Overkill. That's what it amounted to for me. I worried about that w/my 1st Zokie, waste of time. Just make surre you protect them when you haul yer bike. More damage done then than on th' trail. Wrap yer knee/shin guards around them when you transport. That way you don't forget yer bike or yer shin guards. I was hopin' to find a station guard along the lines of what is on the Shiver forks. Zokie doesn't offer anything like that though. Unless yer just riding heinous stuff all the time I wouldn't worry about it. Anything is possible though....right? Ride & fogettaboutit.