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.