RHEON™ x DHaRCO Gravity Range
Role: Design Lead
Client: DHaRCO
Completed: June 2025
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MAX COMFORT + MAX PROTECTION = MORE FUN
Mountain bike apparel brand DHaRCO came to RHEON LABS with a deceptively concise brief; ‘impact protection that riders actually want to wear’.
Leading the product development and computational design workflow at RHEON LABS, I worked with DHaRCO’s design team and athlete insights to redesign RHEON™ motorcycle armour offering. I utilised anthropometric data alongside ‘codified’ rider preferences to create an optimised armour offering that reduced weight and maximised performance, passing certification testing at just 9mm thick.
// Behind the Design
A key part of the development process was understanding how mountain bikers’ and motorcyclists’ perceptions of protection differed. In motorcycle protection, the protective elements are often encased in layers of abrasion-resistant fabric that inherently resist penetration of sharp objects, whereas for MTB athletes, they are closer to the elements.
Speaking to DHaRCO’s team of riders and designers, it was clear that the open-cell, highly breathable designs, although passing certification testing, were not perceived as protective enough against stray branches on overgrown trails. I embedded this user preference data in our cell-mapping algorithm to reinforce key areas with denser cell packing that inspired confidence in the rider. ‘Impact protection that riders actually want to wear’ didn’t just mean comfort; it meant trust in the product.
The result was a full range of limb protectors that deliver elite-level protection without sacrificing comfort, flexibility, or style. Passing Level 2 at 9mm and Level 1 at just 6.5mm is highly competitve and outperforms the market leading competitors. The full range has since been extended, utilising the same computatrional design workflow, and adopted by MTB and Moto clients globally.
The wider product range with DHaRCO capitalises on the flexibility, breathability and comfort of RHEON’s armour and has already been seen on world renowned MTB riders like Amaury Pierron, Loris Vergier, and Myriam Nicole from the Commencal/Muc-Off team. Their real-world use and feedback continue to refine and validate the gear in high-performance conditions.