Bicycle Body Armor

Kingfish

Kingfish

100 MW
Joined
Feb 3, 2010
Messages
4,064
Location
Redmond, WA-USA, Earth, Sol, Orion–Cygnus Arm, Mil
Greetings –

Coccyx/Sacrum protection:
I have suffered a mild injury and have lain off the bike for a day. I completely forgot about this aspect of my ride, but the bike frame is like the tallest “medium-sized” FS MtB on the planet, so at a stoplight I like to pop off the seat and straddle the ebike flatfooted. This means the seat is now poking me in the back just above the Coccyx at the Sacrum. After riding 20 miles on my first day back in the saddle – it is quite painful.

My thinking was to put on some sort of protection, maybe a leather belt of the type a heavy lifter might wear, or some sort of body armor. I don’t need the full-on suit (although perhaps it’s not a bad idea), but I do need something back there to inhibit the prodding/spread the load.

I found this item on Amazon:

31grktn3r1L._SL500_AA300_.jpg

POC Coccyx Attachment Gray.

This has led me to find these two competitive items...

417gJ6RhP1L._AA300_.jpg

POC Spine Ergo BUG Back Protector


41nBKtMkL8L._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Sixsixone 661 Backguard, Small / Medium

I’m looking for someone with experience on these items, and if their worth the plunge.

Healing, thanks. KF
 
Wouldn't it be simpler and more comfortable to set the sag of your rear suspension to lower the standover?
 
MadRhino said:
Wouldn't it be simpler and more comfortable to set the sag of your rear suspension to lower the standover?
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I like the travel of my rear suspension as it is now, so I don't see that as a viable option.

~KF
 
Eliminate the problem instead of spending and carrying more to live with it by learning to balance when stopped.
 
While that is one solution to the problem (assuming you mean to stay fully on the saddle with feet on pedals), what about the (stupid) laws in many places requiring bicyclists (and motorcyclists) to put at least one foot down when stopped? There are a fair number of law enforcement officers that seem to enjoy torturing (and ticketing) us for not doing that. :(
 
John in CR said:
Eliminate the problem instead of spending and carrying more to live with it by learning to balance when stopped.
Click to expand...
Adapt my behavior? I think we can solve this with hardware :)

+1 to AW; I like the surity of having both feet on the ground (at the Stop) - resolved, aware, and in control.

Happy hump-day, KF
 
Kingfish said:
MadRhino said:
Wouldn't it be simpler and more comfortable to set the sag of your rear suspension to lower the standover?
Click to expand...
I like the travel of my rear suspension as it is now, so I don't see that as a viable option.

~KF
Click to expand...
Setting the sag lower doesn't change a thing to the suspension travel, only makes it more plush in holes and less on bumps. Some saddles have a lower profile, and combined to some suspension adjustment might do the thing for you without the need to wear uncomfortable protection.
 
MadRhino said:
Setting the sag lower doesn't change a thing to the suspension travel, only makes it more plush in holes and less on bumps. Some saddles have a lower profile, and combined to some suspension adjustment might do the thing for you without the need to wear uncomfortable protection.
Click to expand...
I can't drop the bike six inches, however - you did give me another idea and I was able to move the seat back almost ¼ inch, and the CAs were pushed forwards nearly ½ inch. But - it doesn't change the physics of a cattle pod poking me in the sacrum. Normally I do wear a larger backpack which fits the length of my back and shoves me forward... so maybe this is a shorter Day-pack problem.

Ypedal: Yeah, that would be fun! But then I wouldn't need the ebike :wink:

Somewhere I may still have my my off-road kidney belt, but I don't think it would extend low enough. A hand-sized soft-shelled deflector plate would be enough; resist the point-load.

~KF
 
arkmundi said:
Ypedal said:
Could not resist.....iron man
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No, really. Those suits are real, being woren by actors and all, but someone in Hollywood has to make them. I want one. If Kevlar, even better. I want to be hit by a car going 35mph and bike away without injury. Hahhaa :lol: :lol:
Click to expand...


They won't hit you at 35mph since they will slow to about 5mph to check the you out. :shock:
 
Kevlar isn't going to absorb a car impact against a body-sized object. It works on a bullet or other small object impact by burning/splitting fibers whcih absorb energy as they do so, layer by layer, slowing the object and dissipating the heat of kinetic energy conversion. The car impact isn't going to cause the same thing, so it won't absorb that energy. You'd need some other kind of shock absorbing material for that.


FWIW, there have been some people making medieval armor replicas from various plastics (and sometimes metals) for use in SCA battle reenactments that probably *would* help in such a situation, as some of them have stopped a horse-impact (or fall from one) from breaking bones, but they are heavy and very bulky.

The same concepts coudl be used to make regular crash armor, but it would still be bulky and heavy.


Other concepts such as airbag/armor combinations could work, such as a suit with multiple airbags inside it so that when they inflate they stay inside skid plates on the outside of teh armor, allowing you to still skid and roll and bounce on the road after the impact without tearing open the airbags, so the airbags can continue to protect you from the impacts against the other objects on the road and roadside.

Something like a stay-puft marshmallow man inside a motorcycle racing armor suit. ;)
 
A personal airbag that encapsulated you like a Zorb would be cool. Unless it activated on a steep hill.
 
I can confirm that my issue has to do with the shorter day-pack, and less so with the full pack - though it still occurs. Whatever I use - it doesn't need to be fancy; maybe two- or three plies of thin HDPE about the width & height of a wallet just below the small of my back. Most annoying. Maybe the solution is a stretchy waist belt with a stiff cowhide flap sewn in. :idea:

Moo, KF
 
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