[Closed] Do I need Knee pads?

The way I see it is they're no bother to wear, and knees are pretty much in the firing line, and they're delicate components... So I wear them pretty much all the time when I'm riding. It's not just about big injuries, if it stops a bit of pain or spoiled rides or hassle then it's well worth it.

As for what to wear, I like my 661 Kyle Straits and Rages but there's loads out there now. Fit's most important, like helmets. There's a trend for minimal ones now but IMO that's basically stupid unless you want to wear them under trousers- they're not less restrictive or less warm, they're just less effective. Side protection's just as useful as front.

I wear them on rocky descents, I've experienced the excruciating pain of hitting a knee cap hard on immovable rock and it isn't pleasant.
But only on the descents, I don't bother on climbs as I find they impede my movement.

Northwind - Member

The way I see it is they're no bother to wear, and knees are pretty much in the firing line, and they're delicate components... So I wear them pretty much all the time when I'm riding. It's not just about big injuries, if it stops a bit of pain or spoiled rides or hassle then it's well worth it.

This basically. Doesn't taken much to split a knee open and ruin a ride

I have some and I rarely wear them. I'm sure I'll probably come to regret it one day but putting them on rarely crosses my mind unless I know I'm heading to the DH tracks.

Then I go to the DH tracks anyway...

badnewz - do you actually stop to take them off? and do you have a dropper post?

I wear them all the time (proper mtbing not family bimbles), but i have crashed and bettered my knees a couple of times.

Oh yes, as above.

I've had some belters on my knee caps, last year I had what can only be described as a jam tart on my knee cap.
It kept cracking, bleeding, sticking to my inside trouser leg. I ended up wearing shorts and dryed it out eventually healing up. My knee pads were in the car.

Oh how I regretted not wearing those.

Riding those routes without knee pads would be a definite no for me.

I have hurt my knee, luckily not badly but it is very easily done.

badnewz - do you actually stop to take them off? and do you have a dropper post?

Yes, I stop to take them off. I don't have a dropper post. This is mainly when I'm actually going up and then down a mountain. So 4 hours of climbing and half an hour of descending type of thing.

Most of my riding is just around Hertfordshire, which doesn't have any descents so I don't wear them round here, only when at trail centres or the Alps or Spain.

After numerous falls in the last 12 months resulting in grazed and bruise knees, and with the begrudging acknowledgement that I'm not invincible, I got some recently. They're actually quite comfy. Obviously though they are now very uncool.

Got some (and elbow pads) to go to the Alps this summer, not worn them since. Even out in the Alps I'd only wear them for the downhill bits, it's not that they are uncomfortable but I don't like the feeling when climbing or riding on the flat. They are easy to put on/take off BTW.

Rarely go to trail centres so they aren't much use for the majority of my riding. Even then I'd be more likely to wear the elbow pads than the knee pads. I don't crash that often and when I do it's usually the arms that take the hits.

for those who wear bibs and knee pads, do they (knee pads) slip down if pads on top ? About to don my bib 3/4's next few days as it get a bit colder....

for those who wear bibs and knee pads, do they (knee pads) slip down if pads on top ? About to don my bib 3/4's next few days as it get a bit colder....

I've always found they slip around abit regardless. You do notice yourself taking your hands off the bars a lot more than usual, as your adjusting them a lot. I don't like them too tight as hate the thought of enclosing my patella.

Yes, I stop to take them off. I don't have a dropper post. This is mainly when I'm actually going up and then down a mountain. So 4 hours of climbing and half an hour of descending type of thing.

Most of my riding is just around Hertfordshire, which doesn't have any descents so I don't wear them round here, only when at trail centres or the Alps or Spain.

Aah, fair enough, make sense.

Doubt I'd still be walking if I hadn't been wearing knee pads when I crashed a week or so ago. Even with pads my left knee is still a lurid shade of yellow.

I've recently started using the Fox Enduro ones on my rides as I never used to before unless I was on the techy stuff but after having some heavy falls recently its a piece of mind more than anything else.

They are comfortable and don't even notice your wearing them.

Probably pish in a heavy spill but its a form of protection

helpful info on youtube relating to suitable knee pads. (NSFW but worth listening to as it still creases me up)

wot northwind said.
if they're slipping around they don't fit. 🙄

[img] [/img]

Now I wear Troy Lee 5450's all the time. This hurt far more than it had any right to. Subsequents "offs" have been negligible since.

I wear mine 100% of the time, whether it's cruising in the pentlands or sliding down the golfy. I've got some IXS flows, a medium level of protection with a mesh back. They don't bother me when climbing, and I've never hurt my knee while wearing them, despite a couple of nasty crashes in the alps that saw the rest of my body fairly battered.

Comfortable, and no battered knees on even silly stationary topples - what's not to like?

Mine don't move or impede me when climbing.

I did 23 miles around Ladybower at the weekend and didn't notice them after the first 5 minutes.

I would shove them in the pack for doing Snowdon etc.

As mentioned above, it's not just heavy falls that can cause injury. My last ride without knee pads involved a silly slip over in the mud at walking speed. Whatever I landed on scraped a nice flap of skin and flesh out of my knee cap. It wasn't serious in the grand scheme of injuries, but it's the inconvenience of having to patch yourself up and hobble around for a couple of days.

I wear kneepads 99% of the time on my MTB too, I hardly notice them when they're on, but I feel naked without them. For me it's just not worth the risk of messing my knee up for the little extra hassle, plus they make me look rad to the max obvs.

You don't 'need' knee pads, but they are one of those things that are not too much of an inconvenience (as long as they fit well - try before you buy) and you'll be glad of them from time to time.

Some years ago I had the misfortune of having a crash on a jump that led to my bike landing chainring first on my knee (which was unpleasant to say the least)and worn pads on any serious off road ride ever since. Last ride out mate had an off, nasty gash with stitches and bad swelling, he'll be in pads from now on.

As above, most rides I will ride some, whether lightweight RF Indys for some AM/trail stuff or RF Ambush for more DH orientated stuff.
Don't usually have a problem with them coming lose and the Ambush are good in that you they are are very comfortable for all day riding but you can take them on and off without taking off your shoes.
Better safe than sorry.

I pretty much wear them all the time after having a few bad falls.
I fell off on the climb at Laggan about three weeks ago and bruised my kneecap through my pads, hate to think what the pain would have been like without them.

here is an idea if there are any product managers looking in.

3/4 bibs with built in knee protection. I'd wear them..

I have nothing against people wearing them, but from what people are saying, they are using them to stop grazing and bruising.

Knee damage happens from twisting excessive wear. Knee pads wont help stop that.

've always found they slip around abit regardless. You do notice yourself taking your hands off the bars a lot more than usual, as your adjusting them a lot.

You sound like you need to find a pair that actually fit. I use Fox Launch Pros and Bliss things (don't buy, if they get wet it takes forever to dry the ****ers) and both stay put for hour after hour of riding

Didn't wear pads in the past then spent two Saturday evenings on the trot in two different A and Es, first my OH was riding too fast at Cannock chase and crashed after almost going into the back of me requiring stitches to his right elbow and right knee. Following weekend I come off at lee quarry and need stitches to my chin and left knee. Since then we both wear knee and elbow pads for 99% of mtbing. Iv got some troy lee knee and shin guards in a sale recently for use riding DH tracks but considering using them for red/black trails and natural trails too as they are so comfortable I don't notice I'm wearing them and I use DMR vault pedals which eat my shins. Will I look daft? Yes, and I'm sure some will take the piss out of me but I do not care.

Knee damage happens from twisting excessive wear. Knee pads wont help stop that.

Nothing is going to stop you twisting your knee though, unless you stop doing sports altogether.

Everyone in this thread says "I didn't wear pads and I gashed/scraped/bashed/gouged/bruised my knee" - ie. stuff kneepads do stop.

Having never worn them in 25years of mtb, I didn't think I needed them. Then I put a handlebar into my patella in an otherwise innocuous crash, totally shattering it. 4 1/2 months off work, still can't ride a bike and there's no guarantee I'll be able to again. I wish I'd had some decent knee pads.

Everyone in this thread says "I didn't wear pads and I gashed/scraped/bashed/gouged/bruised my knee"

Err, I didn't 🙂

I really haven't had any knee damage whilst riding, or rather crashing it's all been upper body and arms. (cue two broken legs on my next ride 🙄 ) In fact my worst injury has been a sprained thumb. Had one proper "off" in the Alps, all the (minor) damage was to arms and chin.

Of course you could say "what if" but then you can say that about anything. For those of you who use knee pads all the time would you consider wearing a helmet and neck protector whilst driving a car? Statistically just as useful, if not more so, as wearing a helmet whilst cycling on the roads.

I'd get some some elbow pads too.

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I use fox endure for my joints. Don't notice you are wearing them and they stay put for 30 mile rides.

I discussed this whilst on a skills course with Jedi.

The epiphany was when it dawned on me that if people with his skill level can take a tumble riding in the Peaks then anyone can.

So I bought knee and elbow pads and always wear them in the Peaks.

I don't wear them at Sherwood or Swinley as they are different 'rides' to the Peak. What I mean by this is The Peak is 'get to the top, chat with your mates and then ride down as fast you can...repeat'. Swinley and Sherwood are keep going with no stopping rides - less bothered about 'fast as you can in short sections' and more about do as much as possible 'paced' in a couple of hours.

I find even the most minimalist knee pads too tight, hot and restrictive.

Forgot to put my elbow pads on once, broke my elbow on local trails. Always now wear elbow pads, mid weight Troy Lee 5500 if I'm pedalling, heavier duty ones if I'm uplifting. If it's rocky I more often than not wear knee pads and don't notice they are there. They only slip if they don't fit.

In the photo I posted just I had two broken elbows.

I nearly always wear them, the last time I didn't I had a silly off and cut my knee deeply, which was really annoying as it meant I was unable to swim for two weeks during the summer holidays, grrrr.... 661 Veggie pads for me comfy and tend to stay put.

Spin - Member

I find even the most minimalist knee pads too tight, hot and restrictive.

Minimalist ones tend to be worse for tightness and restriction tbh. Well fitting pads should be roughly as tight and restrictive as a sock.

I've had a Mtb since 1987 and never worn knee pads.But for the most part I'm just riding fast Xc and the less restrictions to my movements the better.
Knowing my mentality I if I was padded up I'd just take more risks, and the overall chance of injuries would increase. But thats me, wear whatever your most comfortable with.

With bikes getting more capable and people riding faster and harder terrain it makes sense to wear them, I personally wont ride much without them now after a few incidents [url= http://1drv.ms/1iutMdn ]Click at your peril[/url] this was done wearing pads (661 d3o evo or whatever they were called) I dread to think what damage I would have done with out them, hobbling around with stiches across my knee is not much fun.

Knees are delicate and vulnerable and if damaged may stop you enjoying the simple pleasure of riding your bike.
For these reasons, I tend to wear them for 90% of rides.
No, I don't find them comfortable but more a necessary evil.

I used to get the occasional gouge and bash, and wore pads on and off for a few years... then I degloved my knee joint crashing off a small jump (no big rocks, just trailcentresurface). Open wound around 75% circumference of leg. Nick in patella tendon (well if did end up sliding down the trail with no skin over it). A lot of stitches. Six weeks off work. 2 months on crutches. Useless during birth of second child. Three months before riding again. Knee still feels weird 5 years later.

Haven't ridden off-road since without them, and I've lost count of the times I've been grateful for them. Off road they're as automatic for me to put on as my helmet and gloves now. From my point of view it is absolutely not worth not wear them!

Reading this thread is making me think I should go shopping! Never had a pair, ride only rocky lakes mountain routes, probably have a knee injury looming in my future.......

I just don't like the storm trooper look, or the feel of stuff round my knees while pedalling.

I've been pondering getting some for the fun days out... What models are people using?

With bikes getting more capable and people riding faster and harder terrain it makes sense to wear them

Agree with this, with the evolution of the sport a lot of us are regularly riding the sort of trails that were the preserve of the the DH lot in full face and body armour (I was one of them) 15 years ago. (Of course a lot of DH courses have moved onto bigger stuff too now).

Reading this thread is making me think I should go shopping! Never had a pair, ride only rocky lakes mountain routes, probably have a knee injury looming in my future.......

I just don't like the storm trooper look, or the feel of stuff round my knees while pedalling.

It can happen at any time, was going for a gently ride in north wales recovering from a hangover and left the pads in the car, slipped on some wet slate and sliced through my knee again, my right knee now resembles heath ledger's The Jokers mouth.

I've been pondering getting some for the fun days out... What models are people using?

I wear them most of the time, although not for local messing around the woods, but I may start, just because we always end up stopping at the jumps, or egg each other on to ride like d*cks.

About 10 days ago I managed to nail myself riding to the bike park, down some lame bit of forest double track, of course my knee pads were down by my ankles as I hadn't bothered to put them on at that point. Still got the massive scab and odd shaped knee that hurts now.

That said, it's not as bad as my busted wrist from the same crash. Taping and splinting that just so I can ride like a chump on easy trails is getting very tedious.

Stupid crashes.

Man! You guys crash a lot and land heavy. I must not be pushing myself hard enough.

I don't wear them for an xc or trail centre ride but always for dh. If I'm pushing up I'll wear just knee and if it's an uplift I may put my knee/shin pads on - although mostly that's just to protect the tats on my leg from shinners! Don't really like wearing them but they do the job.

I only do xc stuff and didn't wear pads for 20 yrs. At age almost 50 I now use RaceFace Charge or Alpinestar Paragons most rides. Have fallen in the Charge ones at GT and they saved some skin..

I see a lot of people wearing the lighter weight pads now like TLD KG5400, 661 Evos, RF Charge. They make a lot of sense if you're unconvinced about the benefits of bigger pads, or get irritated by them easily, as you're simply more likely to wear them. I'm fairly well conditioned to chunkier pads now and would probably only wear hard (or semi-hard) shelled ones. I've gotten very use to just dropping to my knees when I need to fiddle with bag/bike/child - don't even think about what I'm kneeling on. I think it could get messy if I went back to lighter pads!

Currently indecisively shopping to replace my collapsing 661 Kyle Straits - it's hard when you're so used to something and they're so comfortable.

Always remember duck-taping my mate's knee back together at Afan, to get him down to glyncorrwyg again. Always worn knee pads after that.

I bought a second hand pair of 661s off ebay to see if I got on with them. They were pretty cheap, well used already but I didn't mind wearing them, even though they did move about a bit. Bought some new Bluegrass ones when I got chance and they are fine don't move about. Wear them when BMXing too, have had two crashes (1 BMX, 1 MTB) where they have saved me considerable damage. Weirdly when I first started wearing them, it was ages before I "needed" them in a crash, always landed on some other body part.

barffy - Member
In the photo I posted just I had two broken elbows.

Christ, I broke one elbow and that was bad enough. Ironically, pads wouldn't have prevented my break.

I disagree that they are "no bother to wear" - maybe you get used to them, but I never really have and still notice them quite a lot. I have minimalist KG5400 - can't believe bigger ones would be less noticeable. Don't really like wearing them and don't most of the time (never on a bike), but now almost always wear them at trail centres on the uni as I'm fairly likely to bin it and end up on my knees.

Thanks for all the replies and information!!

I'll pop in to the LBS and try a load on - Are there any in particular, some say hard outer, some lighter less 'Storm trooper'?

Over arching theme seems to be fit...

Thanks again and hopefully see you on the trails 🙂

Jay

FOX Launch Pro absolutely amazing value for money and I'm pretty sure they have saved me from hospital twice in the last 6 months.

I always get knee/shin/elbow pads on for DH or when I know I'm going to be pushing it.. Also A Full face. For me it's not worth the risk. I'm self employed so if I can avoid injury then it's worth it.

For trail centers/XC I wear an open lid, knee and elbow. For the reasons above.

More than once I have come off (run out of talent) on wet roots or wet northshore/boardwalk stuff as slow speed and they have saved me from injury.

I lean towards pads that have hard elements inside them over the soft kind.

For rocky stuff then knee pads are just as sensible as helmet and gloves - parts of you that are easy to damage and curtail your fun but also relatively easy to protect.
I've had old Dainese storm trooper knee and shin hobbies and various 661 Kyle Strait/Rage pads but my Dainese trail skins offer a good balance between protection and fit and forget comfort.
I think another factor is age. I'm in my forties and it tends to take a lot longer to heal and I lose fitness more quickly to boot!

Anything other than local rides I wear them,(661's).

I see it like this, you can walk out of an accident with a broken arm in the hills and get help, being unable to walk would be a big, potentially life threatening issue especially on your own.

I cannot get on with elbow pads but knee pads always. Speaking from someone who has had major knee issue in the past it a no brainer.

Yes

Never wear them in the UK. Find them hot and uncomfortable - have tried a few but have never found any I could pedal in without causing knee pain.

Holidays are a bit different - tend to be much longer descents so less of a faff to pad up. Also, a fall would could trash the rest of the holiday and mess up the day for other riders.

In the UK just seems like overkill to me

I don't use kneepads as I don't ride technical stuff

Edric 64 - Member

I don't use kneepads as I don't ride technical stuff

I don't usually crash on technical stuff, I crash on the easy bits inbetween 😆 I think the last time I rode without kneepads, I fell off while riding on a pebbly beach and banged my knee on said pebbles 😆

^^^^ me too, often just silly simple bits. i do like the RaceFace Charge ones as they are totally unobtrusive. That said they don't offer protection from more than lights offs and grazes, but have saved my skin many times with my typical xc mincing riding style.

Who wears elbow pads when they wear knee pads? (I don't mean for DH use, I'm talking normal trail use

If I'm riding harder stuff, aye. But I've never really found elbow pads that I like as much as my knee pads, I suppose elbows are a harder shape and have more articulation. My POC Bones are fantastic but they're also massive, they're practical to wear day to day but they feel a bit much. My gforms are OK I suppose but they're not really any less warm.

I use elbow pads 99% of the time.

too hot in the uk? when?

knees are fragile, i think hitting rocks or the ground at speed, with your knees will damage them, not about the surface as such but speed

I recently bought some Fox Launch Pro, after having them on for a few minutes I forget I'm wearing them. Might not be the best protection but its a good compromise.

Get-em bought especially if you like hitting jumps, drops and rocky terrain, you will be thankful of them one day! I've scuffed mine up enough (internal hard cup), to be convinced!

Decent well fitted ones can be comfortable enough (Fox Launch Pro for me), it's only really long summer rides where they are most noticeable, but I can live with it! As a bonus they keep your knees warm in winter.

My Dainese Trail Skins turned up today, great delivery times from CRC. Hopefully one of the pairs fits, I'll return the others.

They're way lighter than I was expecting, in a good way

can't remember if years ago there was a thread on here or PB/MTBR which had a link to knee injuries.

Google images for knee injuries and I hope none of use ever have to experience any of those.

Knee pads always feels weird now without them.

Had a "wee off" last night, skint my elbow and forearm, slight graze on the inside of left knee otherwise all good. TLD 5450's did their job again as i hit the roots quite hard.

i wear dianese (sp? ) hard oak elbow/arms in addition to my 661 rage knees. i daresay I look a complete tit, but if i was worried about that i probably wouldn't leave the house in the morning. 😉

For social XC use (round our way on a club ride) I use the Fox Enduro knee pads (more like knee warmers, TBH), no elbow pads. For everything else, POC knee pads and elbow pads - except at Cannock a couple of weeks ago when a planned local social XC ride turned into a 'let's go to Cannock' - so we did. I had the Fox Enduro pads on for the XC ride, left them on and didn't change into the POC knee pads. Crashed at speed... Whilst the Fox pads offered *some* protection, I really wished I'd changed my pads over before setting off! Was really glad I'd put my elbow pads on though.

In summary - always knee pads (the trickier the ride/terrain, the beefier the kneepad), elbow pads for everything other than local social XC rides.

Now thinking of getting the POC VPD Air knee pads and retiring the Fox Enduro, which are becoming less elastic with each ride.

As the song says: Look after your knees. You'll sure miss them when they're gone!

I don't go downhill very fast so don't see the need for them. My descent times are usually half as slow as the top person on Strava (Not that I take Strava with me often)

I'd rather go slower than have all the hassle of wearing them and being uncomfortable for the majority of the ride (which riding on the flat or uphill is)

define not fast? rock or slate will ripe the knee apart, at 10 mph