I do. Even on the motorbike. I used to wear full cage body armour in the days when I was having regular gravity attacks via motorbike , but most of my bike impacts have been knee / elbow / roll. Even my broken shoulder wouldn't have been helped by armour - it was from the arm being ripped into an unnatural position as my chest wall was shattered . Thinking back to my ill spent youth where I went for years with no skin on my elbow or knees....I NEVER found myself still holding the bike!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'll confess to not crashing often , but when I do the last thing I want is to be tangled in the bike! The moment I recognise physics is winning I'm looking for the least painful plan B - and the bike isn't part of that plan!

That's how cyclists break their bones and undergo serious bodily harm.

With your hands on the grips and feet on the pedals, you do not 'get entangled in the bike'. Components such the handlebar or the crank transmit a lot of the impact energy into the bike.

I'm sure you do not fasten seat belts in your car either because you do not want to be "tangled in the car" but are looking for the least painful plan, probably through the windshield

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'll confess to not crashing often

Lacking experience but giving advice?

The only crash when I could not hold on the e-bike. I was demo riding a Levo SL. When our small group were riding asphalt, a friend suddenly stopped his bike in front of me. I pulled on the brake levers. As the 203 mm hydraulic brakes are powerful but the front suspension was not locked and went all way down, I made a picturesque Over-The-Bars. However, as I am experienced in crashing, the video made immediately after the crash documents I did not get hurt in the least because I rotated my body in-flight to fall on my back, and the helmet protected my skull and neck. (See the water-bottle torn off the cage by deceleration).

It is like skiing. You cannot learn skiing before you learn crashing. Same with bikes.

Necessary to mention, a female friend of mine having Over-The-Bars fell face down and tried to support herself with hands while flying. It ended in a broken forearm, broken glasses and injured face (she wore a helmet).

 

[Rás Cnoic]

All crashes are different. High speed ones can happen in the blink of an eye. You don't have time to think. Habit takes over. Stay with the bike or bail, the decision is often not yours to make. But if you've been mountain biking and cycling for years instinct will take over. That's probably your best defence. Enduro or down hill then wear pads. XC, trekking, gravel and the like probably not unless you are aware the conditions that day look really bad for some reason. I don't own any pads but when I go on single track I'm not racing and so I've never thought of owning pads.

 

[RandallS]

Helmet, eye protection and gloves always.
I am a shorts kind of guy - I always say that my Mom says I am not old enough for long pants yet, and usually 3/4 sleeve shirts.

Have just added better knee pads for anything resembling XC or MTB - even simple stuff.
Nothing heavy duty - just reasonable impact protection for my new hardware (knee).
Tried a bunch on and decided on Chromag Rift.
Got 'em on sale for a really good price.

Have crashed more than a few times, and rarely done much lasting damage to myself, with one major exception and it wasn't even a crash.
Winter riding a few years ago with @Prairie Dog in Banff and having stopped on a snow covered trail (front wheel sunk in), I put my foot down, sunk that in as well and when overbalanced, fell over and onto a tree stump.

Now I get a yearly MRI to check on kidneys etc... so far so good.
Was a bit scary to say the least, and I am of the opinion that nothing short of a full racing setup would have offered the protection needed to stop this injury and I even have doubts on that.
Freaky one - but they ARE called accidents...

 

[jabberwocky]

I'll go on record and say that everyone should make their own decision about how much to pad up, and judging people for wearing whatever protection they feel they need is incredibly stupid.

I'm a highly experienced crasher. I was a skateboarder for 10 years or so before getting into mountainbiking circa 2003, and did a lot of freeride and downhill when I was younger. I've broken several bones on the bike. I've had surgery to repair broken bones twice (once from a bike crash and once on the skateboard). I've lost count of sprains and lacerations. A lot.

My opinion on armor has always been to wear what you think you need. And if you aren't sure, talk to friends about what they wear. In my DH days it was often referred to as "plastic courage" because you'd be a lot more willing to try something gnarly if you padded up. Some people just wore a full face helmet and gloves, some people added knee/elbow/both and most had a full jacket. Around when I was drifting out of DH was when the Leatt neck braces became popular; if I had kept at it I would definitely have been wearing one. For general trail riding, I like to wear at least knee/shin armor. You do hit those a lot in crashes. If I'm riding anywhere rocky I wear elbow armor too. I could see myself starting to wear some armor for gravel eventually. Healing takes longer and longer the older you get.

I do know cyclists who wear some sort of armor even on the road bike. Sometimes because they've crashed and it makes them feel more confident, sometimes because they have specific health issues in certain joints (past surgeries or similar) that would make an injury on that joint particularly catastrophic. I have one friend with a bad grass allergy who always wears leg armor on all bikes because it keeps her legs from getting that allergic reaction if she brushes against overhanging grass. Modern armors are quite comfortable once you find one that works for you so its not some massive hardship to wear.

As for what you'll hit in a crash, I'm skeptical that anyone can really predict that. Sure, in general if you go over the bars you're probably coming down on your upper body somewhere. Elbow/forearm armor can help a lot with that, but if you put an arm out its still easy to break a wrist or snap a collarbone no matter how much armor you have on. But I've had massive, over the bars yardsales where I was totally fine because I bounced along the ground hitting armor. Most of my road/gravel crashes have been front wheel loss of traction (wet pavement, wet leaves, loose gravel/dirt). Those tend to go right to the knee and hip. Like helmets, armor isn't some magic never-get-hurt again thing. You can still break bones even with full armor. But, having done a lot of crashing both with and without armor on, it does help a lot.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

In my DH days it was often referred to as "plastic courage" because you'd be a lot more willing to try something gnarly if you padded up.

I think DH riding just requires the full body armour. A friend's son has been a MTB-er since he was a young kid. In his teenage years, his Dad was not sparing money to protect his son, and bought the boy not only the full face helmet but also the body armour. Just in time, as the teenager dropped down to a crevice soon. The injuries were serious but the boy who is an adult now (I think) still bombs gnarly descents!

 

[Tom@WashDC]

With your hands on the grips and feet on the pedals, you do not 'get entangled in the bike'.

I agree. The few times I have fallen and managed to keep my feet on the pedals, knees in, hands on the grips, I've come a way relatively unscathed. My elbow pads helped too.

 

[mfgrep]

I can't imagine riding with knee pads on. Elbow pads?....I s'pose....but I wouldn't.
I ride city/suburban streets and paths. I've never felt the need for PPE aside from gloves/helmet (which I do routinely wear).
Unless you are riding BMX trails.....or gnarly mountain biking....I wouldn't give it any consideration.
If I go down....I go down helmet, gloves, and all.

 

[jabberwocky]

I think DH riding just requires the full body armour. A friend's son has been a MTB-er since he was a young kid. In his teenage years, his Dad was not sparing money to protect his son, and bought the boy not only the full face helmet but also the body armour. Just in time, as the teenager dropped down to a crevice soon. The injuries were serious but the boy who is an adult now (I think) still bombs gnarly descents!

I had a nice set of Dianese upper body armor (elbow, forearm, shoulder, back). Absolutely wrecked it (tore the elbow cup right off) in a crash. Patched it up myself and wore it a few more years. I think I snapped a carbon DH bar right in half in that crash.

The big protection advancement is the spinal/neck protectors like the Leatt neck brace. I know of several people who injured their necks in DH crashes. I had a friend who paralyzed himself (and passed away a few months later) after nosediving off a drop and coming down on his head. They were the new thing around when I was getting out of DH. I would definitely get one if got back into the big drop game.

I agree. The few times I have fallen and managed to keep my feet on the pedals, knees in, hands on the grips, I've come a way relatively unscathed. My elbow pads helped too.

It really depends. If you are cornering and lose traction and go down, hanging onto the bike is probably the best thing to do. Just slide it out. There are lots of ways of crashing where hanging onto the bike isn't really an option, in which case the best thing is to toss it as far away from the direction you're heading as possible. Its really difficult to make an informed decision in the moment though, and sometimes physics dictates how things play out more than any decision you make.

 

[PDoz]

Lacking experience but giving advice?

The only crash when I could not hold on the e-bike. I was demo riding a Levo SL. When our small group were riding asphalt, a friend suddenly stopped his bike in front of me. I pulled on the brake levers. As the 203 mm hydraulic brakes are powerful but the front suspension was not locked and went all way down, I made a picturesque Over-The-Bars. However, as I am experienced in crashing, the video made immediately after the crash documents I did not get hurt in the least because I rotated my body in-flight to fall on my back, and the helmet protected my skull and neck. (See the water-bottle torn off the cage by deceleration).

It is like skiing. You cannot learn skiing before you learn crashing. Same with bikes.

Necessary to mention, a female friend of mine having Over-The-Bars fell face down and tried to support herself with hands while flying. It ended in a broken forearm, broken glasses and injured face (she wore a helmet).

I guess I wasn't clear enough - I don't crash often NOW. To be honest, I've only crashed 4/5 times in the last 20 years , and that's combining motorbike AND bicycles. It's called riding within ability.

But lifetime crashes? I grew up on bmx , dirt bikes , mountain bikes, skateboards.... From 4 yo to late teens you could count on one hand the number of days all my skin was intact . Then I discovered body armour / decent protective gear / rider training and hopefully one day I'll learn some self control....

For what it's worth, in all those years, there has been 2 incidents where I've broken bones - and both times I was still entangled. Admittedly with motorbikes.

But childhood memories of entangled....a friend gripping the bars after slipping off the pedals, genitals caught between rear wheel and seat post, AIMING at a tree to try and stop. Another friend with toes amputated through shoes by the chainwheel. Oh, and a few patients with puncture wounds caused by uncapped handle bars , brake levers, pedals...Stephan, you mention going over the bars on a levo - did you let go or keep the death grip and have 20 kg land on top of you?