Must have gear for female riders!!!

[Pebble]

Fox Launch Pads

Got my fox launch pads yesterday S/M size. Went for about an hours ride today (pretty much all pedalling).

They are great looking pads, they fit around the legs well and go to just above the ankle. They don't interfere with my sneakers while riding. And I love the clip system, so easy to take on and off!
I also thought they might rub or hit the top tube of my bike when I pedal but they didn't at all.
Comfort wise I'll give them some time to break in. They did end up rubbing above the knee area somewhere after the first half hour. Probably couldn't have ridden for more than an hour and a half without getting red sore skin particularly on one side. This may be a case of loosening or tightening the straps or give them a bit of time to wear in. Otherwise wearing knee length shorts (or even 3/4 ones) would solve the problem I reckon.
Other than that they were great - if only the 661 veggies didn't have that stitching behind the knee and had straps that were as nice and soft as the fox then they would have been great - minus the knee protection of course!

Oh and todays temp is in the mid to high thirties, so I imagine it was thirty something when I went out about 11:30am. My legs did sweat a littl (hell they would if I was wearing pants) but the fox pads were really nice and light and also let the breeze in when you're riding. So they weren't unbearably hot or anything like that.

As long as the rubbing issue can be resolved (which should be easy enough) then I think they're great even for people like me who just go out on the trails and don't get to do any gnarly dh stuff. Of course for DH where you don't do a huge amount of pedalling they'd probably be perfect. And for anyone trying them on in the shop - they feel more comfy & sit better when you're pedalling on the bike rather than standing and walking aorund.

Cheers,

Pebble

 

[yakinAway]

the verdict is the scott moto ones are going back n a set of carbon fibre MX XS O FRAME ones are winging the way to me right now roll on tuesday......

I found the scott ones cut my vision out too much n did not sit well in the helmet hated the youths Scott ones, could not breathe in them, the Oakley MX ones were too big in the helmet but the MX XS O frame's fit nicely n hurray there not pink

I have to wait tilll tues though cause they only had pink n yuck no way hosea

 

[Pebble]

The stitching came undone after just 2 to 3 rides on one of the straps & the strap started to deteriorate badly. So the pads were sent back. I opted for a store credit rather than and exchange.

I'm debating wether to try something like the Mace Tectonic or Race Face Rally FR.

Funny, riding clipless you need pads for falling off so much, riding platforms you need pads to save your shins!

 

[yakinAway]

yeah even with flats u need then for falling off ask my shins after an encounter with the rocks today

oh n I marked my new helmet boy am I mad now the new googles n helmet are still going strong though

I just over cooked things

 

[Pebble]

And the verdict is

I rode for about an hour or so (18ks), it had rained late yesterday so there was some mud on parts of the trail (otherwise it was mostly dry). Temperature today is supposed to be 36deg C, I went out about 9am before it got too hot.

I did the tops straps fairly loose to start with, one pad started croaking so after going up and down the hill I tightened them up. No chafing behind the knee at all which was my main concern when I wore them around the house.

The pads are hotter than the fox launch ones, they are bulkier, but they are really comfortable to pedal in. Also no sign of any stitching coming undone from doing up the velcro straps etc.

Only problem is mud flicking up and for some reason it likes to get into the pads above the knee - that can lead to irritation, I found a couple of red marks just above my right knee which feel tender now that I'm back home, only thing I can put it down to is the mud that got in as the inside pads are soft as. I reckon most pads would probably have the mud problem though - fox ones certainly would as the top opens up just like the RF pads. Anyone else have this problem and done anythign about it? Not that I'll probably be riding in mud that often.

Coasting down hill I could feel the cool breeze coming in, but nothing like it did with the foxes - I imagine the Race Face DH version may have better front venting as it has more of a baffle system similar to the fox launch pads allowing more air flow.

In the end I reckon if you live in a hot climate you're probably used to riding in it enough not to worry about having sweaty legs - it didn't seem to make me feel any hotter overall.

And if you pedal heaps then these are worth a look, if you have big legs / calves you should probably try them on first as the straps can be on the short side. Also if you don't like burly looking pads they're probably not for you.

Protection, Comfort, Durability that's all I ask of them, and seems to be what I'll get!

Big ugly leg - showing the mud that got in....

Gee they don't actually look that bad in a photo! Look bulkier from my point of view.

 

[dlgh]

don't actually have a

MTB yet but am looking!
for my road/tri kit, & general sports clothes, team estrogen in US have GREAT girls gear. and very colour-coordinated. haven't looked to see what their MTB range is like yet.
www.teamestrogen.com

 

[TerraNik]

MTB yet but am looking!
for my road/tri kit, & general sports clothes, team estrogen in US have GREAT girls gear. and very colour-coordinated. haven't looked to see what their MTB range is like yet.
www.teamestrogen.com

Mtb stuff is almost non-existent. They have a few good things there like MTB baggy shorts.. but no women's specific DH jerseys, or armour or anything like that. It really caters to the road cyclist.

 

[Gwills]

Ladies - Your advice requested on armour!

I bought my wife a pressure suit for Christmas thinking it would have been suitable ie. fit her) Nahhh. I have tried doing some research on finding her some armour that would fit the female frame etc and have found nothing.

Is there any brand out there that caters for women sizing? She is a "small/medium frame"(not bike?!)

 

[yakinAway]

Im using a pressure suit its an XS size which was brought in specially for me

its a bit big still round the shoulders but does the job n was mint when I bailed over the bars in my last race....

there are some ones specific ones ummm it was listed in the tread somewhere..... but they are pink so out of principal (i dont do pink either) I have never looked into it

 

[SCF]

The only female specific body armour I have found is the rockgardn lady flak jacket. Check it out here

http://www.rockgardn.com/items/body-armor/lady-flak-jacket-lfj-detail.htm

I have a small and find it very comfortable and well ventilated

 

[GrooveJet]

OH! The pain!!

Hi girls.
I just got a new xc bike and took it out for it's maiden voyage, however, my butt is really paying the price today
It currently has a WTB Devo team seat. Does this seat need time to be worn in

I know this all comes down to personal preference & the feel & fit of the seat, but just wondering if anyone can give me some clues as to any girl bum friendly saddles they have used for xc.

My butt thanks you in advance

 

[roxy12]

Still getting around to writing reviews but generaly
dj saddle sucked (wide style)

speciailsed jett (comes in 3 sizes for differnent hip widths) is fantastic, takers a bit to get used to because of the shape but im never chaning.


wtb speed she is crap, imo, basicaly just a cheaper version of the bel air and not very female specific.

 

[RAChad]

Must have gear

Hi girls!

I just got a pair of Fox Launch shorts- lycra Niks with padding for the thighs and hips. Although they are, in fact, a men's short, I think they may solve a major problem for many girls; grazing and bruising our hip-bones. Both guys and girls fall and hurt their hands, wrists, shoulders, thighs and butt-cheeks, but I reckon we have a particular tendency to hurt our hips (Note to male manufacturers of gear: that is, on our sides just above where most shorts finish and below where most upper-body armour straps up around your waist). I think the reason for this is that this part of a woman's anatomy tends to stick out a bit. Unfortunately this means our hips tend to take the brunt of the friction in a fall, resulting in worse bruising and grazing than just sliding along your torso if you're a straight up-and-down male.

With the Launch Short, if you get a size that allows the waist elastic to be pulled up high enough, the pads on either side will cover your hip bones right where you would expect them to hit the ground if you come off at speed. I know this because the pads sit right on the scars I have from previous stacks. They also have padding lower down to protect your thighs and butt. You still need baggy shorts without lining to wear over the top though.

Excited at the thought of less grazes and bruises for summer.

 

[yakinAway]

yeah bomber shorts 661 do the same thing... Im thinking about them for nats as we have so mean rock gardens to ride

 

[RAChad]

bomber shorts

Actually the 661 Bomber Shorts are probably better.

I've heard since I made my purchase that not only does the Bomber short have more padding than the Fox Launch short, but it's got more length in the legs too, and having now worn the Launch short a couple of times this would be my only gripe; the leg elastic grips really tightly because it sits quite high up on my thighs (though probably only because i have them pulled up over my hips).

Wish I'd looked around and got a pair of the 661s. But I got excited over padding for my hips...In case you couldn't tell.