In the battle of knee guards vs. knee braces, most casual riders suffer from the dilemma of choosing and wearing knee guards. To know more about how to wear knee guards, follow me in the discussion wherein you will know what do PRO riders wear and what gears do they recommend for a safe motorcycle ride.
- Wear knee guards over full some sort of under layer, don’t wear directly to the skin, it can be uncomfortable.
- Buy your perfect size knee guard, otherwise the straps will be too short or too long.
- First tighten up the bottom strap then go from down to up.
- Don’t over tighten the velcros, it can create discomfort.
Knee protection during a motorcycle ride has been a primary concern for most of the riders, and most of them, including myself, find difficulty in choosing the perfect type and fit of protection for their knees.
While there is a sea of choices when it comes to choosing knee guards, you need to be aware of how to wear motocross knee guards before choosing and buying one of them.
I was very skeptical about choosing and wearing knee guards during motorcycle rides and never thought about learning how to wear them perfectly, but I was surprised by the advantages of selecting the perfect pair of knee guards and wearing them like professionals.
Not only this, there are many instances where you need a good amount of protection for your knees, like while off-roading or going on a high-speed ride, and knee braces will be more suitable in such cases.
However, there are times, when you are going on a casual motorcycle ride in the town, for which knee guards offering a decent amount of protection seems perfect.
There are various other advantages of investing in a good pair of knee guards and braces when you have previously suffered any kind of knee injury, be it from a minor or major accident.
Read on to learn more about the usage of knee braces and knee guards and which kind of knee gears do pro motocross riders recommend.
Do PRO motocross riders wear knee braces?
Whether you have a past of knee injury or not, it is mostly advisable by the hardcore motocross riders to wear knee braces during a motorcycle ride. And this is due to the fact that motocross riders are prone to knee injuries in any case of an unfortunate event.
In such cases, compared to standard knee guards, knee braces provide a greater amount of protection to the joints and reduce the chances of ACL rupture, which can put the rider to a complete bed rest for six months or so.
If you are looking for some great knee pads or knee braces, then you can head over to this detailed article by expeditionbee.com, where they have reviewed great products with additional information about knee pads and knee braces, and what is the difference among them.
On the other hand, riders who have suffered knee injuries earlier in their life also recommend using knee braces, mostly for the fact that once you have suffered a knee injury, then that part of your knee becomes weaker and more prone to severe damage in case of accidents.
Most of the riders still believe that decent knee guards are enough for a motorcycle ride, and they don’t need to invest in a good pair of knee braces as they are pretty expensive and also look bulkier compared to standard knee guards.
But, consider the scenario when you run into an unfortunate accident, and damage the soft tissues of your knee! Six months of complete bed rest accompanied with hefty hospital bills, and that too for a knee injury!
You are most likely to regret not investing in a good pair of knee braces, and I am not saying this to scare you, but for the fact that present age knee braces have become so versatile and rider-friendly, you won’t regret putting your money into one of them and also love wearing them.
Speaking of the weight and feel of the modern age knee braces, the premium ones use carbon fibre to make them light and strong, and on the other hand, they use multiple hinge technology to mimic the natural movement of the knee, so that the rider doesn’t feel cramped during the movement of the knees.
And, when it comes to protection, they offer great resistance when the rider falls directly on the knee, and protect the ligament from getting rupture.
While this aspect of a knee brace is often overlooked, when safety comes into play, a good pair of knee brace will always prove to be beneficial, considering the price and added weight that the rider has to bear for it.
What protective gear do PRO motocross riders wear?
When it comes to the risk, motocross riders stand at the apex when they are riding, be it on a track, off-road, mud, sand, gravel, whatever. And, speaking of the gears that they wear, it ranges from a helmet, boots, goggles, pants, jersey, gloves, to knee and elbow pads/braces, chest protector/body armor, and a neck brace, which is specifically designed for motocross.
You might feel this amount of safety to be overwhelming for casual riding, but keep in mind the level of vulnerability that a motocross rider is to accidents, and if safety is not taken care of, it can even lead to some life taking incidents.
Speaking of the injuries that motocross riders often suffer from, ankle sprains, ACL tears, broken collarbone and head injuries are some of them, which most of the riders have encountered once in their lifetime, even with the utmost amount of protection from the protective gears.
These injuries can be minimized or prevented using high quality gears like full-face helmets, sturdy riding boots, and knee braces. This might not prevent the rider from any kind of injury from an accident, but it will definitely reduce the severity of injury of the rider.
Now, considering the case of a decent motocross rider, just like you and me, do we need to wear motocross knee guards like a pro? In my opinion, yes!
Mostly because, in case of an accident, any normal motocross rider is equally vulnerable to injuries as compared to a PRO motocross rider, and can suffer intense knee injury in the worst-case scenario.
So, as a responsible and safe rider, you should always try to be equipped with the maximum amount of safety while riding, and when it comes to wearing knee guards, always go for the ones that don’t limit your knee movement, and at the same time provide maximum safety to your knee.