[haromtnbiker]

I'm probably gonna go ahead and buy a leatt brace- better safe than sorry. Anybody have any good recommended websites to buy one from? Any motocross site?

Motosport.com has the Club for $395 plus free shipping. From the quick searches I've done this seems about as low as they go.

 

[John P.]

If you look around, there are a few bike shops that carry them at that price as well (go-ride, thefixbikes.com, etc.), and it might be cool to throw your money towards an actual bike shop rather than a moto place . . . just a suggestion.

--JP

 

[ChrisKring]

you are probably not going to find them any cheaper than $395 for the club since Leatt is strickty enforcing their dealer pricing agreement. Not sure on the legalese of it but they dropped the thumpertalk store for offering it for a lower price to members of their forums. I have seen some other "member's only" websites that have them for lower prices but it is not easy to become a member.

Maybe a bike shop would kick in free shipping or something else too. Otherwise, motosport outlet is a good mail order moto shop and ships quick.

 

[General Lee]

I'm probably gonna go ahead and buy a leatt brace- better safe than sorry. Anybody have any good recommended websites to buy one from? Any motocross site?

Motosport.com has the Club for $395 plus free shipping. From the quick searches I've done this seems about as low as they go.

chances are your local moto shop stocks them; all the ones up here do.

 

[motomike]

Craig, checked out http://www.trianglecycles.com/ They have a big shop in Durham and stock the Leatt brace. Buy local, they are good people

Edit: its 399.99 there, and no shipping necessary for you. plus you can go try it on...

 

[Tiago79]

Cyclegear almost always have them in stock and I think they have stores in most states. If not most any halfway decent motocross shop has them. If you want to actually check it out before you buy or need it quick then I would try that. If not like said above Leatt are basicly price protected so not much of a deal to be had, lots of good moto and DH shops that mail order them.

 

[haromtnbiker]

Do I have to have a moto helmet, or will a mtb full face work? I have a 661 Bravo.

 

[motomike]

take your helmet to the shop and try it out. there are plenty of mtb riders with non moto helmets rockin the leatt

 

[banche]

look at the evs brace or wait just a bit leatt has a cheaper version coming out soon! but it may not be until late fall!

 

[ekozy39]

look at the evs brace or wait just a bit leatt has a cheaper version coming out soon! but it may not be until late fall!

I've got one of the EVS braces coming. A friend at EVS is sending it out, but if I had to pay, $170 is great deal, and I know they have done a ton of work developing it. http://www.evs-sports.com/rc-evolution/

The Leatt's do their job, but i know 100+ lb Ashley Foilek broke one at the X-Games this weekend..
http://expn.go.com/expn/blog/xgames14/motox?post=3515531

 

[Curler]

Be sure to let us know how your liking that EVS brace. Looks pretty good but functionality is the name of the game for saftey equipment.

 

[blackspire]

www.btosports.com has it with free shipping.

 

[ChrisKring]

I've got one of the EVS braces coming. A friend at EVS is sending it out, but if I had to pay, $170 is great deal, and I know they have done a ton of work developing it. http://www.evs-sports.com/rc-evolution/

The Leatt's do their job, but i know 100+ lb Ashley Foilek broke one at the X-Games this weekend..
http://expn.go.com/expn/blog/xgames14/motox?post=3515531

It's supposed to break in a big enough impact.

Let us know how the EVS work out. I am especially interested in if you can look up enough. If so, it will be a great alternative at a lower price.

 

[haromtnbiker]

The evs doesn't look like it can be used if you wear shoulder armour.

 

[profro]

Just a thought, why give so much attention to a neck brace, when you are still running a mtb helmet? If you are so worried about protection, then step up and get a moto helmet. WAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY better than a skimpy mtb full face.

 

[djamgils]

Just a thought, why give so much attention to a neck brace, when you are still running a mtb helmet? If you are so worried about protection, then step up and get a moto helmet. WAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY better than a skimpy mtb full face.

well because you are wrong.

Not al mtb helmets are good enough for DH. But there is a specific standard for dh, ASTM1952.

Motor helmets with a Dot or snell certification are made for bigger impacts that you dont get with dh. Because of this they are not as good in taking smaller hits (relatively) that we see a lot in dh. But Dot helmets are better at taking hits then a lot off low level mtb helmets.

 

[profro]

Motor helmets with a Dot or snell certification are made for bigger impacts that you dont get with dh. Because of this they are not as good in taking smaller hits (relatively) that we see a lot in dh. But Dot helmets are better at taking hits then a lot off low level mtb helmets.

Maybe I'm not buying a helmet for (relatively) smaller hits. My skills can usually avoid those. For me, I can ride a bike pretty quickly and not crash. I wear moto helmets for going big and the possibility of crashing hard. I used to wear TLD D2s and took some good hits. I now wear a TLD SE and there is no comparison. Motos are better at bigger hits. I don't need it for (relatively) small hits. Thats just me.

 

[ekozy39]

Maybe I'm not buying a helmet for (relatively) smaller hits. My skills can usually avoid those. For me, I can ride a bike pretty quickly and not crash. I wear moto helmets for going big and the possibility of crashing hard. .

HAHA, that was pretty funny.

 

[EANitrox]

Just a thought, why give so much attention to a neck brace, when you are still running a mtb helmet? If you are so worried about protection, then step up and get a moto helmet. WAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY better than a skimpy mtb full face.

Because the neck brace is to protect the neck not the head.

 

[Rover Nick]

I have done extensive testing with a DOT helmet under mtb conditions and my research has led me to believe that moto helmets work very well under DH conditions.

 

[go-ride.com]

Some of the DH helmets are more protective than others without the extra weight and bulk of a MX helmet. I have both and wear both with a Leatt brace. I run the MX for MX and DH for DH, but most of the DH courses I race are more technical than high speed. On some high speed courses I would prefer the full MX helmet.

From my experience with 3 different upper body jackets it will be tough to use a EVS style protector with traditional DH armor. They don't appear to have the type of adjustment needed to get the fit correct.

And, we do have the Leatt in stock at Go-ride and offer free shipping on that item because they do not allow discounting. With that being said the margin is also really low on that item so there is not much room to discount anyway.

 

[ekozy39]

Leatt has the new "budget" adventure brace for under $200 and it has limited adjustability.
So i guess if you don't run upper armor you can get neck protection from either EVS or Leatt for under $200

 

[profro]

Because the neck brace is to protect the neck not the head.

If you are so worried about your neck to spend $300+ on a neck brace, why skimp on your head?

 

[General Lee]

If you are so worried about your neck to spend $300+ on a neck brace, why skimp on your head?

while going all out on your head, and since you are apparently so skilled you only crash big or not at all (yea right), I hope you haven't skimped on your neck.

 

[ChrisKring]

Leatt has the new "budget" adventure brace for under $200 and it has limited adjustability.
So i guess if you don't run upper armor you can get neck protection from either EVS or Leatt for under $200

I would be cautious on buying the budget Leatt until someone gets a report in here on if you can look up enough for DH. Or, at least make sure you can return it if you can't see where your going.

I have to adjust the rear height down all the way for DH. Hopefully, the budget model and the EVS will both work for DH as then more riders will hopefully make the investment and wear them.

 

[General Lee]

I would be cautious on buying the budget Leatt until someone gets a report in here on if you can look up enough for DH. Or, at least make sure you can return it if you can't see where your going.

I have to adjust the rear height down all the way for DH. Hopefully, the budget model and the EVS will both work for DH as then more riders will hopefully make the investment and wear them.

From what i understand the entry-level Leatt is unadjustable and doesn't have removable padding. the latter really shouldn't matter but the lack of adjustability might not make it an option for DH racing.

As for more riders using them, I am starting to see more guys in the Northeast wearing them which is good. There seems to be a lot of interest in Canada (or at least at Bromont) but from what I've been told by a lot of people who want to know where i got mine is that they are really hard to find up there.

Anyone whose been to a world cup this year can tell you that a huge number of Australian, New Zealand, and British riders wear them. for whatever reason it has really caught on with riders from those countries, and with the juniors in particular.

I would guess the number of racers using the Leatt doubles by this time next year.

 

[profro]

while going all out on your head, and since you are apparently so skilled you only crash big or not at all (yea right), I hope you haven't skimped on your neck.

Do we banter each other for amusement?

Never-the-less, my point was that if you feel so worried about hurting yourself so much that you want a neck brace designed for moto, why are you still wearing a mtb helmet? I think sometimes people are influenced by some trends but not others.

I personally don't wear armor beyond knee pads and a moto helmet. It has been my experience that I either break a bone (armor or not) or shake off it off. But shaking off a stinger and a thump to the head are different, which is why I wear a moto. It (to me) makes a difference.

If you want to wear a neck brace, great but why not go with a moto?

But my point to djamgils was that I don't pick my head protection for (relatively) smaller hits. Those aren't as much of a concern as the bigger ones.

 

[DownhillR3]

I have done extensive testing with a DOT helmet under mtb conditions and my research has led me to believe that moto helmets work very well under DH conditions.

I hope so, I run nothing less then the Leatt & TLD SE2 for DH, then again I never rode DH with my TLD Steve Peat D2, just doesn't feel safe enough, although from what I see...80% of Downhillers around here where helmets in the D2 category, so it''s just me.

 

[haromtnbiker]

Granted I have never tried a moto helmet, I feel pretty safe in a regular mtb full face. The new 661 evolution looks nice, I might have to pick up one of those!

 

[djamgils]

Never-the-less, my point was that if you feel so worried about hurting yourself so much that you want a neck brace designed for moto, why are you still wearing a mtb helmet? I think sometimes people are influenced by some trends but not others.

I personally don't wear armor beyond knee pads and a moto helmet. It has been my experience that I either break a bone (armor or not) or shake off it off. But shaking off a stinger and a thump to the head are different, which is why I wear a moto. It (to me) makes a difference.

If you want to wear a neck brace, great but why not go with a moto?

But my point to djamgils was that I don't pick my head protection for (relatively) smaller hits. Those aren't as much of a concern as the bigger ones.

Read that,
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2588889&postcount=12

The entire thread
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183558&highlight=full+face+suggestions

 

[blackspire]

Wearing a moto helmet is good, wearing a ASTM 1952 helmet is good too. But none protect the neck. So that discussion is pretty pointless. To protect the neck you need something like the Leatt, whether you sport a moto helmet or any other full face.

 

[djamgils]

profro's point was, why protect your neck with a brace if you dont protect your head with a ****ty helmet.

But his opinion on a ****ty helmet is different then mine.

 

[blackspire]

profro's point was, why protect your neck with a brace if you dont protect your head with a ****ty helmet.

But his opinion on a ****ty helmet is different then mine.

Yes but his theory about helmets does not adress the issue in question (protect the neck), nor does he have any quantifiable proof that a regular bicycle full-face won't provide sufficient protection for DH.

 

[djamgils]

but is it usefull to wear a brace combined with a bad helmet. In stead of breaking your neck you break your skull.

anyway the leat brace is a very good investment to make. You only have one neck.
I had a crash a week ago while I was wearing my brace, the brace stayed in place and did its job. My head didn't bang the ground because the brace supported it.

 

[blackspire]

but is it usefull to wear a brace combined with a bad helmet. In stead of breaking your neck you break your skull.

anyway the leat brace is a very good investment to make. You only have one neck.
I had a crash a week ago while I was wearing my brace, the brace stayed in place and did its job. My head didn't bang the ground because the brace supported it.

I haven't seen anything which proves that the full-faces with DOT and ASTM 1952 standards are much worse than the moto-helmets for DH. So I think his point isn't very valid. I however wear a mx-helmet, mainly because I like the design of the helmet, not because I'm afraid a normal bicycle full-face (like a TLD / Fox etc) wont protect me.

 

[Big J]

If you want to wear a neck brace, great but why not go with a moto?

But my point to djamgils was that I don't pick my head protection for (relatively) smaller hits. Those aren't as much of a concern as the bigger ones.

I agree with Doug. I dress for the crash, not the ride but then again I’m relatively new to DH and just beginning to ride at a level where the speeds warrant an upgrade in helmet and the addition of a respectable neck brace. My next helmet will be a moto and the Leatt will be on my Christmas list. Just my $0.02.

J