MTBA feedback survey- DH racers

[scud]

NECK BRACE: Maybe some day over the rainbow. Would like one for the more scary tracks.
BACK/CHEST ARMOUR: Have a very old pressure suite and love it! Has no solid chest plate only foam and I'm not sure if it even needs that. The turtle shell however has multiple stress marks in the plastic so I consider it to be "job well done"! I don't wear this on tame tracks.
KNEE/LEG GUARDS: Will wear them when ever I go DH or DS type stuf .They do not cover half my lower leg but they do cover half my upper leg. I find that my shins don't get scratched but the lower half of my upper leg dose get bashed around a bit.
ELBOW/ARM GUARDS: Are a part of the pressure suite. I sometimes use it with out the turtle shell attached for the elbow guards....
GLOVES: Yes, I got over not being able to do anything with grazed hands long ago!!
GOGGLES: Yes, once saved my right eye when I crashed in to a small 50mm high bunting stake. (Came to rest with the stake indented against the lens).

 

[August]

NECK BRACE: Don't own one, never used one because they are kinda expensive.
BACK/CHEST ARMOUR: It sure helps when stacking in a rock garden!
KNEE/LEG GUARDS: Mine are ripped to shreds and cant imagine my legs without them..
ELBOW/ARM GUARDS: Helpful but not essential.
GLOVES: I'd get soar hands without them from my grips.
GOGGLES: I only use them on windy days

 

[Nathan_S]

NECK BRACE: I always wear my EVS unless its super hot or easy track
BACK/CHEST ARMOUR: N/A
KNEE/LEG GUARDS: 661 Kyle Straights
ELBOW/ARM GAURDS:N/A
GLOVES:TLD XC
GOGGLES: always ride with my dragon rockstars!

 

[Mongo]

Short Answer IMHO: If you've got it. Wear it!

Have seen quite a few guys making all sorts of excuses (too hot, too restrictive, too much effort or just plain old gay) out for the season with a preventable injury. But on the upside of that, they make good shuttle drivers for the rest of the crew.

 

[Nerf Herder]

From the other Poll Thread

I found that body armour can get in the way of a neck brace as you can wear a shirt over the armour but you can't put a brace over the armour. when you put the brace under your armour, you can't wear a shirt.. but if I didn't ride with armour I would definitely ride with a neck brace!!

is this true ?? in short
You can't wear body armour with a neck brace ??
I had thought it would just sit on top of the armour ?

awaits confirmation prior to getting into the "Bloody Fashionista" comments again.

 

[J@se]

From the other Poll Thread

is this true ?? in short
You can't wear body armour with a neck brace ??
I had thought it would just sit on top of the armour ?

awaits confirmation prior to getting into the "Bloody Fashionista" comments again.

Its true that the Leatt is not designed to sit outside the spine protector on most armour. With the popularity of the aforementioned fashion/safety item, armour designers are modifying the designs to fit a Leatt type brace. Alternatively you can remove the top 1 or 2 slats of your existing spine plate and the brace will fit fine.

 

[flamshmizer]

From the other Poll Thread

is this true ?? in short
You can't wear body armour with a neck brace ??
I had thought it would just sit on top of the armour ?

awaits confirmation prior to getting into the "Bloody Fashionista" comments again.

I'm having trouble getting mine working. Theres a large enough gap in between the back plates and my back for the brace to slip in, but the padding on my shoulder pads pushes up the neck brace whenever i move my shoulders up (aka rider attack position) so if i wear a neckbrace with my armour, i cant turn my head sideways, making switchbacks very hard.

However i can get a jersey on with them both on

 

[Indestructible]

NECK BRACE:Yep, i have become verry attached to it, if i dont have it on i feel very exposed and cant ride properly.
BACK/CHEST ARMOUR:No, i used to wear it but never enjoy riding as much as if i didnt wear it, it was just to bulky and uncomfortable.
KNEE/LEG GUARDS:Yes, i wear knee guards and once again, i feel very exposed if i dont have them on.
ELBOW/ARM GUARDS:Nope, just never really bought a pair.
GLOVES:Yes, sweaty palm = no grip.
GOGGLES: Yep, gotta keep the crap outa your eyes.

 

[damienmccormack]

NECK BRACE: was gonna get one, but i heard they restrict you from moving your head as much.
BACK/CHEST ARMOUR: don't wear this becuase there to hot and unconfitable to ride with
KNEE/LEG GUARDS: was gonna get some but then i decided just to get a set of paints.
ELBOW/ARM GUARDS: uncibfitable and i reckon they wouldn't do much
GLOVES: I use these cause i broke my finger and mum told me to get some
GOGGLES: use goggles most of the time, exept for when its to hot

 

[Nerf Herder]

I'll apologise for the tone of this one in advance ... but ...

Leatt users (which really is the only one I'd consider unless someone can point out the virtues of rolls of squishy foam) ... are basically saying that you'd rather wear a neck brace then body armour ? [I know I'm paraphrasing ... but who's going to cut out the first two plates of their back protector to fit the neck brace ... which will be bloody uncomfortable at best or impossible to wear at worse]

So what this says to me is that you think there is a higher chance of twisting your neck ... before puncturing your lungs or getting a handle bar stuck in your sternum or generally getting a chipped bone or countless other combination of injuries that body armour is supposed to stop ?

From the poll thread

*snip ... I just wish that they weren't so expensive for a first generation product with little to no test data available. I guess in time we will see and anecdotal evidence posted here about "I would be in a wheelchair if i didnt wear it" is not real evidence at all.

I don't know if this is true, but its how I perceive it at present [disclaimer: I have not researched this to any depth so happy to be proved wrong ... in the case of MTB]... there was a previous comment earlier, indicating that the data available for neck related injuries is based on Motos ... which I totally accept given higher speeds and crash types.

So notwithstanding that I value my neck and your neck ... and some of the crashes that body armour could prevent would not be fatal ... we're still saying that a neck brace is more valuable then armour at stopping injury, (prolific to mtb) because it makes me feel safe ?? even if I'm likely never to twist my neck ?

Further, we're saying ... I'm happy to stump up the equivalent price of a friggin good Moto Full face, for a neck brace thats prolly not going to help me in 99% of crashes, because there is a slight possibility that it could help me walk if I twisted my neck ... which I prolly wouldn't experience ... and it makes me feel faster and safer. (sorry I repeated myself).

I'm sure I have just defined consumerism ... which = "Bloody Fashionistas"

apologies for the rant ... I'm only justifying my not following the trends of the day and sticking with my knees.

To end ... I quote Mongo

If you've got it. Wear it!

but fark ... the logic escapes me.

 

[J@se]

I'll apologise for the tone of this one in advance ... but ...

Leatt users (which really is the only one I'd consider unless someone can point out the virtues of rolls of squishy foam) ... are basically saying that you'd rather wear a neck brace then body armour ? [I know I'm paraphrasing ... but who's going to cut out the first two plates of their back protector to fit the neck brace ... which will be bloody uncomfortable at best or impossible to wear at worse]

So what this says to me is that you think there is a higher chance of twisting your neck ... before puncturing your lungs or getting a handle bar stuck in your sternum or generally getting a chipped bone or countless other combination of injuries that body armour is supposed to stop ?

From the poll thread


I don't know if this is true, but its how I perceive it at present [disclaimer: I have not researched this to any depth so happy to be proved wrong ... in the case of MTB]... there was a previous comment earlier, indicating that the data available for neck related injuries is based on Motos ... which I totally accept given higher speeds and crash types.

So notwithstanding that I value my neck and your neck ... and some of the crashes that body armour could prevent would not be fatal ... we're still saying that a neck brace is more valuable then armour at stopping injury, (prolific to mtb) because it makes me feel safe ?? even if I'm likely never to twist my neck ?

Further, we're saying ... I'm happy to stump up the equivalent price of a friggin good Moto Full face, for a neck brace thats prolly not going to help me in 99% of crashes, because there is a slight possibility that it could help me walk if I twisted my neck ... which I prolly wouldn't experience ... and it makes me feel faster and safer. (sorry I repeated myself).

I'm sure I have just defined consumerism ... which = "Bloody Fashionistas"

apologies for the rant ... I'm only justifying my not following the trends of the day and sticking with my knees.

To end ... I quote Mongo
but fark ... the logic escapes me.

LOL, wear your armour or don't, wear your neck brace or don't, who cares.

The operative word in your rant really is "prolly", define this? Define the catastrophic results to your life and family if you break your neck? I've crashed lots, with and without a neck brace, also with and without armour. I've never had an injury that armour would have prevented (excluding bruises) I think its an equally valid point to say that due to this armour is also relatively useless.

In the end its user pays, user wears. What will you say if you do break your neck on a ride? Not to mention, have a look at Matti Lehikonens (Sp) stack in First. Would a neck brace have prevented his injury? Who knows? But wheres the scientific data that the shit poorly fitting body armour I see half the riders at tracks around Australia wearing does anything? Apart from anecdotal evidence of course.

If its there, and theres even the slightest chance it will prevent me from being paralysed, I'm wearing one.

 

[Nerf Herder]

bah ... I want to have a go of your's next ride.

Knowing my luck I've just jinx'd and double cursed myself.

 

[J@se]

bah ... I want to have a go of your's next ride.

Knowing my luck I've just jinx'd and double cursed myself.

You'll be right.

Fitting is the key for those bad boys, and theres no way I'm changing the fit of my fashion accessory for a skeptic like you.

 

[powermutant]

I was going to write a long trolling response but will just post this link instead:

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/industry-news/2009/11/04/neck-protection-let-s-talk-about-it/full

What opinions have I formed after wading through masses of crap on the internermet?

Neck protection is a good idea. It will most likely assist in preventing /minimising damage to the C vertebrae and potential resultant life threatening injuries and quadriplegia. It will not protect against other forms of spinal damage and potential resultant paraplegia, limb usage loss, bodily function loss. Body armour is currently the tool most effective for reducing this risk. Implementation of body armour is as divergent/contentious as neck braces.

 

[Andrew Benson]

NECK BRACE:Getting one and think they are very useful
BACK/CHEST ARMOUR:dont have one, but would like one that is compatible with the leatt.
KNEE/LEG GUARDS:Have knee gaurds very useful
ELBOW/ARM GUARDS: Do not have any but would like some.
GLOVES:I have them and they are very useful for grip and protecting your hands
GOGGLES:Yes I have them and keep the dirt off my eyes.

 

[damienmccormack]

NECK BRACE: got one for christmas they feel alright
BACK/CHEST ARMOUR: nah unconfitable
KNEE/LEG GUARDS: nope got tld pants
ELBOW/ARM GUARDS: nah i don't care if i loose abit of skin now and then
GLOVES: yeeeh after i broke my finger
GOGGLES: yer keeps the dirt an shit out of mi eyes

just wondering if you can get wrist guards that are good too use cause i keep braking the same wrist :S any sugestions?

 

[Riedy]

NECK BRACE: No, too much $$$
BACK/CHEST ARMOUR: Yes, Wouldn't race with-out it
KNEE/LEG GUARDS: No, but am getting some soon
ELBOW/ARM GUARDS: Yes, on my armour suit
GLOVES: Yes, another thing i wouldn't race with-out
GOGGLES: Yes, another thing i wouldn't race with-out

 

[kona boy!]

...

well
neckbrace: don't have one yet
chest plate: i have one but its only the vest but it still helps a lot
shin and knee: they help me a lot especially when you come off
elbows: getting them
gloves: they really help keeping my hands in one piece
googles: i hate dust being flicked in my eyes so they help a lot with that
full face: helps head
cheers!

 

[Cooch]

NECK BRACE: Essential
BACK/CHEST ARMOUR: Highly Recommend
KNEE/LEG GUARDS: Highly Recommend
ELBOW/ARM GUARDS: Optional
GLOVES: Highly Recommend
GOGGLES: Highly Recommend

FULLY FUNCTIONING BIKE: Essential I'm surprised MTBA doesn't do more to check bikes. There are some real shitters coming down the tracks sometimes. Go to any triathlon or road race and they don't let you race without good brakes, straight wheels, tight headset and bar ends! Ever seen MTBA check any of those things?

APPROPRIATE CLOTHING: Highly Recommend

 

[karl]

NECK BRACE: had one but isnt suited to a moto helmet in DH, cant lift head high enough to have good vision down the track, worked well with a D2 lid but want better head protection.

BACK/CHEST ARMOR: None when i was younger and not broken, now old and broken happy to wear it

KNEE/LEG: Crazy not to wear it

ELBOW/ARM: only effective when attached to a suit ie Diannesse, slides down and gives arm pump otherwise

GLOVES: Always worn, hands are the first thing to hit the ground usually.

GOGGLES: Always worn, better than a poke in the eye with a stick/rock/handlebar