Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)
  • Talk to me about knee pads
  • gardron
    Free Member

    I’ve got a set of endura mt500’s in L/XL and they take about 10 minutes to get the damn things on they’re so tight – Are there actually decent pads on the market at the moment that come in sizes for people with decent sized calf muscles (and us fatties) ? I don’t need much in the way of protection, just something that can take the worst off.

    JoeG
    Free Member

    If only there was a magazine that reviewed stuff like this… 🙄

    lucien
    Full Member

    Or a shop, where I could try some on?

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    gardron
    Free Member

    Funnily enough, I had read the review – but given only 3/18 pads mention anything about sizing I thought it was better to see what peoples actual experience was. And sadly none of the shops round here really sell pads, so it’s a bit hard to try them on (though that’s obviously a preference).

    wiggles
    Free Member

    I’m too big for a lot of pads but now have the troy Lee shock doctors and almost had to size down to a medium!

    MSP
    Full Member

    If only there was a magazine that reviewed stuff like this…

    Not a single member of the singletrack team look more than 6 stones piss wet through.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    Look at Troy Lee.

    I’ve got the KG4500 in small, whereas I’m L/XL in Fox. So the bigger Troy Lee sizes must be properly big.

    Plus they’re very good pads for what you want, and the online sizing guide seems really accurate.

    rocketman
    Free Member

    Are there actually decent pads on the market at the moment that come in sizes for people with decent sized calf muscles

    Have had two pairs of Fox Launch, some 661 Rage and more recently some Nukeproof Critical and FWIW none of them are particularly generous for people with err..big legs.

    The 661 Rages (for me) were a total non-starter short and narrow with an athletic fit.

    The Launches were probably the most flexible and accommodating – quite easy to get on/off – but not particularly big in L/XL.

    The Nukeproofs are somewhere inbetween – a bit of a struggle to get on/off but once on they kind of ‘slot’ into place and I find them very comfortable and unobtrusive. Wide range of sizes too

    HTH

    gardron
    Free Member

    Cheers guys, that’s really helpful.

    rp16v
    Free Member

    I have 661 veggies that are nice and easy to get on also take a look at the fuse range seem to be nice kit

    rob-jackson
    Free Member

    What pads for my spider legs?

    packer
    Free Member

    I have found that both Dainese and G-Form come up small even in their largest sizes, so if you have really big calves that probably rules out both those brands.

    poah
    Free Member

    I went though a load trying to get ones to fit – eventually when with dainese trail skins. Just got them from CRC and returned the ones that didn’t fit

    review here

    honourablegeorge
    Full Member

    Folks regularly remark that my calves are the biggest they’ve ever seen, and I find the Troy Lee KG5450 knee/shin a perfect fit. Better than the knee-only version, ‘cos the shin piece keeps it in place, and there’s no straps, so nothing’s cutting off blood flow anywhere.

    Now – if I could just find something to protect my elbows that doesn’t cause arm pump….. +1 on G-form. I couldn’t get the L elbows more than halfway up my forearm. Raceface Indy and Ambush in XL were also too tight, ditto POC VPD (anyone want to buy a set of those in L, worn once?).

    MSP
    Full Member

    Now – if I could just find something to protect my elbows that doesn’t cause arm pump

    I cut the lycra backing off the forearm part of some 661’s and got some back to back velcro to extend the strap.

    I am also going to do the same for some knee/thigh pads for my summer downhill trip.

    But at the end of the day, I am coming round to the fact that I really need to put some effort into losing a lot of bulk, and stop living in the past glory days when it was all toned muscle. I think I can get down to a size where I will still be carrying more muscle than 99% of people but be able to find pads that fit, and am sure I will enjoy my biking much more as a reward for the effort.
    It has become to easy to use the rugby build excuse to much to stop me making sensible decisions with were I want my health and fitness to be.

    TheFlyingOx
    Full Member

    Much like honourablegeorge, men and women alike be ‘mirin my calves. It’s more a freak of genetics than dedicated training, cos the rest of me is a mix of bone and flab. Recently got some 2014 661 Evos that fit perfectly. Nice and comfy, not too hot, slip on and off easily, and chunky calves stop them from slipping down even though there’s no fastener on the bottom half. Size guide is pretty much spot on too. I’m smack bang in the middle of the ‘large’ range, and they fit perfect.

    honourablegeorge
    Full Member

    The Flying Ox – Member

    Much like honourablegeorge, men and women alike be ‘mirin my calves. It’s more a freak of genetics than dedicated training, cos the rest of me is a mix of bone and flab

    Clearly you’re my long lost twin brother

    Suggsey
    Free Member

    I too had the same problem as OP, I have resorted to a set of the short versions of race face hard shell guards, taken the strip of Velcro off, got Mrs S to rest itch it on the strap so the strap would go round my legs and also cut off the entire rear of the leg sock as it was just way to tight. They fit a treat, don’t press on my knee cap and I no longer have knee pain, they are also great as they are hard knee cap and top half of the shin so when off piste crashing through undergrowth or slipping a pedal, no more thwacked shins.
    Got them from CRC for £25, so was worth modifying them against the cost.
    The next biggest pads I tried were Leattt XXL from CRC as I had the arms and they were super comfy however the back of the leg cut into my calf so tight just sat down trying them on they cut off the blood supply. They looked like they wouldn’t give any without ripping so they went straight back but worth a try if you don’t want to go down the route I did.

    zero-cool
    Free Member

    Buy a few different pairs from CRC or Wiggle and try them on for size and the. Return them free of charge using Collect+. I do this all the time.
    I have pretty big legs and use the new Race face knee pads that can be put on without taking shoes off (Ambush I think). And the Leatt 3DF L/XL pads felt nice.

    allfankledup
    Full Member

    Tried a set of Endura mt500 in the shop at coed y brenin – way way too small, and a set of fox launch – they seemed ok, but I wanted to check out a couple of other brands as well. Tried to get pads from the bike shops in Chester and failed. Closest was “the edge” ( the shop, he’s not got a second job since the touring went quiet) who had a set of mt500 in. General view has been “go online, it’s cheaper and the shops won’t compete”.

    So much for trying to support bike shops on this occasion but I guess they have to choose their battle

    wysiwyg
    Free Member

    What was the verdict in the review? Ive heard the Scott Grenades are hard to beat

Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)

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