[Closed] FoD Downhill Runs - Do I Need A Full Face Helmet Please?

[url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Offers.aspx?Offer=2&CategoryIDs=27 ]CRC Still have their helmet sale on until the end of Today..[/url]

Depends on how fast you are planning to go! Nothing too scary there, although on some of the bigger stuff (drop offs on the new GBU track for example) you might want one for peace of mind. But even the bigger stuff can be ridden around anyway.

Plenty of people session the dh's on trail bikes with trail lids at FoD

Have a blast, great fun place to ride

Ive ridden them with a normal lid - but not on an Uplift day. They may have rules for that. Probably better asking the organiser.

If you go slow enough you could ride the DH on any bike, just ride within your ability and you will really enjoy the runs. If there are no rules about lids I would not bother with a FF.

But dont complain to me when you land on your nose 🙂

Actually, as most of my riding is with a normal lid, I find it eaiser to stick to that whatever I ride.

Using new / unfamiliar stuff upsets my comfort level.

Sorry, just looked at my post. Really, as a responsible adult I should say 'yes, wear a full face, especially as you are on an uplift day and likely to get a little carried away with all the other guys ripping it on enduro/dh rigs'

I've done it in normal XC kit with no problems. Most of the trails are that bumpy that you rarely go very fast, it just feels like you are. It certainly is possible to hurt yourself there but I'd look at knee and elbow pads before a full face helmet.

I did one at the end of last year with my Giro Hex. I took a FF but didn't use it as I felt perfectly safe with my lid. I also took goggles but felt that they restricted my vision too much (not used them before) so switched to a pair of normal riding glasses.
I also pondered changing my SPD's for flats but decided against that as I've ridden with SPD's forever and felt that changing pedals would have had a negative impact. No problems at all with them.
It's an absolute blast doing so many runs and I'll be back soon (maybe when it dries out a bit) for more...

Q. How much does your S.O. like your face the way it is?
if Answer is a lot then maybe time to invest in one if this is the route your planning on going down

🙂

Whilst you can pootle the DH runs at FOD and the drops aren't anything hugely intimidating I'd still say a full face helmet is a wise choice, you'll soon start pushing your ability on the runs and you'll no doubt be grateful for the extra peace of mind a full facer will give you.

goggles and a normal helmet? actually provides a surprising amount of face protection

Only if you hit a tree!
Nothing is so extreme thats its not done by those out for a pootle around in the dark. You won't see many FF lids then. Maybe if racing beyond your limits!

Its better to have one and not need one, than to need one and not have one. If your asking the question then definately take one. Imagine not taking one but wished you had...

TBH seeing the state of a woman on the street who fell off her bike on the way to work, I recommend a FF helemt for all riding. And for walking.

Full face + goggles - if you are going for it.

Forgot to say I've got knee and elbow pads sorted already.

Sounds like people are saying I should be ok with a trail lid, but should probably get the full face if I can afford the monies? Am I reading you right?

How big are the biggest drops? Any huck to flat type jobs? I can't be having with that.

Also, I ride clipped in. Will I die?

I wouldn't want to ride flats there over the roots and bumps. Clipped in every time for me.

If you're confident in clips, stay that way. I did take flats, thinking they would be better, but never put them on.

OP - there's nothing nasty to flat on any of the marked DH's. The new track GBU (good, bad, ugly) has the 2 biggest drops. If you're not used to drop-offs they might look a bit daunting. Not going to estimate a height, suffice to say they're way bigger than anything a trail centre black might throw up. Ride round them if you don't like the look of them

I ride flats there, but that's cos I ride flats everywhere! If you're not used to them don't change for the day, as keeping your feet on them is a challenge at times over the rougher sections. As stated above, there are only 2 drops of note and they're on GBU and I've seen both of them go on a trail bike. We do the dh runs as a night ride and it's all good. There are also some mellower trails off to the right hand side of the hill (from the top) which are great on a trail bike and tend to be much quieter

I wouldn't want to ride flats there over the roots and bumps.

yep. its a well known fact that flat pedals are only good on smooth tracks.

I wouldn't want to ride flats there over the roots and bumps

Eh?

I ride an open face and cleats but then I am an ugly ****er with skills 😉

Cheers all. I have duly panic bought a full face!

I will also take a very hard look at the drop offs.

Nothing like a bit of peer pressure!

Can you let us know how you get on? I've been to the FOD 4 or 5 times, and never done any of the DH stuff, so it'd be good to get a report from a beginner to egg us scaredy cats on a bit 😉

(if you fall off and break yourself, don't tell us............)

I rode for a few months on my 100mm XC hardtail and a pisspot. I decided to get a fullface after wrapping myself around a tree after losing my footing midair on the Corkscrew table. Mind you, the fullface bit is yet to be needed.

Most of the stuff is okay, other then GBU / endo so you should be alright if you are going at a steady pace and have a suitable bike.

You can also buy a fullface from the shop......

Just because you can ride the trails on an XC bike doesn't mean you shouldn't wear a full fezzer, but then just because they are DH trails doesn't mean you must wear a full fezzer.

If you don't crash you'll be fine etc. All sounds very daft but think about your riding ability, confidence on the trails, how hard you are likely to push yourself and how much you like your boyish good looks (if you have them)

You could mess yourself up there just as easily as you could on any other ride.

A few years ago I was following a mate down one of the easy runs there. He started a few seconds ahead, and at one point where the trail drops down on to the fireroad I found him unconscious and spazzing about. After calling an ambulance and him coming around a bit, it transpired that he'd clipped a stump with his foot while clipped into his pedal, while turning into the big roll-down. It flipped him over the bars I and I guess he landed on his head from around 10ft up. It's a move we'd both ridden loads of times and is easy, but you just never know.....

I have duly panic bought a full face!

Better safe than sorry. This was my full-facer after I had a difference of opinion with a jump on an FoD uplift day last year:

[img] [/img]

I only needed 16 stitches and a load of x-rays, it expect would have been quite a different story with an open face trail lid. 🙂

Shit. Lad I'm going riding with is not allowed to buy one due to his missus not allowing it.

Apparently it will make him look like a gimp.

Rather a live gimp than a dead Adonis.

@maxtorque

Just back from my uplift day. Incredibly fun. Already looking to book in for the next one. Flyupdownhill weregreat. Our driver was a really cool guy who was a rider as well and gave us some good recommendationsto warm up and later to challenge us.

We did 7 of the trails. Sheepskull was my favourite. Endo the least. Not a fan of the off camber switchbacks. Sorry!

Really friendly group of riders as well. Everyone I spoke to was really friendly and gave us loads of tips. One even offered to let us have a go on his DH rig if we fancied it! If you really want to push it I'd suggest asking someone if you could follow them to see their lines. Felt I was riding and committing to things the most when I did this.

One of our guys stacked it, twistwd his ankle and we had to stop. He'd have been alright if he'd done somr maintenance on his boke though. Found his QR coming loose on the rear for some reason. Spare set of brake pads wouldn't be a bad idea as well if you're heavy on them and the weather's crap.

The sell Pieminsters in the cafe now. 😀

I used to do uplift days there on my Trailstar wearing an xc helmet. Much better on a fs with a full face though!

One of the people on the uplift was saying you don't need a DH bike to get down it, but it looks more fun with one!

Loving the full face and goggles too. You completely forget they're on once you start riding.

Yep ridden GBU on a 120mm trail bike with XC lid no googles and flats

and i didn't die, but as my name suggests i am used to landing on my face 😀

have a mate who rides it with a 80mm hardtail, but then he's an idiot!