So undecided - wearing knee pads trail riding. Who is, who isn’t ?
Your knees mate. Who gives a monkeys what other people are wearing.
I probably should, but I rarely do.
It's more unusual to see someone without knee pads these days isn't it? I always wear them fwiw.
Yes. Every ride, without fail.
“Your knees mate. Who gives a monkeys what other people are wearing.“
Yeah I know ha, just wondered how commonly they’re being worn these days. Cons - not as free feeling, get hot in summer, another thing to wear out. Pros - crash protection (if you actually land on your knees) frame knock protection etc ...hmmmm
Yep. I wear them on almost every trail ride. I put a bit of chamois cream on my kneecaps for longer rides, unless I'm wearing them over tights/leggings.
I do, just in case I see a cheeky line off the side of the trail somewhere & decide I want to send it like Bearclaw
I don't notice in wearing them now so it's no bother
Yes, I even wear them on my xc bike most of the time.
We all ride very different tracks, trails, bridleways, tracks etc, at very different speeds and steepnesses, So only you will know.
I tend to wear knee pads all rides these days, my last major knee injury (4 years ago) was an overnight in hospital and a 12 midnight theatre trip under local with a 75 gallons water clean out, I was extremely lucky no muck got into the joint or any tendon damage.
I ride my gravel bike without pads on local xc woods and bridleways
Helmet, Gloves and knee pads are the main touch points, I rarely wear elbow pads, now and again at trail centres
Every ride.
Nope, unless I'm somewhere like Whistler bike park.
Wear a pair of fox enduro pads for pretty much every ride. It’s very rare I don’t and when I haven’t it’s because I forgot rather than a conscious decision.
The only time I never wore them this year, was WHW in a day, on a warm August day.
Too much chafe potential!
Every ride.
Mostly yes. 3months of physio and recovery from my last duffed knee makes me wear them more.
Round Thetford. Nope.
Peaks or rocky Welsh trail centre. Yes.
Every ride. Especially trail centres as half the surfaces are concrete all weather!
Depends on the trail. If I'm in any doubt I wear them slid down over my calfs and pull them up if it looks like it's getting sketch.
I dont wear any pads but most do from what I see and anyway wear what you want.
Nope. Never wear them. But it's your choice.
How often do you fall off and bang your knees?
Local stuff, tend not to bother as more comfortable without them. However on the bigger/techier rides I dig the pads out
(Should wear them all the time TBH though as I've ****ted my knees 2 minutes from the house before and it bloody hurts)
Every ride
Every ride (POC Airs). Worn em all day in Spanish Pyrenees in august with no probs, but this time of year in the UK they keep my knees warm and I rarely wear longs. I stick em on and utterly forget about them.
Not for me unless I’m uplifting. Legs get too hot and knees raw.
Yep. But you need kneepads that fit you. Don't fall for the "minimal" bullshit unless you want to wear them under trousers, in every other way they're just less good kneepads, they're rarely any more comfortable and never enough to justify the massive reduction in effectiveness. Just get something sensible and well fitting and comfy.
You're never more likely to fall off than when you're disengaged on an easy trail, is my thinking. But also, frankly, there's next to no downside except on the hottest days.
yep. and elbows. not going to stop broken bones but i've got them and they prevent shitty injuries that stop you riding for basically no inconvenience or discomfort.
Every ride. Elbows too usually if a big ride. The lakes rocks take no prisoners!
Knee and elbow pads every ride.
I fell off at high speed on an easy bit of trail and smacked my knee so hard I thought I’d have to go to A&E. Ever since that I’ve always worn knee pads and now I feel naked without.
How often do you fall off and bang your knees?
You only need to do it once.
You only need to do it once.
Are people confusing twisting knee injuries with impact injuries though?
I can see that departing with your bike on a jump and land on shins/knees warrants pads, but trail riding ?
Good on folk who wear them as all protection helps, but I’m not convinced on trail riding what help that will be?
Every ride since an off years ago and having to pick lots of bits of gravel out of my knee. Try as many as you can to get the best fit, after a couple of rides you won't notice you are wearing them.
Most rides unless just a light local bumble - I worn them for that long that it feels weird without them - well fitting pads don’t rub
I usually come off at some point on most rides, they’re good for when being knelt down fiddling with things and keep my legs nice and warm in this weather
I can see that departing with your bike on a jump and land on shins/knees warrants pads, but trail riding ?
IME I'm more likely to scud knees on rocks and trees, and as the skin is taught when knee bent, it splits on impact. Ride over, blood everywhere.
I wear them for 3 reasons, the above, to keep knees warm, and as part of my waterproofing, with shorts going over the top, and sealskinz right up to the bottom.
More often than not, but by no means an absolute. Enjoy not wearing them to be honest, even with mega comfy ones they are still annoying.
For anything bigger & racing, always. They have got a lot better over the years thankfully.
My group of friends ride xc/trail and have all started wearing them since one of us had an off and required 2 operations to remove the grit. Funny thing is that he is the only one not to wear them now.....
Yes if I’m doing uplift days or rooty techy muddy turns. Because if I’m doing lots of turns it’s relatively common to lose the front wheel and land on a knee.
General peaks riding? No. Because in general I always seem to crash on my hands / shoulders.
Every ride for me, but I fall off most rides... (Usually going uphill at low speed but it still bloody hurts if you crack something boney against a rock) My knees also knock against the top tube a lot and pads prevent my inner knees being permanently bruised.
Every ride after an incident about 5yrs ago.
Always, my knees took a right battering before I started wearing them. At 56 with some wear and tear knee pain anyway, anything I can do to protect their remaining functionality is good.
I also wear elbow pads if I'm doing anything remotely techy or steep. I have some existing damage to one elbow from an old non MTB injury and I do seem to land on them if I come off.
Got some for a guided week in the Alps a few years ago. Never worn them since. I don't go to trail centres/bike parks though.
No knee pain is more excruciating than the old tvvatgap!
Always wear knee pads, rarely notice them now.
Not for trail riding. IMO they just give a false sense of security. They will protect against grazes, but not serious injuries.
don’t go to trail centres/bike parks though.
Far more relevant on lakes, Munros etc tbh.
