At the age of 42 I've found myself with an overwhelming urge to ride off-road for the first time since a brief flirtation 20 years ago (on a gorgeous Marin Muirwoods). In January I bought a Commencal and then fell off it on my first ride when I hit some ice. I went down hard on my hip – the same hip that I had fallen on about a week previously when I slipped on some black ice outside my front door. This was about 5 weeks ago and I haven't been able to sleep on that side since – although it is slowly improving.

Trouble is I'm scared now of falling on my hip again. I ride clipless on the road, so I fitted SPDs to the Commencal which, combined with being a complete novice at off-road, will increase my chances of a fall – even if it's just a slow speed clipless moment.

So I was considering some armoured undershorts to protect my hip. I don't want to pay more than £50 because I hope that they will just be temporary until I get my confidence back. Any recommendations?

Fox Launch's should fit the bill. I've got a pair & they don't restirct pedalling at all but have saved me one bruising so far (in the ice)

Personally I'd just buy some cheap flatties until you get happy with the terrain. I used to have full-length armoured pants and while they do stop sharp impacts like stones jutting out from the floor as you slide, they don't stop the main force of the impact at all (its a few mm of high density foam with a hundred kilos of bloke hitting it at speed).

goalkeeper shorts are normally padded for low speed jumping to the floor.

2nd cheap pair of flats, you could probably pick up a pair for £10 on the classifieds, them plus the shorts for a bit should get confidence up fast? Then get the clips back on?

ive got the 661 padded ones and they are excellent

the 661 ones are good.

I went through similar fears after I broke my hip as the bolts stuck out and knocking them hurt – the thought of all my wweight landing on them and pushign them out through my thigh was a bit much to take.

I've got my confidence back now and havign recently injured my knee my thoughts are on how to protect that…

SImple. Don't ride clipless.

Yeah, get some cheap flat pedals until you're more confident.

You'll know when you;re ready to go back to clipless.

Thanks for the advice.

I've just bought some Wellgo V8 copies from Ebay and a pair of 661 Bomber shorts for some extra peace of mind.

Hopefully I'll be less of a wuss once I'm all mended.

Scrub Protection Shorts form Session1 in Llandudno.

Kimbers/wwaswas

Whats the chamois like in the 661's? I take it you have the new evo d3o ones?

I had mine 8 years ago – more as a confidence thing than in any expectation they'd prevent further injury, tbh.

5 weeks is a long time for a bruise, have you seen a doctor, are you sure you haven't got a haematoma which could need drained or have become infected?

I got a pair of 661 Evo (D30 custard-tech) shorts, to try and protect the hip which has the bolts in a little better. They do feel to me like the armour is slightly in the wrong place, the protection on the most exposed part of the femur isn't great but the flexibility and comfort is absolutely brilliant so I tolerate that. They're no less comfortable than any other pair of lycra shorts.

5 weeks is a long time for a bruise, have you seen a doctor, are you sure you haven't got a haematoma which could need drained or have become infected?

I try not to go to the doctor if I can help it. The bruising went about 10 days ago. It still hurts but less and less each day.