Knee pads with bibs on the trails

[Remington]

My partner and I have always ridden our local trails just with bib shorts and no protection other than gloves helmets and glasses. After my partner suffered a number of injuries, we made the call to upgrade and get knee and elbow pads for ourselves. Is it best to get bike shorts to wear over the bibs for that little extra protection or is more of a fashion statement in the MTB community.  Our confidence has improved to the point that we are trying more difficult features for our skills level.

I have tried the lined shorts (Indola) but find them very uncomfortable and bulky hence us riding with bibs.

Any advice would be welcomed

 

[capediver]

26 minutes ago, Remington said:

My partner and I have always ridden our local trails just with bib shorts and no protection other than gloves helmets and glasses. After my partner suffered a number of injuries, we made the call to upgrade and get knee and elbow pads for ourselves. Is it best to get bike shorts to wear over the bibs for that little extra protection or is more of a fashion statement in the MTB community.  Our confidence has improved to the point that we are trying more difficult features for our skills level.

I have tried the lined shorts (Indola) but find them very uncomfortable and bulky hence us riding with bibs.

Any advice would be welcomed

 

Shorts over bibs, no extra protection but nods of approval for the MTB community, cause they won't see the bibs!🤣

Edit, can't quite make out if you already got knee/elbow pads...but anyway...2cents:

There a wide choice of good knee pads...Fox/ION/POC, try to get the zippered ones, they great for putting on and taking off without removing your shoe...stay away from G-Forms and their useless gel pads...junk and don't work

Elbow pads...hmmm...ja, if you insist make sure they fit snug and don't slide down like 99% of them do given that you riding a bicycle down a bumpy gravel track...most irritating...choose well

 

Edited 18 hours ago by capediver
Added

[thebob]

Please get the shorts! And matching riding  shirts

[Remington]

Got Fox D30 guards

[El Duderino]

Absolutely nothing wrong with wearing Bibshorts, tight Lycra top with knee and elbow protectors, with a full face helmet while riding an XC bike. 

Don't listen to the Enduro Bros.

[RobynE]

I say who cares. If it makes you feel more secure and comfortable and increases your confidence I reckon you can wear and do whatever you like. 

[DieselnDust]

can I answer you on Friday.....?

[Robbie Stewart]

I was chatting to my brother recently telling him I just got a new full face helmet, and his reaction was "oh, are you one of 'those' guys" while laughing at me. Which is ironic as that is my reaction to wearing bibs on a trail. I also usually laugh at those folks.

To each their own I say. Whatever makes you happy. Riding shouldn't be about what makes other people happy but only about what makes you happy. 

In saying that, I'm probably the minority of riders who doesn't even own knee and elbow guards, but who rides down a black trail without so much as a second thought. 

I'm firmly in the camp of trusting my skills out on the trails rather than having some level of comfort in a piece of foam saving my bacon when things go south on a ride. My mates (and everyone else likely) won't agree with me, but I'm not a fan.

Of knee guards.

 

Or lycra.

 

[Baracuda]

One wonders where wearing baggy shorts on bikes came from? Is it an American thing? At least kitesurfers have given up wearing baggies over their wetsuits, they used to look ridiculous.

It is one thing for DH, but spinning in baggy shorts for hours sucks (and I have some really good ones). But then even the DH World Cup guys are in tight clothing now days.

I think the key is speed. At long as you faster than the guys wearing baggies, you can wear anything you want.

 

[117]

If you do wear knee guards, make sure you slip them down to protect your shins when you're walking around the trail head or the coffee shop, that way you'll fit right in with the local DH guys. 

And if people laugh at you for wearing lycra, give them the birdie and tell them to p!ss off back to their little kennel

But in fairness to all, the more porn star socks you wear the better, and will detract silly jokes away from the lycra. However, straight white socks are reserved for roadies

Rock the lycra 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[HenryS]

6 hours ago, Remington said:

My partner and I have always ridden our local trails just with bib shorts and no protection other than gloves helmets and glasses. After my partner suffered a number of injuries, we made the call to upgrade and get knee and elbow pads for ourselves. Is it best to get bike shorts to wear over the bibs for that little extra protection or is more of a fashion statement in the MTB community.  Our confidence has improved to the point that we are trying more difficult features for our skills level.

I have tried the lined shorts (Indola) but find them very uncomfortable and bulky hence us riding with bibs.

Any advice would be welcomed

 

 

32 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I was chatting to my brother recently telling him I just got a new full face helmet, and his reaction was "oh, are you one of 'those' guys" while laughing at me. Which is ironic as that is my reaction to wearing bibs on a trail. I also usually laugh at those folks.

To each their own I say. Whatever makes you happy. Riding shouldn't be about what makes other people happy but only about what makes you happy. 

In saying that, I'm probably the minority of riders who doesn't even own knee and elbow guards, but who rides down a black trail without so much as a second thought. 

I'm firmly in the camp of trusting my skills out on the trails rather than having some level of comfort in a piece of foam saving my bacon when things go south on a ride. My mates (and everyone else likely) won't agree with me, but I'm not a fan.

Of knee guards.

 

Or lycra.

 

I have a regular helmet as well as a full face. Which one I wear depends on who I'm riding with and what I intend doing.. I also have body armour which I use under the same conditions. Sometime I wear both while alone at Bloemendal lower when I want to give it my all on the downs.

The main thing is that you need to feel comfortable and safe, and don't worry about what anyone else thinks. If you really like your bib shorts, but want some knee protection, go for it. It might look a little different because it's not common, but it's your body parts that are affected if you fall.

[thebob]

32 minutes ago, Baracuda said:

One wonders where wearing baggy shorts on bikes came from? Is it an American thing? At least kitesurfers have given up wearing baggies over their wetsuits, they used to look ridiculous.

It is one thing for DH, but spinning in baggy shorts for hours sucks (and I have some really good ones). But then even the DH World Cup guys are in tight clothing now days.

I think the key is speed. At long as you faster than the guys wearing baggies, you can wear anything you want.

 

And yet it gives me great satisfaction riding flats and in my baggies when I out climb and out descend the lycra army. All that without running a lockout on my bike.

[Remington]

On the trails where we ride most folk ride with bibs and cycling shirts. There are also people riding with baggies and trail shirts. So its a mixed bunch

No one raises an eyebrow at someone else attire that I have noticed . I guess its just the trails where you ride. We are just fortunate that other riders rather encourage you than comment on your wardrobe. I genuinely thought that baggies was for protection but it does have thst coolness factor that I like😎 but I do think falling with baggies will reduce getting roasties to a degree and I dont like skinned knees and elbows. im too old for scabs on my extremities.Falling is over rated so I prefer not to entertain the notion

[mazambaan]

I find baggies handy for their pocket - particularly for a hanky (old school). If you have a hydration pack it can be difficult to get to the back pockets of your jersey.