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"Protection" for Newbie
Hi All,
New to MTB and to this site. Have had a few bikes over the years but mainly for commuting or dawdling around the beaches.
Did my first ride (walk !) of Manly Dam on the weekend and realised I have got a tremendous amount to learn. Markedly different from the ashphalt and the track is very challenging. Hence why I spent alot of my time walking. Having said that I am keen to learn and will be trying to get as much practice as I can over the coming months.
After a few falls and pedal gouges on the bits I did attempt I thought it might be a good investment to get some "protection" before my next ride. Many of the riders I saw on the day had knee/shin guards and I was wondering if people here had any preferences as to ones that work/are comfortable etc. I have looked up a few brands on the internet but, as usual, there are pros and cons for most of them.
Your comments would be most appreciated.
Thanks
Doug
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hello mate and welcome, first up mate you need to go into a reputable bike shop and talk to them(supreme at narrabeen, bike addiction, brookevale bike factory,cyclery northshore at chatswood or any of the big shops in the city) let them know what kind of riding you intend on doing. obviously youre not doing downhill racing so dont need a full body suit!
you could get away with some fairly lightweight pads which would breathe well in the hot summer months, and make sure( especially with the legs) that you get the velcro strap type that you can put on and off without taking your shoes off as with time and confidence youre not gonna want to wear them all the time.good brands include 661, fox, dianesse. the more money you spend the better quality. but i must stress again, dont go overboard with the protection factor as it will be far too uncomfortable wearing massive pads if your only riding the trails for fun. happy shopping,
gazza
I just wear some 661 MXE knee shin guards, they don't protect the back of the leg that much but the front of the leg, fairly comfortable to ride and walk around in, and pretty cheap.
Gloves are the biggest thing though and definitely required IMHO - for XC type stuff the fingerless gloves are quite comfy and good in summer since they are nicely ventilated. I just have Netti ones which have been quite good - if you go to the Netti factory sale on this weekend then you might score a bargain on them.
http://nobmob.com/node/3268
Do a search on this site. Top right of the page. There is heaps about pads, guards, armour, etc. All the brands, types, have been discussed. It will save you heaps of time, rather than searching the net.
I use Fox armour for elbows and knee/shins. I find them a pretty good balance in terms of protection v weight v comfort.
Cheers.
Heya
I'm a bit of a noob and went and looked at shin/knee stuff. I chose: http://catalog.troyleedesigns.com/catalog/produc... out of the three in the shop. They were about $45. They are the lighter, more simple ones of the three they had in store. Some of the others had more heavy wrap around style stuff that looked a bit over the top (more for DH), and bit too hot for Manly Dam laps.
Once on, I hardly notice they are there. If I'm not wearing them, sometimes I really DO notice that haha (ouch!). You can put them on/off without needing to take your shoes off.
I'm really happy with them.
"Knee Guard Adult [1257-1201]"
at BA. Tried on some Fox Launch and Troy Lee buts the Fox pads seemed to fit the best. Did a round of Manly Dam this arvo and saved a bit of skin.
Thanks for all your comments.
Cheers
Doug