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Many bicycles force cyclists into an unnatural position of leaning forward with their heads craning upwards to get a good view of the road ahead.

Now, in an effort to alleviate strain on the body, an inventor has come up with a gadget that means cyclists can relax their necks while keeping their eyes on the road, without having to look up.

The device, called the Pedi-Scope, is a periscope-style device that attaches to the handlebars of any bike.

The Pedi-Scope (pictured) is a periscope-style device that attaches to the handlebars of a bike enabling cyclists to see a view of the road ahead while bowing their heads to give themselves a rest from the uncomfortable posture of rising a bike with the head craning upwards

The prototype is 3D printed and uses three 90 degree prisms from eyeglasses sourced from China to let riders see the road ahead while looking down.

Inventor Mike Lane, from Brooklyn, New York, is now raising money on Kickstarter to put the device into production.

He has currently raised $4,489 (£2,945) towards his $21,000 (£13,790) goal, with 15 days to go.

Mr Lane came up with the idea because he was fed up with suffering neck, shoulder and back pain when cycling. 

The prototype, designed by Mike Lane from in Brooklyn, New York, is intended to be fitted to the handlebars of a bike (pictured) and he's raising money to put it into production on Kickstarter. He has currently raised $4,489 (£2,945) towards his $21,000 (£13,790) goal, with 15 days to go

The prototype (pictured) is 3D printed and uses three 90 degree prisms from eyeglasses sourced from China to let riders see the road ahead while looking down

'Almost all bicycles put the rider in an unnatural position, leaning forward with the head craning upwards,' he said.

'After a short amount of time, this leads to terrible neck, shoulder and back pain.

'I thought, 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 cyclists know, looking down while riding can lead to terrible things.'

Pedi-Scope is designed to give cyclists a short break from raising their heads.

While it does give them a clear view of the road ahead, the device doesn't give them the peripheral vision they would have simply by keeping their heads up and looking around them.

Mr Lane said: '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.'

The Pedi-Scope is available to pre-order on Kickstarter from $39 (£26) with an estimated shipping date of July, if Mr Lane meets his fundraising goal.

The device is intended to alleviate pain (illustrated right) from an unnatural posture (left). 'I noticed if I could put my head down for a couple of seconds it would relieve the pain without having to stop,' Mr Lane said