# If you think about it, dirt bikers wear protective gear, so why not



## Dr. Tweedbucket (Aug 27, 2010)

.... wear protective gear when you are mountain biking? :???:

The only difference is a dirt bike is a much more stable platform moving at much faster speeds, but still in any crash the obstacles are the same > sharp rocks, tree roots, trees and a few other things.

I used to race 200cc hare scrambles and wore a full face helmet, fox nylon mesh riding pants with plastic knee and shin protectors, flak jacket and decent gloves. They saved my butt from some serious injury! After a few hard injuries on mountain bikes wearing nothing more than a helmet and gloves, I'm thinking of wearing some kind of protection because being hurt isn't any fun.

I don't want to go this far >










.....but what is available for mountain bikers that won't make you look like a dork?


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## ferday (Jan 15, 2004)

the main difference is you have to be able to pedal while on an MTB

there is TONS of protective gear available for MTB, try

www.speedgoat.com 
www.jensonusa.com 
www.chainreactioncycles.co.uk

or try googling Fox, 661, dianese


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## Dr. Tweedbucket (Aug 27, 2010)

Thanks, I am mainly concerned about my head, hands, elbows and knees.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Helmet and gloves.

For elbows and knees, I would do a cost/benefit analysis of comfort while riding vs. risk of actually falling and destroying my knees or elbows. If I'm hucking the bike I'll wear gear, but for normal XC riding, even technical trails, nope.


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## ZIT30/34 (Sep 15, 2009)

*Jeff Scotts going to laugh - hammer me*

I ride a lot in the back country usually 3 to 5 day trips solo and sometimes a long way from any where, actually some times a day or two from any where. Jeff banged me once on a post for not having a bale out plan. I told him that in the back country I ride Speedplay Drilliums with 5/10 Sam Hill down hill shoes or 5/10 Aproach boots and if the bike completely fails I just hike out.

Famous last words. Saturday I took a friggin sharp pointed 3 inch diameter tree limb straight into my left knee cap at speed on a steep down hill curve. It ripped my left leg off the pedal, I went over the bars and landed so hard I blew the water bladder in my Camelback and then was hit by both the bike and the bob. Then I sat there stareing at the actual bone of my knee cap and it was split in two so I could actualy look at the crap below the bone.

The bike was fine but there was no way I was going to pedal out and I suffered on the hike out. Waiting until the cast is off to go back for my rig.

Looking for a set of light knee pads that can be worn XC riding. Any suggestions?

And Jeff, after all the crap I have given you, feel free to put one more bullet in my ego.

ZIT30/34


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## Dr. Tweedbucket (Aug 27, 2010)

ZIT30/34 said:


> I ride a lot in the back country usually 3 to 5 day trips solo and sometimes a long way from any where, actually some times a day or two from any where. Jeff banged me once on a post for not having a bale out plan. I told him that in the back country I ride Speedplay Drilliums with 5/10 Sam Hill down hill shoes or 5/10 Aproach boots and if the bike completely fails I just hike out.
> 
> Famous last words. Saturday I took a friggin sharp pointed 3 inch diameter tree limb straight into my left knee cap at speed on a steep down hill curve. It ripped my left leg off the pedal, I went over the bars and landed so hard I blew the water bladder in my Camelback and then was hit by both the bike and the bob. Then I sat there stareing at the actual bone of my knee cap and it was split in two so I could actualy look at the crap below the bone.
> 
> ...


yeoW !! That sucks!! Hope you heal up fast.

My front end washed out and my knee hit the dirt and slid for a couple of feet. I ended up with a bloody knee, but started looking at all the rocks and roots around that I could have hit! :eekster: That's what got me thinking about wearing protective gear. On my next ride, I wore some inline skate knee pads.

.... and then this happened last week >










That was 2" of brake lever into my inner thigh. Now I am thinking about wearing some tear proof nylon riding pants ... maybe moto X gear or something. I do NOT want to go through that again. The nice thing is, they have knee and shin gards built in. Now I have to just figure out something for my torso without weighing myself down.

Getting hurt sucks, so I am going to do whatever it takes to avoid spending all my 401K saving at the hospital.


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

Freak injury , normal protective gear will not prevent those kind of injuries .


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## OldMTBfreak (Apr 8, 2006)

Man, you are lucky, you could have gotten that brake lever in the femoral artery. That would have been "bad". You would bleed out quickly. Heal up soon and better luck.


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## onemission (Aug 11, 2010)

Safety gear is a MUST. I learned my lesson this last weekend at big bear. Sitting in the parking lot I was trying to decide between my full face helmet and my reg bike helmet....went with the full face and Im glad I did. After 3 crashes that day the helmet saved my ass, so to speak. My knees and elbows didnt fair so well, if I had had knee and elbow protection also I would have rode away without a scratch. A chest protector is also a good idea....as I was flying through several trees breaking off branches all I could think was "im going to get impaled by a branch, oh no" 

Not to mention, for me anyway, the gear adds confidence and makes me ride better. 

As for that pic above, some mx style pants/shorts would offer much more protection - not only from puncture but from sliding and tearing, I cant say for sure it would have protected you there, but you would have a MUCH better chance.


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## karpiel666 (Jan 7, 2005)

nachomc said:


> Helmet and gloves.
> 
> For elbows and knees, I would do a cost/benefit analysis of comfort while riding vs. risk of actually falling and destroying my knees or elbows. If I'm hucking the bike I'll wear gear, but for normal XC riding, even technical trails, nope.


I'd either be dead or not have a leg if I wasn't wearing my knee/shins, according to various medical professionals. But yea, I still only wear them when I'm going big or fast. Can't go around worrying about every littlr freak accident that may happen.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

karpiel666 said:


> I'd either be dead or not have a leg if I wasn't wearing my knee/shins, according to various medical professionals.


How? What happened?


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

You guys need to slow it way down. Speed, poor planning(not looking far _*ahead*_) and lack of confidence are the leading causes of crashes. Speed leads to total loss of control so quick...you often don't know what just hit you.

Lack of confidence also leads to nasty spills, because you end up ditching the bike, in a badly-timed effort to abort the ride...usually in the worst circumstances.

Build up your riding skills...which comes with hundreds of miles of "confident" crash-free riding. A 100% confident trail/XC rider never even thinks of wearing pads....unless it's FR or DH.


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## Drth Vadr (Jul 24, 2009)

Zachariah said:


> . Lack of confidence also leads to nasty spills,* because you end up ditching the bike, in a badly-timed effort to abort the ride...usually in the worst circumstances*.


Two severed ACL's, multiple cartilage tears and ligament sprains. Bailing can lead to disastrous consequences. Never relinquish control, even when your out of control and never trust maitanance on someone elses bike, especially on DH.


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## manabiker (Jul 18, 2010)

I just got some Fox MX pants, I have good mobility in them, they are a bit hot, but it's cooling fast here in Michigan, I'll wear them more this fall, winter and next spring, I also wear MX jerseys, and MX gloves, I raced MX, TTs, Scrambles, Hare Scrambles, Ice Racing, just sticking to my roots.
I do have a favorite trail that I pratice regular on and ride like a MX racer, improving lap times and working on weak spots, it helps on other trails and new trails, but when you ride over your head, be prepared to get off once in awhile, MX gear may be over kill but pain isn't fun, and the gear helps my confidence. A full face helmet may be next for me.


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## ThumperGary (Oct 3, 2010)

I ride dual sport / dirt bikes too and always gear up. When MTBiking I try to wear some protective gear. I use the Rockgardn LZ Shorty Kneeguards and they never bother me when pedaling. Even in 90 degree heat. I've seen too many people hit their knees and ruin their day when riding MCs because they won't wear knee protection.

http://www.rockgardn.com/items/body-armor/lz-shorty-kneeguards-lzshorty-detail.htm?1=1&menu=1


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## mumbles (Jul 22, 2006)

Zachariah said:


> Build up your riding skills...which comes with hundreds of miles of "confident" crash-free riding. A 100% confident trail/XC rider never even thinks of wearing pads....unless it's FR or DH.


So then why do they wear helmets? I will never understand why so many people will fuss if you don't wear a helmet and the same people will fuss if you do choose to wear pads.


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