9 Futuristic Cycling Solutions Already Making Life Safer
9 Futuristic Cycling Solutions Already Making Life Safer
Staying safe on the road is imperative – and even more so for cyclists who might often find themselves in a vulnerable position despite protective gear and dedicated cycle paths. While it’s essential to train your concentration, attention, and knowledge of traffic rules, why not make the task of staying out of harm’s way easier with the help of technology?
Let’s look at 9 ingenious solutions engineered and designed to work in your favour while on the bike. Each of these will help you focus more on enjoying your ride and safely getting where you need to be.
Staying safe on the road is imperative – and even more so for cyclists who might often find themselves in a vulnerable position despite protective gear and dedicated cycle paths. While it’s essential to train your concentration, attention, and knowledge of traffic rules, why not make the task of staying out of harm’s way easier with the help of technology?
Let’s look at 9 ingenious solutions engineered and designed to work in your favour while on the bike. Each of these will help you focus more on enjoying your ride and safely getting where you need to be.
Staying safe on the road is imperative – and even more so for cyclists who might often find themselves in a vulnerable position despite protective gear and dedicated cycle paths. While it’s essential to train your concentration, attention, and knowledge of traffic rules, why not make the task of staying out of harm’s way easier with the help of technology?
Let’s look at 9 ingenious solutions engineered and designed to work in your favour while on the bike. Each of these will help you focus more on enjoying your ride and safely getting where you need to be.
Cool Elevated Cycle Paths
The rule of “if you build it, they will come” certainly applies to cycling-friendly architecture and urban planning. A study suggests that cycle lanes merely marked on the road in paint are not optimal to keep cyclists and motorists safe. Instead, it’s better to separate cycling networks from motorised traffic. Keeping with that thought, who wouldn’t want to ride a beauty like the famed Dutch Hovenring? This suspended circular cycle and pedestrian path 72 metres in diameter is the pride of the cities of Eindhoven and Veldhoven where it is located. Besides becoming a new local landmark, the pathway offers great views and excellent safety for thousands of daily users.
The ‘Cykelslangen’, aka the Cycling Snake of Copenhagen, Denmark, is a similar story. This striking elevated cycle lane wriggling its way over the water and connecting the highway and the harbour bridge is a great example of city planning that relieves tension among traffic participants on otherwise crowded streets.
Cool Elevated Cycle Paths
The rule of “if you build it, they will come” certainly applies to cycling-friendly architecture and urban planning. A study suggests that cycle lanes merely marked on the road in paint are not optimal to keep cyclists and motorists safe. Instead, it’s better to separate cycling networks from motorised traffic. Keeping with that thought, who wouldn’t want to ride a beauty like the famed Dutch Hovenring? This suspended circular cycle and pedestrian path 72 metres in diameter is the pride of the cities of Eindhoven and Veldhoven where it is located. Besides becoming a new local landmark, the pathway offers great views and excellent safety for thousands of daily users.
The ‘Cykelslangen’, aka the Cycling Snake of Copenhagen, Denmark, is a similar story. This striking elevated cycle lane wriggling its way over the water and connecting the highway and the harbour bridge is a great example of city planning that relieves tension among traffic participants on otherwise crowded streets.
Glowing Paths
The ‘Starry Night’ glowing cycle path in the Netherlands is one of the most-photographed and Insta-worthy functional solutions to cycling safety at night. The Van Gogh Path by the Roosegaarde studio was designed with solar-powered LED lights that light up with different colours after sunset, creating patterns similar to the work of the famed namesake Dutch artist. The path is part of a larger project known as the Smart Highway and its aim is to design sustainable and interactive roads.
Inspired by their Dutch counterparts, the urban designers in the Polish city of Lidzbark Warminski have introduced their own illuminated cycle lane, designed by the TPA Instytut Badan Technicznych company. This bike path does not require LED lights but is lit up by luminophores: a man-made material that lights up with a calming shade of blue at night after being charged by solar energy, which makes it even more eco-friendly.
Route-planning Apps Tailored to Cyclists
Safety starts when planning your commuting route. It might not be enough to just consult a map as city traffic conditions change by the hour. That’s why real-time urban mobility has become another hot topic among travel app developers.
For example, Citymapper estimates bike journey times based on the input of other users, calculating three different types of routes: quiet, regular or fast. This concept has been developed even further, with cycling-specific smart mobility platforms already being piloted in Cologne, Germany, Porto, Portugal, and Trikala, Greece.
The POC Omne Eternal Helmet
As the name suggests, you will never again need charging cables, new batteries or to worry about visibility when wearing this helmet. The surface of the Omne Eternal Helmet is covered with a patented light-harvesting material designed by POC that gathers solar power to charge its red rear light. No switches are needed, as the helmet simply recognises when it’s being worn via sensors that activate its function so you don’t have to remember to switch it on before each ride. When you take it off, the light will stop automatically. The helmet is also durable, light and ventilated, providing you with both safety and comfort.
The Garmin Varia Rearview Radar and Taillight
This sleek-looking oval box is not just a rear light. The Varia RTL515 is a rear-view radar and a taillight that pairs with your Garmin Edge Bike Computer or compatible smartphone to alert you of vehicles approaching from behind.
It’s small, easy to mount and works with any bike. It’s similar to the Škoda ENYAQ’s Park Distance Control function that will alert you of any obstacles behind your vehicle, as Varia will also provide you with both visual and audible alerts for approaching vehicles up to 140 metres away.
The Wink Bar, a GPS-connected Handlebar
Would you like to get your hands on smart handlebars? Thanks to the Wink Bar, you now have the chance. This nifty gadget is connected to GPS, can be installed on any bike and controlled by a smartphone. It uses a patented and surprising WinkNav navigation system that lets you put your smartphone away and concentrate on the road and other traffic users. How?
Enter your destination in the app, slide the phone into your pocket, and the handlebars will guide you by flashing integrated LED light signals. Turn left soon, turn now, take the third exit on the right, make a U-turn… all that can be indicated by the Wink Bar. The integrated GPS tracking system also promises geolocation in case of theft – simply said, it can locate a stolen bike. As a cherry on top, the Wink Bar also features built-in headlights. What’s not to like?
The Calamus Ultra-Bike
Until now, e-bicycle users have had to rely solely on their alertness or the sharp eyes of their riding companions when on the road. Some time ago, the Berlin-based cycling start-up Calamus introduced a whole new class of machines called ‘ultra bikes’. Their flagship e-bike, Calamus One, warns you about approaching vehicles via the Blindspot Assist System that constantly scans the bike’s surroundings and lets you know when something gets too close by vibrating the left handlebar. This system is similar to what contemporary e-cars like the Škoda ENYAQ offer in terms of safety functions, such as Travel or Parking Assists. The edges of the Calamus’ handlebars also hide stunning and minimalist LED turn indicators that can be activated by a button, giving off a warm glow in a circular motion to catch the eye.
The Cycling Airbag by Hövding
The Swedish Hövding Cycling Airbag comes straight out of an indie sci-fi movie. The “world’s safest head protection” comes in the form of a neck collar fastened with a zipper. The manufacturer claims that in the event of an accident, the airbag recognises a dangerous impact and inflates in an incredible 0.1 of a second. Allegedly, it protects your skull eight times better than a traditional helmet and is also Bluetooth-connected to notify pre-selected emergency contacts in case of a crash.
The Garmin Varia Rearview Radar and Taillight
This sleek-looking oval box is not just a rear light. The Varia RTL515 is a rear-view radar and a taillight that pairs with your Garmin Edge Bike Computer or compatible smartphone to alert you of vehicles approaching from behind. It’s small, easy to mount and works with any bike. It’s similar to the Škoda ENYAQ’s Park Distance Control function that will alert you of any obstacles behind your vehicle, as Varia will also provide you with both visual and audible alerts for approaching vehicles up to 140 metres away.
The Wink Bar, a GPS-connected Handlebar
Would you like to get your hands on smart handlebars? Thanks to the Wink Bar, you now have the chance. This nifty gadget is connected to GPS, can be installed on any bike and controlled by a smartphone. It uses a patented and surprising WinkNav navigation system that lets you put your smartphone away and concentrate on the road and other traffic users. How? Enter your destination in the app, slide the phone into your pocket, and the handlebars will guide you by flashing integrated LED light signals. Turn left soon, turn now, take the third exit on the right, make a U-turn… all that can be indicated by the Wink Bar. The integrated GPS tracking system also promises geolocation in case of theft – simply said, it can locate a stolen bike. As a cherry on top, the Wink Bar also features built-in headlights. What’s not to like?
The Cycling Airbag by Hövding
The Swedish Hövding Cycling Airbag comes straight out of an indie sci-fi movie. The “world’s safest head protection” comes in the form of a neck collar fastened with a zipper. The manufacturer claims that in the event of an accident, the airbag recognises a dangerous impact and inflates in an incredible 0.1 of a second. Allegedly, it protects your skull eight times better than a traditional helmet and is also Bluetooth-connected to notify pre-selected emergency contacts in case of a crash.
The Calamus Ultra-Bike
Until now, e-bicycle users have had to rely solely on their alertness or the sharp eyes of their riding companions when on the road. Some time ago, the Berlin-based cycling start-up Calamus introduced a whole new class of machines called ‘ultra bikes’. Their flagship e-bike, Calamus One, warns you about approaching vehicles via the Blindspot Assist System that constantly scans the bike’s surroundings and lets you know when something gets too close by vibrating the left handlebar. This system is similar to what contemporary e-cars like the Škoda ENYAQ offer in terms of safety functions, such as Travel or Parking Assists. The edges of the Calamus’ handlebars also hide stunning and minimalist LED turn indicators that can be activated by a button, giving off a warm glow in a circular motion to catch the eye.
Did you find anything on the list you would like to try? Let us know!
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