MTB knee pads: Heavy Duty - 8 robust protectors for enduro & bike park in the test

Safety is more than just a cool value from the test lab. Sure, a knee pad that passes the impact on to the body unfiltered makes no sense at all. But safety is also a feeling. It creates a balance in the body that makes you feel safe. The body relaxes and can focus on the essentials, on the terrain that lies ahead.

High protective effect - but also high comfort?

Even if the lightweight trail pads that we tested in BIKE 3/24The eight heavy-duty knee protectors in this test provide considerably more safety than the heavy-duty knee protectors that delivered astonishingly good values in the laboratory and in some cases can even keep up with the heavy bike park protectors.

This is due to several factors: While trail protectors usually only consist of a light sock and the protector for more comfort, park protectors are usually also thickly padded with foam pads and made of robust neoprene. Although this has hardly any influence on the protective effect, it does have a mental effect that should not be underestimated. You simply feel well wrapped up.

In addition, the heavier pads are usually much more stable on the knee. Because they are less designed for pedalling, they can be better pre-shaped to the angled position of the knee. Velcro straps also improve the hold.

We have tested these knee pads

• Amplifi Havok
• Ion K-Pact AMP HD (BIKE Tip Downhill) >> e.g. available here
• IXS Trigger Race >> e.g. available here
• Leatt Knee Guard 3DF 6.0 >> e.g. available here
• O'Neal Redeema Knee Guard >> e.g. available here
• Race Face Ambush >> e.g. available here
• 7IDP Project Knee >> e.g. available here
• Troy Lee Designs Raid Knee (BIKE Tip Test Winner) >> e.g. available here

What makes a knee pad perfect for the bike park?

A combination of two Velcro straps proved to be ideal for use in the bike park or heavy enduro stages. The strap on the thigh can be found on all tested models. An additional strap over the calf noticeably improves the fit even further.

The less stretch the material has, the less risk there is of the protector being pulled down in the event of a fall - one of the main problems with lightweight trail protectors. So-called slide plates also improve grip on contact with the ground. The plastic plates over the knee slide much better than the robust Cordura fabric found on some of the more classic protectors.

Incidentally, none of the testers were really convinced by the option of opening the protector with Velcro fasteners or a zip to put it on and take it off. In some cases, it worsened the wearing comfort and was an unnecessary source of defects - which is not exactly conducive to a secure feeling on steep descents.

These details caught our eye

Laboratory values of the knee pads at a glance

The differences in the laboratory values are astonishingly large. It makes a significant difference whether the knee has to absorb around 9 kN in the event of an impact or almost twice as much in some cases. Some of the trail savers from our last test in BIKE 3/24 can even keep up with the inferior bike park protectors.

Knee pads in the test: how we tested them

Laboratory

Shock absorption is the most important criterion for protectors and therefore accounts for 50 % of the knee pads' rating. We test on the test stands of Sas-Tec GmbH and Evoc in Munich in close accordance with the motorbike test standard EN 1621-1: 2012, where a five-kilogram steel body with a base area of 80x40 mm is dropped from a height of one metre onto the protector, which rests on an anvil with a hemispherical radius (r = 50 mm) made of polished steel. Under the anvil there is a load cell which records the forces. These are displayed as the residual force in kN acting on the knee. The higher the values, the lower the protection. The test temperature is 23 degrees Celsius.

The diagram

Flat curve, blunt peak - this is the perfect cushioning behaviour with low residual force values. If the impact rushes through the protector and generates a sharp, high peak, extreme force peaks act on the knee over a short period of time and the risk of injury increases significantly.

Practice

We tested the fit, comfort and ventilation of each schooner with a total of three testers. We covered a distance of approx. 20 kilometres with each model. The individual points are included in the evaluation in different proportions.

Interview with knee expert Dr Alfred Hochrein

How well and from what can knee pads actually protect? We spoke to Dr Alfred Hochrein about this. The orthopaedic surgeon is a knee specialist and an enthusiastic mountain biker himself. He knows all about the dangers that lurk on technical descents and tough downhills.

BIKE: What can a protector protect against? Jackson Goldstone has just torn all his ligaments. Even a protector won't help.

DR. ALFRED HOCHREIN: That's right. As far as I know, he tore the medial collateral ligament and the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and has since undergone surgery. Such ligament injuries are usually caused by twisting, so unfortunately even knee pads are of little help.

So what does a knee pad protect against and what doesn't it protect against?

Bruises, lacerations, abrasions and fractures caused by direct impact can be prevented or at least minimised with a protector. A protector cannot protect against ligament and meniscus injuries or fractures caused by twisting or bending moments.

There are fat protectors that absorb up to 95 per cent of the impact force. And lightweight enduro or trail protectors that only achieve 60 to 70 per cent. Do the lightweight protectors make sense?

A protector that slips off the knee is useless, no matter how much impact it could theoretically absorb. I would therefore rate a secure fit more highly. Overall, however, I would make it dependent on the intended use: for pure downhill use, the more powerful protector, for enduro/trail use a lighter protector that is still easy to pedal.

Myth or truth? Cycling in shorts in cold weather increases the risk of inflammation, for example of tendons.

Of course, lower temperatures also reduce the blood flow and elasticity of tendons and muscles. However, with regard to such inflammations, I see the danger more in winter training deficits and a poorly adjusted riding position or cockpit.

Some say that the elbows are more at risk than the knees. Is that true?

My elbow pads have certainly taken more punishment than my knee pads. As a knee specialist, they are nevertheless very important to me.

What typical knee injuries do you encounter when mountain biking? How can they be prevented?

Warming up and stretching helps to prevent tendon irritation and overloading. Protectors protect against bruises and abrasions. Ligament, meniscus and cartilage injuries are difficult to prevent. If necessary, train your fall behaviour and click out in good time if you are using clipless pedals.