Back Protectors

BMX race back protectors: back only or full body armour

A back protector is not imposed by UCI rules, which call for five items: the full-face helmet, its peak of at least 10 cm (rule 6.1.081), the long-sleeve jersey, long race pants and gloves. The UCI does list it among the protection it explicitly recommends, alongside elbow pads, knee pads, rigid shoulder protectors and cervical protection. It is the rider's own decision, and it earns its place above all on tracks with big tables and doubles, where a short landing or a botched gate puts the spine on the line. Many clubs make it compulsory in training for the younger categories.

The two available formats

• Standalone back protector: an articulated panel held by adjustable shoulder straps and a lumbar belt, very well ventilated, worn under or over the jersey.
• Body armour: a back protector built into a chest plate covering the sternum, the shoulders and sometimes the elbows, in one piece.
• Protective base layer: foam pads sewn into a compressive fabric, discreet and suited to smaller builds.
• Segmented panels or a one-piece progressive foam, depending on the trade-off you want between freedom of movement and stiffness.

The standards to check

A back protector is read against EN 1621-2. It is a motorcycling standard, adopted by every gravity brand for want of a cycling equivalent on this item — EN 14120, the roller sports benchmark, covers limb sleeves, not back protectors. The label carries two pieces of information: the level — level 1 or level 2, the latter transmitting less force in the impact test — and the coverage type, FB for a full back or CB for a central back. The chest protectors built into body armour are covered by EN 1621-3 instead. A foam panel with no CE marking and no standard reference offers comfort, not certified protection.

Choosing your size and setting it up

The measurement that decides everything is back length, taken from the base of the neck to the small of the back, backed up by waist circumference for the belt. A back protector that is too long will jam against the pelvis in a forward riding position; too short and the lumbar area is left bare. Set the straps so the top of the panel sits just under the rim of the helmet with the rider in the race position, head up — not standing still.

Back protection for young riders

In Micro and Mini, full body armour is often preferred to a standalone back protector: it stays put better on a narrow torso and also covers the chest, which is exposed to the bars in a frontal impact. Check that the whole thing stays reasonable in weight and that the rider can crouch and twist freely, or the protection will be left off by the second session.

Working with the rest of the kit

Worn over the jersey, a back protector sometimes means choosing a roomier BMX jersey or strapping it on top. Under the jersey, it calls for a cut that is generous across the shoulders. Check too that it does not foul the collar of your full-face helmet: try the head-up position before rolling to the gate, with your BMX helmets and the rest of your BMX protective gear.

The BMX RACING advice

Multi-brand by choice, BMX RACING compares CE levels, back lengths and cuts across Kenny, Shot and the other BMX race brands — size equivalences vary a good deal. Tell us the rider's height, their category and whether you are after a back protector alone or full body armour, and we will point you to the right reference. Dispatched within 24 to 72 hours, you can spread the cost over 2 or 3 payments.