02-19-2007, 06:46 AM
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#1
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Short Shifter
Gigantic is offline
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 161
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if you don't read any other post this year, read this one.
Hey all, this was posted in another forum that I'm on- i thought it might be apropos here:
Quote:
Originally posted by bradzdotcom
as some of you know, i make my living in the professional supercross/motocross industry.
i want to tell you about something that could possibly save your life...and keep you out of a wheelchair.
i have WAY too many friends that i used to race with, who are now in wheelchairs due to paralysis.
This is my effort to make sure YOU do not become one of them.
This post might be a long read. trust me...it's worth it.
in my industry, we've recently been making a big push on a product called the leatt brace. their website is: http://www.leatt-brace.com/ the brace you want to look at is the GPX version.
the leatt brace is designed to help minimize paralizing neck injuries...the kinds of injuries that put you in a wheelchair...or worse.
the feedback i've gotten from pro mx/sx/road racers is that: the brace is comfortable. it doesn't interfere with your helmet. it doesn't make additional noise. it doesn't weight much. you almost don't notice it's even there.
from what i've seen, the leatt brace is just as important as a helmet, boots or gloves. hopefully, by the time you're done reading this, it will become a mandatory piece of your riding gear.
my friend david bailey, a former motocross racer, recently marked his 20th year in a wheelchair.
although he's been bed-ridden for the past year, he mustered the effort to talk about the leatt brace. the video is called "Stand for Something".
david's video is sponsored by Nike. it's 12 minutes long. the video is mostly an "inside industry" thing, some of which is directed at particular riders. it's worth a watch. the link is: http://www.vitalmx.com/index.php?opt...dia_owner=1180
since david's video came out, there's been a giant swell of support in our industry. many of our pro riders have been practicing with the brace during the week...some of them (like Kevin Windham), will be wearing the brace this weekend at our supercross event in San Diego.
many others are trying it. it was worn by 70 of the competitors in the recent Dakar race...bike, car and truck guys.
it's been worn and tried by not only US based road racers, but by many MotoGP guys. You'll be seeing it throughout this season worn by famous guys who are way faster than we are.
the leatt brace is a product that was developed by a South African doctor. Over the past year, he's received "funding" from a variety of companies, including BMW and KTM.
the leatt brace is available in three configurations (all fiberglass, half fiber/half carbon, all carbon), and costs between $400 and $1000 dollars.
yep it's expensive. but even the most inexpensive version is less than the cost of a good wheelchair, or a good helmet, boots, radar detector, ohlins shock, etc...
please follow the links above. think about getting one.
personally...from what i know, what i've seen and what i've learned....i ordered one last week...and i'm absolutely NOT going to ride again until i have mine. and i won't ever ride again without it.
if this post encourages just one of you to belly up and get one...then it will be worth it.
thanx for reading this.
...brad
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