Most riders will take the odd knock or scrape during their MTB years, but hopefully most won’t experience any catastrophic injuries. Here’s our round up of what safety kit we recommend, keeping you as safe as possible on the trails.
Helmet
We recommend wearing a full-face helmet, with Multi-Directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) technology. This impact layer is intended to reduce rotational forces, which are commonplace in MTB accidents – rarely do riders crash in a straight line. It absorbs the energy generated by any impact and dissipates it away from the head. MIPS is now a common feature in helmets, so if your helmet doesn’t have it, it may be time to upgrade and protect yourself better from any hard knocks to the head which could lead to concussion.
To ensure a good fit, the helmet should be about two fingers width over your eyebrows before tightening the dial/ratchet. The helmet should be tight enough that it stays on your head if you bend down to adjust your shoes. The V straps around your ears should sit just below your ear lobes while the chin strap should again be around two fingers from your chin. For added comfort, go for something that’s lightweight and breathable.
Elbow and knee pads
Elbows and knees are pretty exposed and therefore are really common places to pick up injuries if you come off your bike at any speed. Therefore, we recommend protecting yourself with a set of knee and elbow pads to save some nasty road rash or worse. All decent brands produce pads with flexibility which ensures flexion and extension are not impacted.
Body armour
Your best defence against a back injury is staying on the bike in the first place, but we know this isn’t always possible, particularly when you’re riding so close to your limits (or beyond them?!). Consequently, we recommend a body protector or impact protection vest (which come in both women’s and men’s fits), that can be worn under or over your top, depending on how many layers you’re wearing. Providing impact absorption and abrasion resistance for the torso, spine, shoulders and chest, a good piece of body armour is worth the investment if you’re progressing beyond the Greens and Blues. Again, consider low profile, weight and breathability to stay comfortable on the trails.
Gloves
These have a dual purpose as they increase grip on your handlebars and protect your hands from going numb or getting blistered from a long day’s shredding. Fit is important as if they’re too big, you’ll find excess fabric may cause rubbing and too small might lead to numbness or general discomfort. Lastly, they can help reduce the pain of grazes if you are to take a tumble or catch a branch through woodland.
Shoes
It may be tempting to ride in your coolest or comfiest Vans, but proper riding shoes are recommended for good reason – they offer better pedal grip to increase the chances of you staying on your bike. Having firmer soles on specialist mountain biking shoes delivers a better platform to push the bike harder too, enabling you to feel more in control and gain better feedback from the bike.
If you want any further advice on any of this safety protection gear, pop into FlyUp Bikes where the team will be able to help advise further and find the right products for you. We stock a good range of all the above items, in sizes from youth to adults.