The world loves bicycles. They cut down on carbon emission and they help keep us fit. In fact, 2.5 billion people get their gears on the road each year. That's some major pedaling, but accidents do happen. According to Bicycle Helmet Statistics, 45,000 American cyclists were injured in traffic during 2015. An activity that's so beneficial for our bodies and the planet shouldn't have to be so dangerous. Luckily, there's a new bike that could change the way we get to work.
In order to make cycling a safer form of transportation, inventor John Aldridge has designed The Bird of Prey concept bicycle. Rather than riding in a seat, cyclists lean forward with their weight resting on their hips and arms. The semi-prone position enhances spinning ease, and allows the rider to “push and pull on the pedals as if he were running with legs fully extended.” The Bird of Prey promotes itself as the fastest racing bike in the world, thanks to its low center of gravity, high speed gears, and ability to overcome wind resistance.
The most important attribute that Aldridge wanted to change about cycling was safety. “I have flipped over the handlebars on my sit down bike many dangerous and life threatening times. This can’t happen on a Bird of Prey,” Aldridge writes on the product's website. “In a panic stop, the rider will simply stop and not flip over the handlebars. The Bird of Prey will stop in a shorter distance than a sit-down bike. If everyone rode a Bird of Prey, accidents from going over the handlebars would cease—saving serious injuries and death.”
Check out the video below to see the Bird of Prey in action and to see all of its innovative features.
Bird of Prey Bicycles: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
via [Laughing Squid, Toxel]
All images via Derek Plank for Bird of Prey Bicycles.
