Just got back into dirt bikes (1986 KDX) after a long time away from the sport. Just purchased some new Thor boots and was surprised how much larger, and better protected, the toe area was compared to my old school boots. It almost makes it hard to shift. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this on boots?
Boots
- Thread starter straughn
- Start date
- Jul 20, 2009
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Yup, IMO a lot of the new boots have great protection, but are hard to shift in, have almost no movement around the ankle and transfer load to the knee (not good). Yes the toe area is larger and better protected, but it turns shifting into an event rather than something that you don't even have to think of. I was wearing a new pair of boots such as these when I destroyed my knee. I will never wear a boot like that again. When trying on new pairs of boots with a damaged knee it is easy to tell which boots transfer loads there and which don't.
reepicheep
Member
- Apr 3, 2009
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Not to rain on your parade, but I completely agree with Jo Burble, and I have the MRI's to prove it. :think:
I was off the bike standing beside it when I blew my ACL. It was just an awkward position, supporting an overweight bike (then a KLR-250, now sold) on a slippery hill.
No way of knowing if it was the fact that the boots immobilized my ankle that transferred the force to the ACL and popped it, or if it was just an inevitable fluke. I am not a doctor.
But that was my first and last ride in boots that immobilize my ankle. Even if I do catch a toe on a stump or something, if there is that much force, I want *both* the knee *and* ankle (and for that matter the hip) to rotate as far as possible. Trying to immobilize one or the other seems to invite something to break sooner... it's not like the stump will break because my boots are strong.
Take this with a grain of salt though. When bad things happen, it's really easy to look back and find "the reason" and convince yourself of it after the fact. I'm sure I am doing that to some degree, and some people do great with the boots and never have any knee problems (and save a lot of crunched toes).
I was off the bike standing beside it when I blew my ACL. It was just an awkward position, supporting an overweight bike (then a KLR-250, now sold) on a slippery hill.
No way of knowing if it was the fact that the boots immobilized my ankle that transferred the force to the ACL and popped it, or if it was just an inevitable fluke. I am not a doctor.
But that was my first and last ride in boots that immobilize my ankle. Even if I do catch a toe on a stump or something, if there is that much force, I want *both* the knee *and* ankle (and for that matter the hip) to rotate as far as possible. Trying to immobilize one or the other seems to invite something to break sooner... it's not like the stump will break because my boots are strong.
Take this with a grain of salt though. When bad things happen, it's really easy to look back and find "the reason" and convince yourself of it after the fact. I'm sure I am doing that to some degree, and some people do great with the boots and never have any knee problems (and save a lot of crunched toes).
reepicheep
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- Apr 3, 2009
- 670
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Agreed, I don't know the right answer.
But if my safety belt was trying to stop my car by being wrapped around my ankle, I wouldn't wear it ;)
(And for the record, I *do* wear heavy leather over the calf motorcycle boots... just ones with a flexible ankle. Unfortunately they don't have a steel toe, which I would like, and I have had a couple of toe crunches from bouncing rocks already...)
But if my safety belt was trying to stop my car by being wrapped around my ankle, I wouldn't wear it ;)
(And for the record, I *do* wear heavy leather over the calf motorcycle boots... just ones with a flexible ankle. Unfortunately they don't have a steel toe, which I would like, and I have had a couple of toe crunches from bouncing rocks already...)
The only thor boots I know of are the quadrants. I have a pair of these, and I can agree that the toe box is kinda big which can make it more difficult to get under the shifter. These boots offer good ankle support, but certainly don't immobilize it. .. there's nothing in them tough enough to do that.
Overall, I've really liked my Thor boots enough that I'm on my third pair of them. ;-)
Which boots are you guys referring to that immobilize? Are the "hinge" type boots good for you guys or just one that is a bit soft / broke in around the ankle?
Overall, I've really liked my Thor boots enough that I'm on my third pair of them. ;-)
Which boots are you guys referring to that immobilize? Are the "hinge" type boots good for you guys or just one that is a bit soft / broke in around the ankle?
I tend to agree. I like to make sure there's at least SOME flex in the ankle before I'll buy a boot.
Oh yeah, back to the OP's question. Learning to shift in modern boots is a bit of a trick. The biggest part of it is just practice. You WILL get used to it. One thing you can do is raise the shifter up a notch or two to give more room for your boot to fit under.
Oh yeah, back to the OP's question. Learning to shift in modern boots is a bit of a trick. The biggest part of it is just practice. You WILL get used to it. One thing you can do is raise the shifter up a notch or two to give more room for your boot to fit under.
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reepicheep
Member
- Apr 3, 2009
- 670
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Mine was a neighbors set of old cast off alpinstar MX boots. Thick old hard leather...
