On a subject of armour (i know hobo feels strongly about this ;-) i dont wair it for normal XC bar a lid and gloves as hobo says its too restrictive but if i go for some slightly madder riding i like the reasurance of having some extra protection, I know it wont save me from all eventualitys but something is better than nothing. i have a problem with my cartilage in my knee so try my best to look after it and dont fancy 6 months heavly strapped up,
I know a lass who fell from a horse in a concrete stable yard and had the horse land on top of her And dispite having Torso armour and an approved lid, fractured her pelvis and got a hair line fracture of the skull! She was lucky TBH but it just highlights the fact that armour or a lid wont protect you from everything.

If you like it, use it

If you don't, don't

its as simple as that

after all its your body and life ;-)

Hi andy, a cousin of mine had a similar fall and was unconscious for a few days due to head injuries.

That might be the next big thing in horse riding, Full body armour & full facers for the riders ;-) They will be coming on here asking what armour for freeriding thier horses round glentress ;-)

I seem to get dragged in even when i dont want to be. Sorry for getting on my high horse for the upmteenth time lads.

Wear it, dont wear it, yer still riding yer bike arent you. Merry christmas :-)

Just elbow pads here, Elbow's fall further and can be used to try to stop falls with bad results, being a programmer bust a arm and can't work.

My Legs are short but wide, don't seem to get to bothered by falls, so no knee pads yet.

I rarely fall anyway, it's kinda my main mission statement, no stupid stuff.

Personally, wearing armour will help to reduce injurys, not completely nothing will risky game, but no one should be pressing there views on the basis of it looks cool or not, some big man thing bla bla bla BS, armour wearing should be encouraged IMHO.

Consider yourself warned Hobo. :)

Not that many years ago, it was considered uncool to wear a helmet so people didn't.

Warned.....OK!

The bad karma coming my way means i am now walking the streets covered in bubble wrap ;-)

I always wear a helmet.

ffs, i just cant understand people who wear a helmet,they restrict my style of riding, make my head itch.

i can do the marin in one hour with a lid on, without,45 minutes,piece of piss, no fookin bother.

merry christmas.




:o)

More Handbags required me thinks

I've sold out :(

i think i'll stick with my lid, the amount of times i've fallen off!

but you tend to fall into water :)

Although I wear a Lid, same lid for nearing 3years so don't think I've taken a head hit at all, rode for 20years with only 1 head impact, that was at 40mph into a car, I jumped over the car thankfully, bike got crushed, just a severe concusion (sp!)

Elbow's wise, I went down really hard on a patch of ice this time last year ish, landed on tarmac smack on my elbow didn't feel a thing, then kept going into a gate which had some bend in it, so all okay !! ( without possibly bust elbow I'd think )

That must be one hell of a big lid you wear chapel if it slows you down that much ;-)

Maybe if you ride it naked you will be able to ride it in a time that i consider 'reasonable' cos you are obviously being held back!

pmsl at dlc pointing out that Mike needs a life jacket more than body armour!!!!

lol.

its nearer three hours with the amount of brew, butty, fag stops us lot have.

;-)

For XC i just wear a pair of Dainese leg and knee pads! and they have saved my bacon on more than one accasion! i dont think that i would be able to climb as well if i was in anything like a pressure suite! And i obviously wear a helmet as well!

Yeah it's your choice what you wear/don't wear.
I ride in gloves and lid. A few pedal impacts to the shins have made me think of getting some leg protection. Knees hurt loads when they hit the deck aswell :-(
Wouldn't mind giving the pressure suit a go and just running/rolling/falling down trails :D

you need a Sumo Wrestling suite, can literally throw yourself of anything then ( other than thorn bushes ) and just bounce down the trail :)

I got a 661 SP02 Pressure Suit off my wife for Christmas (not bad for a suprise, well done love!) so I wore it around the Marin today just for a laugh. Overkill I know, but I wanted to see how it felt! Anyway, it was great and I hardly noticed I was wearing it. Breathability was really good with their new 06 mesh, I wasn't sweaty at all. So if you think you want some extra protection for XC, I can recomend the SP02.

For DH, it's as good as anything out there (apart from the back plate on the new Dianese, but movement on the Dianese isn't as good).

dianese does offer the best protection though, horses for courses....

that back plate doesnt bother me when riding, but you wouldnt keep it on when stopping off for a cafe lunch overlooking the classic downhill runs leading down into morzine....

.....and you're back in the room....

oh well, roll on next summer!