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XC Knee/shin guards
Hi guys, I'm looking for recommendations on some knee/shin pads for XC riding. Need to be comfortable without being too hot to ride in for a couple of hours. What are your thoughts?
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Only way to go. Lightweight, comfortable and still offer good protection and coverage. They don't slip and you don't know you're wearing them on all but the hottest days. Also, they are low profile so fit under shorts etc easily.....
661's
BFWIW I thought you wouldn't need them John? Where are planning on riding that requires padding up?
I used to wear mine for The Dam and the GNR or anywhere new that was unknown and techy, but I haven't worn mine for at least 2 years now.
... to stupid offs from time to time at Manly Dam, usually when the track gets busy and there are distractions. Currently nursing a corked shin that's been giving me grief for a second week now. And as I get older, the recovery takes a lot longer than it once did
You watch - as soon as I get them, I'll stop needing them. Isn't that the way it works?
Thanks for the recommendation. I'll follow up during the week.
Wore mine for 6 months straight, no problems. One time I didn't had a stack off a jump when the tire blew on landing and hurt my elbow pretty bad. Now I just wear them - can't afford the time off work being self employed so I use that as my motivation.....
I have never owned pads, but after a fairly close call on a nasty boulder in LCNP i ordered some 661 EVO d30's.
As luck would have it the very next weekend I had a nasty OTB at Oxford Falls and, where were my pads? Still winging their way to me... bugger! Consequently for the last two weeks I have been nursing a bone-bruised elbow sans a fair chunk of skin and fur and a well corked shin.
Pads have arrived - yet to be tested but the fit is fantastic, as is the breathability. However it did occur to me that the knee pads don't have shin guards. One of my mates swears by soccer shin guards - light, comfy and inexpensive, so I think I might add a set of those to th kit.
I like the 661 veggie range. It's less protection than the Evo and Evo light but it's very light.
+1 for 661 Knee Pads.
I ride with 661 Veggie knee pads for shorter rides (commuting or bashing out laps at a 24). They are a tad heavier and hold more sweat than the Evo Lite's. However, they are very robust and give you confidence. More subtle in colour/shape than the Evo Lite's, they are cheap as chips too.
For longer rides (say the Fling), I ride with 661 Evo Lite XC Knee. Very light and comfortable. They are a bit of a nightmare to put on - it's all velco, flaps, straps. In time I plan to cut all the velcro out and sew the things to fit. It will make the pads even lighter and there will be no velcro to grab my knicks (I nearly cried when the velcro stuck to my brand new Sugoi bibs ...). From memory, three times the price of the Veggies ...
As a side bonus, you also don't have to pfaff around with sunscreen on the top of your legs ...
The Vegies are good but they can get kind of hot as they are essentially wetsuit material all around. They can almost be hotter than my more robust 661 race as although they are heavier and more rigid with all the plastic armor, at least in between there is less material and they breath more. I tend to only wear pads when I really need them so stick to the 661 Race but the Vegies do provide excellent protection and are much easier to take traveling.
Sorry, another couple of questions ... how far do the Evo Lite kneeguards go down the shin? Looks like no more than halfway?
Do the regular Evo shinguards fit with the Lites kneeguards?
Thanks for your help.
look at my classified
[Mod... this will help: http://nobmob.com/user/1776/threads ]
i use the IXS knee/shin guards. they are pretty light and seem comfortable enough. haven't had a major crash whilst wearing them but i did slip and smash my knee on the ground, didn't feel a thing. they seem to have slightly less protection than some other more DH type knee/shin guards so they might be better suited to more XC riding.
Hawkeye, I have used for the last three years the excellent 661 EVO LITE XC KNEE with 3DO technology and for my elbows the FOX LAUNCH ELBOW pads. The elbow pads have saved me many many times, especially when I was learning to use clip-ins and falling over, as one does. Both pads stay in place and this is very important once you hit the ground. They do their job. Provide you with added confidence too.
FOX http://tbsm.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_i...
661 http://www.sixsixone.com/Catalog_661Bike.aspx?id...
3DO INTELLIGENT SHOCK ABSORPTION http://www.sixsixone.com/d3o.aspx
Whatever you choose, wear it!
Winco