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Bicycle Safety

Hyping the HyperBike

12:28 PM EST on February 14, 2007

deforest_small.jpgInventor Curt DeForest Jr. claims that his HyperBike will be the fastest and safest human-powered vehicle ever built.  It's roll cage supposedly can withstand a 200 mph impact. DeForest writes:

I set out to create a machine that would promote good health and good posture, could travel great distances at top speeds, did not use fossil fuels, and was safe and good for you. The HyperBike is what the bicycle should have been.

The conventional bicycle is unstable and dangerous on the road. Therider is vulnerable in traffic no matter how experienced. It is theheight of danger to be balanced on two inch-wide tires with nothingbetween the driver and road objects. A cyclist is more vulnerable thana pedestrian by virtue of being "in" traffic, not just near it.

Cyclistsare unable to travel safely at the same speed as traffic; neither canthey accelerate nor stop as quickly. And, unlike the Hyperbike, aseated cyclist is reduced to using only leg muscles for propulsion.Whereas, the operator of a Hyperbike uses legs, torso, arms and bodyweight for propulsion. 

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