Do you wear protection?

Triple-B said:
Ok so on my morning ride today another rider asked me if I thought my baseball hat was gonna stop my head from cracking the ground, so that being said and this topic being started, whats a good helmet to get ? And why do so many people wear gloves ?
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I wear gloves because they give me better grip on the bars. When my hands sweat, I feel like my hands are too slippery.

tonyride said:
The best helmet is one that fits your head properly. Don't worry about what brand, model, etc. Just go to a bike shop and ask to try on a bunch of different brands and adjust the straps and other adjustments so it's snug on your head.
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The color too 🙂 Hee hee!

I was going to sign on and start a thread about knee pads, but I just found this one, so let me ask here - does anyone have a set that I can borrow for this weekend (Fri-Sun)? I am doing a clinic and the coach suggests using them. I promise to give them back next week - I just know I will never use them again so I don't feel like buying a set.
 
Mare45 said:
I wear gloves because they give me better grip on the bars. When my hands sweat, I feel like my hands are too slippery.



The color too 🙂 Hee hee!

I was going to sign on and start a thread about knee pads, but I just found this one, so let me ask here - does anyone have a set that I can borrow for this weekend (Fri-Sun)? I am doing a clinic and the coach suggests using them. I promise to give them back next week - I just know I will never use them again so I don't feel like buying a set.
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Mare - I just washed mine...if you are going to be up near me/RV, I'll get them to you either later tonight or tomorrow after school - send me a text if that works. 😀
 
skiphreaknj said:
Mare - I just washed mine...if you are going to be up near me/RV, I'll get them to you either later tonight or tomorrow after school - send me a text if that works. 😀
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Yes! Perfect! I am not home, but will be later this evening and tomorrow so we can figure something out. (I'll text you if you don't reply to this).

When are you biking? Maybe we can bike too?
 
Mare45 said:
I wear gloves because they give me better grip on the bars. When my hands sweat, I feel like my hands are too slippery.
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I raced BMX bikes since I was 10 till 16 and never wore gloves and never wore them MTBing either but I always see people wearing them. I wear sunglasses when riding and a ball cap but I'm def gonna get a helmet.
 
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whtbread said:
Thanks for the honest opinion. When I say obstacles I am talking about more of the man made stuff like the skills course at White Clay Creek and some of the bridges that are very narrow etc.
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Protection or not, avoid the skills section in White Clay if they are wet. Everything there is wooden (except for the rocks you land on) and gets really slimy after rain. The first time I rode through that section, it was still a little wet form a rain two days earlier and my rear tire slid off on one of the bridges. What made it worse was that I tried to balance myself in my cleats. I looked like I was having a seizure before I fell backwards after my bike.
 
For me protection has been a "journey", not only in biking but in general. When I rode to university in Buenos Aires I was riding with absolutely nothing through the middle of crazy traffic in the city (messenger style). Only later (when older and especially since I arrived to the US) I realized how lucky I had been.

When I started MTNbiking in TX I adopted the helmet immediately (good thing b/c it saved my coconut a couple of times). Then at some point I started using gloves and as of a few weeks ago I've been thinking about using glasses since it seems every ride I get insects, spider webs and what not in my eyes.

Also, during the Tymor race I fell on the pavement part of the course (what are the odds of that?! it's only 100 yds out of the 6 mile loop😡) and got a pretty bad road rash in my elbow and hip. Last sunday I fell on the same side while riding at LM and opened those wounds so now I'm using gauze and tape there but an elbow pad would be good for a while.

Oh no, if my wife reads this thread I know she's gonna make me use a full armor suit 😀
 
I practically stole a Fox Striker helmet off ebay a week or so ago. I knew my size and bid at the last minute. It's a great helmet with a bit more protection then most helmets.
 
Triple-B said:
Ok so on my morning ride today another rider asked me if I thought my baseball hat was gonna stop my head from cracking the ground, so that being said and this topic being started, whats a good helmet to get ? And why do so many people wear gloves ?
Click to expand...

gloves with a bit of padding keeping your hands from getting fatigued when you're doing longer rides, also if your sweating gloves will give you better grip. I wear helmet, glasses, and gloves. The only other thing I've ever considered is shin pads if I was doing more techy stuff. But I've been riding so long w/o pads don't think I'm starting now.
 
MikeP said:
gloves with a bit of padding keeping your hands from getting fatigued when you're doing longer rides, also if your sweating gloves will give you better grip. I wear helmet, glasses, and gloves. The only other thing I've ever considered is shin pads if I was doing more techy stuff. But I've been riding so long w/o pads don't think I'm starting now.
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Yea, it's a habit thing. I never wore gloves and don't wanna start now, it's like wrenching on my race car, I see guys wearing gloves wrenching but I can't get a feel for things when I tried wearing them. Helmet is must cause I don't wanna bonk my melon obviously . Plus I wanna try an XC race later this year and I'm pretty sure if I showed up in a ball cap and shades they wouldn't let me race lol. That being said is there a 29er beginner XC race from Sept or later thats local ? Guess I'll have to check JORBA :getsome:
 
more important than preventing blisters... Gloves protect my hands in a fall. Never know what you fall on. rocks, gravel, prickers, trees etc. Get gloves. Sucks to rip off a finger on the edge of a bridge of something, just saying...
 
GF and I wear knee/shin guard combo: Fox "The System". Lightweight with no straps above knee so no sense of restriction. She went OTB a few yrs ago and consequently was off the bike for nearly a year with knee issue. Bought these for her following that. Realized then how important and fragile ones knees are, and bought a set for myself. We never ride without them now and don't even realize their on.

I guess as long as helmet has CPSC sticker inside protection is the same (?) and extra $ are for light weight and better venting (?).
 
a.s. said:
Save your money. You are going to roast in that shirt. I think for XC style riding (even with log rides, steep chutes and the occasional 2-3' drop) you will have more than enough protection with knee and elbow guards. Get the soft kind LIKE THIS and skip the ones with hard plastic shells. They are more cumbersome for XC and slip off easier.
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661 makes a lighter compression fit shirt with pads that is moisture wicking if you are into the body armor.
http://www.sixsixone.com/catalog_661moto.aspx?id=0c48e9b1-1970-4bc1-a2b1-d8e359403b74&product=7a92d628-84f8-409e-a218-6c4a9e160e01
 
I've had lots of nasty crashes -with and without body armour- so unless you are planning full-on DH runs, where high speed impact is a factor, I believe you will be fine with just a good helmet, gloves, elbow and knee pads. If I could ride DH in a tank top I would- it gets so damn hot under any type of body armour in the summer!
 
a.s. said:
If I could ride DH in a tank top I would- it gets so damn hot under any type of body armour in the summer!
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If you think it's hot in that, try roadracing motorcycles in the heat of the summer. Nothing like a full face helmet, full leathers with body armour, boots and gloves on a 90+ degree day. AND if you're a dumbass like me, you would pick a 200km endurance race and do it solo.:cry:
 
I always seem to hit arms first (I have the white skin from road rashes and the stitches from rocks to prove it), so if anything dicey I wear elbow pads. I separated my shoulder riding from the parking lot to the trail head once but I don't think I want to wear enough armor to save me from that.

to be honest I will never understand people who ride without helmets. I have cracked the foam on two helmets, I sure did not want my head to tackle that on its own. I may be a wimp but I actually own 4 helmets (bike, caving, whitewater, ski) so I had to stop picking up new hobbies😉. I have always read that any helmet you buy in a store is equally safe. You pay more money for vents and color because it costs more to make them. Last time I tried every helmet in a bigger bike store and in the end the second-cheapest one fit the best.
 
Helmet and gloves. I tried knee pads and elbow pads but don't like them for XC rides as they either chafe or need to be adjusted. DH is different since you're taking a lift up and moving pads on and off.
 
I wear my 661 Race forearm/elbow guards when I ride Chimney rock and Sourlands. When I ride 6MR I just wear my helmet, gloves, glasses.
When you wear armor you ride more confidently. I have had many nasty elbow injuries from biking, and I'm glad to finally have a good elbow pad to rely on.
 
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