Spinal injuries are more common in the sport of road cycling than you might think–usually the result of a forward fall over the handlebars when heading downhill, whether from slippery roads, excessive speed, being hit from behind, or a catastrophic failure in equipment. Although perhaps not quite as common as in mountain biking, why shouldn’t road cyclists seek protection from potential spinal injuries?
Whether you are a serious DHer or just want some extra protection on those gnarly…
At Outdoor Retailer last summer, I asked Swedish company POC if they planned to launch a women's specific line of gear. The answer was "I don't know." Well it looks like POC has finally taken on the female form with the POC WO snow collection for the 2011/2012 season.
You may have been introduced to German company EVOC last year through their initial bike travelbag product. EVOC was back at ISPO with an entire new winter collection including a line of Freeride backpacks with integrated back protectors as well as a line of protector snow sports clothing.
Swedish company POC has come to the conclusion that many of the back protectors on the market have serious weaknesses in terms of shock absorption and spinal protection. The Company worked with spinal cord injury specialists, riders of all kinds and experts in material construction to come up with two different back protector concepts: VPD and the Multi-Impact hard shell system.
