What do consider on the subject of ergonomics and security in biking? On this story, we spotlight three improvements that’s altering that house. Additionally they have a pair issues in widespread about them. Learn on to search out out extra.
Biking is a multi-functional exercise. It takes an individual from level A to level B, whether or not it’s for commuting or supply. It’s a enjoyable method to leisurely discover a brand new surroundings at a cushty tempo (assume bike excursions). It’s additionally a fantastic type of train and coaching, and you could possibly do it by your self or in a pack. Relying on the kind of bike you experience, you could possibly do it on the street, dust or path. That mentioned, you’ll be able to experience your street bike on dust or gravel with the right setup and tweak your riding technique/style whereas at it.
Over the past 10-15 years, there have most likely been three areas (for my part) of innovation which have seen plenty of development within the bike business: 1) electrical bikes (e-bikes), 2) sensors for measuring bike/bike owner efficiency, 3) customized bike frames and supplies (assume carbon fibre & titanium). There’s a lot we are able to cowl on these matters, however as an alternative, we wish to change gears and highlight three game-changing improvements that target bike owner security and ergonomics.
1. Challenge Flock – Be Seen As Human
Bike lights
Bicycle lights. They present the way in which for cyclists at night time and enhance consciousness of the bike owner’s presence on the street. Both means, they’re meant to maintain the bike owner and others across the bike owner protected. Through the years, there have been a couple of important modifications and improvements that modified how bike lights operated or have been used. These embody the introduction of electrical energy, mild bulbs, LEDs, lasers, hub turbines, batteries, and many others. There’s much more on this article “A brief history of bicycle lighting technology“. However are these developments alone sufficient to maintain cyclists protected?
The place laws and analysis come into play
In 1968, the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic mandated that autos, together with bicycles, have purple back lights as a security commonplace. They (back lights) have been nonetheless regular (non-flashing) till the Seventies – Eighties* (estimate) when flashing rear purple lights have been made by Ed Kearney. It was later within the Nineties that (purple) LEDs turned sensible sufficient for use for producing rear flashing lights. Even then, the protection of utilizing rear purple flashing lights was nonetheless being debated, and a few locations nonetheless don’t permit it (e.g. Germany, Netherlands and Austria). Within the UK, flashing bike lights solely turned authorized in 2005. A 2017 study by Darlene Edewaard in contrast regular and flashing back lights and discovered {that a} bike owner with a flashing mild may very well be detected a lot sooner on a straight street. To place that in numbers, it’s a mean of 82 metres sooner, which is fairly important.
[*note: a study published in 1980 comparing 3 different rear warning devices (red light, red reflector and amber pedal reflectors) found that the red light was most effective in increasing visibility of cyclists at night]
That very same research by Edewaard confirmed that night-time conspicuity (or with the ability to get consideration) was maximal when lights have been positioned on the heels whereas pedalling. One other PhD study that was revealed in 2018 additional echoes this, highlighting that the organic movement of a pedalling rider’s legs can improve conspicuity.
Productising the analysis outcomes
Tim Ottaway, co-founder of Project Flock, took these research outcomes and the concept of exhibiting pedalling movement, and translated them into the design and improvement of Flock Mild – the primary biomotion back lights for cyclists. By shining a further set of lights down on the bike owner’s legs, the biking movement is dropped at the eye of surrounding folks. Extra importantly, drivers change into conscious a lot sooner {that a} bike owner is forward of them. As an alternative of simply a bunch of purple lights in entrance of them and having to course of of their minds which purple mild is which.
What began as Tim’s Industrial Design honours mission in a short time confirmed potential to change into a shopper product that would enhance the protection of hundreds of cylists. With the assist of RMIT’s pre-accelerator program, Tim additional developed the product and a enterprise case to market and produce it. The product received quite a few design awards alongside the way in which, together with the James Dyson national award, the Core77 Design Awards, the London Design Awards, and the Australian Good Design Award.
Nevertheless it was by way of a 2022 Kickstarter campaign that the Flock Mild was formally launched. The crew up to date the design previous to the marketing campaign (and after) to enhance usability and manufacturability. Moreover the total Biomotion lighting mode, there are different modes equivalent to Group experience mode, Daytime mode, and Eco mode, which give customers for much longer run occasions. There may be an LED indicator that reveals how a lot juice is left and when it must be charged. Their seat publish mount design suits most seat publish varieties, from Spherical to Aero and D-shape, and, on high of that, the Flock mild has a Twist clip for straightforward attachment and detachment from the mount.
Shifting into 2026, the founders have introduced on a brand new govt crew member who labored carefully with them to develop a dynamic new development technique. This is able to be sure that the crew proceed to ship progressive merchandise whereas placing biking advocacy on the very coronary heart of what they do. They’re deepening their dedication to group, bikes and galvanizing extra folks to experience, all over the place. With these bold plans and objectives, they’re opening expressions of curiosity for buyers and companions who share the identical ardour for higher cities and a extra sustainable biking future. They’ve even hinted at creating their subsequent product. If you want to be a part of the following stage of Flock’s journey, drop them a word on their contact web page (link) or try their LinkedIn publish (link).
2. vabsRider – revolutionising biking consolation
The bicycle seat, or saddle, was primarily an extension of the horse saddle when it was first made. It helps many of the rider’s weight, however not all of it, as a result of some (of the load) is borne by the handlebars and pedals. The everyday seat/saddle elements encompass a seat shell, a canopy, and rails that connect with the saddle clamp and the seatpost. Most improvements in bicycle saddle design and improvement have targeted on supplies, development, adjustability, and luxury. All of them have an effect on each other not directly, and right here we’re simply going to zoom in on consolation. A cushty seat (in comparison with a much less snug one) means we’ll really feel much less sore, experience longer, experience sooner, and presumably experience extra usually.
The Consolation Progress
Within the Eighties, tensioned leather-based (such because the traditional Brooks design, which was patented at the moment) was launched, and that steadily broke in and moulded to the rider’s anatomy. Springs have been added below the seat to soak up street shock. Then seats have been designed wider, which made biking extra accessible to girls. In the direction of the mid-1900s, aggressive biking gained recognition and gave rise to 2 design paths: comfort-oriented touring saddles and minimalist racing saddles. The racing saddles have been designed to be slender and agency as a result of, firstly, they allowed for larger leg motion throughout high-cadence pedalling and, secondly, firmer saddles transferred energy extra effectively with much less power absorption. Consolation was mainly thrown out the window when it got here to efficiency.
Influence of Analysis
Going into the Nineties, analysis revealed that slender saddles have been adversely affecting male cyclists. That led to an enormous shift in saddle design. Primarily, a center cutout or channel was designed to alleviate stress on the perineum. In a while, it was found that ladies cyclists would additionally profit from that stress reduction. Nevertheless, the assist wanted differs between women and men as a result of their pelvic buildings and soft-tissue stress factors differ. That’s the place stress mapping know-how performs an enormous half in understanding and highlighting the totally different wants. In actual fact, some firms supply customized becoming providers that embody data-driven saddle fitting.
Radical Adjustments
Noseless bi-saddles have been first launched by Hobson Seats in 1983. A variety of different bike saddle firms have since give you their very own variations. Apparently, police on bikes have been the early adopters of noseless bi-saddles as a result of they’re patrolling on their bikes for round 8 hours throughout their shift. The noseless saddles considerably lowered the stress within the groin space, as proven in a study.
On the opposite facet of the world (in Australia), Robin Macan (founding father of ataraxyBSC) was additionally pursuing a extra snug seat design. He started experimenting and prototyping in 2016. Then, after 8 years of development, with the help of two design consultancies, vabsRider was born. As an alternative of static bi-saddles, vabsRider is made up of two separate saddles that transfer/glide in correspondence with the motion of the bike owner’s left and proper butt cheeks (and legs). Often known as the Digital Axis Bike Seat, their patent-pending split-seat design helps the bike owner’s femurs (or thigh bones), shifting on a digital axis aligned with their hips. It shifts stress away from one’s sit bones and perineum, distributing it evenly throughout the thigh bones.
With the assistance of an accredited train scientist and authorized bike becoming knowledgeable, ataraxyBSC performed their very own study evaluating a conventional saddle and the vabsRider. Stress sensors have been used to map the stress utilized on each saddles when a bike owner pedalled on a stationary setup. The outcomes confirmed that the vabsRider successfully lowered stress by as much as 80% in comparison with the normal saddle. Moreover that, with primarily nothing within the center, it eliminates lateral rubbing and friction that may trigger chafing and saddle sores.
Kickstarter and past
They’d a reasonably profitable Kickstarter campaign in mid-2025, they usually have been busy figuring out manufacturing of their models. There aren’t any (Australian or Worldwide) requirements that really match into this sort of bicycle saddle. So they really developed their very own fatigue testing protocol to make sure the vabsRider is sturdy and protected for riders. Try their instagram post about it. Additionally they had some manufacturing challenges, which implies delay for the preliminary backers and they’re fairly clear about it on their Kickstarter web page. However meaning for individuals who are solely simply discovering out concerning the vabsRider now (July 2026), there’s nonetheless the chance to pre-order a unit (or extra) on their Backerkit site. There are 3 totally different choices for seat publish diameters (27.2mm / 30.9mm / 31.6mm), the width of the seats may be adjusted from 50-70mm, and there’s a lot extra particulars concerning the product on their website; and even details about turning into a distributor.
Lastly, this can be a sport altering product when it has received a number of design awards (Good Design Awards, Victoria Premier Design Awards), featured on many media shops (eg Core77) and has a shout out from Australian Olympic Monitor Biking Gold medalist Anna Meares. And in case you (like me) puzzled concerning the firm title, ‘ataraxy’, it means – a state of serene calmness and freedom from anxiousness. Yup, that’s the sensation it is best to have when driving on a vabsRider, except, maybe you’re late for an appointment.
Minimis needs that will help you keep targeted
Information, information and extra information.
Information. One factor that trendy electronics, sensors, and the web have given us (means an excessive amount of of) is information. Cyclists usually are not exempt from that. The essential or commonest smartphone app that cyclists use may be Strava, and we are able to observe velocity, distance, location, elevation, and many others. Then we are able to add different sensors/gadgets like your energy meter, velocity/cadence sensor, coronary heart fee monitor or smartwatch, plus bike laptop and/or smartphone. For these chasing the 1% enchancment, they could add aero sensors or muscle (EMG) sensors (usually constructed into shorts) to assist them perceive how their driving posture and energy have an effect on their efficiency.
How do you see that information/stats?
No matter what number of sensors or monitoring gadgets you will have in your bike, one widespread factor in each setup is a show. One that can present you your present stats – be it time, velocity, coronary heart fee, effort or the following nearest espresso store. That may very well be your watch, bike laptop or your smartphone. Except you will have the superpower of break up imaginative and prescient – having every eye look in a special direction- you’ll have to take your eyes off the street to examine your stats on that show. That break up second or two once we look away might finish very poorly.
Joseph Guo, co-founder of minimis, nearly had an identical crash in that video above when he regarded right down to navigate whereas biking. He turned conscious that, sadly, this can be a widespread prevalence amongst cyclists. He was additionally pissed off by the truth that he needed to carry a number of gadgets on his experience. This led him to begin minimis in 2022 and construct minimis Move AR – the primary standalone Heads-up show (HUD) sun shades that measure coronary heart fee, have an eSIM for calls, GPS for navigation, connect with ANT+ gadgets and show stats in an augmented means. This implies a bike owner can go for a experience with out carrying a number of gadgets, and maintain trying forward, focusing on their experience, as an alternative of checking stats on their handlebar or wrist.
Kickstarter launch and challenges
minimis launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2023 and was efficiently funded inside a day. That is fairly sturdy proof that their message of being much less distracted whereas driving had struck a chord with many. With a daring imaginative and prescient like this, it was additionally actually necessary that the minimis crew acquired the tech and person interface proper. Placing a lot tech into eyewear isn’t any straightforward feat. The (very lean) minimis crew has been going heads down, bums up, creating the {hardware} and firmware since then. They’re at this level (Aug 2026) testing their sixth useful prototype and nonetheless refining and ensuring their glasses ship what they promised- distraction-free driving. A few of these challenges embody making stronger elements, managing options and weight, and making the show really feel ‘ambient’ sufficient.
On the identical time, the minimis crew needed to spend a good period of time elevating cash around the globe to maintain creating and validating. One actually cool facet mission they labored on (the minimis phone app) that eventuated from a ‘shower thought‘ inadvertently turned actually profitable and a further supply of funding that supported the minimis Move improvement. What’s wonderful is that the app is predicated on the identical precept of minimising distractions – flip the interface into black and white, block out distracting apps, and let you keep on activity.
Aspect word: Meta began engaged on their good glasses in 2020 with Ray-Ban and launched the first-gen model "Ray-Ban Stories" in 2021. Then it was solely in 2025 that they launched the Ray-Ban Display that has a full shade built-in show in the best lens. Allowing for they'd labored on the Occulus and AR years earlier than that. Clearly, creating good AR glasses is a big endeavour even for a tech large like Meta.
What’s subsequent?
Their objective is to launch a beta model to the early backers by the top of 2026, then get as a lot person suggestions and validation, to guarantee that the product is definitely helpful earlier than scaling up and mass producing it. Some would possibly assume that they could lose out to different gamers out there (e.g. Meta, Vuzix) who have already got good glasses for sports activities launched out there. However the fact is, none of them are literally standalone (works with out a smartphone), have ANT+ connection (for many bike sensors), or a built-in optical coronary heart fee sensor. It’s a bit ironic, given minimis is Latin and alludes to minimal, but the minimis is filled with options. However I suppose the precise level is that with the minimis Move AR, you’ll be able to minimise what you carry and, extra importantly, keep targeted. Comply with them on LinkedIn to see their journey or try their podcast interview with the Australian Sports Technology Network. They’re additionally open to conversations with buyers and individuals who wish to again them. If that’s you, you will discover out extra on their wefunder page.
That’s it from us. Thanks for studying! Be at liberty to depart a remark beneath or message us here if you want to speak a couple of sports activities tech thought or mission you’re engaged on.
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