The call for airbags in cycling is becoming increasingly louder, but how does such a system really work? And how are the riders supposed to carry something like that? We visited developer Bert Celis, who soon wants to launch an airbag for cyclists. “In a split second, air explodes in the suit,” he shows how it works.
Safety first? In cycling, speed still seems to take precedence.
Although the massive crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen made everyone in the cycling world – especially in Belgium – think twice about the risks of such a fall.
And above all: how can we reduce the dangers for the riders?
One of those options is adapted clothing. Developer and engineer Bert Celis is busy developing a system with his Ploef project in which an airbag is integrated into the cyclists’ cycling suit.
“It protects your back, your chest, your neck and – because the airbag itself is in your pants – it also protects your hip, your pelvis and other fragile areas.”
There is a sensor at the back of the suit that can detect a falling movement.
Bert Celis
How does the system work correctly?
“Well, there’s a sensor at the back of the suit,” Celis explains. “The moment you fall, the sensor detects the falling movement and sends out a signal.”
“In this way, a CO2 cartridge is pierced in a fraction of a second and explodes, causing the suit to completely fill with air.” (see video above).
Celis has been developing the system since 2019, but the pros have not yet caught on. For fear of comfort and weight. “It weighs no more than an extra drinking bottle,” says Celis.
Could this be part of the solution for cycling? Ineos recently showed concrete interest.
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