Looking around the web, I found what appears to be a very strong, well made ankle brace that will protect your ankles very well against injury,(may not totally protect against “twisting”, but definitley protect against cranks and other hard surfaces! They can be worn with most athletic shoes. Some websites are selling them for more than $40 each, but this site sells them for $28 each if you buy a pair of them. http://www.supports4less.com/gg/activeankle.htm
They are similar to mcdavid but less $$. See the pic below.
No need? Howabout hitting your ankle on the crank(s) during a drop or a uni-spin or whatever? I’m not worried as much about a possible sprain, but of one or both of my ankles “CRASHING” down on a rock or cement bench or whatever, if I happen to “miss” landing back on the pedals. With all the previous posts on the subject of ankle support, there must be plenty of people regretting NOT having this protection.
I had 661 ankle guards for around 8 months. They do provide some protection against crank strike, although not much support for the ankle.
However, since the 661 guards have leather like patches with plastic cups underneath sewn on to each ankle area, after a number of scrapes past the cranks they eventually ripped. I fixed em up a few times, but eventually gave up.
Guards are certainley nice for unispins or big drops, if nothing else they give you more confidence, which never hurts.
ouch. i live the 661 dually shoes. protective cups on the ankle parts. also very grippy. HERE
$90 is just MSRP you can find last year’s in some places for $60 or less.
//edit: form the 661 website they’re clearing out last year’s model for $40!!! right here
The Active Ankles (pictured above) are better at providing ankle support than protection against bangs. Except for the hard plastic of the frame, the rest of the stuff that goes around the ankle is quite soft, so you can still bang your ankle bone pretty hard. If you’re interested in avoiding bangs, get the AnkleBiters or something similar.
I use the Active Ankles. Both of my last two weekend rides featured a funky dismount where I probably would have rolled my ankle if I hadn’t been wearing them. The AnkleBiters don’t provide any ankle support.
Just to wake this thread again…
Anyone know the difference between the ASO ankle support and the 661 Race Brace pro. As far as I can tell they look the same tho I have never used either of them. I want to put a brace on my right foot so I can take the risk out of failed handrail grinds and big gaps and drops.
The ASO is here: http://ankle-foot.com/aso.htm and the 661 is here:http://www.sixsixone.com/catalog.aspx?id=cf042836-7334-44ce-b676-72517bf6a3fe&pl=BIKE
I use the 661 Race Brace Pro on my right ankle after an injury last Summer. Looking at the drawing on the ASO site would suggest they fasten in a very similar was to the 661’s.
I just use the 661 ankle biters, the are very comfy, I wear them everywhere I go. And the sides of my cons have been ripped open, but the guards are holding up nicely.
I mainly like them, cause of on the inside of the ankle, they have their logo, made out of a rather hard plastic, on on them, that are very durable, then under neath that are the protective cups.
No it is completely soft, but provides support from twists etc. I guess it provides some protection from impacts, but as I don’t do trials this is rarely an issue for me.
Cheers man, think i’ll go ahead and get the ASO supports (because i can get them $20NZ cheaper) and wear one on my right foot (dominant/rear) to avoid the impacts of bails etc. done and done
I have about a half inch area on each ankle that’s permanently scarred from my DX cranks…a bump at the wrong time, a mislanded drop, and your ankle can slip into the cranks…it hurts like heck, because it’s pretty much skin right over bone.
http://www.supports4less.com/gg/activeankle.htm
Hopefully they should help.