hip protection

[aidan.f]

On the very  icy  ride  today, one of  our  group has a pair  of  shorts  with sewn in hip protectors,

 Hip Protectors for the Elderly  | Win Health

Now forget the  geriatric bit - we all know that the most likely  cycling injury is  femur/pelvis. I'm personally thinking (at 50) that these are  not a  bad  idea, hoping this  will kick off  a discussion.

They  have  been unscientifically   tested - our sample of  one  fell off and  reported 'didn't  feel a  thing'

comments please........

[Wendy]

I'm not dismissing that.  Recently there was quite some discussion on broken hips and people falling off highracer recumbents.  (They're not that high, but higher than my bike).

[Biggsy]

It brings up the corny old (but arguably valid and important) subject of risk compensation.   Will you lean more on the bends if you think your hips are better protected, possibly with the danger that they aren't as well protected as you think?

I probably would, and so I've decided against hip protectors, despite really not wanting another one of these:

[Wendy]

That's a fair point.  A club rider fractured her hip a few years ago, falling off on the Cudham hill descending towards Downe.  It's nominally 25%, but she fell on the bit that's much steeper.

Besides this, it's somewhat common for skaters to wear this kind of thing.  We expect to fall, more so in a race.  It's usual for me to hear 10 or more falls from people right near me during the course of the Berlin marathon.  I remember going past/over a girl and the guy from our paceline right in front of me at 25mph on one leg and the other one over the top of them.

[Chris S]

I find Not Going Out on an Bike  helpful in these conditions.

HTH.