I would just like confirmation from fellow forumites on an issue.

After my first few trail centre visits my shins and round the back of the calves have looked like the result of wrestling with a tiger, full of scratches sometimes deep gouges with many accompanying bruises from pedal slips and pedal strikes on my flat pedals.

Is this normal war wounds to be expected or is it more of a sign of some pretty crap riding. I know when its happened such as sliding off the pedals going over large rocks etc but don’t feel the pain at the time.

Are there any products on the market over than full shin guards to prevent this?

If there was a light weight relatively cheap and easy to wear option to prevent against this would you buy it?

Feedback is much appreciated.

SPDs?

Yes, a stuck keyboard question mark key is quite a common problem among STW users.

Dip your heels

Wear your shin scars proudly!

Yup, lower half of both legs covered in scabs from recent & marks from old ones, quite often come away bleeding.

It your technique is ok and you’ve got half decent pedals & shoes then pedal bites should be rare*. First off make sure your heels are down and feet are properly planted.

* in normal riding, not crashing, bailing or pushing.

it’s a sign of the learning process.

learn to relax your ankles so your heels drop a bit.

bike-specific shoes* help a bit, but they’re not necessary.

(*or flat-soled skate shoes)

stop pushing up the hills and cycle up them.

what shoes are you riding with? your feet shouldn’t really slip off.

stop pushing up the hills and cycle up them.

I have more scars from walking the bike than riding it!

I wore 661 Veggie shin pads until I got the hang of it.

And what shoes are you wearing?

After my first few trail centre visits my shins and round the back of the calves have looked like the result of wrestling with a tiger, full of scratches sometimes deep gouges with many accompanying bruises from pedal slips and pedal strikes on my flat pedals.

A lady freind pointed the same out on me, by saying nice legs pity about all the scabs and scars on your legs.

I now wear Kevlar leg warmers, turned down past knees.

I rode flat pedals once offroad & turned to SPD’s, only dalliance after that was after a knee opp so put flats back on, they scared me, my opinion is SPD is where its at. (unless you nac nac)

unless you nac nac?

I’m more of a can can man

Grippy flat shoes (5:10s etc) and decent pedals and you won’t have any problems with pedal damage. Or try clipping in if you would rather

Is your saddle too high? One symptom of that would be getting bounced off your pedals at trail centres.

SPDs cured it for me

It’s a technique thing, drop your heels and beng your knees, then any bumps on the trail are pushing the pedals into your feet, not sliding them out from under you. I’ve not had any propper shin mashing incidents for years (touch wood).

Still come away bleeding if I have to push though!

Most of my pedal scars are from crashes / mucking up landings (the worst one being jumping a biggish set of steps, slipping my pedal and landing with my shin on the pedal) and catching my legs whilst pushing up on DH days.

Are they definitely from pedals? My local trails have loads of narrow paths and my lefs get torn to shreds by brambles etc.

Failing that, try some stickier shoes and the final resort is wear the cuts, scabs and scars with pride.

It sounds like im not on my own with this but may avoid more if I take some of this good advice.

I think most of the instances have been on big rock/slab type climbs where at the first attempt I actually came of the back of the bike and held the bike pedal against shin, some of the slips have been where I have kinda been bounced off on roots or rocks and then gone into trying to get over further rocks and roots on an hill without readjusting position before hand so slipped off from my toe.

Finding the hills and rock s easier since my first couple of trail visits on a 26″ hard tail and improved/found it easier on 29er full suspension. Still got cut on instance though, the first pedals were DMR vaults now Ive got something similiar but very sharp nipples studs. I wear some vans type shoes, but do have some MTB specific boots with sticky soles which I will try but didn’t want to make two many changes straight off.

My wife always laughs at my legs which she says are just like a toddler’s. She may of course be referring to their size and shape rather than the scabs and scrapes!

Nothing to do with your skills you will still get bramble whip or same from low branches – flats or not

Mine are savaged, I’ve given up on any hope of wearing a summer dress again 🙁 But they’re all either from crashes or from the dreaded “putting the bike away” assault.

It’s entirely technique if it happens while riding- the stickiest shoes and the spikiest pedals won’t keep your feet on if you don’t keep connected and weighted, and pretty much any shoe and pedal will do the job if you do. Kit just weighs the odds a bit.

The worst cuts were on my ld bike with Dmr vaults v8’s.

New bike, me gusset nitro pedals bought for light weight and hopefully better grip thy do seem better then again the just copes better in general, however I still received a few fresh gashes last time out but mainly I think from getting off the back and the pedals catching my shins whilst rolling down a slab.

I does appear to be fairly common with flats so I’m hon to develop a solution.

To answer the question yes.

My legs are shredded every time I’m out and it’s usually the pushing up rather than the actual riding that does it. 🙂

I’m male so don’t really give a toss to be honest it’s usually when the gf says “what have you done to your legs?” or “did you come off?” before I look down and notice I’ve blood trails down my legs to be honest, got to love those Nano’s 😀

I’ve given up on any hope of wearing a summer dress again

Same here 😆

The worst cuts were on my ld bike with Dmr vaults v8’s.

Ah yes, V8 legs, I wear mine proudly. If my bike ever gets nicked the Police can just test the pedals for my plentiful DNA traces to prove ownership.