Would you ride 'the world's safest bike'? Invention boasts a roll cage, foot protectors and a SEAT BELT to protect you


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Is this the world's safest bike? Its designers certainly think so.

Boasting front and rear lights, rear view mirrors and even a car horn, the team behind the electric Babel Bike say it is unprecedented in its approach to safety.

And perhaps most noticeable of all is the roll cage that surrounds the cyclist - keeping them safe against trucks and buses turning into them.

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London-based designer claims to have made the world's safest bike. Called the Babel Bike it has a host of features including a roll cage. Crispin Sinclair (shown with the bike) is seeking £50,000 of funding on site Indiegogo. The bike also has foot protectors and an electric motor

London-based designer claims to have made the world's safest bike. Called the Babel Bike it has a host of features including a roll cage. Crispin Sinclair (shown with the bike) is seeking £50,000 of funding on site Indiegogo. The bike also has foot protectors and an electric motor

The Babel Bike was designed by London-based Crispin Sinclair - son of the famous British inventor Sir Clive Sinclair, whose 1985 Sinclair C5 bike turned out to be somewhat of a flop.

Crispin will be hoping a similar fate does not befall his invention though - and hopes the array of safety features will appeal to safety-conscious cyclists.

He is seeking £50,000 ($74,000) of funding on Indiegogo to bring his dream to fruition.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? 

The price might be a bit much for some, with the non-electric version retailing for £2,499 ($3,693), and the full electric version £3,499 ($5,170).

Both are £500 ($740) less if bought through Indiegogo. 

May 2016 is the estimated delivery date for the bike at the moment.

The bike has a small wheel at the front and a larger one on the back, with a lockable white bar connecting them that doubles as storage for the bike's innards.

It doesn't rely on pedal power alone, but rather has an electric motor inside that assists it at speeds of up to 20mph in the US and 15.5mph in the EU.

'In both the US and the EU you can still pedal faster but in both jurisdictions the motor can't assist at higher speeds (by law),' the team notes on their Indiegogo page. 

The bike has a small wheel at the front and a larger one on the back, with a lockable white bar connecting them that doubles as storage for the bike's innards

The bike has a small wheel at the front and a larger one on the back, with a lockable white bar connecting them that doubles as storage for the bike's innards

There is a holder for a smartphone on the front so you can keep track of vital stats

There is a holder for a smartphone on the front so you can keep track of vital stats

The controls for the Shimano 250-watt electric assist motor are located on the handlebars, and provide up to 50 per cent assistance. The battery has a range of 50 to 80 miles (80 to 130km).

The bike is recharged by either removing the battery and recharging it at home, or with an optional electric-car-charging lead.

At the front of the bike are two steel foot protectors, which are detachable and can also be used as a bike lock.

The Babel Bike was designed by London-based Crispin Sinclair - son of the famous British inventor Sir Clive Sinclair, whose 1985 Sinclair C5 bike (pictured with Clive in it) turned out to be somewhat of a flop

The Babel Bike was designed by London-based Crispin Sinclair - son of the famous British inventor Sir Clive Sinclair, whose 1985 Sinclair C5 bike (pictured with Clive in it) turned out to be somewhat of a flop

At the front of the bike are two steel foot protectors, pictured here, which are detachable and can also be used as a bike lock

At the front of the bike are two steel foot protectors, pictured here, which are detachable and can also be used as a bike lock

The bike doesn't rely on pedal power alone, but rather has an electric motor inside that assists it at speeds of up to 20mph in the US and 15.5mph in the EU. 'In both the US and the EU you can still pedal faster but in both jurisdictions the motor can't assist at higher speeds (by law),' the team notes on their Indiegogo page

The bike doesn't rely on pedal power alone, but rather has an electric motor inside that assists it at speeds of up to 20mph in the US and 15.5mph in the EU. 'In both the US and the EU you can still pedal faster but in both jurisdictions the motor can't assist at higher speeds (by law),' the team notes on their Indiegogo page

But Crispin notes in a video that even all these safety features 'won't help in a collision with a turning bus or truck at a junction - by far the single biggest cause of cycling fatalities.'

Transport for London says that 65 per cent of all bike fatalities in London are caused by trucks and buses cutting across cyclists.

So the team designed a roll cage for the bike, which prevents it getting trapped under a vehicle.

If a truck or bus comes into contact with the bike, it will hit the roll cage first and ensure the cyclist is pushed to relative safety – or at least, that's the plan.

The side of the seat – also detachable – has foam pads to cushion against side impacts, while the shape has apparently being designed with aerodynamics in mind by former Red Bull F1 engineers.

'Our dream is to put a million more cyclists on our roads, and therefore take a million cars off them, and to do that we need to give cyclists their safety back,' said Crispin.

Whether the bike will prove to be more of a success than his father's invention remains to be seen, though.



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