# Why no elbow pads?



## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

When I go do shuttle runs or ski resort riding...I see so many people that ride with no elbow pads. When I crash...I usually land on my elbow or slide on my arm. Thats what contacts the ground first.

Particular reason why people ride with no elbow pads?


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## Rocky Mtn (Jan 19, 2014)

My guess is comfort and the perception that they will land more on their knees.

If I had to choose one, I'd go with elbow pads.


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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

Lol...same here. 

My knee pads are still in perfect shape...my elbows...not so.


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## NWS (Jun 30, 2010)

I always use both, but my 2nd set of knee pads are nearing retirement and my 1st set of elbow pads are still in great shape. So if I was to leave one set off it'd definitely be the elbows. Maybe some of us just fall differently than others.


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## StevePodraza (Jun 29, 2006)

They have not crashed yet.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

in my entire life since riding a tricycle, riding sears pigiron 3 speeds in woods, racing road bikes upstate new york, crashing hard, 35 years of this to now, I have never, ever, not once in hundreds of crashes, ever scuffed, molested, or otherwise came close to harming my elbows. I have broken my legs, feet, bled from my guts, legs, hips, forearms, face, scalp, ears, eyes...but my elbows have never been hurt ever.

so I think maybe they just are not needed ?
ymmv


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## kragu (Jun 14, 2011)

Funny, I've never hurt my knees, though I wear knee pads all the time. Whenever I crash, I mangle my arms.


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## Joules (Oct 12, 2005)

I'm trying to come up with a crash scenario where I'd land on my elbow, and I just can't; I've banged my knees and shins more than I care to imagine, but never once in 27 years of mtbing hit my elbow. Mostly I wear leg pads for shin coverage - I just haven't seen shin only pads so knees get included. 

I guess riding with elbows wide and coming too close to a tree or something? I don't know, it just seems like one would move their arms before letting their elbow get hit.


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## abelfonseca (Dec 26, 2011)

Me elbows almost aways fair worse from a crash. A have many a scar tissue to prove it.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

A friend of mine took a bad tumble about a month ago, landed badly and flipped. He was pretty scuffed up but by far the worst injury was his right elbow. He's lost a chunk of skin about two-inches square and still has pain and limited movement.


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

I had a very quick OTB the other day, (landing a jump funny and avoiding a tree by grabbing too much front brake) and landed straight on my elbows/forearms. I guess that was all I could do in the short reaction time there was/wasn't.

I think this question was asked somewhere else recently and I remember some reasoning to the extent that the knees are generally closer to the ground, and frame, and more likely to make contact during a crash, or even just riding.


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## abelfonseca (Dec 26, 2011)

I think this is my nastiest fall yet. Yes, that my elbow


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## philip5296 (May 15, 2014)

Looks like we have "falling styles" some of us...

I've never so much as gotten a mosquito bite on either of my elbows, but both knees have deep scar tissue from many repeat injuries. Even during several OTB crashes in the past, I always managed to beat my knees up and save my elbows. I think it's because I use my hands to break my fall when I can, but my feet are clipped in most of the time when I crash so my knees get tore up pretty much automatically.

I recently broke down and started wearing knee/shin guards. I don't own elbow pads at least for now.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

philip5296 said:


> but my feet are clipped in most of the time when I crash.../QUOTE]
> 
> Wonder if that's where part of the difference is coming from? My friend who trashed his elbow was on flats. Ironically, had he been clipped I'm almost certain the accident would not have happened.


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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

When I crash..its usually on my left side. I'll either land either on my shoulder or elbow.

Same with shin guards...there is no way I'll ride a platform with no shin guards. I switch my pedals out depending on where I go. If I'm clipped in...I'll ship the shin guards. When I use my platforms...I always have shin protection. I used to ride BMX as a kid...and I still have scars on my shins from getting nailed by the pedals.

Pretty much all pro riders wear no elbow guards. Just a helmet and knee pads...maybe a neck brace. 

I appreciate all the replies!


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## NWS (Jun 30, 2010)

Mr Pig said:


> philip5296 said:
> 
> 
> > but my feet are clipped in most of the time when I crash.../QUOTE]
> ...


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

This thread reminded me of this vid I recently watched:






Since someone else mentioned it in this thread, notice how while they managed to get their feet unclipped, the clipless pedals tripped up quite a few of them, causing them to use their upper body to take the crash.


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## brmeyer135 (Mar 1, 2013)

This diverges a little, but was thinking more would have ankle twists or some such if they were clipped in.


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## nexttozen (Jul 15, 2014)

that vid makes me love my decision to switch to flat pedals only and have a dropper post. ouch!


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

I don't tend to crash so have not needed to be concerned about protection until recently.... Either I'm getting older and less sharp in my riding skills or I am just getting so much faster and more aggressive in my riding style (probably both). Either way I am crashing more now than I have in 20 odd years of cycling. Each time I have seriously scraped up my elbows and my thighs as my crashes tend to be when the bike wheels get knocked out sideways from me and so I land on my side. The last took me to urgent care; the second time in my biking career 

I've now invested in both POC VPC 2.0 knee and elbow pads and though I miss the freedom of pad-less riding I think my body will thank me the next time I crash. I'm 44 I'm getting too old to crash so much :smallviolin:


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## ra-man44 (Jul 4, 2012)

nexttozen said:


> that vid makes me love my decision to switch to flat pedals only and have a dropper post. ouch!


Exactly my setup, and love the combination. Feel like I can always bail when needed, and I go much faster on downhills as well with the dropper post. 

As for the original topic on elbow pads, I wear both knee and elbow pads when I go for more serious rides since I've had crashes where I hurt both. I agree that this has to do with how you break your fall - if you can roll as you fall then you don't get your elbows hurt as much.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

nexttozen said:


> that vid makes me love my decision to switch to flat pedals only and have a dropper post. ouch!


I agree. A lot of the guys with flat pedals bail out pretty effectively.

I once hit a dog while clipped in and a twisted ankle was my only injury.


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## deadcowboy (Jun 25, 2008)

I use knee/shin pads and elbow pads. I didn't wear them this past weekend during the fair hill race as I had ridden it several times be for with no no problems this time I crashed a took out a nice chunk, not going to forget to wear them again.


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## cerebroside (Jun 25, 2011)

philip5296 said:


> Looks like we have "falling styles" some of us...
> ...


Agreeing with this. I've got a ton of scars on my knees from before I started wearing kneepads, but I rarely fall on my elbows.
Based on this I always wear some pretty heavy kneepads (Fox Launch Pro) and occasionally wear some lightweight elbow pads.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

My OTB's tend to involve shoulder rolls when possible, so yes knee and elbow pads for me. Once, kicked out my legs from and otb, cleared the bars and started running down the trail, sans bike. Much laughter.


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## iscariot (Oct 24, 2006)

Varaxis said:


> This thread reminded me of this vid I recently watched:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's a hilarious vid. Talk about zero riding skill from the dirt roadies.


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## 83stumpjumper (Feb 14, 2011)

I bought them right after I crashed at a ski mountain trail and had to get stitches at the hospital. Of course I never went back to that mountain again, so they sit never worn in the bottom of my gear bag.


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## Blue Flame Special (Jun 9, 2013)

I can't believe some of you guys have never/rarely landed on your elbows when you crash. Nor can I believe the lack of elbow pads when I'm watching some of the downhill pro's ride.

I've been to the hospital/emergency room twice now in the last 3 months with shredded forearms. Currently waiting for some deep tension stitches to be removed so I can try out my new Troy Lee 5550 elbow guards!

I think someone nailed it earlier when they said we must all have 'falling styles'.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

I'd like to have both ^^

But money etc. (wife!!) 

Maybe for xmas


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## StuntmanMike (Jul 2, 2012)

philip5296 said:


> Looks like we have "falling styles" some of us...
> 
> I've never so much as gotten a mosquito bite on either of my elbows, but both knees have deep scar tissue from many repeat injuries. Even during several OTB crashes in the past, I always managed to beat my knees up and save my elbows. I think it's because I use my hands to break my fall when I can, but my feet are clipped in most of the time when I crash so my knees get tore up pretty much automatically.
> 
> I recently broke down and started wearing knee/shin guards. I don't own elbow pads at least for now.


Sounds like me. Every time I crash I hurt my knee or leg, never my arms/elbows. I started wearing knee pads recently, and ordered some elbow pads as well as shin guards since they were on a great sale at PP lat week.

I'm trying to learn to jump and do more challenging stuff, so the confidence they bring is worth it alone.

And I ride clipped in, FWIW.


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## purdyboy (Nov 15, 2005)

I think there is a big difference between clipped in and platform pedals when it comes to falling. Even a little slow speed get-off can be nasty if your pedal catches you out during the unclip...

With clipped in pedals, you tend to land on the lateral knee/hip/elbow instead of just stepping off the bike.

Last time this happened to me I injured the lateral elbow, and my hip landed on a small rock... A lot of pain for a little incident.

Now I always wear elbow pads, usually have hip pads and sometimes wear knee pads. Always wear motocross gloves too.


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## sinfony78 (Dec 2, 2012)

the only time i've needed elbow pads were my first trip to a bike park (where the dirt is usually loose anyway)...cornered on a flat turn and washed out on my side, where i slid for a bit...scuffed up my arm beneath the elbow pad...my elbow was saved, but not my arm...since then i've worn these under the pads to protect my arms









but i have not needed them since

i still wear them tho and not have to worry as much were i to do that again


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## nexttozen (Jul 15, 2014)

purdyboy said:


> I think there is a big difference between clipped in and platform pedals when it comes to falling. Even a little slow speed get-off can be nasty if your pedal catches you out during the unclip...
> 
> With clipped in pedals, you tend to land on the lateral knee/hip/elbow instead of just stepping off the bike.
> 
> ...


exactly why i only run flat pedals. i also pad up even for xc rides. people tend to eat it the most on easy sections when they aren't concentrating.


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## purdyboy (Nov 15, 2005)

sinfony78 said:


> ...since then i've worn these under the pads to protect my arms
> 
> View attachment 924290


They look similar to those g form pads?? The sort of thing, I'm thinking of getting as I really only need light pads for the more technical/all mountain type of XC riding I do sometimes.
What brand are they?


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## FireLikeIYA (Mar 15, 2009)

purdyboy said:


> They look similar to those g form pads?? The sort of thing, I'm thinking of getting as I really only need light pads for the more technical/all mountain type of XC riding I do sometimes.
> What brand are they?


I have G-form elbow pads... I can't even tell that I am wearing them. I purchased them after washing out on my bike and cutting my elbow up pretty bad. I haven't crashed since I got them so I can't vouch for how much protection they provide. I do think they would help quite a bit on the smaller stuff.


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## sinfony78 (Dec 2, 2012)

troy Lee designs, e-lite


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

iscariot said:


> That's a hilarious vid. Talk about zero riding skill from the dirt roadies.


Congrats on making fun of a beginner's race. Do you feel like a bigger man now?


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## elborikua (Mar 14, 2014)

Le Duke said:


> Congrats on making fun of a beginner's race. Do you feel like a bigger man now?


LoL. ^ Sensitive much?


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

elborikua said:


> LoL. ^ Sensitive much?


Yes, I am deeply hurt by his remarks. I cried myself to sleep last night, actually.

In spite of the fact that my job revolves around killing people, the words of a random internet stranger are particularly hurtful.


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## elborikua (Mar 14, 2014)

Le Duke said:


> Yes, I am deeply hurt by his remarks. I cried myself to sleep last night, actually.
> 
> In spite of the fact that my job revolves around killing people, the words of a random internet stranger are particularly hurtful.


Here comes the "look at me I am military" line. Not impressed soldier. USMC 19 years and counting. Been there, still doing it.


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

Looking at the bill of my last urgent care visit I have to say that the purchase price of my POC VPC 2.0 knee and elbow pads are a lot cheaper. 

Trouble is that these pads are a bit overkill for more XC trails but we have enough rock and pointed granite around here that even XC can warrant pads so I may get some of those G-form or TLD pads as well for lighter use. 

It'll still be cheaper than another hospital visit.


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## Mr. Lynch (Jun 11, 2010)

None of my riding buddies wear elbow pads, including myself. I have not found a pair that is comfortable enough to wear all day, and even though we all ride clipped in and there are crashes, we rarely scrape up our elbows. It's probably because most of us come from a snowboard background where you learn to tuck your shoulder and roll as you go down, vs. sticking an arm or forearm out and snapping a wrist or messing up your elbow.

We are doing an Enduro race this weekend and I tried on a bunch of Elbow pads at my LBS, I didnt care for the fit or feel of any of them. The G-Form knee pads are great, but the elbow pads bunch up on the inside of the elbow and are very uncomfortable to me. Everythign else was too bulky and felt for DH oriented. The New Fox Enduro pads werent bad, but still a tad too bulky for my liking.


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## jazzanova (Jun 1, 2008)

I have used poc 2.0, g-form and some tld.
Poc fits the best and is also the most comfortable. I barely notice them even on longer +4h rides. 
Tlds just did not fit me that well. They tend to slide down.
G-form are minimalistic and while comfortable I did not find them to be less hot or more comfy than poc.


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

G-forms seem more for direct impacts, like the first 2 crashes in that video linked earlier. G-forms will leave you with road rash if you slide on them, even at a speed that the guy in the 4th crash was going (the speed created by those few side steps). They also are sized funny, made for people with big biceps, but skinny forearms. I personally find them rather ineffective. Cap it with a skid plate and it would work tons better.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

Joules said:


> I'm trying to come up with a crash scenario where I'd land on my elbow, and I just can't; I've banged my knees and shins more than I care to imagine, but never once in 27 years of mtbing hit my elbow. Mostly I wear leg pads for shin coverage - I just haven't seen shin only pads so knees get included.
> 
> I guess riding with elbows wide and coming too close to a tree or something? I don't know, it just seems like one would move their arms before letting their elbow get hit.


Whenever I go over the handlebars on rocky terrain (I've left plenty of blood in Moab), my hands go out, arms fold and elbows and forearms contact the rocks.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

elborikua said:


> Here comes the "look at me I am military" line. Not impressed soldier. USMC 19 years and counting. Been there, still doing it.


You aren't impressed by my ability to not laugh at the misfortune of others? Congrats? I guess you're harder than me, or something?

You've served for 19 years, and that's commendable. However, being a human being, and not an *******, can be considered commendable, too, in many circles.


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## challybert (Sep 5, 2014)

Elbow pads all the time. Knee pads most of the time. I've got scars on top of scars from biking falls. Many of the falls not all that "severe" relative to the blood, pain, stitches a few times and related cost$ of flesh repair. Maybe I've become a [email protected]#sy or just smarter with age.


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## Birddog07 (Jul 26, 2011)

Think I'll be buying some after today. Hikers need to learn to stay off bike trails, or at least not to stand still right in the middle...


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## WNCGoater (Aug 21, 2014)

I have some pads on order for knees and elbows. Gonna try some lightweight volleyball pads first. Heck, I shredded both, elbow AND knee!

My first trail ride clipped in BTW. Not gonna tolerate much more of this! I'll put those puppies on my road bike and get some flats and riding shoes!


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

WNCGoater said:


> I have some pads on order for knees and elbows. Gonna try some lightweight volleyball pads first. Heck, I shredded both, elbow AND knee!
> 
> My first trail ride clipped in BTW. Not gonna tolerate much more of this! I'll put those puppies on my road bike and get some flats and riding shoes!


Don't throw in the towel so quickly. If you're riding XC (which, based on the bike in the background, you are), clipless pedals are a great asset.

Make sure you practice unclipping on a soft surface like a football field. A game of bike tag is a great way to build slow speed confidence. And if you fall over, it's on grass. You might have a grass stain. That's it.


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## challybert (Sep 5, 2014)

Le Duke said:


> Don't throw in the towel so quickly. If you're riding XC (which, based on the bike in the background, you are), clipless pedals are a great asset........


Yup. If you have SPD type pedals, get the multi-release cleat and loosen up the tension. My wife was unsure of clipless for all the typical reasons. After a few weeks of low tension/multi-release cleat she's complaining that she "comes out to way to easy" and to tighten things up. Ha, never thought I'd hear that.


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## WNCGoater (Aug 21, 2014)

Le Duke said:


> Don't throw in the towel so quickly. If you're riding XC (which, based on the bike in the background, you are), clipless pedals are a great asset.
> 
> Make sure you practice unclipping on a soft surface like a football field. A game of bike tag is a great way to build slow speed confidence. And if you fall over, it's on grass. You might have a grass stain. That's it.





challybert said:


> Yup. If you have SPD type pedals, get the multi-release cleat and loosen up the tension. My wife was unsure of clipless for all the typical reasons. After a few weeks of low tension/multi-release cleat she's complaining that she "comes out to way to easy" and to tighten things up. Ha, never thought I'd hear that.


Oh I'm not throwing in the towel just yet. I have quickly come to understand the asset the clipless are, particularly climbing, at least for me. I'll give them a good go at it and an honest effort before I would switch.

I have Time Atacs which are pretty much not adjustable other than moving the cleat forward or back slightly. I believe I can eventually get comfortable with them if I can get my feeble brain to learn to intuitively unclip!

In the meatime, I intend to be sporting some pads!

Thanks for the encouragement!


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## jazzanova (Jun 1, 2008)

WNCGoater said:


> Oh I'm not throwing in the towel just yet. I have quickly come to understand the asset the clipless are, particularly climbing, at least for me. I'll give them a good go at it and an honest effort before I would switch.
> 
> I have Time Atacs which are pretty much not adjustable other than moving the cleat forward or back slightly. I believe I can eventually get comfortable with them if I can get my feeble brain to learn to intuitively unclip!
> 
> ...


Times have adjustable tension screw...


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## Marc2211 (Aug 6, 2013)

From my experience, I take more damage to elbows/knees/wrists when I fall using clipless on my XC or Cyclocross bike - I went down twice at the start of the year, tearing up my knee and elbow the first time, breaking my wrist the second time. I still use them on my XC bike, but only for non-technical trails as I just can't clip out fast enough (even with everything super loose). 

I find that with flats I have more change of catching the fall by sticking out a leg etc, and although I have had some spills on the DH bike too, the results have been much worse. 

That being said, I now ride with IXS elbow/forearm armor and knee/shin armor if I know I am going to be doing anything more than a simple XC blast. I moved to a full face lid for DH/Enduro too - the confidence gained from the extra layers of protection is immeasurable.


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## WNCGoater (Aug 21, 2014)

jazzanova said:


> Times have adjustable tension screw...


No, they don't. Not the MX-2's anyway. There is no visible screw adjustment that I can see, nothing in the instruction sheet, can't find anything on a Google search.

I'd love to be proven wrong in this, but to my knowledge, these do not have an adjustable tension screw.


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## challybert (Sep 5, 2014)

WNCGoater said:


> No, they don't. Not the MX-2's anyway. There is no visible screw adjustment that I can see, nothing in the instruction sheet, can't find anything on a Google search.
> 
> I'd love to be proven wrong in this, but to my knowledge, these do not have an adjustable tension screw.


Yeah, no tension adjustment. The one thing you can change to facilitate getting out quicker/easier, and you may have done so already, is alter the release angle via which cleat goes on which shoe. At least this is how it used to work going back 3-4yrs ago when I used Time Atacs.


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

As far as I'm aware, TIMEs have never had a tension adjustment. As chally said you can only adjust the angle on the cleat. That said, that's kind of the beauty of their system, it's simple, it allows a natural level of float, and the clipping action is smooth and easy. At least this is what I recall from when I used to ride clipless. (Flats now for 5+ years)


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## WNCGoater (Aug 21, 2014)

You can reverse the cleat on the shoe for easier or harder release. I have them both set up for the easier release. I didn't intend to somehow indicate it was difficult to get them to release, it isn't. Just a quick flit of the foot and you're out. Training the brain to intuitively flip that foot without thinking is my issue, which I'm confident will be resolved with time.


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## jazzanova (Jun 1, 2008)

This is for the Atac xc:
"One thing that hasn't changed is the Time ATAC (Auto Tension Adjustment Concept) system simply separates float from spring tension. This means that you get the same amount of float no matter how you set your release spring preload. The float in most pedal systems is influenced by spring tension (release force), so if you like being securely clipped in, you give up some measure of comfort as your float decreases as well. Either that or you have to dial your cleat angle in precisely. Conversely, if you like running very little spring tension, you'll have more "slop" between the cleat and the pedal. Not so with the ATAC's. Run light tension without feeling like your walking on ice, or crank the tension up to the limit while remaining comfortable. Time ATAC pedals are an easy set-up because no cleat angle adjustment is required, remember - the float always stays the same! Tension is adjusted with the two outboard screws on each pedal—one screw for each side of the pedal."


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## challybert (Sep 5, 2014)

^^^No kidding!!! LOL....I used mine for 4yrs and never knew it. Oh well....Thanks for the smack on the back of the head.


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## WNCGoater (Aug 21, 2014)

Well darn. I'll check mine again this evening. However, I don't have the XC's, I have the MX's. 

maybe...


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## jazzanova (Jun 1, 2008)

WNCGoater said:


> Well darn. I'll check mine again this evening. However, I don't have the XC's, I have the MX's.
> 
> maybe...


Looks like the mx4 and mx6 do not have the tension adjustment.
I am not sure about the mx8 and mx12 though...
My Xc8 do have it.


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