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I crash a lot/knee pad recommendations?

t_treehugger

Chimp
Jul 15, 2008
5
0
Wynantskill, NY
Um. So, I'm new here. Hi!

I've been biking for a few years now, but I still crash a lot. In fact, my favorite motto is "if your not crashing your not trying hard enough". Apparently, I've been trying really hard. Maybe I have bad balance, I don't know...

I started wearing a pair of volleyball kneepads my first year of riding. They're simple, flexible, and low profile (i.e. not huge). They've worked pretty well. But on a sans-kneepads ride (doh!) I had a nice little crash that gave me a sweet puncture wound in my knee. It was only 3 stitches, but that's enough to make me wear my pads more often.

My old volleyball kneepads need replacing and maybe upgrading. So, I'd like to find a pair of new knee pads that don't slip down, aren't too hot and uncomfortable (this is why I wasn't wearing mine for the puncture wound crash), and aren't huge.

Besides kneepads, if any of you have advice on how to crash less I'd be happy to hear it.

Cheers!
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
Kneepads are always going to be a compromise for breathability, but you are probably used to sweaty knees already from your volleyball pads.

Obviously fit is key, which unfortunately only one way to know for yourself: try it on. The worse shops for protective stock cater to the roadie/tri crowd. If you do not have a mountain bike shop in your area, then the most likely place is the BMX/family shop. They will have a selection of pads there, although they tend to be more armored which is harder to pedal.

Really the separator for pads is protection vs flexibility. For example, you could get a bmx pad with a complete hard cap, which is designed for hard impacts in dirt jumping or skate park; or a soft pad which is the easiest to pedal but gives you the least padding.

I have a pair of 661 DJ knee pads which are a little bulky and the hard cap is slightly uncomfortable. But I have also taken big diggers without injury.

I decided this year to switch to 661 Evo pads, which have a special insert for extra protection but otherwise flexible. But since there is no hard cap, durability is minimal.

Rockgardn makes a set of women's knee pads. That might fit the best.

 

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,669
1,847
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
I'll second the rockgardn pads...they have nice stuff and their women's specific stuff seems to fit well (I have a flak jacket). 661 also makes a set of knee pads that seem nice too and don't seem to inhibit movement...I have a couple of girlfriends that wear them. You'll get better with time...I still have some great crashes and hope to keep riding for a long time more.
 

ultraNoob

Yoshinoya Destroyer
Jan 20, 2007
4,504
1
Hills of Paradise

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,669
1,847
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
I've fallen in love with my 661 Evo pads. They have that new d3o padding that instantly stiffens up on impact and becomes pliable right after. I can pedal all day with them on and have often forgotten that I'm wearing them.

http://www.sixsixone.com/Catalog_661Bike.aspx?id=c50dd743-609c-4863-8eed-0ce94d821e53&product=f8a90ec7-d588-4262-8c52-3540a0909afe

As far as not crashing... that's a tough one. Have fun out there!
I checked those out, nice but quite pricey!