jyl

Last year I dropped my bicycle on some ice and landed hard on my hip. Didn't really get hurt but I limped for a day. It got me thinking, that could have been an injury, and in ten years, twenty years, it may well be. Not getting younger, after all.

So I started looking for body armor that would be light and slim enough to wear on the bike. Ideally a foam-backed plastic plate that could be slipped under cycling shorts, on top of the hip.

Turns out there are plenty of MX, BMX and MTB armor bits - elbows, knees, shins, chest, even shoulders and spine. Most are pretty bulky, but I don't feel much need for that stuff anyway. I did not, however, find anything for the hips. Really? Doesn't a gravity racer, wiping out at 50 mph, desire to not break his hip just as much as he desires to not break his elbow?

Anyone know of something suitable?

krobinson103

I've never seen hip armor for motorcycles either. I've gone down a few times on those and the armor protects everwhere but the hip. Some have padding to cushion the fall a bit, but not solid plates.

rebel1916

https://www.shockgarden.com/hillbilly...FYSe4AodZ0UA1g
There are numerous products like this. I wouldnt bother though

RT

I had a drop on Jan 8 with no broken bones (cracked helmet), but at 48, the hand/wrist that broke the fall is only now almost fully recovered. It was ok for two weeks, then I re-sprained it in my sleep. You know you're getting old when you suffer sleep injuries.

Went out and got some neoprene ACE wrist supports that work very well, but I am also considering getting some light armor for the rare wreck. The legs/knees are in good shape, but arm injuries will keep me off the bike just as long.

deeth82

There is no wrist.

https://instantrimshot.com

JoeyBike

Ice Hockey pants. Warm and padded in the hips.

I am not trying to be funny.

Burton

Soft and effective - but not $9.99

https://www.pocsports.com/en/product/...vpd-2-0-shorts

Leebo

I like studded tires for ice, keeps me upright.

dramiscram

I think it's a non sense, I never wear body armor at any time. There's risk of getting hurt everywhere so I don't see why I should wear a protective armour especialy on my bike.

I minimize the risks as much as I can by riding safely, by driving safely and by acting safely and wisely in any part of my life.

But still, life is life and we all must die of something.

Standalone 

+1

tsl

+1

And yet, roughly once a year, I make a bad judgement call and ride one of the other bikes. A couple of weeks ago I went down in the parking lot at work. It wasn't supposed to drop below freezing until a couple of hours after I got home. Oh well. Plan B kicked in.

Plan B is learn how to fall without injury.

Way back in high school, (nearly 40 years ago) I took judo as a Phys Ed class elective. The first thing they teach you is how to fall. The most common technique is the shoulder roll. It works well in cycling.

When I returned to cycling, my first fall (a pedal strike when cornering) reminded me of this. Or rather, an epic case of road rash reminded me of this. Once I healed, I began practicing my shoulder rolls again. I've not been injured since.

Even back in 2008 when I was t-boned in an intersection by a left crossing Pontiac, the shoulder roll saved me. Because my head was tucked, my helmet never touched ground. I had zero road rash because I never skidded along. I had a few bruises--pavement is hard, after all, especially at speed.

I had a deep tissue contusion in my right shoulder which caught the initial impact, but had I not already started the roll, it would have meant a snapped collar bone. I was back to work within a week, and completely healed in two. Not bad for having "Pontiac" embossed on your calf.

So my best advice is learn how to fall. Even if it takes some night self-defense classes to do it.

Notso_fastLane

My leathers have extra padding right over the hip bone area. Come to think of it, my textile motorcycle pants do too.

Check these out.

fietsbob

have a 20 year old set of nokians, threat of ice, i ride those.

thinking Ice Hockey gear?

tjspiel

Got ya covered:





Yes, you can actually buy this stuff. Just watch out for the ewoks. They look harmless, but...

caloso

Football girdle?

But I agree with tsl: The best thing is to know how to fall properly. I credit years of playing field sports as a kid.

tspeters

So how does one tuck and roll with a bike between their legs?

Notso_fastLane

This sounds good, and if you have a split second even of warning, it's possible that your reflexes will reduce the damage. I've had at least a couple of spills, both on bicycle and motorcycle, though, where one second, I was on two wheels, and the next thing I know, my body's hitting the ground, so don't count on that.

I'd probably wear my motorcycle leathers if it wouldn't give me a heat stroke (even in winter). I am looking at getting some mtn bike armor, and I might wear the elbow protectors on my every day commute at least, maybe the hip, since those are the parts most likely to get hurt on a fall from a recumbent.

tsl

Switch to a low racer. Not as far to fall.

Buddy of mine has one. At stoplights, instead of putting his foot down, he uses his hand.

tsl

I don't.

First, let go of the bike. I've always magically come unclipped too, so no troubles there.

jyl

The fall I had, I don't think any tucking and rolling is possible. Rounding a curve, tires found black ice, shot out from under me, instant low-side.

I may go find some really stiff closed cell foam and cut a piece to fit under the cycling shorts. Maybe glue some thin plastic to the outside, to spread the impact a bit.

rebel1916

Seriously? I mean you asked for what a simple google search could have turned up, I did the search for you and posted one of the dozens of commercially available options, and now you are planning a halfassed arts and crafts project. The internet is a weird place.

jyl

Thanks for posting that (the hillbilly hip shorts), I thought it was a little too obtrusive looking - not quite my style.

CB HI

Or soccer goal keeper shorts for warm days.

MichaelW

A lot of American Football protectors use a polymer (tradename zoombang) that stiffens on impact. This is built into other types of protetcion. The skating ones may work for cycling.
Hip protection may sound a bit wussy for young men but there are older cyclists and ones with osteoarthritis who could use some extra padding.

Burton

Yeah - those work pretty good. Set up one of the depanneur guys with studded tires this winter. He didn't notice any earth-shattering difference ...... except: His co-worker has been off work for the past month with three broken ribs from a spill on black ice with regular tires and for him, on the other hand, its just life as usual.