Source: BTO sports Six Six One had their DROID deflector on display in Vegas. The Droid is hard shell armor with neck support built into it (think Leatt brace). This patent pending piece of armor looks interesting and they are expecting to see many athletes on it in 2010.
Video and details inside,
Features:* Injection molded polycarbonate front and back panels for maximum protection from roost and hard impacts.
* Forces are dispersed over a larger area in the event of a crash and will not apply unwanted pressure to collar bone and spine.
* Adjustable EZ-entry neck halo allows rider movement yet prevents support from hyperextension and possibility of a neck injury.
* Neck halo is fully adjustable to fine tuned to different rider sizes and comfort.
* Back panel protects without affecting freedom of movement with molded flex hinges.
* Available in White or Black
*
1 Size: to fit: 5'0" - 6'2", Weight: 140-220 lbs.
* Available December 1st,
MSRP $292.99 USD or £178.08 Here's Steve from 661 giving us a run through of what to expect:
Views and opinions welcome. Please post sensibly and on topic.
Thank you,
Edd
too tall. total bummer
Otherwise, I've seen these at the local races and they look great and functional.
You said everything in 1 package,the 661 droid has also everything in 1 package to since it's gonna be cheaper than buying 2 things seperate.
Well, the neck braces here range from about $150 to around 620, with may options in between.
The droid retail for around $300.
So if you were to get the EVS brace or the OMEGA brace you could buy a $100 chest proteter and still have $50 on the Droid. BUT, I would say if you were wanting a leatt or ALPINESTARS brace, thedroid might fi your needs. I think personally, I would just choose the brace/protector separetly so I could coose to ride without one if I wanted....NOW if the driod had a detachable neck brace (zippered off or something) that would be another story.
I'd sooner have spine protection than chest protection. One is superficial, the other is life saving.
i run a core saver (top 2 plates removed) with a leatt, i feel pretty bomb proof in this and i think that it lets me feel 'FREE'.
i have a feeling that this might make people fell a little more confined.
you have to sacrifice a little something .. in order to get a little something .. right? nothings perfect... if your neck could move completely free.. then how would it protect you on the big crashes?
i'll be getting one, minus the crying
jk but i rly broke my neck D:
Though the 661 unit looks like the step in the right direction did they coinsider the issue that the leatt has with the rear spline piece breaking and still crippling people? How much R&D went into it, did they purchase cadavers to do their testing like Alpinestars did? Is the rear spine piece made to absorbe and break away like the A-stars bionic in a way that will not compromise the spine. Alot of you might not think this is a big deal, but when your a big guy, you tend to hit things with alot more force then a little guy does, and in some cases big guys don't have the reflexes to try and save parts of the body during a crash. Another thing that bothers me about both the Leatt and the Droid is how they are removed, if your down and a medic needs to remove the brace, the leatt and the droid are more difficult then the A-stars....I would say that the a-stars and Droid offer better collar bone protection and that is a good thing. The price is deffinatly competetive with the 661, but I am not convinced that this is a good brace for the very serious riders out there.
As far as impact protection goes it is roost deflection on the chest and back,but designed for impact on the neck.Of corse this will still help when landing on your chest or back racing MX,but when racing DH we race on terrain with rocks ,trees,and are impacts can be severe.
Most MX deflector are made for that in mind,just deflecting.This is all I ever used for DH in the past due to the fact that I like the mobility and weight,but with hard contact to rocks or roots,and trees I cracked all of them,BUT still walked away though I was hurt with bruised ribs and once with my back hurt bruised afterwards.
Now I use Dainese (The leader in IMPACT protection).What I use is the commander (the new version is called the Armor Pro for 2010 in the motorbike section of the website.)
This has full impact protection as well as roost and it can be used with a Leatt and to the guys asking about using a Leatt with your Dainese gear it seems to work with Impact jackets with the side zip,but Impact Armor with center zip you can't zip all the way up.
Maybe the next model will incorporate true spinal protection not just thin composite plates.
btw, look in the front view pic at the cutout where you see the spine protection. All it is is plate no different than my fox chest protector. It won't do squat when you really need it. I want thick ass padding with each individual or pairs of disc sections independently covered.
bloww meeee
I don't mind spending 400 euro on a neck brace,better than in landing in a wheelchair.
A D3 cost twice the price of that 661 neck/chest protector,people still wouldn't complain it's price and will buy it
You're a f*cking idiot and after I check your profile and figure out who's tires you run(assuming you're not one of those douchebags that runs another company's product), I'm sending them the link to this. And ya best hope it ain't Kenda cuz that's who I ride for and love and I'm sure they'd appreciate this...
do you black out maxxis tires when you ride some real downhill?
And according to your points, NO ONE is on your side here Stryke. Shut the f*ck up already, this is about a necksupport anyway, remember??
whats so incredible about the new line? have they copied the same cut of a minion and going to price it cheaper in hope people are going to go running to it?
but nevagrips? really?
Currently running Intense 909's: for the conditions and trails I build around here they are LUSH! Gotta go with Minions or High Rollers on hardpack though, the 909's just dont roll quick enough.
And for the record...I ran Vail(as well as all the pirate trails there as fast as I could handle), Sol Vista, and everything we could ride in 10 hours at Winter Park including the beat to f*ck Trestle DH on 14psi. Not one flat, pinch or problem with welter weight tubes. Sounds like a lot of people need to learn how to pick and hold lines, not just monster truck through shit.
thankyou
www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=91974