Pro riders NOT using knee braces?

Whip
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4/6/2020 12:16pm Edited Date/Time 1/27/2022 7:14am
Anyone know of any pro's not using knee braces? If so do you know what knee pads they are using?
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fullfloater
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4/6/2020 12:27pm
Whip wrote:
Anyone know of any pro's not using knee braces? If so do you know what knee pads they are using?
Not current but Pastrana always used the EVS knee pads rather than braces
Boomslang
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4/6/2020 12:35pm
Whip wrote:
Anyone know of any pro's not using knee braces? If so do you know what knee pads they are using?
I'm pretty sure all pro's are using knee braces. You'd be crazy not to.
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4/6/2020 12:45pm
Didn’t someone post on here not too long ago that Cooper Webb didn’t wear knee braces? Might of been in the knee brace thread but I can’t remember. I thought that was a bit crazy myself
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ti473
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4/6/2020 1:03pm
Whip wrote:
Anyone know of any pro's not using knee braces? If so do you know what knee pads they are using?
Boomslang wrote:
I'm pretty sure all pro's are using knee braces. You'd be crazy not to.
that's simply not true
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The Shop

EngIceDave
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4/6/2020 1:06pm
Boomslang wrote:
I'm pretty sure all pro's are using knee braces. You'd be crazy not to.
Not true
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mnomis484
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4/6/2020 1:33pm
Josh hill i believe only wears knee pads, said so in a video if i recall correctly
4/6/2020 1:35pm
Windham didn’t wear them I don’t think, pretty sure Justin hill doesn’t
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chasetwo79
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4/6/2020 1:41pm Edited Date/Time 4/7/2020 10:02am
I’ve personally never been a fan of knee braces. I get the reasoning and the medical advice behind it. I also understand that if you’ve injured your knee before, it’s a must have. However I’ve seen plenty of broken femurs on people with knee braces because the knee doesn’t flex and the bone breaks so it’s a pick your poison sometimes.

From a riding standpoint, the hardest transition for me with braces is your legs feel slightly more disconnected from the bike when your gripping with your knees and I’ve always preferred a nice set up knee cups.

Again, not a current pro, but I was a pro/am A class rider when wearing knee braces really took off and I remember testing them all and just being frustrated. Now I’m a 36 year old kinda sometimes fast guy and I still don’t wear them.

But again, I get why some where them and I would never advocate against them or anything, more of a personal preference.
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GCBC
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4/6/2020 1:43pm
not sure exactly what they do, looking at the device it looks like most people are worried about your knee bowing out sideways? looks like this would transfer all energy in event of a crash to your hip instead of letting some rotation out at the knee.

I just wear compression pads to keep from chafing while im squeezing the shit out of the bike. would like to get some more safety gear soon so interested in some lite duty leg gear.
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snowy816
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4/6/2020 1:44pm
Windham didn’t wear them I don’t think, pretty sure Justin hill doesn’t
Yeah you are correct and I still remember the interview about it. He stated he wore knee braces in SX but for motox he preferred just knee pads to move around on the bike.

I have known a fair few who didn't like them because they couldn't feel the bike.
CivBars
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4/6/2020 1:44pm
Knee braces fall into the same category as neck braces as far as I'm concerned. I know of a a few Pro's that only wear knee pads and even more locals that used to wear knee braces and now wear knee pads. Personal preference. Neck braces will only help in a crash. Knee pads/ braces help grip the bike and protect the top of your knees from the bottom of the bars, roost/ branches. rubbing paint.
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chasetwo79
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4/6/2020 1:48pm
CivBars wrote:
Knee braces fall into the same category as neck braces as far as I'm concerned. I know of a a few Pro's that only wear knee...
Knee braces fall into the same category as neck braces as far as I'm concerned. I know of a a few Pro's that only wear knee pads and even more locals that used to wear knee braces and now wear knee pads. Personal preference. Neck braces will only help in a crash. Knee pads/ braces help grip the bike and protect the top of your knees from the bottom of the bars, roost/ branches. rubbing paint.
Way more pros and riders in general wear knee braces than the neck braces. Also, even though I hate knee braces, I think there is way more grounds to wear those versus neck braces.
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LumpDog841
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4/6/2020 2:02pm
Some do some don't. Pretty sure Webb and Windam didn't/don't use knee braces
150ripper
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4/6/2020 3:08pm
chasetwo79 wrote:
I’ve personally never been a fan of knee braces. I get the reasoning and the medical advice behind it. I also understand that if you’ve injured...
I’ve personally never been a fan of knee braces. I get the reasoning and the medical advice behind it. I also understand that if you’ve injured your knee before, it’s a must have. However I’ve seen plenty of broken femurs on people with knee braces because the knee doesn’t flex and the bone breaks so it’s a pick your poison sometimes.

From a riding standpoint, the hardest transition for me with braces is your legs feel slightly more disconnected from the bike when your gripping with your knees and I’ve always preferred a nice set up knee cups.

Again, not a current pro, but I was a pro/am A class rider when wearing knee braces really took off and I remember testing them all and just being frustrated. Now I’m a 36 year old kinda sometimes fast guy and I still don’t wear them.

But again, I get why some where them and I would never advocate against them or anything, more of a personal preference.
As someone who had a tib/fib break while wearing knee braces I can say I'd take that 100/100 times over knee damage if I had to do it again. Happened 15 years ago and I currently run ~60 miles a week. Don't think that'd be possible had I damaged my knee.
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bonseff
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4/6/2020 3:30pm
Gamble on the crash, save a knee or jack a hip. Saving a knee is the safe bet, but like I said, depends on the crash.
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motoman998
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4/6/2020 4:29pm
Whip wrote:
Anyone know of any pro's not using knee braces? If so do you know what knee pads they are using?
Not current but Pastrana always used the EVS knee pads rather than braces


Pastrana using knee pad sleeves
2F4A
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4/6/2020 4:31pm
Antonio Cairoli doesn't wear braces either, just simple and cheap Ufo pads.
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4/6/2020 5:00pm Edited Date/Time 4/6/2020 5:03pm
Jimmy Albertson runs EVS Epic kneeguards AFAIK. I use the same ones and when googling them found a promo with him in it.

*edit* here's the video, he's not sponsored by them anymore though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR3pw3J-Blw
TXDirt
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4/6/2020 5:17pm
Look at how many times your knee gets hooked funny in a rut. Or you have a small tip over in a corner. There have been tons of knee injuries without even so much as a crash. You can tear your ACL and MCL quite easily.

A knee brace isn’t going to save you from every type of calamity. But man it sure will save you a hundred other times you aren’t even thinking about it.

Once you feel that brace lock out even once you will feel glad you had that brace on. Because if not then you just blew your knee out.

Two things I would never get on a motorcycle without. A helmet. And my knee braces.
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CivBars
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4/6/2020 5:37pm
chasetwo79 wrote:
Way more pros and riders in general wear knee braces than the neck braces. Also, even though I hate knee braces, I think there is way...
Way more pros and riders in general wear knee braces than the neck braces. Also, even though I hate knee braces, I think there is way more grounds to wear those versus neck braces.
I think you'd be surprised
SoCalMX70
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4/6/2020 5:48pm
I recently got knee braces for the first time. Wore them, then didn't, then did again. Can't decide if I'm going to keep running them to be honest. My regular knee guards are the Leatt Dual Axis, which I love!
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CPR
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4/6/2020 5:50pm
Whip wrote:
Anyone know of any pro's not using knee braces? If so do you know what knee pads they are using?
Not current but Pastrana always used the EVS knee pads rather than braces
If you've ever seen Pastrana walk, you'll know he's not a great exhibit for the 'pads rather than braces' argument.
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fullfloater
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4/6/2020 5:59pm Edited Date/Time 4/6/2020 6:04pm
CPR wrote:
If you've ever seen Pastrana walk, you'll know he's not a great exhibit for the 'pads rather than braces' argument.
True, true. I've tried two brands of knee braces, even the custom Cti braces and I've never found ones that worked for me. I always came away from the track in more pain than when I arrived. I think it's because I have long legs and I'm a bit knock kneed so my legs bend at a funky angle. Anyway, I've come to accept that the best I can do is the EVS guard which is merely for scuffs than any kind of support at all. Fingers crossed...
foreman52
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4/6/2020 6:00pm
SoCalMX70 wrote:
I recently got knee braces for the first time. Wore them, then didn't, then did again. Can't decide if I'm going to keep running them to...
I recently got knee braces for the first time. Wore them, then didn't, then did again. Can't decide if I'm going to keep running them to be honest. My regular knee guards are the Leatt Dual Axis, which I love!
Throw the Leatt’s out and get used to your knee braces. This is the one piece of equipment I refuse to ride without. I have seen way too many people go through ACL/MCL & Meniscus tears. You’re never the same after. At least if it happens you know you did everything you could of to prevent it.
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CivBars
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4/6/2020 6:02pm
CPR wrote:
If you've ever seen Pastrana walk, you'll know he's not a great exhibit for the 'pads rather than braces' argument.
Didn't he hurt his knees a bunch in braces?
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gregyou
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4/6/2020 6:12pm
Never even thought about knee braces until having a torn acl, mcl, mensicus damage
I think doing sports as kid it doesn’t get talked about how easy it is to mess your knees up and how important it should be to prevent it.
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dwilli150
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4/6/2020 6:18pm
Pretty sure ping ditched his braces recently.
CivBars
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4/6/2020 6:19pm
SoCalMX70 wrote:
I recently got knee braces for the first time. Wore them, then didn't, then did again. Can't decide if I'm going to keep running them to...
I recently got knee braces for the first time. Wore them, then didn't, then did again. Can't decide if I'm going to keep running them to be honest. My regular knee guards are the Leatt Dual Axis, which I love!
Don't broke what ain't fix.
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BobPA
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4/6/2020 6:58pm
I have used braces forever. Blew out a knee and broke a femur while wearing them...Honestly not sure if they do anything. But, I have become so used to them, that I feel naked without them while riding. Would not hesitate to try a set of knee pads with good coverage...But "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

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