# Knee/Shin Guards



## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

Hey I'm looking roght now into buying some protection for my legs because with the rigid GT I bounce a lot and sometimes my feet slips off the pedal so I need some protection. I'm looking into a 661 2x4 Elbow and 4x4 Knee/Shin Guardscombo from blueskycycling.com... any luck with them?

I think rzozaya has the 4x4 right? How are they?


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## rzozaya1969 (Nov 28, 2004)

tacubaya said:


> Hey I'm looking roght now into buying some protection for my legs because with the rigid GT I bounce a lot and sometimes my feet slips off the pedal so I need some protection. I'm looking into a 661 2x4 Elbow and 4x4 Knee/Shin Guardscombo from blueskycycling.com... any luck with them?
> 
> I think rzozaya has the 4x4 right? How are they?


I really like them, they are very confortable. I have tried some of Fox, Roach/Race Face, and another 661 and this ones have been the more confortable.


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

What about absorbing falls/pedal attacks etc etc?


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

Get clipless... you will use them on whatever new bike you will get anyway. They don't bounce around and hardly will you hit your shins.

Real bikers don't use other protection than a brain bucket and gloves. Only padding of the real biker is the chamois on the short... Do you agree, Tiger??


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## rzozaya1969 (Nov 28, 2004)

Warp2003 said:


> Get clipless... you will use them on whatever new bike you will get anyway. They don't bounce around and hardly will you hit your shins.
> 
> Real bikers don't use other protection than a brain bucket and gloves. Only padding of the real biker is the chamois on the short... Do you agree, Tiger??


real bikers don't use saddles... I'm a fake, anyway


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

rzozaya1969 said:


> real bikers don't use saddles... I'm a fake, anyway


I have my theories about the non-use of a saddle, but I won't disclose them. Real bikers USE saddles. Be quiet on that one.


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## rzozaya1969 (Nov 28, 2004)

Warp2003 said:


> I have my theories about the non-use of a saddle, but I won't disclose them. Real bikers USE saddles. Be quiet on that one.


Look at trials riders in Spain... they don't even bother with the seatpost...


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

rzozaya1969 said:


> Look at trials riders in Spain... they don't even bother with the seatpost...


I wanna see them doing two hours climbs as we do on those abominations. Trials is not real MTB.


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## tigerdog (Mar 16, 2004)

Chicks dig scars.


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

Please do not profanate the topic of this thread, thank you.

I'm not using clips, I dont have money for the clips and shoes and I really like using platform.


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## tigerdog (Mar 16, 2004)

tacubaya said:


> Please do not profanate the topic of this thread, thank you.
> 
> I'm not using clips, I dont have money for the clips and shoes and I really like using platform.


Just wear a pair of long tube socks. Worked for me on my BMX with bear-trap pedals.


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## mtbgiovanny (Feb 13, 2006)

you should buy new pedals which have more grip that's all you'll have soon your iguana or whatever is going to be your next bike, if youre buying new pedals the 5050x are nice and prety cheap too


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

Tigerdog said:


> Chicks dig scars.





Tigerdog said:


> Just wear a pair of long tube socks. Worked for me on my BMX with bear-trap pedals.


Tacu... re-read carefully these two jewels of wisdom Tiger just threw in... it worked for us when we were your age and when we rode a bike just like yours.

Nothing like a nice scar made by shin-tenderizing bear traps to attract looks at the trailhead... the multiple blood runs on your shins, mixed with the trail's dust/mud, will make people go "Wow... that's a tough guy"

You'll get R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!


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## tigerdog (Mar 16, 2004)

Yeah, the nice thing about the tube socks is they soak up the blood really well.

I have some decent downhill platforms you can borrow next time we ride together. Work best with waffle pattern shoes like Vans, although I like to rock my Adidas shell-toes with them. Fresh for 87, yo.


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

Warp2003 said:


> Tacu... re-read carefully these two jewels of wisdom Tiger just threw in... it worked for us when we were your age and when we rode a bike just like yours.
> 
> Nothing like a nice scar made by shin-tenderizing bear traps to attract looks at the trailhead... the multiple blood runs on your shins, mixed with the trail's dust/mud, will make people go "Wow... that's a tough guy"
> 
> You'll get R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!


Hahahahaha, okay I'll try it nex time, but If I break my leg and quit mtn for a while, the people will say "wow, that was stupid guy" or maybe some people will say "wow that was tough guy" just because I ride a GT lol...

If I can get all my shin with blood and mud without catching an infection, I'll sign up for it. 

You made me remember one time when I was about to decend through the downhill, a guy with a Titus Motolite (not rzozaya) aproached and told me: "Que huevos tienes para bajar esto con una rigida, enserio que huevotes!!" jajajaja...


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## triphop (Jul 27, 2004)

Warp2003 said:


> I have my theories about the non-use of a saddle, but I won't disclose them. Real bikers USE saddles. Be quiet on that one.


to rest their guts warp?? (yes we all saw the video) LOL   sorry man, i saw a clear shot and I took it! LOL I couldnt help myself... no hard feeling though right man?


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

triphop said:


> to rest their guts warp?? (yes we all saw the video) LOL   sorry man, i saw a clear shot and I took it! LOL I couldnt help myself... no hard feeling though right man?


Imagine if there would have not been a saddle in there!!!  

Impaled by a seatpost!!

No hard feelings... just watch your back if I'm behind you while riding along the border of a cliff....


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

tacubaya said:


> You made me remember one time when I was about to decend through the downhill, a guy with a Titus Motolite (not rzozaya) aproached and told me: "Que huevos tienes para bajar esto con una rigida, enserio que huevotes!!" jajajaja...


That meant: "I used to have cojones like that when I was your age"  

LOL !!

Nah... you have nice skills. We rode those pieces of crap because that was all we had back in the day. You deserve better.


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## ritopc (Jul 3, 2004)

tacubaya said:


> What about absorbing falls/pedal attacks etc etc?


Ok, I'll have to step on in this one and create some controversy. Real bikers may use or may not use protection (other than a helmet); it all depends of the kinda stuff you're riding. I learn it the hard way when I started riding on really rough stuff (landing on a rock with your knee is neither pleasant nor healthy).

If you're getting into more and more technical stuff and pushing your limits, as i have heard, I would advice you to get some protection, at least for the knees. Even more, if you are pushing the limits of your current bike, you have to be aware that it might eventually fail on you. The rougher you ride, the more you'll fall (and you'll fall nasty). The more protected you are, the better. Real or not real, be a smart biker first; according to your riding style.

On the clipless side, yeah they are great for XC/AM/trail, they'll give you tons of confidence and balance, saving your a$$ on difficult stuff (DH and FR is another story, clipless is a compromise sometimes; some people like them some others don't). You should definitely get some clipless (if economy allows) and find out if they work for you. I am sure they will.

Protection for pedal attacks...mmm.. that's too much. As I said before, it depends of the kind of riding you do and are planning to do. Here my .02


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

ritopc said:


> Real or not real, be a smart biker first; according to your riding style.


Dude... lighten up, we were joking. That's a personal preference for any kind of riding... and a must for learning kids (meaning of kids: children under 10yo that are learning to ride a bicycle, let alone a MTB... )


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## ritopc (Jul 3, 2004)

Warp2003 said:


> Dude... lighten up, we were joking. That's a personal preference for any kind of riding... and a must for learning kids (meaning of kids: children under 10yo that are learning to ride a bicycle, let alone a MTB... )


It wasn´t my intention to sound rude. Tacu came asking for advice on protection and I give it to him. I know you were jocking, yet there wasn´t really any advice on when is wise to use protection. That´s was the reason and focus of my post.


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## 545cu4ch (Aug 11, 2005)

Just dump pedals and put you feet directly on the cranks  ..
Hey, maybe its benn covered before, butI have always wondered why clip less are called like that. Doesnt that make platforms clip less ....less?


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

545cu4ch said:


> Just dump pedals and put you feet directly on the cranks  ..
> Hey, maybe its benn covered before, butI have always wondered why clip less are called like that. Doesnt that make platforms clip less ....less?


Because they are ridden without toe clips... but yeah, the name is uberdumb.

I like Rock_Rene's 661 Race Lite shins. The old ones... I just checked the new ones and are different.

The one he uses are like this:
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=1381&category=

I don't like guards much. But those are good for improving your skills and when you are going big. If I would have to choose a shin guard, I'd choose something with a hardshell. Otherwise, when you run out of padding, the object still hits you.

And if you're riding big enough to need knee/shin pads, maybe getting elbow ones is not a bad idea at all. Arms are more easy to break/damage than legs, I think. Of all the falls I've had, I've got more damage at the arms.

One protection that is very important but it's often overlooked is spinal protection... but it's difficult to protect too. And heavy. But if you plan on riding rocky stuff, I think it would be a must. Falling on your back and damaging the spine it ain't funny.

oh... and always... brain bucket and gloves.


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

Yeah well the plan is to buy a combo of a 4x4 and a 2x4, the 2x4 is elbow and arm protection and the 4x4 is knee and shin.


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## ritopc (Jul 3, 2004)

tacubaya said:


> Yeah well the plan is to buy a combo of a 4x4 and a 2x4, the 2x4 is elbow and arm protection and the 4x4 is knee and shin.


If you get them from the Internet, make sure you choose the right size. If you are in doubt between two sizes choose the smaller one.... wait... you are still a teenager and you'll grow more  ... well..mmhm... choose whatever you feel is a right size for you .

FYI, getting shin guards larger than what you need, may cause you scars and blisters in the ankle area. Not a very comfortable feeling. Choose some with a good padding on this area.


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

tacubaya said:


> Yeah well the plan is to buy a combo of a 4x4 and a 2x4, the 2x4 is elbow and arm protection and the 4x4 is knee and shin.


The 06 ones look like perfect... I may get some maybe. The older I get, the harder it hurts!


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## rzozaya1969 (Nov 28, 2004)

tacubaya said:


> Yeah well the plan is to buy a combo of a 4x4 and a 2x4, the 2x4 is elbow and arm protection and the 4x4 is knee and shin.


Tacubaya, I'm using medium sized 4x4 and they work fine, I've tried large and not so good....

good luck!


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