Submitted by
Foxbat
a Downhiller
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: November 14, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Anderson Truck Trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Pricepoint.com
Strengths:
Secure - they won't slide in a crash and leave you exposed. Very tough materials - the plastic on mine have many deep scrapes which I am glad weren't flesh.
Weaknesses:
A bit bulky and not as comfortable for longer rides with climbing but not too bad.
Similar Products Used:
Fox Launch, O'Neal Rocker, RockGardn Landing Zone, Lizard Skins Softcell, Troy Lee Combat, Troy Lee Lopes.
Bike Setup:
Giant Reign X
Bottom Line:
Tough and secure protection for your legs. Definitely one of the top designs on the market - recommended for FR and DH.
I've tried a lot of different guards and I've found that fit can be very personal. Try to check these out at a shop before you buy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Racer
from West Aus Date Reviewed: February 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Pile Road
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Crank N' cycles
Strengths:
Feel brilliant. spot on. considering the price, best value for a knee/shin guard.
Weaknesses:
Made for people with absolutely no legs. I'm a road sprinter originally, so trying to get the velcro to properly fasten is an impossible task if I want to retain bloodflow. Simple solution though. Pick the stitching and relocate.
Similar Products Used:
661 and fox.
Bike Setup:
Hardtail downhill. Who cares, it goes. (STP frame, blackspire NS-1 guide, 7 speed)
Bottom Line:
Awesome except a little irritating if you actually possess calf muscle. Skinny shuttle DHers need not worry.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alex Weissman
a
from Madison CT Date Reviewed: February 21, 2008
Favorite Trail:
MIllers Pond south loop
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$44.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
these things are so comfortable and dont chafe your legs. if you want to ride al day and not have to keep taking off your pads these are the pads for you. they have saved my shins from so many injures and make my rides much more injoyable
Weaknesses:
poor sewing around plastic
Similar Products Used:
non
Bike Setup:
jamis-jakar xlt custom
Bottom Line:
they are the best pads on the market. just week stiching oh well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a
from Roswell, Ga Date Reviewed: January 13, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
jensonusa.com
Strengths:
fit great, dont move around, great protection, comfortable, looks cool
Weaknesses:
the stitching. seems like alot of the threads are coming loose. one of the straps the velcro is about to come off. I am about to send in for warranty
Similar Products Used:
sixsixone, fox, tld
Bike Setup:
freeride setup
Bottom Line:
great pads, but the stitching is not the greatest.
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Submitted by
Pebble
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia Date Reviewed: December 1, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Comfortable, fit well and do the job they're meant to.
Weaknesses:
Ankle Srap & Calf Strap could be short for some.
Similar Products Used:
Fox Launch, 661 Veggie
Bike Setup:
Used to be on a Trance, now on a HT, buying an STP in January.
Bottom Line:
Great pads, although probably a bit over the top for what is essentially XC riding. These days I'm a bit more complacent so take them only if I'm doing the rockier loop. I've thought of getting Kyle Straits or something but the protection of these is just impassable.
Heat wasn't really much of an issue, however I decided to customize them a bit. I cut the foam from the inside to widen it around the slots in the plastic shell. This worked really well, they now get a bit more air flow to the inside. You can cut the foam with a sharp knife & it will not deteriorate any further than what you have cut Period! This impressed me - they foam is top quality & they are made really well! If race face (roach) is reading this - why not make the foam holes a bit bigger on your new design?
I have also cut off the middle calf strap, it's not needed. For those that don't want to cut it off you can strap it around the front of the pad, I did this for a while before just cutting it off all together. The ankle strap is kind of short, but I suppose it's a good thing, means I can't wear it any higher than where it's meant to go - I suppose it's why they stay put, the actually can't go down or up even if they wanted to. Could be an issue for someone with thicker ankles though!
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Submitted by
Martin
a Cross Country Rider
from Abilene Date Reviewed: November 7, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Government Canyon (Balcones Heights)
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
-Fit -Looks -Quality
Weaknesses:
-Straps not long enough for people with muscular legs
Similar Products Used:
-Some cheap fox stuff
Bike Setup:
Haro Shift- '08 BB7s, Revelation 130mm dual air, Rockshox MC 3.1 rear, Time Atac XS clipless, WTB Weirwolf 3.2s, Specialized G2 saddle, and Mavic Crosstrails
Bottom Line:
Thought I would try these out based on reading a lot of review from different companies. These fit like a glove. They really conform to your legs (kind of slightly wrap around). Great quality! The only problem is for people with slightly muscular calves; the male part of the velcro will not reach the female. Other than that, great armor!! Just ordered the arm FR.
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Submitted by
Tony Gorilla
a Cross Country Rider
from Bergen, Norwegen, Europa Date Reviewed: November 1, 2007
Favorite Trail:
L
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Chainreactioncycles.com, on sale
Strengths:
Rock solid, good fit, does not irritate skin
Weaknesses:
elastics around calves waAAAY too short
Similar Products Used:
BD telepads, inline pads, soccer pads
Bike Setup:
Marin Wolf ridge set at 5.5" w RP3 rear, 36 Talas up front, homegrown Hope pro2`s on 719, Thomson, RF, Juicy7, SRAM
Bottom Line:
Dunno wa ya ***Freeriders*** are all made of? Judged from the design of the Race Face / Roach Rally FR knee / shinguards it cannot be much more than skin, bones, and tendons... The male velcro ain`t nowhere near reaching the hairy female counterpart around my calves, so it spends its life rippin`up the elastic instead of gettin`cosy with its female partner. Lengthwise the fit of my medium is great(I´m 5"7` sub 160lb).
To get to the local GOOD STUFF ya kinda have to climb a couple of thousand feet before descending, so you tend to develop strong calves.. Maybe it`s made for all yer chopper transport and liftbased ridin`?
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Submitted by
Brian Nystrom
a Cross Country Rider
from Nashua, NH Date Reviewed: June 22, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Xmas gift
Strengths:
Outstanding fit and comfort, secure and tough
Weaknesses:
The straps that cross behind the knee can be mildly irritating, but they fit so well overall that these straps don't need to be tight. The stitching on one Velcro pads is coming loose, but I can fix that.
Bike Setup:
'06 Jamis Dakar XC Pro
Bottom Line:
I like 'em and I wear 'em on every ride. As I stated above, I'm an XC rider who's gotten tired of getting chewed up in falls (I'm past the age where I think scars are cool). I haven't had a lower leg injury since I got these, but the scuffs and scrapes on the plastic indicate that I would have if I hadn't been wearing them. That's enough to make them worth wearing. They're comfortable enough that I don't even notice them most of the time. The one thing I do notice is that the knee pads squeak on sweaty skin, but it's no big deal. I'll probably add a layer of Lycra to them to eliminate the noise.
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Submitted by
Alex Strauss
a Downhiller
from Boulder, CO, USA Date Reviewed: June 10, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Dominion, Diablo Freeride Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
The Fix bike shop
Strengths:
They stay put ALWAYS. They are very comfy and they look cool!!
Weaknesses:
top two Crossing straps can cut into your leg when you strap them down tight.
Similar Products Used:
Fox Launch 911 661 Race Knee/shin
Bike Setup:
Giant Faith (soon to be a glory), 66, dialobus, Maxxis minions, E13 SRS, Hayes HFX 9, etc.
Bottom Line:
I must have tried on or bought at least a dozen differnt types of knee/shin pads since I started freeriding. Dianese, Fox, 661, etc. but the ROACH FR pads are the best by far, they are comfy to wear, they stay in place and you forget they are on when you are riding. The only bad thing that I have to say is that the top two straps cut into the back of your leg when they are super tight, so my suggestion would be to NOT tighten them so much lol.
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Submitted by
Paul
a Weekend Warrior
from Yonkers, NY Date Reviewed: September 26, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Sprain Ridge Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$55.00
Purchased At:
beyondbikes.com
Strengths:
super comfy, great protection
Weaknesses:
stitching is going already!
Similar Products Used:
my knee caps and skin on top
Bike Setup:
stock Trek 4900
Bottom Line:
Great protection for my shins and knees - even when flying through branches. Everytime I ride I cut up my legs, I don't do much Freeriding but more XC with a bit of jumping/logging etc. Overall, the legs seem to get hot at first but once you start moving you'll notice the vents actually work well. I purchased this b/c of the reviews on this website. great stuff, now I feel more confident to do crazier XC rides. At first the behind the knee straps started to get itchy and putting pressure but i loosened them, they stayed, and it's better now. I fell on my first ride attempting a 6 log climb and instead of worrying I laughed as I fell - didn't feel a thing. Top quality item here. Highly recommended.
Stitching is all I am worried about, I know RaceFace does a warranty on it but still, a new product shouldn't fall apart.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rodney
a Weekend Warrior
from Orlando, FL Date Reviewed: August 16, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes
Strengths:
Full shin coverage, ankle pads, good padding.
Weaknesses:
Knee pad may be a little low, but hasn't been a problem yet.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
stock Gary Fisher Tarpon HT except for Haro platform pedals and some new wheels very soon.
Bottom Line:
Great shin guard! I really love the honeycomb padding. I may have hit my shin more times than I realize, but I can't feel the impact when I do. I can kick my shin into my pedal hard without even really feeling it. Does not slip around. I went with the XL since I'm 6'3" and the knee pad could be a little short, but I haven't scrapped my knee yet, so I guess it's fine. The ventilation is nice, but I still sweat a lot since I would sweat a lot even if I rode naked.
All in all, a great pad!
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Submitted by
Beau
a Downhiller
from Park City, UT, USA Date Reviewed: July 25, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Go-Ride
Strengths:
great pad, excellent protection, stays in place perfectley during an impact.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
661 4-4
Bike Setup:
'06 vp free
Bottom Line:
excellent pads
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cameron
a Weekend Warrior
from Ottawa, ON, Canada Date Reviewed: May 23, 2006
Favorite Trail:
National
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Phat Moose Cycles
Strengths:
comfortable
Weaknesses:
poorly crafted: after a couple of rides the stitching under one of the buckles tore out
Similar Products Used:
MEC leg armour
Bottom Line:
after just a couple of runs and no big falls I would have expected this product to hold together much better... I'd heard many good things about this product and I'm kinda pissed
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Boston Date Reviewed: March 15, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
Nice tough plastic on the knees and shins, good padding but not too hot
Weaknesses:
The straps. Why won't they stay on?!!
Similar Products Used:
Fox 911 Leg Armor, Core Rat Armor
Bike Setup:
Giant AC Freeride bike Surly Instigator Singlespeed
Bottom Line:
I hate to give this product a bad rating because they were the best pair of leg armor I have ever ridden prior to the straps falling off. First the middle strap on the right leg fell off during a ride. Okay, it happens. A few weeks later, the left leg middle strap came off. Its still okay because I can still wear them. then the lower strap comes off. Give me a break here, Roach!! Like one of the other people wrote, what good are great pads if you can't strap them around your legs. Sorry Roach, poor sticking equals poor product...
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Submitted by
calen
a Downhiller
from fairfax, ca Date Reviewed: March 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:
dirt merch to A-line
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
deep and extensive protection plastic hardshell is tough as nails gladiator styling airflow vents in hardshell does not move or shift when you eat shizzle
Weaknesses:
weak sauce stitching on bottom of one knee shell is coming out so that shell lifts up partially
Similar Products Used:
661, fox p.o.s.
Bike Setup:
transition dirtbag, shivers, etcetera
Bottom Line:
super sick pads. mine have taken a real beating and probably saved me from at least 1 surgery. coverage extends all the way down the shin behind tongue of shoe and is totally bombproof. had a 30 mph ragdoll on a-line (waaaay overshot that last right hand hip-table above GLC drops and exploded on landing) and the only scratches on my legs were above the rallys. diesel. vents are a nice feature, although you don't really get any breezy feeling below 15 mph and mud tends to plug up the foam underneath, reducing airflow. you can just wash the things. very comfortable - they mold to your body after a lot of use and you forget they're there. buy these if you do any hardcore riding; they'll save you in style. good enough for wade, good enough for me and you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Downhiller
from Buellton, CA, United States Date Reviewed: January 2, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
beyondbikes.com
Strengths:
super comfortable, didn't slip at all, excellent ventilation
Weaknesses:
straps are pathetically week, only lasted 2 rides
Similar Products Used:
661 4x4, troy lee designs
Bike Setup:
Balfa 2step DH
Bottom Line:
These would be the best pads on the market today if the straps were stronger. But what use is a pad if you can't strap it to your leg?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Downhiller
from Newcastle Australia Date Reviewed: December 21, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$55.00
Strengths:
Front armour (hard plastic stuff), Overall length (great coverage), fit, not too hot (major deal riding in hot Australian summers)...
Weaknesses:
strap attachment - just sent mine back to get a strap re-attached.
Similar Products Used:
some old Fox things.
Bike Setup:
05 bighit - e13, x9, just waitin to get rid of those stances!!!
Bottom Line:
My pads are getting fixed by Race Face right now. Problem is I have been riding my mates crappy old Fox pads that have no coverage and slide around eveywhere. Fell off yesterday - broken nose, and alot of lacerations. Problem is i still have cuts on my knees cos the stupid Fox pads moved!!! if i had my race faces on, there would be two less grazes on me! (If i had my full face helmet that my girlfriend is giving me for Xmas on I wouldnt hav a broken nose but thats another story) Just buy these pads
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ian
a
from san diego Date Reviewed: November 11, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Water tower trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$54.00
Purchased At:
Blue Sky Cycling
Strengths:
EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE unless you already have a crap load of cuts and scrapes all over your legs. Great Protection i was outside building jumps in my backyard and my brother was pissed at me so he threw a shovel at my leg not realizing that i had pads on i didnt feel a thing. Seem to hold up well
Weaknesses:
expensive- but totally worth it
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Trek 6700 disc with XT/Xtr avid hydros
Bottom Line:
Great product for any one who want more protection then shorts very comfortable and stay in place.I would highly suggest them unless you are a crazy downhiller that goes 60mph down Mammoth. If ur a crazy downhillerthen buy the downhill pads Dont waste your time with cheap pads. Im 5'8" with long legs and the large's fit great
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Submitted by
martin
a Weekend Warrior
from van.,bc, canada Date Reviewed: September 21, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Fit, great protection, padding, retention straps
Weaknesses:
RF could make size S as well, stitching shoud be more heavy-duty
Similar Products Used:
Rhyno, Fox
Bike Setup:
Me on top, bike on the bottom, sometimes reversed.
Bottom Line:
Great fitting pads, great protection. They just don't move, are light (you forget that you have them on). Little more venting would be nice, but nothing too unbearable, even in the summer. Stitching could be beefed-up, but that's easily fixable. A little pricey, but you get excellent protection and great fit, which is hard to find in leg armour - most of it either moves or chafes you. RF should make small size as well, M is on the borderline of being too big if you have short legs and are below 5'8" tall. Great product, worth the $$$.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Downhiller
from Salt Lake City Date Reviewed: September 15, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Wahsatcchh!!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$50.00
Strengths:
Fantastic fit
Weaknesses:
Poor stitching design/construction
Bike Setup:
SC VP-free
Bottom Line:
Great fit/Poor construction.
There is nothing wrong with the materials used to make these pads but the stitching is terrible. There is only one thread of stitching that holds both the plastic, foam and, straps together. ONE LINE. That means if you break that one thread(likely) the entire pad will eventually fall apart. There is no exuse for such poor contruction. There ought to be at least two lines of stiching. The straps and the strap loops ought to go all the way around and front be one piece, and it should be cross stiched to the rest of the molding to avoid pull out.
The straps in my pads fell out after 1 week of use. Then the replacement pads stiching fell out again after 1 week.
I really want to like these pads because they fit really well, but they have such poor construction it is unexcuseable. Hopefully they will fix this.
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Submitted by
PN
a
from Boston Date Reviewed: September 13, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$39.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes
Strengths:
Shell,Fit,Light-Weight, and Range of Motion
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
02 Big Hit
Bottom Line:
I'm 6'0 200 lbs using the xlrg. A big thumbs up to other reviewers in helping with my selection. The pads stay snug and are very light. Great product whether riding or falling.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul B
a Cross Country Rider
from Charles Town, WV, US Date Reviewed: August 15, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Frederick Watershed
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$54.00
Purchased At:
Beyondbikes.com
Strengths:
Comfortable, lightweight, and dont move during your ride.
Weaknesses:
Stitching on two of the straps has pulled loose causing the buckles to fall off.
Similar Products Used:
First set of pads
Bike Setup:
Yeti 575
Bottom Line:
I really like the feel and performance of these pads. They do not move, and are nice and lightweight. But after approx 2 months of riding the stitching pulled loose on two of the buckles. Roach (Raceface) needs to use beefier stiching and double stitch where the buckles are mounted. I called Roach about a week ago and left a message with there customer service rep, but havent heard anything back. Not the greatest customer service.
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Submitted by
Torsten Unsworth
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakland, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: August 8, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$130.00
Purchased At:
beyondbikes.com
Strengths:
Great fit
Weaknesses:
?
Similar Products Used:
None
Bottom Line:
These things are designed so that they kind of hug the front of your calf. I can walk around in them without even strapping them up. You can tell they really worked on making them fit perfectly. I'm 6'3" 220lbs with around a 32-34 inch inseam and the XL's fit perfectly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cameron
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada Date Reviewed: July 5, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Any Trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
A bike Shop
Strengths:
comfy tough dont slip forget they are on
Weaknesses:
bottem strap is a touch to short for me
Similar Products Used:
cheap kona's (they dont come close to these)
Bike Setup:
2004 Devinci cactus. blackspire marzochi juinior t hayes mags sun mag 30 dt swiss hub and spokes 2.5 inch rear tire 2.8 inch front
Bottom Line:
best leg pads ever made.buy them if u want somthing good wich will last.
dont buy them if u enjoy cut legs or spending lots of money on many cheap leg pads
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Yiyang Gao
a Weekend Warrior
from Shanghai, China Date Reviewed: June 16, 2005
Favorite Trail:
all
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
from a friend
Strengths:
full coverage, nice fastening design, cool-looking, no-slip, Wade joined in the designing work! Labelled Race Face?
Weaknesses:
still a bit hot in summer, perhaps a bit cool in winter.
These pads kick ass! They don't slip on your shin since they cover all the way down my shins and sit on the back of my feet. The open back let calves to breathe. The knee caps and straps don't interfere with knee movements. So they are comfy. No more worry about pads out of place when crashing! After my most recent big crash on rocks, I got up immediately and no injury except some scuffs on the hardshell. Otherwise, my knee and shin would've taken the beating. Thought a bit hot in summer sunshine, it's a million times better than getting hurt or even scratched. With Rally FR elbow armors, you'd look like a pro freerider!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Weekend Warrior
from Moab UT Date Reviewed: June 15, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Schuman's Gulch
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Fits well. Does not slide down.
Weaknesses:
Stitching and strength.
Similar Products Used:
661
Bike Setup:
Heckler with fox 36 and DHX
Bottom Line:
The rear hose guide on my Heckler is positioned such that when handling the bike it can contact your knee. On my first ride with these pads the stitching ripped by contacting the hose guide. By the en
$ 56.00
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