For those of you out there who dig two-wheeled devices with motors (i.e. motorcycles, not ebikes), you’ve probably seen the emergence of air bag technology in jackets, suits and vests. We here at TCI HQ have been wondering when airbag technology would be employed in the two-wheels-plus-pedals world. Well, that day is here. And no, that inflatable helmet does not count.
Meet Cirrus, the airbag in a jacket. It uses CO2 cartridges to inflate, so its not a single-use technology. The sensors employed will trigger the CO2 release in 0.08 of a second, which is faster than a rider can hit the ground. Don’t ask how I know.
Making an airbag jacket that inflates quickly isn’t all that hard. What’s difficult is writing code that will prevent the jacket from inflating any time the rider stops abruptly. Cirrus takes a novel approach by using two sensors—one in the jacket and one mounted to the saddle. It’s this two-front approach that should prevent the jacket from going popcorn when someone jumps off a curb.
The jacket is highly reflective, making it useful even when it’s not full Michelin Man.
Even if you have no interest in an airbag jacket, I encourage you to follow the link and check out the videos they posted of their tests, one with a crash test dummy and another with a crash test dummy, I mean, stuntman.
The jacket goes for $623; extras you can purchase include additional CO2 cartridges (this doesn’t use the same ones you’d use to inflate a tire.
The project is fully funded with $61,655 pledged; jackets begin at $610. It has 12 days to go.
$623!? Compared to this $725 jacket from Assos, that leaves a LOT of extra money to buy CO2 cartridges!
https://cyclingtips.com/2020/11/remortgage-the-house-assos-launches-new-winter-collection-with-750-jacket/
Having broken 3 ribs in two crashes, this is interesting, but 600 bucks? Nope.