Do you wear pads?

I don't and see riders wearing them on trails which I don't think really necessitate them. Makes me chuckle anyway

I wear brake pads...

I do think that riders with full pads etc on a non-DH specific trail are perhaps asking for trouble as they must be riding out of their comfort zone encouraged by the feeling of being armour plated. Trouble is their not - they may offer some protection but there not going to stop a broken arm or collar bone etc

...the only pads I wear are in the arse of my shorts!

Only at night - keeps the bed dry ... ;-)

WD

stevet1":2xkgxkpr said:

I do think that riders with full pads etc on a non-DH specific trail are perhaps asking for trouble as they must be riding out of their comfort zone encouraged by the feeling of being armour plated.

Click to expand...

I'm glad you said 'perhaps' there, because that isn't always the case. A lot of trail riders wear pads just so that if the inevitable does happen (and lets face it, it usually does), at least they have a little more protection so that they're not using their skin as a makeshift brake. Agreed that it doesn't offer much protection against a broken bone however - although there is a case that they would 'dampen' the initial impact a little, reducing the chances of the bone breaking in the first place. Obviously this would be entirely dependent on how and where the rider falls off!

It looks sick to the max, that's for sure. Can see if you're really pushing it then it might be worthwhile, lots you see with pads aren't pushing much at all apart from the number of cakes they can eat in the cafe. And up the hills.

Reminds me of a quote from back in the day, a DH rider was asked something along the lines of
"why are you not wearing pads"
"because I'm not going to crash"

Seem to recall it being JMC or Myles 'Cheech' Rockwell.

John":6fhbjhfm said:

Can see if you're really pushing it then it might be worthwhile, lots you see with pads aren't pushing much at all apart from the number of cakes they can eat in the cafe. And up the hills.

Reminds me of a quote from back in the day, a DH rider was asked something along the lines of
"why are you not wearing pads"
"because I'm not going to crash"

Seem to recall it being JMC or Myles 'Cheech' Rockwell.

Click to expand...

OK. But could the same not be said about a helmet in that case then? I'm sure that pretty much everyone who wears a helmet thinks that they're not going to crash, but wears one just in case. Pads are just an extension to that theory, surely.

You miss key points

1. You cannot compare a head injury to cuts and scratches on an arm or leg.
2. I'm agreeing it's a good idea if you really are on the edge. However when I see some tubby biffer on his £6K carbon bling machine wheezing his way round follow the dog at cannock then I'd question the need for pads and contend it's more a 'fashion' thing.

I would have scorned the notion of pads a few months ago (when I lived in South London), but having moved to North Wales and started regularly riding some of the black runs I'm beginning to seriously consider them. Yesterday I had a spill on a combination of fridge-sized rocks, roots and wet leaves. I came out unscathed (I have always had catlike bailing abilities), but I can see that riding some of these trails at speed in the wet is going to lead to more offs. Some of the stuff is so slippy that I think it's inevitable - so it'll be pads for me in the wet. I'm also going to get a full face helmet as I came within inches of wiping out my teeth yesterday. I've lost my adult front teeth once (head to head in football) so have implants and need to be a bit careful.

So, as I see it, it's pads if you think you need them. When it's wet round here there are factors I can't control so I'll be wearing them.