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Wearing pads on downhill trails?

sanjuro

sanjuro

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Sep 13, 2004
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I just rode Braille Trail in the Demo Forest, and I foolishly left my pads in the car. About 10 minutes into the trail, I crashed and almost face planted. Bruised and cut, I rode the rest of Braille cautiously.

Anyway, I won't make that mistake again. But a friend of mine wants to go next time, and it was like pulling teeth to convince him to wear some, despite my warning about the difficultly.

I hate to say this, but if he ignores my warnings, while I might not say this aloud, I will be thinking "I told you so".

P.S. He crashes almost every other ride.
 
Zark

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
Did Braille get recently "upgraded"? I was there 3 years ago and found it pretty easy. a couple little stunts, but nothing to write home about.

I've recently taken to wearing armor on XC rides to prevent getting so much goddamn poison oak:mumble:
 
Skookum

Skookum

bikey's is cool
Jul 26, 2002
10,184
0
in a bear cave
i wear knee/shin armor on every ride i do. i can't have nagging injuries by choosing not to wear armor.

Even on easy rides there are rocks that you can land on... Why spend 5 minutes rubbing your knee and spend the rest of the ride with it hurting when you can crash, laugh, and get right back on the bike.
 
dhbuilder

dhbuilder

jingoistic xenophobe
Aug 10, 2005
3,040
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yeah, we get guys up here that like to go "commando".

sooner or later it'll catch up to em.
then we won't see em for 4-6 weeks while they're healing up.

what burns my butt, is when you're wearing everything you've got. and you crash and clobber one of the few areas unpadded.
 
Brian HCM#1

Brian HCM#1

MMMMMMMMM BEER!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 7, 2001
32,183
378
Bay Area, California
Zark said:
Did Braille get recently "upgraded"? I was there 3 years ago and found it pretty easy. a couple little stunts, but nothing to write home about.

I've recently taken to wearing armor on XC rides to prevent getting so much goddamn poison oak:mumble:
Click to expand...
He's just a wimp;) Well at least he didn't flake on a ride that time:p
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

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Sep 13, 2004
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Brian HCM#1 said:
He's just a wimp;) Well at least he didn't flake on a ride that time:p
Click to expand...
I thought you would forget by now!!! Apparently getting older has made you any nicer or more forgetful!!!
 
partsbara

partsbara

Turbo Monkey
Nov 16, 2001
3,995
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getting Xtreme !
when i ride dh i always wear knee / shin pads... gloves also, but thats on every bike ride... i wear armor only when it s gnar (bad wildbad, morzine / les gets, and probabally N*)... but i never got to ride the damn place :redhot: ... BS...

no armor at auburn... so damn hot and not real rough...

what i do want tho' is a set of padded undershorts... ie 661 or dainese
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

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Sep 13, 2004
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Zark said:
Did Braille get recently "upgraded"? I was there 3 years ago and found it pretty easy. a couple little stunts, but nothing to write home about.

I've recently taken to wearing armor on XC rides to prevent getting so much goddamn poison oak:mumble:
Click to expand...
I don't know about 3 years ago, but there are 2-3 foot log jumps everywhere, at least 3 6+ foot drops, a couple of log rides, and plenty of roots to launch from.
 
manimal

manimal

Ociffer Tackleberry
Feb 27, 2002
7,213
22
Blindly running into cactus
i can go on a gnarly DH course with full gear on and not crash, but when i take my leg armor off in the parking lot and start messing around riding wheelies and such...i inevitably pedal-smack my shin.

i should live with those things on.

there's nothing cooler than being on bike patrol and trying not to cry when you miss the pedal and smack your shin so hard that it makes a nice thick blood trail down your leg. i'm the only one riding flats with traction screws and they tear me up!
 
SirChomps-a-Lot

SirChomps-a-Lot

Downer
Feb 13, 2002
1,087
17
Seattle, WA
Most of the time, when I hit something that freaks me out for the first time, I won't be wearing any armor. I feel like putting it all on is like giving myself permission to crash. I have to KNOW I won't crash before I hit something that freaks me out.

I have, however, taken to wearing my pro-designed pads at the skatepark and looking like a goober. Concrete f'n hurts.
 
Zark

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
sanjuro said:
I don't know about 3 years ago, but there are 2-3 foot log jumps everywhere, at least 3 6+ foot drops, a couple of log rides, and plenty of roots to launch from.
Click to expand...
Hmm, sounds about the same except for 6'+ drops. I saw some tall rollers that you could huck, but not shear drops of that size.

I got to ride some GnarCal stuff again, its been too long since I've seen real trees:rofl:
 
S

skinny mike

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2005
6,415
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it varies as to how much armor i wear. ill wear elbow and knee/shin pads for tough race courses, i would get an upper body suit but im too broke for that right now and havent really seen the need and ive crashed a bunch. the last day i rode at diablo i just had some shin pads and i was fine, although i might have gotten through the day with no crashes. for nationals at mt snow though ill probably just be wearing my 661 kyle strait kneepad things as i run clipless pedals so i dont smack my shins and the course is basically open slope stuff so im not too worried about rocks. if i was riding the expert/pro course i would probably totally suit up then.
 
partsbara

partsbara

Turbo Monkey
Nov 16, 2001
3,995
0
getting Xtreme !
kidwoo said:
I make two crosses so as better to honor my lord and savior.


Either that or just to express hella extreme man lumps.
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jesus forgives you mate...

can you ride yet ?? 30 km single track dh scoot on tomorrow if ya keen... pioneer alongside hwy 20... good trail... on it at about 5 pm till dark...

edit - ht ride, no big bikes...
 
OGRipper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,723
1,224
NORCAL is the hizzle
It varies with the level of gnar and my level of familiarity with the trail.

Wanted to mention that I picked up a pair of the TLD Bones knee guards earlier this year and they are awesome - pretty light, flexible enough to pedal, slim enough to fit under jeans, good padding. I tend to smack the insides of my knees on my bike as much as on the ground when doing urban, jumping, etc., and these are great for the kind of stuff where you want a little padding but not full armor. Check 'em out.
 
bjanga

bjanga

Turbo Monkey
Dec 25, 2004
1,356
0
San Diego
I have never ridden with pads . . . I often wonder how protection from overgrown trails weighs in versus the hot and sticky armor factor.
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

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Sep 13, 2004
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Zark said:
Hmm, sounds about the same except for 6'+ drops. I saw some tall rollers that you could huck, but not shear drops of that size.

I got to ride some GnarCal stuff again, its been too long since I've seen real trees:rofl:
Click to expand...
There was one stump drop going the opposite direction, and I seem to remember a few that were not that big, but dropped down at least 6 feet.
 
jimmydean

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
42,795
14,882
Portland, OR
I wear knee/shin more often then not. I have the same luck as Manimal, if I wear my pads, I don't need them. If I take them off, BAM!
 
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