[slyfink]

I can't help but wonder if I was wearing knee pads of some kind I could have avoided this...

Is there a bomber 2022 knee pad setup? I haven't bought a knee pad in more than 10 years.

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I think it might be too late now...

I'm of the opinion that pads need to be integrated into chamois so they don't migrate down. That's the only foolproof way I can see it, without having to tighten your pads to the point of cutting off circulation.

Other than Woo's observations about staying put while crashing, (plastic to slide being the most important piece of the puzzle imo), I'm of the opinion that as helmets are dependant on head shape, so too are knee pads highly dependant on leg shape.

I have very thick thighs, normal knees and thick calves. A nice hour glass figure as it were... Most XL pads don't fit on my thighs, so tend to roll down. The only thing I've found that keeps pads in place is a strap that's above the calf and below the knee. Without that strap everything slides off.

FWIW, I can make my XL RF Ambush work because of they have a strap above the calf. I also have a pair of Chromag sleeve-style pads that I use as knee warmers. They're XL too and the goddam thigh silicone gripper keeps rolling, but because of the elastic behind the calf, they stay put (whether in shorts or pants) during my xc rides (like I said - knee warmers). Those two recommendations are really dependant on leg shape though. YMMV.

 

[iRider]

I really like my older Scott Grenade pads, but they lack a plastic cap. I am waiting for them to finally die so I can justify buying the new ones: https://www.scott-sports.com/dk/en/product/scott-grenade-evo-hybrid-knee-guards?article=2745190001007

Did you guys realize how rarely people wear pads in PB's Friday Fails?

 

[toodles]

-Hard caps to slide over rocks or at least slide better over rocks, not grab them and rip the pad down like fabric does

I've had the opposite occur where the plastic cap edge catches during a slide and pulls either the pad around or down, or worse - pulls my leg in a weird direction/angle. I also broke a Dainese plastic cap into four pieces once, although that totally saved my patella that day I'm certain.

The fabric ones aren't terrible. I used to run 661 knee pads for years without them doing too much weird shit and never had them do anything terribly amiss. Now I just run knee sleeves on trail rides for abrasion resistance unless I'm doing DH shuttles or something spectacularly dumb.

My worst knee injury yet was on a friggen XC ride of all things - pure bad luck to ride over a stick, flicking it in front of me down the trail and then riding into it and getting it impaled the side of my knee, going in about 3 inches. 4 nights in hospital to get the splinters cleaned out.

 

[kidwoo]

I've had the opposite occur where the plastic cap edge catches

I'm having a hard time picturing how a rounded cap would even have the edge susceptible. I could see the top edge doing this but only if they'd already slid down some. Which brings me to calf straps..... Let me tell you about good solid calf straps

I tore my patellar tendon having some fabric ones stick on a rock. The rock that also cracked my patella in the same crash because of advanced polymer impact absorbtion blah blah blah

Again with the dianese. I know everyone thought that stuff was the shit because it cost so much but those were some of the worst, useless knee/shin guards I ever owned. They'd slide down on me standing in the lift line they stretched out so quick. Those things were shit. I think that's why they made the superman suits. It's the only way their pads wouldn't fly around all over the place.

 

[canadmos]

My worst knee injury yet was on a friggen XC ride of all things - pure bad luck to ride over a stick, flicking it in front of me down the trail and then riding into it and getting it impaled the side of my knee, going in about 3 inches. 4 nights in hospital to get the splinters cleaned out.

Aye. You aren't alone, I too had one of my worst knee/leg injuries on a stupid easy ride. Not quite as traumatic as yours though, damn.

Just out riding along, on a gravel path, might have said hold my beer and watch this, right before attempting to go mach chicken around a loose corner.

Of course I didn't make it. The gravel cheese gratered my left leg up to my knee and somehow sprained my MCL.

All on a dumb gravel path.

There was also a time years back where I clipped a pedal, on an unknown object, also on a stupid gravel path. Went OTB. Came out of that one unscathed though.

Friggin gravel paths man...

 

[slimshady]

Aye. You aren't alone, I too had one of my worst knee/leg injuries on a stupid easy ride. Not quite as traumatic as yours though, damn.

Just out riding along, on a gravel path, might have said hold my beer and watch this, right before attempting to go mach chicken around a loose corner.

Of course I didn't make it. The gravel cheese gratered my left leg up to my knee and somehow sprained my MCL.

All on a dumb gravel path.

There was also a time years back where I clipped a pedal, on an unknown object, also on a stupid gravel path. Went OTB. Came out of that one unscathed though.

Friggin gravel paths man...

Wanna talk about stupid but serious injuries? I once bunny hopped from the street onto the sidewalk when coming back home from the dirt jumps, and landed my rear wheel over a fucking Chetos package. My 661 Kyle Straits were on my calves because it was so fucking hot and I was wearing jeans.

The rear wheel skidded, and I landed all my dead weight with my left knee on the curb. Tried to get up, only to see a big blood stain on the jeans and immediately felt like someone was driving a power drill right below the knee.

I was maybe 3 blocks away from my home, so I pedaled my way there only with my right leg, performed first aid care on the clown's mouth recently formed on my left knee, changed my jeans to shorts and hopped 3 blocks to a clinic.

Ended up with 5 internal stitches to reinforce my patellar tendon and 5 external ones to shut up the clown's mouth.

The moral I learned was to wear whichever protective equipment I choose to take on a ride from the very moment I hop on my bike till the moment I put it down.

 

[kidwoo]

somehow sprained my MCL.

welcome package incoming

 

[jstuhlman]

I like envisioning a crash that starts with knees but somehow ends up with your pants being pulled off

lookat lil woo, assuming we're wearing pants...

Did you guys realize how rarely people wear pads in PB's Friday Fails?

apparently you have to wear a helmet tho, as we learned when we tried to submit the video of this:

 

[kidwoo]

at least the handlebars are dependable



or are they?

 

[Jm_]

welcome package incoming
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