P
Paladin
Guest
Destroy <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Getting into technical stuff with a bit of height involved makes me ponder protection. I know the
> usual helmet, knee and elbow pads are fine but what about one's wrists?
>
> Being a mechanic my wrists are extremely important to my lively-hood. Is there anything one can
> wear mtn biking to help prevent wrist injury in the event of a fall?
>
> I know there are some sort of wrist guards that rollerbladers often wear but I've never seen or
> used them and wonder if they could be fitted somehow to be comfortable and workable enough to
> ride with?
>
> Any suggestions on this topic?
Don't extend your hands when you fall. (Say that one hundred times before every ride) Sounds simple,
but it is counter-intuitive. It takes concentration and attention to remember. Consider on slower
falls to the sides, just holding onto the bars and letting them take the impact, and if need be roll
all the way over with bike attached. Handlebars take the impact better than your collarbone, which
receives the benefit of your transferring all that energy up your arm. Faster crashes to the side
and front, learn the tuck and roll.
And the commander's advice about learning how to fall from Judo folks is good. Judo, Jiu-Jitsu,
Aikido or any other grappling/throwing sport has to teach its adherents how to fall. Otherwise they
get hurt, quit, and stop paying their monthly dues.
Finally, what I've done to avoid the problem (and yet more broken bones), *slow down on descents.* A
guy never killed himself (to my knowledge) climbing a hill at 5mph. It's always the siren-call of
the need for speed downhill that gets ya.
So there you have it, fwiw.
Paladin
> Getting into technical stuff with a bit of height involved makes me ponder protection. I know the
> usual helmet, knee and elbow pads are fine but what about one's wrists?
>
> Being a mechanic my wrists are extremely important to my lively-hood. Is there anything one can
> wear mtn biking to help prevent wrist injury in the event of a fall?
>
> I know there are some sort of wrist guards that rollerbladers often wear but I've never seen or
> used them and wonder if they could be fitted somehow to be comfortable and workable enough to
> ride with?
>
> Any suggestions on this topic?
Don't extend your hands when you fall. (Say that one hundred times before every ride) Sounds simple,
but it is counter-intuitive. It takes concentration and attention to remember. Consider on slower
falls to the sides, just holding onto the bars and letting them take the impact, and if need be roll
all the way over with bike attached. Handlebars take the impact better than your collarbone, which
receives the benefit of your transferring all that energy up your arm. Faster crashes to the side
and front, learn the tuck and roll.
And the commander's advice about learning how to fall from Judo folks is good. Judo, Jiu-Jitsu,
Aikido or any other grappling/throwing sport has to teach its adherents how to fall. Otherwise they
get hurt, quit, and stop paying their monthly dues.
Finally, what I've done to avoid the problem (and yet more broken bones), *slow down on descents.* A
guy never killed himself (to my knowledge) climbing a hill at 5mph. It's always the siren-call of
the need for speed downhill that gets ya.
So there you have it, fwiw.
Paladin
