There is a constant push to make cycling safer, and airbags have been a part of that push for a while. From vests and helmets to bib shorts.
But what if the airbag was the skinsuit you’re wearing? That is precisely what VAN RYSEL has been working on with its Project AIRBAG. As competition speeds up and crashes and injuries become more frequent, extra protection is needed.
However, high-level athletes likely won’t wear a bulky vest or neck collar. But if their skinsuit is an airbag, that is a different story. In fact, they are already mandatory in some sports like MotoGP, so why not cycling?
That’s precisely why the UCI is pushing for the development of the protective equipment, and VAN RYSEL looks like they’re ahead of the curve. They say their product is fully functional, with final testing currently underway. And, if all goes according to plan, the airbag skinsuit could hit retailers in the next two years.
Project AIRBAG
Unlike other systems that you wear externally or are part of an under-layer system, VAN RYSEL’s skinsuit is the airbag. Impact-detection algorithms power the AIRBAG, helping distinguish between racing and an actual crash. These algorithms are trained on more than 450 million kilometers of data and analyze rider dynamics up to 1,000 times per second. When a crash is detected, the airbag deploys in 60 milliseconds.
VAN RYSEL’s focuses protection on three main areas when deployed:
- The AIRBAG protects the central core with protection around the thorax and rib cage.
- It also protects the cervical area by stabilizing the neck, helping to prevent hyperextension.
- Lastly, it also protects the spinal line, fully covering the back.
Along with the actual airbag that protects the rider, the skinsuit also uses abrasion-resistant material. Placing this material in high-impact zones on the suit helps reduce the risk of road rash.
VAN RYSEL says the suit’s target weight is 700g. Most of this weight–about 500g–will be from the airbag system itself. While it isn’t confirmed, we believe the suit has a one-time use window. Once that baby pops, it is done.
The skinsuit has apparently seen a lot of wind-tunnel time during its development. The goal was to match the aerodynamics and thermoregulation of a standard World Tour skinsuit. Did it match the numbers? We don’t know, but VAN RYSEL says that “testing will continue as AIRBAG is refined further.”
Outside a lab, Project AIRBAG is being developed by pro racers from the Decathlon CMA CGM and VAN RYSEL Roubaix race teams.
As far as price, VAN RYSEL doesn’t say. Again, “testing will continue…”
vanrysel.com
