Watch any of your favorite down hill movies and you are sure to start seeing a lot more of these: the Leatt neck Brace. Originally designed for motocross riding to prevent a number of serious trauma to the rider’s neck in a crash, it wasn’t long before Leatts started showing up around the necks of downhill riders.
However, the original Leatts as intended for MX featured much larger padding due to the increased speeds and danger of extreme MX riding which made them relatively uncomfortable and limiting for bicycle riding. While Leatt sold a replacement low profile padding kit for the original braces to make them more apt for DH riding, the new DBX marks a leap forward in mountain bike protection.
Get the specs to protect your neck after the break!
However important to a riders overall protection, fewer riders than you may think are donning the new protective rig. O’Neal hopes that by bringing the Leatts into the US as the exclusive distributor and making it easier to purchase, will influence more riders to take a second look. Perhaps even more appealing is the inclusion of a lower priced DBX Ride which comes in at over a hundred dollars less than the top end DBX Comp.
Always something interesting for everyone at the O’Neal/Azonic booth. In my best Optometrist impersonation, “Which is better, 1 or 2?”
Just how does the DBX work? Basically it creates a shelf that your helmet will impact and prevent hyperextention (think chin up), lateral hyperflexion (head to the side), hyperflexion (chin down), posterior hypertranslation (head slides directly back), and vertical forces (hits to the top of the head). The difference between the two models is in the adjustment of the cradle. While the Comp model is fully adjustable to fit nearly any rider, the Ride model features limited adjustability and is permanently set to the medium position. The Comp model is also offered in three colorways, all white, black and white, and the custom Mike Day Edition shown above.
Let’s face it, one neck injury to any cyclist is one too many, and there have been too many great riders who have suffered at the hands of spinal injuries lately for anyone not to take a look at the Leatt. DH, BMX, Freeride, whatever, if you’re risking your neck while sending it, why not protect it?
DBX Comp Features:
• DBX – New line from LEATT® only for bicycle. Downhill, BMX, Mountain bike!
• White/White
• Additional colours by sticker & padding kits are soon to be available.
• New padding design only for Bicycle.
• Super low profile padding
• Bicycle segment Icon on front of brace
• New bicycle specific box and bicycle specific manual.
• Not for MX/Enduro/Offroad use due to different padding.
• CE approval
DBX Ride Features:
• DBX – New line from LEATT ® only for bicycle. Downhill, BMX, Mountain bike!
• DBX Adventure II with exclusive Lycra low profile padding
• Grey/Grey
• Bicycle segment Icon on front of brace
• New bicycle specific box and bicycle specific manual
• Not for MX/Enduro/Offroad use due to different padding.
• CE approval
