what's the point of hand guards?
 

if you're wearing a gloves? I mean when I fall they're not gonna protect my hands anyway and chances of flying rocks or birds into my hands are rather slim...

They do a job in stopping vegetation and branches, particularly brambles, from wacking into your hands off road. They also protect your levers from being damaged in a fall. But perhaps the biggest advantage is that they deflect the wind, cold and rain of your hands giving your gloves a better chance of staying dry and your hands warm.

+1 to all that! My biggest reason for hand guards is to avoid breaking the levers in a fall - guards have done their job for on numerous occasions!! - and also to protect my hands from getting wacked by various vegitation (like pleiades said) when off road. I wouldn't ride without them the amount of times they've saved my hands from injury and my levers from breaking they are worth every penny.

ok, I do need hand guards then, my bad although not sure how they can protect from braking the lever, it's just thin plastic...

can I have them at least like these, with led lights?

http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/...204002/013.jpg

what's the point of hand guards?
 

Depends which you get! The cheaper ones are indeed just plastic and will give the weather and will keep vegetation at bay, but the more expensive ones from Acerbis or Barkbusters have a strong metal spine behind the plastic and will prevent lever damage.



:eusa_think: Not sure about ones with lights in, as the lights will get wrecked after the first drop or branch you hit? For road use, and if you're not prone to chucking your bike on the floor, then I'd guess they'd be fine?

I have an XT660X road bike as well as a Beta Alp 200 trials bike. Both have Acerbis hand guards (with Aluminium spines) and both have saved my hands (as well as the levers and other bits) several times. VERY strongly recommended.