First off I just want to say hello to everyone here . I've been to Diablo a few times already and everytime I go I have a blast. I ride a 2003 Big Hit Comp, red, and a red 661 helmet so feel free to say hi if you see me.
Well this Sunday I went to the wonderful Diablo Freeride park for a day of riding, what I went home with was a broken bike and some major bruising . I will not pull what I see here a lot and say it's the mountains fault or anything like that, it was totally my wrong doing. I was flying down Alpine andmisjudged the drop of one of the erosion logs, and when i rolled over it i went foward and my rear suspension unloaded, sending me into a nice Superman to a Jackie Chan roll (and from the sound of it my bike went for quite a tumble too, I'm hoping someone saw that from the gondola). Too bad my falling skills arent up to par because I landed on my right shoulder pretty damn hard, enough to make me think that I fractured it. Luckily the x-rays came back negative, I just have some bruising of the collar bone, some nasty scratches, and some major swelling, nothing that some pain killers won't take care of.
But that fall did open my eyes about protective gear. As my skill and confidence increases, so will the risk of taking another hard fall like that. And honestly I don't know how many more of those I can take before I really screw myself up. I already have a full face helmet, gloves, and knee/shin guards, so I think it's time I put some money into protecting my chest/arms by getting a upper body armor shirt thing (whatever you call it). Looking at the reviews it looks like the Rockgardn Flak Jacket and the 661 Pressure suit got the best reviews. I was wonder from fellow Diablo riders which one you prefer?
Thanks in advance and hope to see you up on the mountain this weekend (if my shoulder is up to it).
Well this Sunday I went to the wonderful Diablo Freeride park for a day of riding, what I went home with was a broken bike and some major bruising . I will not pull what I see here a lot and say it's the mountains fault or anything like that, it was totally my wrong doing. I was flying down Alpine andmisjudged the drop of one of the erosion logs, and when i rolled over it i went foward and my rear suspension unloaded, sending me into a nice Superman to a Jackie Chan roll (and from the sound of it my bike went for quite a tumble too, I'm hoping someone saw that from the gondola). Too bad my falling skills arent up to par because I landed on my right shoulder pretty damn hard, enough to make me think that I fractured it. Luckily the x-rays came back negative, I just have some bruising of the collar bone, some nasty scratches, and some major swelling, nothing that some pain killers won't take care of.
But that fall did open my eyes about protective gear. As my skill and confidence increases, so will the risk of taking another hard fall like that. And honestly I don't know how many more of those I can take before I really screw myself up. I already have a full face helmet, gloves, and knee/shin guards, so I think it's time I put some money into protecting my chest/arms by getting a upper body armor shirt thing (whatever you call it). Looking at the reviews it looks like the Rockgardn Flak Jacket and the 661 Pressure suit got the best reviews. I was wonder from fellow Diablo riders which one you prefer?
Thanks in advance and hope to see you up on the mountain this weekend (if my shoulder is up to it).