Hi

I bust a rib last week when I came off high speed landing on the end of my handlebars. Hurts like f*$k!
Since then I thought about getting body armour. I wear knee and elbow pads (which saved a load of bark!)I’m getting more into downhill too so it makes sense.
Anyone recommend decent gear? I was looking at the Troy Lee Designs UPL7855-HW Long Sleeve at CRC, any good?

Cheers

Very little body armour that will protect your ribs

Yup. Ribs are generally a momentum injury- it’s not so much what you hit, it’s your weight going forwards into the ribs. A pressure suit etc might help a little if you’re lucky but they’re also very sweaty (I was uplifting today in mine and even without any climbing it was unpleasant)

Depends how you crash. If its into the ground off a jump etc then the armour won’t help much as it’ll be momentum that does it as above. I broke a few ribs front and back about a year ago and to the best of my knowledge my chest never made contact with the ground. Certainly no external marks despite the substantial internal injuries.
Not that long ago I took a direct hit into a tree at speed, face and left hand side of my body came to a very abrupt stop. My full face helmet saved my good looks and my body armour appeared to have dissipated the impact on my body pretty well – had bruising replicating the pattern on the perforations on the inside of the foam on the body armour from my collar bone right down my ribs. I was wearing a cheap rock garden pressure suit style armour that day which has big plastic sections over the ribs. Could’ve been luck or the armour may have helped but after a few minutes of mild swearing etc I was able to carry on. I have a more expensive set of armour too but it’s chest protection is much less.

Whether it actually helps or not it does provide a confidence boost by making you feel protected therefore you’re more relaxed and probably less likely to crash in the 1st place

661 Subgear.
It does not compare to a full suit but its free-moving, cool, light & doubles as compression. Foam on breastbone woud have helped me a few times OTB . Shoulder padding did help me once too, which was nice.

Some good points and opinions guys.

I took a knock to my confidence as well as my ribs that day. Confidence and commitment make for a better ride. It’s mint when you don’t even think about what’s coming up, you just go for it and nail it!
I’ll check out the 661 Subgear. Still fancy the Troy Lee top, seems to offer a lot of protection though it’s more dosh.

I think doing more DH warrants more protection though I actually stacked it on Section 13 at Hamsterley!

Yes, guess you’d need more for DH, but the 661 is good for less full-on and longer rides.

661 Core Saver? Mine is really comfy, even on hot days.