It may surprise you to discover that hurtling down a near-vertical hill on two wheels with obstacles like trees and rocks thrown in comes with a few health and safety risks, but the constant threat of breaking every bone in your body is apparently part of the appeal to mountain bikers. You are going to need more than a simple crash hat to keep safe during this particular sport, and Dainese have long been one of the go-to brands of protection since people decided it was a great laugh to bounce down a steep, craggy trail instead of sticking to the cycle lane.

The Rhyolite 2 Safety Jacket is a serious piece of body armour to keep your soft and squidgy parts safe if you should part ways from your saddle. It comes in one colour, black, and sizes XS through to XXL. The lightweight material means the overall weight is kept under 700g and claims to be the most advanced upper body armour for gravity use. It provides protection from the back all the way through to the chest, whilst still allowing for breathability. The Rhyolite 2 Safety Jacket advances Dainese’s use of functional patterns, inspired by the patterns found in nature, and has the Flexagon protection coverage from the back to the chest. The Flexagon feature permits a high level of flexibility by overlapping layers of Crash Absorb memory retention foam that can move independently of one another and follow the anatomy of the body. The removable sleeves have Dainese’s Pro Armor elbow and shoulder pads, which can be removed as an when you need them. It also has Crash Absorb soft memory foam, Crash Absorb chest and rib pads and Pro Armor shoulder pads.

This jacket is perfectly designed to allow you full freedom of movement, even down to the short torso that lets you comfortably bend at the waist, and if you get a sweat on, the ventilation system is highly effective. RRP £249.95

Current Cheapest Price

4.5 out of 5

Pros

High quality construction

Flexible

Crash Absorb chest and rib pads

Flexagon Technology back protector

Pro Armor elbow pads and shoulder pads

Removeable sleeves

Good ventilation