The first Airbag for MTB was premiered in competition in Les Gets
In the past DH World Cup in Les Gets, the Dainese Pirelli Canyon CLLCT team made history by using an airbag system for the first time in a mountain bike competition. This is the Dainese D-air® Bike prototype, and although it is still in development, it benefits from the brand's previous experience in motorcycling and skiing.
The Dainese D-air® Bike is the first airbag system used in a mountain bike competition
Although it is cutting-edge for mountain biking, Dainese actually introduced the D-air® system in an official MotoGP race in 2007 and in a professional skiing race in 2016. Since then, the airbag has become mandatory in MotoGP races, and we will see if the same happens for UCI races.
The system is integrated into the bikers' protective vests, and through an electronic control unit equipped with GPS and an accelerometer, the algorithm detects falls and inflates to cushion the impact.
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The Dainese D-air® Bike is the first airbag for MTB (DH), and although it is still in development, we will keep an eye on it as it could be crucial in the coming years, not only in mountain biking. After the recent accidents in road competitions, many are advocating for more protection in cycling gear, so we will see if a similar system ever reaches this discipline.