The brace I tested was the GPX model which is designed for use in sports like Motocross, BMX Racing and Downhill MTB. The packaging is all very neat and the small tool that comes complete with the brace to adjust it even has “Leatt Brace 3mm” etched into it. Complete with the brace came a replacement carbon fibre strip for the rear section, a body strap to fit around your waist and 3 sets of adjustment clips. The clips fit into both sides of the brace and come accordingly in S/M/L in order to adjust the length of the brace horizontally. Marking the different sized clips with size and side (left or right) would be a good revision to make in future models though making an initial assembly a few seconds quicker.

When the folks at Leatt Corp asked me what size brace that I wore I based this on my helmet size which is a medium so my GPX was a small/medium. Out of the box the brace did not fit correctly at all but that was to be expected and several people who use them told me adjustment is essential. Since I am on the small side I used the small side clips and pushed the thoracic bar (rear section of brace that runs parallel down your back) 3 clicks in all the way. After making the adjustments I found that the brace fitted really well.

The body strap which wraps around your midrife is purely optional as it says in the instructions however I found using it made the brace sit more still which is what I want when I am riding through a rock garden.

I was aware the brace restricts movement and makes no secret of it since that is the intention. First I put on a MX helmet and found my range of neck movement was indeed limited. Next I put on my TLD D2 helmet which has a different form factor to the MX helmet and found that I had much more movement. This comes from the design of full face helmets designed for bicycle riding: the rear end of the helmets are tapered allowing more space between brace and lid.

Several Downhill riders tried the brace on with mixed results. Folks who ride in their “attack” position with their heads 90 degrees to their back had difficulty riding since it hindered their style. The general concensus was that it felt comfortable and was light. At first I felt a bit bulky putting the brace on to go ride but during my first run I never even felt that I had it on. After using the GPX for over a month I even noticed that it is there.

When you test safety equipment it is always theoretical since no sane person would test its limits or try to injure themselves. However 2 weeks into testing the brace I had the misfortune of giving the Leatt a crash test and hence the existence of this paragraph. Hitting something I had missed the first time through the course I was thrown over the bars into a section littered with rocks. During the fall I felt my helmet being compressed with huge pressure with the brace supporting it from going any further. Close to 20 feet later I stopped falling going through the post race checklist to see if I had broken something. My lower right hand side of my jaw was bruised and I had a cut in my mouth, no doubt caused from hitting the top of the brace. The back of my helmet hit a rock on the way down and the brace saved me in a manor that was never intended with the outer skirts of the Leatt acting as a buffer from my head hitting more rocks. Thankful that I had a good quality helmet and the GPX I packed up my bike and went home because I never ride after a blow like that to the head. A week later I was back on the bike.

To sum it up a Leatt Brace is a locally made product that is of high quality. The market is now flooded with similar braces riding on the back of the success Leatt have had. Cleaning the brace with a damp cloth can be a pain sometimes depending on if you rode through mud that stains but I think solvable once I find a cleaning agent that is soft on the brace. Retail price is a little high but that is solved in 2 ways 1) a GPX is cheaper and more fun than hospital bills and 2) Leatt now have the Adventure brace which is less adjustable but retails for a lower price at your local dealer. After testing the brace and having my accident I will not ride without it.

Tags: Leatt Brace

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 at 4:49 pm and is filed under News, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.