Bicycles are our favorite form of transportation during the breezy summer months, but the stormy season is right around the corner and everyone knows that riding a bike through the rain is the quickest route to getting soaked. Enter the Bite Bike, a sleek aerodynamic shell that snaps onto any bicycle to provide protection from the elements once the weather turns for the worse. Bike commuters rejoice!
One of the entries in the 2009 James Dyson Awards, the Bite Bike consists of a modular windshield and canopy that easily snaps onto any bike frame. The designers have gone through extensive wind tunnel testing to create an aerodynamic windshield that will stand up to strong gusts — and won’t act as a sail that sends you careening into traffic. They also stress that they focused on sourcing sustainable materials for the project, and have designed parts that can be efficiently produced through thermoforming.
Sure, you’re likely to see a decrease in speed due to the Bite Bike‘s added bulk, but who likes sprinting face-first into a downpour anyway? As someone who regularly relies on a bike for transportation I’ve been wishing for just such a solution for years!
5 Responses to “Bike Capsule Shields Cyclists From Stormy Weather”
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What happens when the rain is coming from the side?
Doesnt look like it protects you from car splashes from the side either.
Really add to the aerodynamic lines of a bike! Work ten times harder to go a mile.
With rain usually comes wind – guess you could cover up with the plastic where you have been blown over into a ditch.
Well, I think it’s a great start.
Progress only happens when instigated by those who are creative, original and take a chance!
While time, testing and feedback may indicate need for design improvement, don’t listen to the “Nay-Sayers” (above), They’re the same ones who sad we’d never walk on the moon, or that the earth was flat… back in the day.
Brian M
Vancouver cyclist
I have an adult trike which I brought to college as I have a mobility issue and could never get to class on time by walking, and my back would always be sore then too…
i am trying to figure out my own lightweight solution. It may not be that strong, but it will help anyway.
wow! this could take being a geek to a whole new level! get yourself a giant gel saddle, the biggest helmet money can buy, and then strap this contraption onto your mongoose and your guranteed to be harrassed by car drivers and cyclist alike!
i’ll stick with decent riding gear and having fun on a fast bike