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Kickstarter funding sought for bike periscope
A Brooklyn man who says he finds cycling a “pain in the neck” due to the strain caused by looking at the road ahead while riding has come up with a solution – a periscope that attaches to the handlebars, giving riders a view of the road ahead without having to look up, and he’s seeking funding on Kickstarter for it.
Mike Lane says: “Almost all bicycles put the rider in an unnatural position, leaning forward with the head craning upwards. After even a short amount of time, this leads to terrible neck, shoulder and back pain.
In order to relieve that pain and strain, it would be great to be able to put your head down even if for a few moments. But as you know, looking down while riding can lead to terrible things.
“That's why I created the Pedi-Scope. Simply put, it's a periscope dashboard for your bike. It allows you to safely look down while seeing what is directly in front of you. This provides your neck and back with that relief that it aches for and needs.
“By giving your neck and back this relief, even for a few moments, it enables you to ride longer, stronger and more comfortably than ever before.”
Lane has put together the prototype shown in the video using three 90 degree prisms from eyeglasses sourced from China and made the housing using 3D printing. He is now looking to raise $21,000 on Kickstarter to put his invention into production.
What do you think of his idea? Is it an invention that could make cycling easier for some, or is it a solution to a problem that doesn’t really exist? Can a prism really substitute for using your eyes unobstructed to see what’s happening on the road ahead? As Lane freely admits, “If you are like me you crash often.”
One cyclist who may perhaps appreciate it is 2013 Tour de France winner, Chris Froome – the Team Sky star is well known for looking at his stem, as celebrated on this Tumblr page, rather than what might be happening up ahead.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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33 comments
Note also that the inventor wears eyesight correcting glasses. That is a killer because generally one has to keep ones head up further to see through ones prescription lenses (or RX inserts). There is another way forward however, and that is dork cycling glasses, which have tall prescription lenses to enable cyclists to look out from just below their brows, and not have to crane their necks up nearly so much.
At first I glued tall lenses into reading glasses.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihonbunka/12380691355/
Lately I bolt them onto the front of sunglasses and PC glasses.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihonbunka/19268981626/
I think that the two inventions may compliment each other.
But, paired with some electronics, it would be a very interesting device, like headup displays in cars; i mean, when i'm looking at my cycle computer while riding, i'm not very confident, especially in the traffic. With such a device, i would not be completely cut off from the front view. Instructions from a GPS device come to mind.
What if it displays some useful info, or even the rear view at the touch of a button? I digress ...
Could be useful for TT riders!
Not if they're doing sanctioned events. Unless it gets UCI approval.
Not sure about this. It seems like a reasonable solution for folks with certain medical conditions (a very small market) but on the other hand there are bikes available that don't require the rider to adopt such an uncomfortable neck position ('Dutch style etc.). His own bike seems to be set up with quite an aggressive saddle to bar drop which seems mad if he suffers neck and shoulder pain when riding.
It looks like another kickstarter product that, although potentially helpful for a small number of people, is being presented as having mass-market appeal.
I do long distance triathlons & TTs. If this isn't banned then it will allow people to tuck even lower, getting into even more aero positions. If they are allowed to do it then they will. The UCI are going to have to rule on this pronto.
Already covered. Article 1.3.004
Great name for a cyclist though... Mike Lane!
Ineffective when it comes to peripheral vision, using this device you're asking for trouble. Darwin Awards aplenty coming this way...
Or green up arrows and red down arrows, like the...oh, wait.
There is a large number of unnecessarily vicious posts in this thread.
The gentleman in question has an extremely painful condition that prevents him from holding a flexed neck position for long periods of time. He has come up with a device that allows him to relax his neck whilst still having some forward vision. His solution is simple & elegant and instead of keeping it to himself he has put it out into the wider world.
Having said all that I do have some reservations.
1) In the same way that some cyclists with mirrors tend to develop an over-reliance on them, and tend to use them when they should be looking over their shoulder, is there a danger of cyclists using the periscope when they should be looking forward?
2) Cyclists using it to maintain an extreme aero-position (Strava Junkies and Time-Trialists) to the detriment of safety.
3) Not sure I would want cyclists to be using this device in town. Country and wide roads, yes. Busy rush-hour in town, no.
4) Should a cyclist be involved in a road traffic incident and a lawyer finds out that the cyclist has one of these fitted to his cycle ... Is there the danger that its very presence could be used to cloud the issue? "I put it to you, members of the jury, that the incident would not have happened if the cyclist had not been using this periscope." Remember the lawyer doesn't have to prove this or that you were using the periscope at the time. He is not interested in the truth only the interests of his client. Even if the Judge orders this statement struck from the Record, it has still been heard by the Jury.
Discuss.
Spot on. Road.cc should introduce an 'Unlike' button as well. That way we can choose to filter out the abusive / irrelevant / racist / homophobic rubbish and just read the good stuff.
Just like on eBay where I can automatically block people from bidding on my stuff if they are below a certain threshold, likewise I don't want to have to read idiocy or bile posted hereabouts. There's nowt wrong with getting cross, as I do on occasion. But my rants (I like to think) are usually backed up by logic. Not simple hatred.
I don't need reminding every day that cycling is indeed a broad church, and that moronity is no barrier to forum participation.
Yeah - either people think they'd like this themselves, or they don't. Its not as if its going to be made compulsory. (Thought, come to think of it, that is an ever-present danger with many bike-related inventions...but probably not this one)
Your point 4 sounds a horribly plausible scenario, but equally well, what would a lawyer do if they knew the cyclist had a neck-problem that makes it tricky to look up and _didn't_ use such a gadget? Probably can't win either way.
Vicious? Really? Where?
I'd have thought cycling was not a particularly good choice of activity/transport if you are having to rely on something like this, or perhaps it's simply an attempt to treat a symptom, rather than dealing with the cause.
If I was unable to raise my head to check for oncoming traffic or other hazards, I certainly wouldn't be riding a bike.
As Lane freely admits, “If you are like me you crash often.”
I rest my case.
Go back up and read my post - my issue seems to be unfixable, and is muscles going into spasm.
Shermer neck is something that affects ultradistance cyclists particularly inc. RAAM and probably PBP - its not painful, the muscles just stop working.
As I've already written, recumbents are one solution, but the speed dynamic doesn't work so well with uprights, they're often a compromise since they tend to be heavy/expensive, even more so off-road.
At 52 my knees are suffering from years/abuse/missing cartilage, running ain't an option this side od knee replacements, and as a lifelong cyclist im not stopped now. Drive/public transport everywhere ? FFS..maybe if you're the sunday morning-only brigade..
Do please come back when you understand the issue
Is it really necessary to take such a patronising tone with me? I'm the same age as you, not some spotty teen.
And, no, I'm not Sunday morning brigade (why patronise them as well??), thanks. I train and race regularly with some of the best riders in Taiwan.
Of course I 'king understand the issue - I am simply stating my opinion that if there is a problem that warrants the need for such a device, I for one would not want to trust it. Come out here and ride in some Taiwanese traffic and see how long you survive with the thing.
I repeat. It smacks of treating the symptoms, not the cause. Use one if you like; I'd rather find a way of riding that negates the need for such kit, or find another means of transport. Which bit of that don't you understand?
EDIT: I should add (for the sake of context and to aid understanding of my view, should you have the slightest interest
) that I am not in favour of riding while listening to music. I want to make use of all my senses, not dull them. I am pro choice - ride with earpieces in if you like, but it's not for me. And, no, I don't think the deaf or hard of hearing shouldn't ride bikes.
I thought this was a rear view mirror at first, that would be good. As a front view mirror, dont think id go for a front mirror.
I can see a use for it. But the market is fairly narrow. Club runs and the occasional ton are not going to warrant it unless you develop a condition. I can understand why JonD is excited about it, but you the field of view will largely mean that in urban areas and complex road places you'll need to look up. It's not a bad ideas. Just not a great one.
Well, at the moment the options are v. sit-up-and-beg or recumbents (another small market, depending on country) , as much as I enjoy riding the latter they're generally heavy (tho I've one of about 9-10kg on order, pretty light by 'bent standards). Either make it relatively far harder work on a club ride on even shallower climbs.
Yeah, I agree it's not a huge market, but OTOH there's a lot of people around the world that do the longer end of audaxing or its like too. Plus with more -and older - people taking up cycling, there will be more showing up with comfort issues -you just need enough people to make up the market. Ever seen a velomobile on the road ? - neither have I , but there's several manufacturers and clearly enough of a market to be worth while, and those are V expensive. I just caught the last few minutes of Countryfile - hand-lever-cranked offroad wheelchairs. Looked like bloody hard work and lots of compromises, but it's an option for some (tho'I wonder if there's better alternatives)
The fact that the developer rides in NYC, I imagine the FOV issue may not be quite the problem you think...by comparison there's a whole hunch of naysaying that gets trotted out by upright riders about recumbents
More better to see behind you , that would be more of an invention
Is it April 1st, or 26th??
Utter bollox.
Love your sense of humor, but not as much as I like your tag line!
Based on what is shown in the video, the display is too narrow to be effective (the view of the road disappears when the rider hits a bump) and it doesn't seem to offer any peripheral vision, so you are going to have to keep lifting your head to glance to the sides anyway. Surely a good sit up and beg position roadster would be better if you have serious neck pain problems?
About the only sensible other post so far...
A few points, relative to my issue at least..
Occasional upward looks are ok, it's the *duration* that's the killer - dunno how that compares with Shermer's Neck.
TBH a wider prism would be preferable, but if you're looking far enough ahead the existing width is probably wide enough to spot possible hazards in *advance* and look up nearer the actual hazard. Those that drive/cycle staring at the 10ft of tarmac in front of them may have s little difficulty with that concept...
Using eyes-only to look forward is possible but only gets you partway there, and is uncomfortable for any duration, I've tried it
Sit-up-and-beg - crap for aerodynamics/efficIency - try riding with (faster) others. And as your hip angle opens your power output drops without a lot of conditioning - the same is true of the open hip angle of recumbents.
If your neck hurts THAT much on a ride (even a really long one) then there is a problem with the bikes set up.
Would I ride through city traffic only able to see what's going on through something akin to the periscope a tank driver has? No chance. Awareness is essential.
Google Shermer's Neck -it's not about setup.
Very, very narrow market if that's the only people he intends to sell to
Methinks somebody bought the wrong bike
Belated April 1st?
Bonkers
That's the dumbest fucking idea I've ever heard of.
Let's start a crowd sourcing fund to pay for this guys head to be examined.
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