On Sun, 1 Oct 2017 12:49:06 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 10/1/2017 2:20 AM, John B. wrote:
On Sat, 30 Sep 2017 20:01:03 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Sun, 01 Oct 2017 06:54:28 +0700, John B.
wrote:
What I had envisioned was a sort of air bag type of protection with an
inflatable suit triggered by some sort of shock sensor. The resulting
inflated "armor" would look something like the "the Michelin Man"

You're a bit late to the party with that idea:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/airbag-helmet.html

There is a real air bag helmet, but at 300 Euros, it's a difficult
sale:
https://hovding.com/how-hovding-works/

In fact, given the popularity of the auto air bag systems I am amazed
that this over all (would one say all in compassing?) protection
scheme is not required by law in order to protect bicyclists.

It helps to have a workable product before it can be made mandatory.
Maybe contrive a few statistics which show that we'll all be dead
without an air bag helmet. Of course claiming that what few road
fatalities can be found would not have happened with an air bag
helmet. We're between elections right now, so there should be a
substantial number of unemployed and available political salespeople
to help with the promotion in congress. If it saves but one life.....

Personally, I'm wondering why nobody had contrived a bicycle with and
external frame in the shape of a roll cage. The roll cage frame would
be padded, so no helmet is required. Should it be involved in an
accident, it would simply bounce or roll down the road with the rider
never hitting the pavement. Something like this, but with only one
rider:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfaF5y4Q-s4

Given the light weight of Carbon Fiber it would probably be possible
to build a all enclosing bicycle - I envision a sort of horizontal
rain drop shape that would allow cycling in inclement weather as well
as protecting the rider from accidents.

Those exist. I've known guys who rode them, and we've had posters here
who rode them. See
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/...-tech-car.html

With a tiny bit larger hub generator it could have a really impressive
interior and exterior lighting system as well as a electrically heated
seat for those cooler days. Why, adding a rear hub generator might
even allow air conditioning.

Lights, yes. But I doubt any heating is ever necessary. The bigger
problem seems to be keeping cool. On my normal bike, I always arrived at
work at least a little sweaty, even when the temperature was in the 30s
Fahrenheit.


But I'm forever reading about the joys of winter cycling, the big
fuzzy jackets and the shoe covers, etc.

The AC sounds like a real design challenge, though.

Anything is possible. After all we are seeing e-bikes for people that
are too lazy to pedal. Why not a m-bike for those that want to have
air conditioning :-)
--
Cheers,

John B.