In almost all of the mountain biking videos I see, riders are fully kitted out with elbow and knee pads.

I use neither. But then I’m slow. Wondering if more protection would serve to enhance my testicular fortitude.

What protection do you use, if any?

Depends on what I am riding.

XC normally nothing, if its cold then I add my knee pads (only really keeping my knees warm).

For playing its normally full knee and shin with a full face (knee and shin to stop pedal/leg interfaces).

Full on dh I go for the lot, full armour and full face.

661 Race knee/ shin pads for most rides

Pressure suit for downhill as well as knee pads

A smile.

Knee pads.

POC knee pads as I fall off on a regular basis and old 61 2×4 pads in summer due to excess brambles, gorse and heather where I ride locally

Trail riding, kneepads. Anything with reasonable sized drops and jumps, kneepads + 661 subgear top. Downhill, full face + body armour.

I stacked it on some roots the other day and have decided to wear kneepads all the time. My shoulders are knackered so I wear the 661 stuff, which is pretty good.

I sometimes wear a helmet 🙂

Its an interesting conundrum we have come to with riding the tandem – we have got good enough to be really attacking sections now – and for example on Laggan red we ran out of bottle – couldn’t attack sections with enough speed for lack of courage. Would armour give us more bottle? Its only a few times a year we are in that situation. Do we jut step back and say “enough”? Chill and relax? Most of our riding is more wander thru the scenery stuff

There is a risk that armour merely makes you more confident and while it will protect you from bumps and bruises you can still get broken bones and sprains

661 d3o knee pads, and keep the elbows in bag and gloves, provides plently of protection for most riding.

A smile and lycra and a helmet.
*hopes never to meet rorschach on the trails*

Normally my only bike specific clothing is a pair of padded shorts and gloves. I occasionally wear a helmet and glasses.

A helmet most of the time along with Kyle Straight knee pads when it’s cold or I’m pushing myself. In my many years of riding I’ve never once hit my head but always seem to wack my knees when I come off so they seemed like a good idea

Chanel No 5, of course…

I usually dont bother with anything, unless its round the local park where dogs often run in front of me.

My little motto about armour and protection is – It may protect you from a few cuts and bruises, but it wont protect you from your own stupidity!

What I mean by this is – ride safely and within your limits. Dont go doing anything daft. Then you wont have to look like a pillock when you go out on the bike since you wont have loads of bits of plastic and foam strapped all over you.

None at home. Only wear my knee pads in The Alps.

Kneepads if it’s cold or I’m scared.

Depends what I am riding, if it XC then 3/4 bib and shorts, keeping it nice and light no pads no nothing. Except the Giro Hex lid.

Not much of a Downhiller but when riding all mountain padded shorts and Altura Semi-dry 3/4 and JUST Endura MT500 knee pads. No full face even though i own one.

I like to feel light and with a full range of movement.

What does anyone else think???

Kneepads (Fox Launch) for everything, which is XC/trail centreage.

It hurts to crash and I’m a wuss… 😳

Just a pair of 661 evo elbow pads these days for pretty much all xc riding. Used to wear nothing but fractured my elbow last year and its still a bit dodgy so just wanted a bit of protection incase i land on it again.

Depends.

Always gloves.

Helmet for trail centres and races.

Plus light armour shirt & knee pads for rocky trail centres.

Always gloves (Fox Unabomber or Fox Incline).
Always helmet (Fox Flux or 661 Comp)

Then anywhere with rocks and/or proper steepness either 661 Kyle Strait knees or 661 Race Lite knee and shins.

slainte 🙂 rob

XC lid and kneepads – all the time, gloves if it’s brambly, rocky or cold. Full face – occasionally and if I’m not riding up. Full face and body armour – chairlifts and DH courses.

i use an xc lid for singletrack and sometimes knee pads (broken knee) for herts shore just full face and knee pads

I’ve got brittle bones so kneepads and helmet almost all the time (Kyle Straits- allday comfy and decently protective) and POC Bone elbows (expensive, but very good- stay where they’re put and aren’t sweaty or restrictive).

For more full-on stuff I’ve got a fullface, pressure suit and big shinpads but they bring with them drawbacks so they don’t get as much use.

It’s a strange thing… You’re far more likely to injure your knees than your head, yet if you don’t wear a helmet people look at you like you’re a moron whereas if you do wear kneepads people assume you’re an incompetent or a puff.

Sometimes a helmet, gloves if it’s cold. Though i am getting more into the habit of wearing the helmet these days. I think the older I get I’m realising that I just might not be as indestructible as I thought! I can see myself in full face get up and armour for commuting as I approach 50 in about 15 years!