With age, the sense of balance deteriorates. In order to help older people not to fall off the bicycle, Dutch engineers have developed an extremely stable Sofie electric bike, while accelerating to 18 km / h. Sofie is the result of cooperation of three teams - the University of Twente, the company Indes and the Research Institute RRD. As a result, we got an electric bicycle with a more flat frame and a shorter wheelbase. The wheels themselves also became smaller, which gave the design greater stability when driving at low speeds - just when most of the falls occur. When the owner sits in the saddle and starts pedaling, the electric motor comes into play, which is specially designed so that as soon as possible to overcome the dangerous slow zone and accelerate the bike to a maximum speed of 18 km / h. Once the maximum speed is reached, the saddle automatically changes the configuration, helping the rider take a more comfortable position for pedaling. And as soon as the speed falls, it falls, giving the opportunity to put your feet on the ground. Unfortunately, according to New Atlas, despite all attempts by inventors to find a manufacturer ready to start producing electric bicycles for the elderly, no one has so far expressed this desire. The four-wheeled bicycle of the German company Schaeffler will be the most capable, if the prototype presented at the exhibition in Detroit this year will decide to produce. It weighs 80 kg and allows you not to strain around the city at a speed of 25 km / h.

Original article: A stable electric bicycle for the elderly has been developed.