XRD® Impact Protection, the leader for flexible, comfortable and repeated impact protection technology, and SIXSIXONE, manufacturers of mountain bike helmets and protective equipment, have teamed up to develop the new Recon Knee Pad – a trail/all mountain specific knee pad that hits the shops this autumn.

Rogers, Conn. (Oct. 6, 2015) A global trend over the past two years has seen mountain bike riders going for longer rides on more technical, challenging terrain - riding on what can be called “mid travel” bikes – allowing riders to climb up and descend anywhere.  What’s more, mountain bikers are riding longer on more technical terrain using smaller travel bikes.  These growing trends carry increased risks of injury and require additional protection that doesn’t comprise bulky or heavy padding. 

Thus SIXSIXONE and XRD teamed up to develop a new product that incorporated the advanced XRD Protection technology with SIXSIXONE’s mountain biking expertise and close relationships with top riders.  Launched at Eurobike, the Recon Knee Pad is specifically designed for trail and all-mountain riding, offers protection in key impact zones and provides excellent freedom of movement so you can pedal, descend and ride all day in comfort.  

XRD® Impact Protection is a revolutionary impact foam that provides unrivaled repeated impact protection, while being thin, flexible and comfortable.  The reactive molecules of XRD Technology allow the material to be soft to the touch yet instantly firms upon impact to form a comfortable, protective shell around the wearer.  Additionally, XRD Technology is engineered to allow for unique designs that support athletes’ specific uses and promotes a protective, yet unrestricting fit.

Other features on the Recon Knee Pad include an open mesh backing to promote airflow and a back of knee cut-out to reduce chafing.  Internal silicon printing on the top and bottom elastic, an elastic strap over the calf and  SIXSIXONE’s own PADLOCK connection system are used to ensure the pads stay in place.    

“SIXSIXONE is a brand that embraces innovation and has established itself as a leader in the mountain bike space,” says Brian Larabee, XRD Impact Protection general manager.  “Through our shared passion for innovation and design, we are excited to work with SIXSIXONE to create MTB protective gear that re-defines impact protection technology for the industry.”

“XRD® Impact Protection provides us the unique opportunity to not only incorpoarte lightweight, comfortable and flexible impact protection into our products, but also take advantage of the XRD Impact Institute’s research, design, prototyping and testing capabilities,” states Shaun Ryan, Director of Product at SIXSIXONE.  “This partnership opens the door for us to utilize the most advanced technology in the protection space and ensure we bring-to-market the best protection equipment possible.”

To test the new Recon Knee Pad, SIXSIXONE turned to their top rider from the Lapierre Gravity Enduro team and 10 times downhill World Champion: Nicolas Vouilloz.  Nicolas tested the Recon Knee Pad during the Enduro World Series and his feedback confirmed the key points trail and all-mountain riders are looking for in a knee pad: a lightweight, durable and repeated impact protection pad that allows you to ride all day in comfort.

About XRD® Extreme Impact Protection:  XRD® Technology is a revolutionary impact foam that provides unrivaled repeated impact protection and unparalleled product design capabilities.  XRD Technology is thin, flexible, breathable, soft to the touch, and comfortable when worn, but firms upon impact to form a protective shell around the wearer or object. The unique material formulation of XRD Extreme Impact Protection ensures the utmost comfort, durability, and performance throughout the life of the product. It is found in a variety of protective products and equipment across the team sports, motorsports, consumer electronic, workwear, military and safety industries. For more information, please visit www.poronxrd.com.  

About SIXSIXONE:  SIXSIXONE wasestablished in Southern California in 2000 with the release of the Full Bravo downhill mountain bike helmet.  Since then the company has taken a deep interest in both cycling and motocross becoming the most recognized protection brand on the planet.  Perpetuating safety is SIXSIXONE’s goal and with technology, creativity and understanding the needs of athletes attribute to some the most lightweight technical protection available.  For more information, visit www.sixsixone.com.