Tuesday, August 19, 2008

under seat steering 'bent bike for kid safety

D: I was reading ScienceDaily and Eurekalert yesterday for bicycle articles.
This came up:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071016131422.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/09/020913065232.htm
participants were riding at low speed when something occurred to make them lose control of their bicycle and fall. The front wheel rotated into a plane perpendicular to the child's body. The child landed on the end of the handlebar, resulting in serious abdominal or pelvic organ injuries. Common injuries in the Pediatrics study were splenic, kidney, liver and pancreatic lacerations and contusions.

D: So we have 2 types of injuries:
1) fall far enough to bash head
2) fall and impaled on handlebars.
You know, a recumbent bicycle with under-seat-steering addresses BOTH issues.

A normal cyclist on an upright hits their head at 15kph on the ground.
On a 'bent bike, yer head is moving slower.
Personally, I have some problems with over-seat-steering on a 'bent anyway.
I have problems with something blocking my line of site.
Plus tall cyclists tend to clip their knees.

Sadly, USS (under) steering was not an option on the Cruzbike I'm building.

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