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Van Rysel makes a strong move. The brand unveils AIRBAG, the first racing skinsuit with a fully integrated airbag, an innovation that could redefine road cycling safety.
Source: press release
The project comes as speeds in the peloton are skyrocketing and serious crashes remain a scourge of the WorldTour. 20% of riders suffer a fracture each season. Thus, over 1300 fractures have been recorded in six years. Van Rysel wants to change the game: AIRBAG is not an accessory; it’s a skinsuit designed from the outset around protection. A race-ready skinsuit, already tested by pros, with a target weight of 700 g, including 500 g for the airbag system, which is half the weight of MotoGP airbags.
“Behind every race number, there is a human being”, reminds Van Rysel.
The objective: to protect without sacrificing performance. The system is developed with In&motion, a specialist in intelligent airbags. The airbag deploys in 60 milliseconds and relies on technology already proven in MotoGP. The protection covers three key areas: the thorax and rib cage, the cervical area to limit hyperextension, and the entire length of the spine.
Abrasion-resistant materials complete the protection. The algorithms analyze the rider’s dynamics 1000 times per second and are trained on 450 million kilometers of data. Unprecedented precision to distinguish between normal riding and an actual crash.
Swiss Side participated in the aerodynamic development. Objective: to match a classic WorldTour skinsuit. Wind tunnel sessions and CFD simulations refined the design. Thermoregulation was a major challenge. For this, AIRBAG must dissipate heat like a traditional skinsuit.
Climatic chamber tests are underway while the system is being validated with the Decathlon CMA CGM and Van Rysel Roubaix teams, and riders are participating in the final adjustments.
“A confident rider is a more performant rider”, emphasizes the team. The technology could soon be used in races. Van Rysel aims further than the WorldTour. The ambition is to make the airbag accessible to the general public. A rollout is envisioned within two years. The ultimate goal: to make the airbag a standard in cycling. Just as the helmet became twenty years ago.
“Performance has no meaning if it is not safe”, concludes Van Rysel, whose AIRBAG project opens a new era for cyclist safety.
Learn more: Van Rysel
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