7
May

Northwest series round 2 – Farmer John’s – Jamie Scott

This time it was a sunday race only for me, which meant up at 3:30am to get down to Manchester in good time to walk the track and get ready for some crammed practice!
Arrived at the track around 7:30am, plenty of time for the three T’s – Track walk, Tyre change and Tea…

Tea and bacon bapp finished time to get my Knox clothing on! Practice was delayed due to the medics and walkie talkies for the marshalls being held up but we eventually got going. The track was awesome – same old fast top section going into a couple really fast newly built berms that spat you into the bridge jump! – which claimed a few casualties over the course of the weekend. Once you came back to earth it was a hard hammer on the pedals before jumping into a really cool berm that kicked you out into two fast but tight switch-backs, then back on the pedals before setting up for the infamous bomb hole!

The bomb hole became the sight of interest for second race runs in the wet as it was the hardest part of the track and was the downfall of many. Once through the bomb hole it was onto a rooty shoot, some greasy corners and then the finish line.

Practice over it was the same old race day format, eat, eat, eat! Food washed down and nice clean kit put on I pushed up for my race run. Although the clouds looked full to bursting point the rain held off and we all had dry first runs. My run went well and I came down in first – all was looking well as I knew I could go faster in my second run but as second runs got underway the heavens broke and the wrath of god was unleashed! Even though it was wet I decided to push up and do my run anyway as even from the top you could hear the crowd at the bomb hole going crazy! It was great fun, the track came alive in the wet and the atmosphere down the bottom was fantastic! No one managed to beat their first run times and so my provisional First position became secure.

All in all It was a good fun track and a great sunday! Although the 3:30am start didn’t do me any favours and I don’t think I’ll be doing that again.

Really chuffed with 1st in Experts.

Big thanks to Knox-Armour keeping me warm, dry and safe all day!

Bike once again was faultless – FreeFlow Bikes

And well done to the rest of my teammates, special well done to Liam Jordan McDermott and Blake Senior-White for getting on their respective podiums – Big up TeamRockGradener!

Jamie

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24
April

SDA Round 1 – Innerleithen – Jamie Scott

Even for what could be called my “local” race the weekend begins on the friday, packing, cleaning and checking the weather forecast almost every half hour. Car packed and ready, it was time for an early night.

Saturday morning begins as most do in the racing season, with my body telling me I am awake far too early… but hey, an hour and a half later I rolled into the pits, parked up and hit the track for track walk. Quite often at Innerleithen I find myself standing on a corner during track walk not knowing where the hell I’m going to go but this problem did not arise with this track, it was pretty much one line and flat out! Back to the bottom, a quick coffee and tyre change and it was time to join the uplift queue.

We had all been promised over the tannoy that we no longer had to do the almighty pedal to the end of road and that we would be getting picked up from the car park… that lasted about 10 minutes. Unfortunately by this time the queue had swelled and threatened to burst its banks. This continued for the whole of saturday practice and so getting as many runs in as possible became the mission! I managed to bang out 5 good runs, hitting my lines and finding some pace. The track didn’t change much all day except for a few lines missed in track walk becoming ever more handsome. One of the main challenges of the track was the top section, proving quite difficult to link up nicely but once you got out into the open you were spat into some awesome high speed jumps and bus-stops. Although the jumps were a bit small for the speed they were hit, whips were to be had all day long!

Coming off the high speed motorway back into the woods saw you hard on the brakes and slamming into corners as if a spare set of wheels was ready for you after every run – it was great fun! With practice over it was time to pack up and head home – i couldn’t wait for my fajitas!!

Another early morning on Race day in order to get to the track in plenty of time as first uplift was at half eight. With my bike and kit all lovely and clean from the night before I got myself ready and pedalled along for a nice confidence building practice run. I was hoping to get two practice runs in before uplift closed for racing but it was not to be. The one run i had, had to do.
I was lucky enough to arrive at the top with Scotty Mears in front and we decided to do a run together, and so my one practice run turned out to be a flat out eye opener!
With practice over and desired lines hit it was time to clean the bike and get the race kit on. Race prep finished, energy consumption became the main objective – two bacon and cheese panini’s, mmmm yes please!

I had plenty of time to kill as my first race run was not until 2pm and it was still only half eleven. The rain had been spitting all day but yet the track still remained dry, apart from the very top. But the weather forecast said it was to chuck it down after lunch time and so I thought I’d be sneaky and throw the spikes on! – bad idea! My race run came but the rain didn’t and so I was the only one sitting at the top with full spikes on. Needless to say despite my best efforts the high speed bottom was a slog and i felt as if i wasn’t going anywhere. I was in eighth place after first runs and I knew I could make up a whole heap of time just with a simple tyre change, so i got on the job!

Bike once again clean and tyres changed I was ready for my second run. In place of my spikes I had chosen the Kenda Nexacavator tyres as they roll very fast and provide great amounts of grip under braking. Time was pushing on now as the race was an hour behind, but the sun was out and the drizzle was kept at bay, which was good news for my goggles.

The countdown began, “15 seconds”, “10 seconds”, “BEEP!” and i was off! instantly I noticed the Faster rolling tyres but I soon got that out of my head and focussed back on the run. All was going well until in the middle of the track in a steep shoot where I decided not do as I had in practice all day yesterday and today and ended up in an embrace with a tree. A mad scramble to get back on my bike quickly followed and I was back into my run, pushing hard to try and scrape back what I could. Unfortunately it was not enough and although coming down 5 seconds faster than my first run I still finished in 8th in Experts with a time of 3.42.7

Even with a slightly disappointing result I still had a fantastic weekend.
A big massive “braaaaap!” to Team Rock Garderner
My bike once again ran like a dream, thank you FreeFlow Bikes
and well done to my fellow team mate Blake Senior-White

Jamie Scott

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22
April

Fox Releases 2014 All-Mountain Suspension

Fox has issued details about updates to their 34 TALAS, as well as a completely new rear air shock, the Float X. Both products feature increased low speed compression damping in each of the CTD modes, a needed refinement that should give the suspension a firmer platform, making it less likely to blow through its travel prematurely during aggressive riding. The TALAS sees changes to its air spring curve, as well as a hydraulic travel adjuster to make it easier to reduce the travel from 160mm to 130mm.

The new Float X rear shock has an attached reservoir, giving it a greater oil volume. This increased oil volume should make for a shock that is less prone to being affected by the heat generated during a long descent, which in turn makes for less fluctuation in the ride feel of the shock. We spent a brief amount of time on a prototype Float X on Lars Sternberg’s Transition Covert, which has a customized Grip Shift that was rigged up to control the compression settings. The production version doesn’t have the multiple clicks of compression, but stays with the Climb, Trail, and Descend compression settings with three additional settings for the Trail mode.

Both products appear intended to meet the demands of today’s all-mountain rider or enduro racer. Riders are pushing their all-mountain rigs harder than ever, riding them at speeds and in terrain formerly inhabited solely by downhill bikes, and need suspension components designed to handle this level of riding. We’ll be taking a closer look at Fox’s 2014 offerings at Sea Otter, but the initial details are included below.

 

FOX, the industry-leading ride dynamics company, has announced the release of two 2014 all-mountain products with the 34 TALAS CTD 160 fork and FLOAT X CTD shock. The 34 TALAS features a completely redesigned TALAS travel adjust system and the FLOAT X is a new reservoir air shock platform.

2014 FOX FACTORY 34 TALAS CTD

FOX 2014 Talas CTD

 

FOX FACTORY 34 TALAS CTD w/ Trail Adjust 160
The 34 TALAS fork has key design changes that translate to smoother travel and improved handling. The updated CTD tune provides more damping support in each mode for better efficiency and control. The TALAS system uses an air spring design similar to FLOAT, giving it superior bump compliance for more comfort and traction on the trail. Mated to the air spring is a hydraulic travel adjuster that provides quick, crisp travel changes between 160mm and 130mm. All 2014 TALAS forks use the new travel adjust system.

• New TALAS travel adjuster
• 160mm/130mm travel range
• 3 on-the-fly settings with Climb/Trail/Descend
• Trail Adjust tuning range (1, 2, 3)
• Rebound
• 15QR thru axle
• 26” and 27.5” wheel options
• 4.33 lbs. / 1,964 g (26”)

2014 FOX FLOAT X

2014 FOX Float X CTD

 

FOX FACTORY FLOAT X CTD w/ Trail Adjust Rebound
The performance advantages of the FLOAT X’s reservoir design make it ideal for aggressive all-mountain riding. The increased oil volume and dual piston damping system produce an incredibly responsive ride while maintaining a consistent feel through rugged terrain. The base valve on the reservoir gives the Climb, Trail and Descend modes a wide adjustment range to perfectly match trail conditions.

• New reservoir air shock platform
• 3 on-the-fly settings with Climb/Trail/Descend
• Air spring pressure
• Rebound
• Low friction hardware
• Remote option
• 0.8 lbs. / 365 g (8.5 x 2.5, no hardware)

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8
April

Shimano WH-9000 Dura-Ace C24-CL Clincher

With money burning a hole in my pocket I needed to spend it, and spend it fast before my wife got a hold of it. My birthday had recently past by and another year was added to my body clock, the bright side being that I had a pile of cash to spend on shiny new bike parts! So armed with my birthday money and money from selling bike parts I set about spending it. I had really fancied a set of 50mm Carbon Clinchers, why…….. well they look good don’t they! Oh and that lovely sound you get off them when you’re flying down the road. Although the noise can get a bit annoying if your mates using them and riding behind you as you keep thinking a car is coming up behind you, or at least I do.

So that was that, my mind was set on 50mm Carbon Clinchers, but with so many choices I didn’t know where to start! Full Carbon or Carbon/Alloy? Which Brand? Choices, choices, choices. To help with the decision I read so many articles regarding carbon wheels and asked on various forums and all that managed to do was confuse me even more as everyone had a different opinion! Eventually I narrowed it down to the Mavic Cosmic Carbone CL wheelset, a carbon/alloy 50mm deep cut wheel. Just as I was about to make that purchase my Facebook page was inundated with messages from my cycling friends telling me not to buy 50mm carbon clinchers as for training rides and sportives I’d be better off spending my money on a high end set of alloy wheels. So there we were back to the drawing board again with doubt in my mind what I wanted. I’d honestly have been easier just giving the money away. Lol

Looking further into the weight of the wheels, my Fulcrum Racing 5′s came in at the same weight give or take a couple of grams as the Mavic wheels I was set to purchase. With my mind undecided I left it for the evening and picked up the new edition of Cycling Weekly before heading to work the following morning. My eyes instantly became attracted to the back page where the New Shimano WH-9000 Dura-Ace C24-CL Clincher wheelset kept calling out at me……. buy me, buy me!

Shimano Dura-Ace WH-9000 C24 Clinchers

Shimano Dura-Ace WH-9000 C24 Clinchers

After work that evening I had an in-depth look at the wheelset and it ticked all the boxes. So that was the final decision made, Shimano WH-9000 Dura-Ace wheels it was! I was just going to swap over my Continental GatorHardShell tyres to my new wheels until my mate who races informed me that there was no way I could spend that kind of money on top of the range ultra-light wheels then stick heavy tyres on it! So I was now on the hunt for new tyres. I used to use the Schwalbe Ultremo ZX tyres which I loved as they were lightweight, fast rolling, low rolling resistance tyres, only thing was they cut up very easily. After more research and advice I ended up going for the Continental Grand Prix 4000s folding tyres.

So what do I think of my new wheels and tyres? Superb! The combination works really well and are fast rolling and very responsive. I’m glad I was talked out the 50mm deep cut carbon wheels and found the top end Shimano Dura-Ace wheels. The wheels are 11 speed compatible which makes them future roof for the moment, not that I have the money to upgrade the full drivetrain and controls to 11 speed. Lol

With new wheels, tyres, chain, cassette and crankset my bike is running like a dream.

Stuart
IT Manager

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6
April

Poc

POC Flow Shorts

Flow Shorts

POC Trabec Helmet

Trabec

POC Index Air Adjustable Glove

Index Air Adjustable

POC Air Jersey

 

Air Jersey

 

 

POC is a Swedish company, built on a strong mission; to do everything we can to possibly save lives and to reduce consequences of accidents, for gravity sports athletes, by developing and renewing what personal protection is all about. POC has in many ways already set a new standard when it comes to technical solutions, construction, material combinations and engineering, with patented solutions, to increase the degree of protection.

POC works in a cross scientific way, from the office in Saltsjöbaden outside of Stockholm.
The organization involves competences from different fields, such as engineers, material specialists, industrial and graphic designers, neurologists and back specialists. Stockholm is an important centre for some of Europe’s leading research and development experts in the areas of safety, medicine, health care, advanced product development and testing

“It´s our mission to do everything we can to develop protective gear that can save lives and reduce the severity of injuries.”

All our products have been tested by top world gravity sport athletes and then further refined to perfection. Our athlete friends love to go flat out but without suffering cuts, bruises and headaches, or in the worst cases, risking back or brain damage as a result of crashes that sadly happens to even the best athletes. The end result is a line of lightweight, high performance gear that offers the ultimate protection against injury thanks to superior impact absorption and penetration resistance.

When developing a product at POC, we do it in the spirit of doing the best. We never compromise in choosing materials or construction, and we never compromise safety, quality or performance.

 

Cross-scientific approach

With the cross-scientific approach to how we process challenges at POC, we need to be curious, listen carefully, both to promote and to reject. We need to establish a strong foundation to guide us in the quest to make a point, to state our own identity and typology, to explore, invent or to innovate. All to the benefit of the users. We never compromise in choosing materials or construction, and we never compromise safety, quality or performance.

Our mission

The POC Lab is our scientific forum. It brings together experts who provide us with invaluable assistance in ensuring that we develop the most relevant, reliable and advanced protective products on the market today. The POC Lab enables a close and rewarding collaboration with some of the world’s foremost sports medicine experts, back specialists and brain scientists. As a complement to the POC Lab, we also seek help from materials technologists – and from people such as you who make avid use of our protective gear in practice, ranging from proficient X-game riders to the elite at the World Cup level.

One of the major issues that concern the members of the POC lab is the rapid evolution of skiing and snowboarding.  The speeds are increasing, drops and jumps are higher and playing around in parks, with jumps, banks, and rails are available to most. Downhill racing, Skier X, or moguls are also disciplines where the limits are being tested. The whole scenario is actually a bit frightening. With this pace, we are likely to experience an increased number of serious accidents in the coming years. Therefore, it is important to underline that protection can’t guarantee your safety. What it can do is reduce the risk of being injured. The most vital ingredient to avoid injuries is you. Skill and good common sense are the assets that need to be prioritized.

Members of the POC Lab are carefully selected for their unique expertise. Each member shares POC’s mission to save lives and reduce the severity of injuries resulting from accidents.

Members of POC Lab

Helmet Concepts Snow

POC has worked intensively with leading experts to understand every detail how a helmet should be constructed. All this is preformed with the sole objective of giving you far better protection than ever before. This has led up to a bunch of different concepts for different needs.

Current designs
WHEN POC FIRST STARTED UP, there were two types of helmets on the market. Firstly, the traditional helmet with a hard shell and a liner of softer expanded polystyrene (EPS) which has good penetration resistance and energy distribution properties. The disadvantage of the hard shell is that upon impact, the hard structure causes a sudden stop. The brain may continue to move in the direction of travel and the impact is not absorbed very well. The hard shell is also quite heavy which may cause the helmet to bounce off the ground on impact. These properties can lead to brain damage and whiplash injuries.

THE SECOND TYPE OF HELMET IS THE ‘IN-MOLD’ TYPE, which originated in the field of cycling. These molded helmets have a thinner shell of hard plastic that covers the ears and the back of the neck.

NORMALLY, BOTH THE TRADITIONAL hard shell and in-mold helmets rely on expanded Polystyrene (EPS) for the shock absorption. EPS absorbs energy by plastic deformation, meaning it is deformed permanently upon impact. Therefore, a helmet liner made of EPS will not be good at absorbing repetitive shocks. Another aspect that is not taken into account in traditional helmets is the effects of rotational violence, which is a major risk at oblique impacts.

Six different helmet concepts for six different needs.

”Semi-hard shell” 2.0 helmets
WHEN FIRST developed and launched season 2005/2006, the aim of the “semi hard shell” helmets was to combine the advantages of both in-mold and hard shell helmets. The excellent energy absorption properties from the in-mold helmets was achieved by using a thin and light outer shell and the ability to withstand sharp object penetration was solved by adding a barrier made from ballistic aramid. POC has been refining the concept over a couple of seasons and is now presenting the second generation of these helmets, the “semi hard shell 2.0” collection. By studying today’s top ski racers, it was evident that a helmet used for ski racing is likely to be exposed for repeated violence from hitting gates at high speed. The updated helmets are therefore equipped with a liner of Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) instead of EPS. The difference between the materials is that EPP, unlike EPS, does not deform permanently on impact and is therefore suitable to absorb repetitive shocks. The outer shell is also updated for increased durability and optimized for the new liner material (all Skull helmets).

 

Unique in-mold helmets
STARTING FROM the amazing properties of our Skull Comp helmet, we have taken the technology further by incorporating the Aramid ballistic penetration barrier APB, into a series of in-mold helmets – Synapsis. This has enabled us to overcome the traditional problems of in-mold helmets breaking easily and not being able to withstand penetration. The Synapsis helmets are designed to offer extreme lightweight, ventilation and comfort without compromising safety. The helmets have soft foam pads for a perfect individual fit and detachable ear pads (all Synapsis helmets).

 

Double shell helmets
IMPROVING PROPERTIES such as better shock absorption, lower weight and penetration resistance are some of the major advantages solved by using POC’s patent pending Aramid ballistic penetration barrier: APB. Transferring these qualities and lessons learned into a fully ventilated system has led to the new revolutionary, patent pending; Ventilated- Double-Shell-Anti-Penetration: VDSAP.

THE CONCEPT WAS initially developed for the Receptor + all season helmet. A helmet developed and certified in Europe and the US for skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, biking and water sports. VDSAP is built with double shells, placed offset, for maximum penetration resistance and has channels in between to evacuate heat, moisture or water. The inner shell is an extremely thin in-mold shell, while the outer shell is a hard shell of ABS and PC. The properties are amazing and used in all Receptor helmets and the Cortex DH.

 

Optimized vent helmets
SOME MARKETS have asked us to come up with a super ventilated helmet, adjustable for cold days. With the experience gained from previous models, innovations and patents, we have come up with a cocktail of different ventilation concepts, all included in one helmet. When using an adjustable system, there is also the challenge of keeping weight down. The solution combines three different ventilation systems. At the front, there is the POC patent VDSAP, a double shell solution where air is transported between two layers of shell, to avoid direct wind and to withstand penetration from sharp objects. At the back, there are ventilation holes for the helmet to function as a chimney, where air is pulled from the front to the rear.

ON TOP, the helmet has generous ventilation with six vents, that may be closed or semi-closed with a turning-devise. This combination makes the helmet very airy and very light (all Frontal helmets).

 

Carbon Fiber helmets
SO FAR, carbon fiber helmets haven’t made too much sense. The methods of industrially laying carbon fiber have been counterproductive to the goal of thin, light shells that deform or destruct at certain stress points. The shells have been too stiff and too thick for use in ski helmets.

HOWEVER, thanks to a new method, we can make a super-thin and superlight carbon fiber shell, which is highly flexible and makes sense to use in a ski helmet. Unfortunately the technique is still very expensive but it’s so good that we want to introduce it in a new line of Skull Helmets; Super Skull Comp.

 

Multi directional impact protection system helmets
TRADITIONAL HELMET testing methods only test vertical falls. However, the real situation is that, if crashing at speed, the impact will be oblique. In turn, this means that the helmet and head will start rotating when hitting the ground, resulting in rotational forces to the brain. The brain is highly sensitive to this kind of violence.

 

Helmet Concepts Wheels

WHEN ENTERING the bike scene, we made use of the experiences gained from our short but successful history in making revolutionizing ski helmets. The concepts that we have developed for ski helmets has been taken further and optimized to reach and exceed the demands of today’s bike users in the DH, Dirt, Free ride and BMX disciplines. The aim has been to provide better head protection than ever before.

NORMALLY, both the traditional hard shell and in-mold helmets rely on Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) for the shock absorption. EPS absorbs energy by plastic deformation, meaning it is deformed permanently upon impact. Therefore, a helmet liner made of EPS will not be good at absorbing repetitive shocks.

THE CONCEPTS that we have developed for ski helmets has been taken further and optimized to reach and exceed the demands of today’s bike users in the DH, Dirt, Freeride and BMX disciplines.

Multi Impact Performance
MOST OF POC’s bike helmets use a liner of EPP instead of the traditional EPS. The difference between the materials is that EPP, unlike EPS, does not deform permanently on impact and is therefore suitable for absorbing repetitive shocks.

Transferring experience from ski
THE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS for ski and bike helmets are similar, but bike helmets call for some additional requirements when it comes to ventilation and comfort. A bike helmet should have full ventilation to let fresh air flow into the helmet as well as letting out excess heat and perspiration. The challenge with ventilation is that open vents in the helmet leaves the user unprotected from sharp objects that may penetrate the vents. This is a serious risk, especially for DH riders since they are likely to be exposed to branches, sharp rocks and other hazardous objects in a crash.

To overcome the challenge of providing penetration resistance, excellent ventilation and impact protection properties, we developed our patented concept with double overlapping shells (VDSAP).

MIPS rotational violence protection
POC HAS ALSO ADDED the patented MIPS technology to our collection of innovations, aiming for safer helmets. MIPS is a system used to reduce the rotational forces on the brain in the case of oblique impacts. This is achieved by allowing a controlled rotation of the shell relative to the liner. We are proud to present this unique and necessary system in a bike helmet.
POC’s double shell helmets
TRADITIONALLY, there have been two different types of bike helmets on the market. First, there is the traditional hard shell helmet with a thick outer shell, covering a shock absorbing liner of EPS. The hard shell helmet provides good protection against penetration and makes a durable construction. But, the nature of the stiff outer shell also has its drawbacks.

ON IMPACT, the hard shell causes an abrupt stop of the head. This increases the risk of brain injuries. The hard shell may also bounce on the ground and thereby increase the risk of whiplash injuries. The second type of traditional bike helmet is the “in-mold” type. These helmets have a thin shell of polycarbonate molded together with an EPS liner. With this construction, the impact energy is very well absorbed as the thin shell allows the helmet to deconstruct on impact, creating lower energy levels for the brain to deal with and minimal bounce. The disadvantages are poor resistance to penetration and a less durable construction.
Benefits
OUR EFFORT to combine the strengths of these two major concepts in ski helmets led to our patent pending “Aramid ballistic penetration barrier”: APB. By adding a layer of penetration-resistant aramid between the shell and the liner, the shell thickness could be reduced, leading to weight reduction and better energy absorption.

Transferring the APB concept into a fully ventilated system for bike users led to our revolutionary, patented Ventilated- Double-Shell-Anti-Penetration: VDSAP.

THIS CONSTRUCTION was initially developed for the Receptor+ all season helmet. A helmet certified in Europe and the US for: biking, skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, and water sports. When developing the Cortex DH full face downhill helmet, it was an obvious choice to use the VDSAP concept.

VDSAP has two ventilated shells placed offset for maximum penetration resistance and channels in between the shells to ventilate heat, perspiration, or water. The inner shell is an extremely thin layer of polycarbonate while the outer shell is made of carbon fiber or injected plastic depending on model. The properties are amazing and these helmets represent an unique way of thinking in helmet design.

 

 

Body Armor Concepts

Back protection

AS A RESULT OF OUR COLLABORATION WITH SPECIALISTS in spinal cord injuries, riders of all kinds and experts in material and construction, we have come to the conclusion that many of the protectors on the market have serious weaknesses.

THE CHALLENGE IS TO COME UP WITH A FLEXIBLE, comfortable protection that really does the work! Many back protectors out there are lightweight, but less good when it comes to shock absorption and really protecting your spinal area. We are very happy to present two different concepts of back protections; VPD and Multi-impact hard shell system, both as a result of different needs of riders and state of art materials and constructions.

Our VPD protector works progressively, adapts itself to the force of the impact and is the most flexible back protector out there.

VPD – Visco-Elastic Polymer Dough
POC USES A COMPOUND and technology for our most shock absorbing back protector called VPD (Visco-Elastic Polymer Dough). This protector is one of few on the market that reaches the highest standard (Level 2 “High performance”) of the CE 1621-2 motorcycle standard.

THE MATERIAL IS HIGHLY DAMPENING, using a modified Polyurethane foam that is soft, comfortable and adapts to create an individual fit. However, when exposed to impact the material stiffens and has extreme energy absorption properties. Most of the protector systems available on the market are designed to just pass the specific CE-Norm test. However, this means that low energy impacts are transferred almost directly to the body. Our VPD back protector functions progressively and adapts itself to the force of the impact.

TO FURTHER IMPROVE properties the back protector uses a dual density combination, with extra protection covering the spinal area. This way we maximize both the freedom of movement and the shock absorbing characteristic of the protection.

Multi impact hard shell system
TO MAXIMIZE ENERGY absorption POC’s back armor with hard panel shields has a multi impact core. Unlike many other back protectors, the EPP and EVA cores also withstands multi-impact without losing the energy absorbing abilities.

An individual system
WE HAVE A FLEXIBLE PATENTED back-protection system which allows you to choose your protection degree at all times from various components. This means you can tailor the degree of protection, depending on how you ride for the day or to meet different rules and restrictions applying to the competition you enter. With the Cervical and Coccyx you can be sure to gain protection for the upper part of the spine, including vertebrae C1 – C7, as well as the lowest part including the caudal area. The uppermost part of the spine – the vertebrae C1 – C7, is the most important region to protect as damages here may result in serious irreparable injury or even death.

THE ARMOR IS NOT ONLY DESIGNED to give you the highest possible level of protection, we have also done everything we can to make the armor as comfortable to wear as possible. You will feel how the protection anatomically and ergonomically follows the shape of your back. At the same time, the protection is supple, giving you complete freedom of movement. Another major advantage of the POC armor is the highly efficient ventilation technology.

TO SUM IT ALL UP, POC’S BACK PROTECTION will give you unsurpassed levels of comfort and safety. Looking at our range we hope that you will find a product for your personal need, regardless of how you like to ride, whether it be DH racing or pulling back flips in the park.

 

Optical Concepts

Both goggles and performance eyewear are developed to optimize need, function and protection, depending on activity and conditions. along with protecting your eyes from snow, ice, rain, slipstream, uv-rays, branches etc as well as assisting your vision in different light conditions, we have worked on optimizing the fi eld of view, for better periphery perception, fast reaction and therefore promoting safety.

ALL GOGGLES have a cellulose propionate inner lens to optimize anti fog properties. double lenses have an outer polycarbonate lens for durability and penetration resistance. All POC lenses have a state of the art anti-scratch and anti-fog treatment. NXT lenses are used in our performance eyewear and goggles and was initially developed for fighter jet canopies. The properties include extreme impact, temperature and chemical resistance, together with superior optical performance versus existing technologies, i.e polycarbonate.

Since different properties are prioritized for different users, POC has developed and employs a range of lens types in our goggles and eyewear.     

Injected goggle lenses
THESE DOUBLE LENSES have an injection molded outer lens. This allows for a great variation of the shape and geometry, allowing optimized coverage and 3D shape of the lens. This results in better field of vision as well as better optics, since the shape can be optimized for the frame and the resulting distance from the wearer’s eyes.

Die-cut goggle lenses
THIS TYPE  of double lens is die-cut. This means that the lenses are cut out from a sheet, allowing for a highly efficient production process plus great possibilities to change the tint and VLT of the lenses.

Anti-fog protected single goggle lenses
RACE SKIERS demand minimum refraction error, which is why race-specific lenses are made using only a single lens. Single lenses are generally known to havempoor anti-fog protection, but the base material and coatings chosen for POC ́s race goggles are the best available.

NXT lenses for protective and perfomance eyewear and goggles
ALL OUR NXT LENSES are equipped with a color vision boosting filter - HCD (High Chromatic Definition) which has an extreme contrast enhancing effect and takes goggle lens clarity to a new dimension. To help you keep your lens clean and clear you will also find an excellent Oleophobic/Hydrophobic treatment as well as an Anti-scratch/Anti-fog treatment. Except for these unique “basic” features we also added a Photochromatic filter. The Photochromatic filter enables the lens to change the tint color depending on the current light conditions.

Choosing lens

VLT – Visible Light Transmission
A measurement that specifies the percentage of light coming through the lens and reaching your eyes, a totally clear lens for dark conditions typically have around 90% VLT and a very dark colored lens with mirror for sunny conditions may have down to 10% VLT. Most allround lenses will be found between 30 to 60 %. In the range of POC goggles you will find alternatives for all kinds of conditions.

Colors vs. light conditions
The color spectrum runs from blue to red with a lot of different shades in between. The color sensation and perception will differ between individuals and due to this the choice of lens color will to an extent be a subjective matter.

One basic rule explains the contrast enhancing effect by studying the color spectrum. When choosing a lens with yellow, orange, pink or red color it blocks out more of the blue end of the color spectrum. This enhances contrast, enabling you to make out shapes, objects, and bumps in the snow more clearly. These lenses work well in low light, fog and flat light, but also in moderate light. However some individuals experience good contrast by blocking the other end of the spectra as well, by using a blue tint.

NXT
All our NXT lenses are equipped with a color vision boosting filter – HCD (High Chromatic Definition) which has an extreme contrast enhancing effect and takes goggle lens clarity to a new dimension. To help you keep your lens clean and clear you will also find an excellent Oleophobic/Hydrophobic treatment as well as an Anti-scratch/Anti-fog treatment. The Photochromatic filter enables the lens to change the tint color depending on the current light conditions.

Double vs Single lens
In all our PC double lens constructions, the outer lens is made of Polycarbonate, which has the best anti scratch treatment available. All models with the Polycarbonate lens are 100% (99,9%) UV blocking and they also provide good penetration resistance. In our single lens construction, Iris Comp, the lens is made in Cellulose Propionate with a anti fog coating. The single lens is used to minimize the optical distortion and in this case the lens will not have the same high degree of protection against scratches nor fog as the double PC lens. So only choose the Comp version if you are a competitive racer who really prioritize to minimize the optical distortion.

 
 

APB
Aramid Penetration Barrier – Aramid (also known as Kevlar ®) is a short form for aromatic polyamide. A fiber that provides exceptional strength and thereby, if used correctly, can be used to provide protection against penetration in applications such as bullet proof clothing. POC is using Aramid as a soft penetration barrier to protect from sharp objects penetrating the helmets.

 

Aramid bridge shell helmets
Concept used in Trabec and Fornix helmets – By using the extreme strength provided by the Aramid fiber in bridges in the helmets shell, the structure is reinforced and at the same time, the impact energy deforming the helmet is srpread over a larger surface. Both features are good form a protection standpoint.

MIPS – Developed in cooperation with Royal Institute of Technology and Karolinska Institute, Sweden.

The new MIPS technology mimics one of the safety systems which already exist in the human head. When the head is subjected to an oblique impact, the brain can slide along a membrane on the inner surface of the skull, which reduces the forces transmitted to the brain. This protective feature has, with the MIPS technology, been incorporated into the helmet. In a helmet equipped with MIPS technology, the shell and the liner are separated by a low friction layer. When subjected to an oblique impact, the low friction layer allows a small rotation of the shell relative to the liner. Experimental tests shows a significant reduction of the forces to the brain. Find more information about the tests at www.mipshelmet.com

Accident statistics show that the most common accident occurs in an oblique impact to the head, resulting in a 
rotation of the head and brain.

The brain is more sensitive to oblique impacts than radial impacts. However, according to the helmet test regulations, the helmets are dropped vertically onto the impact surface, resulting in a radial force to the head. This is why helmets today have good protective properties for vertical impacts while the protection is not optimized for oblique impacts. MIPS AB has therefore developed MIPS technology to provide substantially increased protection against oblique impacts.

Multi Impact
Many protectors out there are lightweight, but less efficient when it comes to shock absorption. Others are light and can take one blow with proper shock absorption, but a second blow to the protector will transfer a much higher amount of energy and the third hit an even higher amount. The VPD material stays at the same high absorption level. This is an important issue for us since we believe that a protector will take several beatings both during one fall, but also during its complete life time.

The armor is not only designed to give you the highest possible level of protection when riding. We have also done everything we can to make the armor as comfortable to wear as possible. You will feel how the protection anatomically and ergonomically follows the shape of your body. At the same time, the protection is supple, giving you complete freedom of movement. Another major advantage of the POC armor is the highly efficient ventilation technology. To sum up, POC’s body protection will give you unsurpassed levels of comfort and safety. Looking at our range we hope that you will find a product for your personal need.

 

VPD 
The new VPD 2.0 range offers extreme shock absorption properties, which gives us a completely new alternative in the traditional tradeoff situation between flexibility and real protection. Due to the ability of transition from soft to hard when needed and the extreme shock absorption properties, you no longer have to choose between freedom of movement and proper protection.

VPD 2.0 offers a better flexibility in cold temperatures and has an increased tear resistance. To further improve anti penetration properties, the back protector has a durable thermoplastic polymer sheet integrated for extra protection at the spinal area. The slightly revised material compound is still highly dampening, soft, comfortable and adapts to create an individual fit. When exposed to impact, the material stiffens and has an extreme absorption of energy.

 

POLYGIENE – helmets and armor stay fresh and last longer
Polygiene permanent odor control treatment neutralizes odor by stopping the growth of odor-causing bacteria and fungi, and makes your helmet and armor stay fresh and odor free. Your gear also lasts longer because bacteria never get the chance to break down the synthetic fibers. Polygiene is safe next to your skin and helps reduce your environmental impact, too. Polygiene odor control treatment is included in all POC products where applicable.

NXT
These lenses are made from a proprietary material that is known as ”visual armor”, which was developed as a solution to military fighter jet and helicopter pilots’ demands for a shatterproof canopy that would not distort their vision.

All our NXT lenses are equipped with a color vision boosting filter – HCD (High Chromatic Definition) which has an extreme contrast enhancing effect and takes goggle lens clarity to a new dimension. To help you keep your lens clean and clear you will also find an excellent Oleophobic/Hydrophobic treatment as well as an Anti-scratch/Anti-fog treatment. Except for these unique “basic” features some NXT lenses also are equipped with a Photochromatic filter. The Photochromatic filter enables the lens to change the tint color depending on the current light conditions.

 

 

Name or abbreviation Means                            
VPD Visco Elastic Polymer Dough
VPD 2.0 Visco Elastic Polymer Dough 2.0
VDSAP/Double shell helmets Ventilated Double Shell Anti Penetration, Receptor and Cortex series concept
APB Aramid Penetration Barrier
MIPS helmets Multi directional Impact Protection System helmets
Semi Hard Shell helmets Skull helmets concepts
Aramid In Mold helmets Synapsis helmet concept
Optimized vent helmets Frontal helmet concepts
Thin carbon shell helmets Super Skull Comp helmet concept
Aramid bridge shell helmets Trabec and Fornix helmets concepts
EPS Expanded Polystyrene
EPP Expanded Polypropylene
Supracor Pneumatic Urathane Honeycomb
NXT Proprietary lens material/Visual Armor
HCD High Chromatic Definition
Polarization Polarization
Photochromatic Lenses adapting to light conditions
VLT Visible Light Transmission
Lens colors/Lens tints Different choice of lenses
In Mold In Mold helmet construction
Hard Shell Hard shell helmet construction
Polygiene Bluesign approved anti-odour treatment

 

 

 You can order these products and more from the Poc range from our site or for more info please contact up 

 

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