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IS there ANYTHING out there to protect/prevent collarbone damage??

DirtEveryDay

Turbo Monkey
Nov 24, 2003
2,692
4
Pacific North Wet
I'm not a racer and never will be(too fat and old), but into tight, technical drops and just fun stupid stuff. I've got 4 main riders in my crew and all 3 of them are out right now with busted collar bones. Any of the chest protectors or "jackets" out there do the trick? I definately want one anyway, if not only for basic protection, but it would be nice to find something to protect them collar bones!
 

DirtEveryDay

Turbo Monkey
Nov 24, 2003
2,692
4
Pacific North Wet
Your what?
The last guy that broke his did it in a way that I can't imagine being preventable(other than NOT falling off the bike!). He just cased it a bit too far to the left and slapped the ground hard on his shoulder. I heard it pop and couldn't tell if it was his neck or his Camelpak bursting(sounds a lot like that!). He didn't even know it was busted until he tried to pick his bike back up. Pretty cool...:cool:
 

Ronny Grady

Monkey
Oct 20, 2003
123
0
Motocross style solid plastic chest and back protectors are probably the best. But they are terribly hot unless it is a cool day and you are doing all lift rides or shuttle runs.
 

DirtEveryDay

Turbo Monkey
Nov 24, 2003
2,692
4
Pacific North Wet
Originally posted by Ronny Grady
Motocross style solid plastic chest and back protectors are probably the best. But they are terribly hot unless it is a cool day and you are doing all lift rides or shuttle runs.
Well, that ain't gonna work. I really didn't think there was, just really hoping to find out that there is something easily obtained that has been working well. I'm sure knowing HOW to crash has a lot to do with it. In the case of my bud, well, it's pretty funny. midnight ride after sitting in the bar, friend does a 12' drop to flat landing on a 2' wide ledge about 15' off the ground. Sticks it. Sweet. Steps off bike to turn around, foegets he's pretty tuned and falls off the ledge! We were all too drunk to carry him, so we had to call a taxi to haul is busted ass to the hospital.
Ooops...sorry for the story, I'm in the middle of some Red Bull Vodka's right now! Want some? In about 30 minutes I'll be too drunk to pass out! Maybe I'll go for a ride...in circles..
 

BigMike

BrokenbikeMike
Jul 29, 2003
8,931
0
Montgomery county MD
The Sixsixone Straight jacket looks like it would *help* If you dont want to go full body armor.


Nothing will totally protect your collarbone, as I have found out on various occasions.
 

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,698
1,053
behind you with a snap pop
Originally posted by SKYWAYBUZZ
How many of the three were wearing camelback's when they broke their collorbone? I swear those straps break collorbones.
And I thought it was the falling on them that did it.
Well, I be damned.
All along it was the evil masterminds at Camelbak snapping our collar bones. Damn you Camelbak, Damn You!!:sneaky:
 

DirtEveryDay

Turbo Monkey
Nov 24, 2003
2,692
4
Pacific North Wet
Furkin' almost outta redbulll!
Actually, we all always wearr ourt hydroppaks so he may have a point! Allright too hard tok eep typing, I'll check back tomorrw. That straight jackkt looks good, thogh. Might haveto check that out a bit more, huh? If anything, looks like it will hold everything in line, kinda. They are cheaper, too, huh?
 

BigMike

BrokenbikeMike
Jul 29, 2003
8,931
0
Montgomery county MD
Originally posted by SKYWAYBUZZ
How many of the three were wearing camelback's when they broke their collorbone? I swear those straps break collorbones.
I swear you are a fool :D



actually, come to think of it.... I was wearing my camelback when I broke my collarbone :think:

:rolleyes:
 

Boomer-61

Chimp
Jul 17, 2002
51
0
Atlanta, GA
Having broken my collar bone I too was in the market for protection. The best thing I found was the roost/chest protector by Fox. The shoulder armor is suspended with a web network off of your shoulder to dissipate the blow. It workd for me when I crashed after riding on a very tender barely healed shoulder. Having said all that my next bit of advice may sound hard to imagine bit it too has saved me. Learn to fall. I know this sounds like putting the kart before the horse but it really works. There are just times when I can't stand the thought of putting on armor. It is at these times I take the unscheduled dismount. I learned how to fall from martial arts training, Aikido to be specific. It sounds nuts but you train yourself to roll out of a crash instead of absorbing the impact. It works. It will save you the hundred bucks on a chest protector and you are covered every time you ride. You can't leave knowledge at home. Try it, what can it hurt?
 

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
I'm thinking bubble wrap.

Plus while you are waiting on your friends you'll have something to do. I love poppin' bubble wrap.

You will need to be careful not to pop the ones protecting your camelbak.
 

tartosuc

Monkey
Feb 9, 2004
202
0
montreal
The best one i know that will help for the collarbone is the casel equi... a lot more comfortable than the plastic fox roost and it covers all around your body... the pading is bullet proof stuff that absobs impact when you fall, some hard plastic are over the pading at the spline, and on the shoulder... if you dont mind the fact that its bulkier than daineses or 661 thats the most protective one that exist...

I have one for sale if you are interrested...
 

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
Originally posted by tartosuc
The best one i know that will help for the collarbone is the casel equi... a lot more comfortable than the plastic fox roost and it covers all around your body... the pading is bullet proof stuff that absobs impact when you fall, some hard plastic are over the pading at the spline, and on the shoulder... if you dont mind the fact that its bulkier than daineses or 661 thats the most protective one that exist...

I have one for sale if you are interrested...
It diesnt matter how padded it is. If you fall on your collarbone it will break in a casel esqui. I tested one for half a season. It will not help much more then a dainese or a moto roost. Both of which will do close to nothing.

It is also HUGE, bulky, hot and uncomfortable.
 

tartosuc

Monkey
Feb 9, 2004
202
0
montreal
Originally posted by Transcend
It diesnt matter how padded it is. If you fall on your collarbone it will break in a casel esqui. I tested one for half a season. It will not help much more then a dainese or a moto roost. Both of which will do close to nothing.

It is also HUGE, bulky, hot and uncomfortable.
I,ve been using it for the past 2 years and it's not that hot... if you buy the right size it's not bigger than a fox roost but i agree it'S still big...personnaly i find it very comfortable...it'S all a matter of personnal preference i guess... all in all its still a good protection but I decided to get a dainese to make my setup less bulky...

by the way Trancend i've e-mailed you (via your website) to make arrangements about a dainese...
 

zane

Turbo Monkey
Mar 29, 2004
1,036
1
Vancouver, WA
If you think about HOW your collarbone breaks, you'd realize that there's no way at all to protect it. When you fall on your side and land hard on your shoulder, your collarbone gets compressed inward and breaks. The only way to stop this from happening would be to design a brace for your shoulder that would somehow keep it from compressing toward your chest. If you think about the body, there's no way to do that AND still have enough arm movement to ride a bike. That's why no brace exists to alleviate broken collarbones.

I've seen shoulder braces that PULL your shoulder inward, which are helpful if you have shoulder joint problems (like a separated shoulder) where the muscles are too weak to hold the joint together.
 

SuspectDevice

Turbo Monkey
Aug 23, 2002
4,157
359
Roanoke, VA
Dude, You should get either a couch, or a lazy boy, I'm not sure.

Maybe take Judo for a few years and learn how to fall too, cuz colalrbones break, and ain't nothing you can do about it.


Personally after breaking both of my collarbones, and letting them mend overlapping instead of contigously I've got a stronger, more aerodynamic setup.

So, yeah tell your friends to stay away from Doctors and they'll be fine. Especially if they have the RM7 for freeriding.
 

El Jefe

Dr. Phil Jefe
Nov 26, 2001
793
0
OC in SoCal
Originally posted by THRILLSEEKA
Well, that ain't gonna work. I really didn't think there was, just really hoping to find out that there is something easily obtained that has been working well. I'm sure knowing HOW to crash has a lot to do with it. In the case of my bud, well, it's pretty funny. midnight ride after sitting in the bar, friend does a 12' drop to flat landing on a 2' wide ledge about 15' off the ground. Sticks it. Sweet. Steps off bike to turn around, foegets he's pretty tuned and falls off the ledge! We were all too drunk to carry him, so we had to call a taxi to haul is busted ass to the hospital.
Ooops...sorry for the story, I'm in the middle of some Red Bull Vodka's right now! Want some? In about 30 minutes I'll be too drunk to pass out! Maybe I'll go for a ride...in circles..
this thread is useless without pics. :D
 

Snacks

Turbo Monkey
Feb 20, 2003
3,523
0
GO! SEAHAWKS!
Originally posted by SKYWAYBUZZ
How many of the three were wearing camelback's when they broke their collorbone? I swear those straps break collorbones.
Broke mine twice while wearing one.


Get the bone taken out, like Marla did.
 

RhinofromWA

Brevity R Us
Aug 16, 2001
4,622
0
Lynnwood, WA
What breaks collar bones?

Impact direct to the clavical. Of course

Doesn't falling down with your arms out (say to the side) and landing stiff armed jam the shoulder into the bone breaking it? If that is the case just about nothing will be effective in stopping that type of break scenerio.

All the while growing up riding and racing dirt bikes I fell alot. Mos tof the time I pull my arms into my sides and skip across the ground or bounce. Branch's break on trees when they fall so make them part of your "trunk". Sorry if that sounds simplistic but *knock on keyboard* have yet to break a collar bone.

I did seperate my clavicle from my shoulder once....my shoulder went around one side of a tree while the rest of my body went the other way :dead: But at the speed I hit, something was going to give.
 

Edgy

Monkey
May 1, 2003
410
0
O.C
I too have been contemplating this issue since my 2nd degrre AC separation.
Liike a couple of others have stated...I don't think theres any product out there that will save you from these types of injuies due to the fact that its mostly the pressure of the impact that does the damage.

One guy suggested learning how to fall and in IMO thats probably the best solution. I tried on the moto style chest/roost protectors and though they might help because they cover the top of your shoulder ...its the PSI of the impact that will be the deciding factor. Modified football shoulder pads could be a viable option. Good luck.
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
I always wanted to try Acerbis' MX stuff - looks great (safetywise) and priced well ($160 online):



It has padding around the shoulder and neck (a bit hard to see though):



Also someone posted at hcor that it fits your spine alot better than other armor
 

Dartman

Old Bastard Mike
Feb 26, 2003
3,911
0
Richmond, VA
Originally posted by SKYWAYBUZZ
How many of the three were wearing camelback's when they broke their collorbone? I swear those straps break collorbones.
I seriously doubt it. Anyway it's not a Camelback, it's a hydraulic spine protector. :D

Mike
 

zedro

Turbo Monkey
Sep 14, 2001
4,144
1
at the end of the longest line
Originally posted by Edgy
...I don't think theres any product out there that will save you from these types of injuies due to the fact that its mostly the pressure of the impact that does the damage.

well even minimal padding will change the pressure. Pads only absorb impact to a degree, the main part is they disperse it to a larger area, lowering the PSI at the bone. Think of plastic shin guards, the hard plastic doesnt absorb any shock, but it spreads it out over the whole leg instead of a sharp point.

saying nothing can prevent these injuries is just about as BS as those fruitbooters who still think they dont need that helmet for that rail jump to 20feet flat; yeah sure a helmet wont give you a 100% survival rating, but at least it can reduce the chance of injury.

It bugs me that the generic upper armor style everyone is making completly leaves out any collarbone or lateral rib protection.
 

RhinofromWA

Brevity R Us
Aug 16, 2001
4,622
0
Lynnwood, WA
Originally posted by zedro
well even minimal padding will change the pressure. Pads only absorb impact to a degree, the main part is they disperse it to a larger area, lowering the PSI at the bone. Think of plastic shin guards, the hard plastic doesnt absorb any shock, but it spreads it out over the whole leg instead of a sharp point.

saying nothing can prevent these injuries is just about as BS as those fruitbooters who still think they dont need that helmet for that rail jump to 20feet flat; yeah sure a helmet wont give you a 100% survival rating, but at least it can reduce the chance of injury.

It bugs me that the generic upper armor style everyone is making completly leaves out any collarbone or lateral rib protection.
I agree but what protects from a the situation I described before...fall to the side arm out. Effectively crushing your clavicle between your shoulder and.... um sternum? (where does it attached in the middle? :confused: A padded body protector will not disperse that type of impact....wrist to elbow to shoulder to sternum.......broken collarbone. I am not saying to not wear armor of some sort. My MX protector has a floating shoulder peace....mesh front to back with a hard outer shell and does a good job.

But no gear that I am aware of will (or claims to) prevent broken collar bones....they are just to fragile. When I hit the tree nothign was slowing my innerds from sloshing around no padded chest plate will help to a sufficient degree. not a design flaw....it was a situation that exceeded the design of most all products out there. Not a big deal. I could always be a bubble boy. :)

Does anyone claim to prevent/protect the collar bone?

Rhino
 

DirtEveryDay

Turbo Monkey
Nov 24, 2003
2,692
4
Pacific North Wet
Originally posted by zedro
well even minimal padding will change the pressure. Pads only absorb impact to a degree, the main part is they disperse it to a larger area, lowering the PSI at the bone. Think of plastic shin guards, the hard plastic doesnt absorb any shock, but it spreads it out over the whole leg instead of a sharp point.

saying nothing can prevent these injuries is just about as BS as those fruitbooters who still think they dont need that helmet for that rail jump to 20feet flat; yeah sure a helmet wont give you a 100% survival rating, but at least it can reduce the chance of injury.

It bugs me that the generic upper armor style everyone is making completly leaves out any collarbone or lateral rib protection.

OK, there's 2 things said here that I fully agree with: There is NO possible way to fully eliminate the possiblity of an injury, and that ANY form of protection is better than none.
OH, make that 3 things: I too think this thread needs pics, but I can't get to the ledges for pics for quite awhile. But rest assured that I will be the next to fall off it as soon as it is accessible again! :D

Between the 3 breaks, 2 happened when they used their "trunks" to take trhe beating, and the other used the old stand by of "if you never let go of the handlebars, you'll never get hurt." BS! He fell on the top tube and it directly cracked his collarbone. That one was pretty scary as it pushed both halves into is neck(well, the area inside, just under the neck).
I already stated that learning to fall is the best way to go, with the addition of pads.
It's actually kind of a catch 22. The newbies won't wear pads because they don't wanna look like posers in killer gear and no skills, but they need it because they haven't learned the nature of gravity yet.
Pros and old timers wear it, but usually never need it because they HAVE learned the nature of the beast.
I really think that is also what is causing a LOT of problems. Kids see the pros in vids and such waxin' tech stuff in shorts and a camelbak and think it must be pretty easy. I think that's why we don't see more lidz on kidz. If for no other reason, I gear up just so my buds don't have to lose a good night of riding by dragging my limp ass to an ER somewhere. It's just respect.
Speaking of respect, when said buddy fell of the wall, we just drup him up the bank and stuck him by the retaining wall and told him to yell when he saw the taxi so we could keep ragin'! Too funny. He wasn't very happy, though. But it wasn't like he could hit me or anything!
 

mgy

Monkey
Apr 4, 2002
128
16
Morrison
Everyone keeps saying that falling/wrecking is what breaks collar bones. So we need is a product that keeps us from falling or least makes us fall less.

I thought of the perfect product, Skills coaching that is guaranteed to improve your riding or your money back. This coaching can be found at http://www.betterride.net