So, what do people recommend for a pedally knee pad? I had a set of Dainese Trail skins that were great until they started rubbing. So, for Christmas this year I got a lovely set of Fox Enduro Knee pads that were great for a ride. Until they started rubbing, first on my right leg & now both legs.
Despite being in the size range the silicone sleeve just slips down my leg while pedalling - would be OK in shorts but not so much wearing trousers, so they will likely be Vinted'd & am now in the market for something new for a week or two until no doubt they start rubbing.
What do you recommend or am I just special & meant to look hard & not ever wear pads?
I think knee pad shopping is the most annoying thing ever. Reviews don't help because everyone's legs are different. The last time I bought a different variety of knee pad I ordered about six pairs from CRC and spent a few evenings wearing them in the house and then sent all but one pair back. And then bought another pair of the same some years later. When they wear out I guess I'll have to order loads of pairs and accept all the there-and-back postage costs, or maybe buy loads used on Vinted and sell them all on again?
What makes it worse is I have a strange nerve issue on my right pre-patellar bursa which means that anything touching it harder than a gentle tap hurts a ridiculous amount, like poking an open wound. And much as I'd like to wear riding trousers for commuting my Launch Pros are too huge to fit under any!
Agreed. Avoid anything that is a 'sleeve' and that doesn't have fasteners of some sort. I have a problem with pads, mainly pressure on the knee cap which turns very painful. I use the older Fox launch too, big cup cover the knee cap so no pressure. Impossible to wear under/over anything so it's pretty much shorts all year round. Better than knee pain and no biking!
I gave up and now just slap big fabric plasters over the rub points before I pad up (Troy lee shok drs)
If things are rubbing, Bodyglide (its a running lube stick, like a hard wax), on the hot spots works really well.
I've just got some Dharco Gravity pads, 4 rides in, in some grim conditions and they're good so far. I had to cut the labels off but that's pretty standard I think.
Leatt pads I had before rubbed a bit and slid down plus you couldn't wash them 🤢, Fox Enduro were good for a while, then they started rubbing.
If you get the Dharco pay attention to the sizing, they really do come as far up your thigh as they say they do and the sizing seems pretty accurate judging from mine.
Washing them regularly. I found all my knee pads become uncomfortable if not cleaned. All the sweat, grime and dead skin cells on the inside make the comfiest pads rub
have some enduras with elastic silicone top with an elasticated velcr fastener over the top.
they stay put just fine but I found the knee itself was rubbing and leaving a rash on hotter sweatier days with lots of pedalling. I wear tubigrips under them sometimes.
that said, hard or D30 pads are for uplift/holiday/special rides for me. too much of a "downcountry" wimp for my regular local riding
Got some Race Face Indy knee pads at the moment.
They stay in place, don’t rub me and fit under trousers.
I have one knee that is a different size/shape to the other due to an injury.
They are a sleeve type, so you have to remember to put them on before your shoes.
They are pretty much front of knee protection only though.
Think I paid a bit over £20
I went through a few pairs, none were great, uplift only, and still uncomfortable, sore spots, broken skin. One tip is chammy cream, does what it's designed to, just in a different place. Another is the Rapha pads. When I bought mine they were consistently rated at the most comfortable trail pads. Couldn't quite bring myself to pay full price, but got them in a sale at a price that was just about reasonable. I wrote them on a trail ride which turned into a 48km pedal the other day and they were fine (I did put chammy cream on, but don't bother for anything less than 2 hours.)
They might not be the most protective, but they're not bad for "trail", and I'm much more likely to be wearing them then any other pad. And they've lasted really well.
Sam Hill 7idp pads here and as long as I put them on just before I ride I don’t even know I’m wearing them. Done up to 55km of descending in one day on them. If I wear them driving to a ride then they will fall down.
Just got my eldest a set of Dharco Gravity and he says they’re a bit inflexible when he pedals…
At the moment I some IXS and some Nukeproof, so my tip is if you are doing multiple days on the bike swap pads. And I've also started using chammy cream too.
If I don't plan on doing owt too daft I often don't both.
I found some elbow pads last year that proved to be wearable for me. G-Form sleeves, stayed comfy and mostly stayed put.
I have the Sam Hills too, only the third pair of pads I've had but the best so far. In the past I would only wear pads on enduro rides rather than xc rides but I'd happily wear the Sam Hills on any ride, feels a bit strange if I don't have them on now. Would definitely get another pair.
Thanks all I think I am going to try a pair of the endura pads with the velcro strap - the idea of trying another sleeve type pad isn't for me at the moment.
Also what is the deal with Fox sizing? According to their size chart I should be X-Large, my thighs aren't that big.
I gave up wearing knee pads to be honest, used to have a pair of 661 kyle strait pads I wore them every ride from when I got them in 2011 to 2018 when they finally disintegrated and never found another pair thats fit me well enough since and thinking of all the offs I've had I've never landed on my knees. Felt weird at first, like riding naked, confidence took a slight hit, but quickly got used to not wearing pads again
My several 2ps:
1) Different manufacturers have different fits, particularly the ratio between thigh circumference vs Calf. Can be hard to find one that works especially if you have big calves. Race Face and 661 seem to be good for the big calved amongst us.
2) Wear bib shorts and tuck the top of the pad sleeve under the bottom of your shorts, tends to stop them sliding down.
3) Straps on thighs are crap and doing them up tighter will make the pads slip down. Straps above the widest part of the calf help to stop slipping.
4) Once you find a set you're happy with buy another pair for spare/when the first set wear out.
I'm currently enjoying 661 Recon for normal riding and 661 Recon advance for more scary stuff.
I gave up wearing knee pads to be honest, used to have a pair of 661 kyle strait pads I wore them every ride from when I got them in 2011 to 2018 when they finally disintegrated and never found another pair thats fit me well enough since and thinking of all the offs I've had I've never landed on my knees. Felt weird at first, like riding naked, confidence took a slight hit, but quickly got used to not wearing pads again
It’s all about doing your own risk assessment I guess.
It’s a fairly likely point of impact if you fall off a bike.
My knee is still healing from an impact in July 2024, was wearing pads but it was direct onto rock. Either the pad slipped down or there was too much energy in the impact.
Nothing daft, just front wheel washed out on a corner.
3 months off work and 5 months before I could ride a bike with a modified crank.
Washing them regularly. I found all my knee pads become uncomfortable if not cleaned. All the sweat, grime and dead skin cells on the inside make the comfiest pads rub
Opposite to this, I find washing them distorts them and makes them rub.
I'm experimenting with Bodyglide - every pad I've had has rubbed, sometimes they're find for a few months, sometimes they're terrible after the second use, sometimes they're OK one day and bad the next. So I think lubrication is the only answer.
I don't tend to have a problem with rubbing. Like some posters above I get real knee pain if the pad is pressing down on my kneecap. I found the sleeve type pads bad for this, the fabled Rapha ones were worst of all. I've got some Raceface Roam pads now which are much more substantial, but ironically that means they're less intrusive as they have their own structure and sit proud of my kneecap. I can't wear pads under trousers for the same reason, there's never enough room in the trousers to keep the pads off my knees, so I have to wear them on the outside.