High-tech cycling jackets hall of fame
Most of us plump for a cycling jacket that simply keeps out the wind and rain, but it doesn’t stop designers devising increasingly complex features. Speedometers, lasers, indicator lights, even air bags…our high-tech cycling jackets hall of fame has them all.
| High-tech cycling jackets | Hall of fame |
|---|---|
| The Speed Vest | American inventor Brady Clark devised a tabard that displays the wearer’s speed on their back in large, illuminated numerals. The Speed Vest forgoes GPS, using instead a sensor on the wheel and a microcontroller that calculates the speed. Mr Clark was curious to know if putting more information in front of drivers might change their awareness of bicyclists. The Speed Vest is not yet on sale, but electronics enthusiasts can build their own using the plans here |
| Body heat-powered accessories |  Bicycle accessories such as lights, computers and GPS devices could be powered by the heat generated by a cyclist’s body heat thanks to technology unveiled today by Fujitsu Laboratories. The new hybrid harvesting device manufactured from inexpensive organic materials captures energy from either light or heat |
| TV screen jacket | A jacket that incorporates a 60” LED video display over the body and sleeves paves the way for wearable and interactive bicycle lighting. Such jackets would provide a high-tech alternative to the luminous yellow tabards favoured by some cyclists. The jacket gives off more than enough light for the urban cyclist and the moving images could display messages to other road users. Large flashing arrows be highly-visible turn signal and messages such as ‘too close’, ‘thank you’ and ‘stopping’ would prove useful |
| Airbag collar | The Hövding collar earns its place in this list because it can be worn easily with a winter jacket. In the event of a crash a motion sensor activates a small cannister of helium, which inflates the airbag in one tenth of a second. The airbag has been fully tested (see film below) and is intended to keep wearers as well-protected as those wearing a conventional cycling helmet. Hovding.com |
| Laser jacket |  A jacket that emits light from over 100 lasers attached to its front, back and arms could be the ultimate high-visibility accessory for cyclists. Artist Wei-Chieh Shih has no plans to manufacture the jacket, but its ability to illuminate in all directions would make it a highly-effective lighting system for urban cyclists wanting to be seen by other traffic. Conventional bicycle lights illuminate only the road ahead, but the majority of collisions involving cyclists that occur at night happen when a rider is struck from the side. |
| Built-in indicator lights |  This cycling jacket with built-in indicator lights operated by a switch on each cuff was put together with off-the-shelf electronics. The lighting system does not make the jacket cumbersome to wear as the components are lightweight, almost flat and connected by conductive thread rather than wires. Leah Buechley designed the Turn Signal Bike Jacket while teaching an ‘e-textiles’ project at Shih Chien University in Taiwan |
Low-tech, but dependable cycle insurance
Every cycle insurance policy from the ETA includes new-for-old replacement if your bike is stolen, cover for accidental damage (race events included), third party insurance (in the case of an accident you may need to seek compensation or even deal with a claim by someone else), personal accident cover and if you breakdown, we will even come out and recover you and your bike. From 33p per week.
