You are familiar with airbags from your car, top skiers and riders also wear one. The airbag is in full development in cycling. “We want to introduce it this year,” says engineer and entrepreneur Bert Celis in our Sporza Daily podcast.
“For your neck, back, chest, hip and pelvis”
Wout van Aert and Jasper Stuyven had to end their spring abruptly after a heavy fall yesterday in Dwars door Vlaanderen.
Riders wear little protection other than a helmet. Is the airbag gradually making its debut in cycling?
Engineer and entrepreneur Bert Celis is working on a system for cyclists. “Unfortunately, falls are part of the sport,” he knows. “That is why we are looking for protection to reduce the impact of such a fall.”
Enter the airbag. “Skiers, riders and motorcyclists have been wearing them for some time,” Celis continues. “For cyclists, the race can become the forerunner.”
The airbag for cyclists is in full development. “It protects your back, your chest and your neck. And because the airbag is in your cycling pants, it also protects your hip and your pelvis, fragile places for a cyclist.”
Jasper Stuyven suffered a heavy fall in Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday.
Safer and more aerodynamic
The cycling world is gradually ready for it. The British top team Ineos shows a lot of interest in the airbag from Bert Celis’ company.
“They would like to use the airbag, especially after the serious accident that Egan Bernal had,” Celis says in our podcast.
“They are happy to accept the weight gain of 500 to 600 grams, especially during training.”
(read more below the photo)
The Ineos team (photo: Egan Bernal) is a potential customer.
In times of marginal gains, 500-600 grams of extra weight is not a selling point, but “every disadvantage has its own advantage”.
“You can mount the airbag perfectly in the wake of the rider,” explains developer Bert Celis. “This way you optimize aerodynamics.”
Something that time trialists will have an open ear for.
“At 50 km/h on a flat circuit we measure a difference of 5 to 15 watts. Because a rider with an airbag becomes more drop-shaped,” says Celis. “The weight gain is then irrelevant.”
“30 seconds and you’re cycling again”
Finally, what if the airbag pops? Can a rider still race?
“You’ll be back on the road within 30 seconds,” says Bert Celis. “The airbag consists of a cartridge that you can quickly remove. Once the team has plugged in a new cartridge, you can safely get back on the road.”
What are we waiting for?
“The airbag will appear more and more in training next year,” Celis assumes. “The development is almost complete, then we have to fine-tune the airbag in the field and then we can introduce it to the top teams.”
If the airbag works, they should make it mandatory.
Renaat Schotte
To race with an airbag you have to wait for the green light from the International Cycling Union UCI.
“The weight will be a tricky point,” thinks Renaat Schotte, “but if the airbag works, they should make it mandatory. And then the discussion about those 500 or 600 grams will quickly be over.”
Tags: airbag making debut cycling Extra weight safer aerodynamic
