Professional cyclists regularly descend mountain roads at speeds approaching 80mph, wearing little more than a helmet and Lycra.
Bikes of all kinds have become lighter, faster and more aerodynamic over the past half-century yet rider protection has remained largely unchanged.
Belgian start-up Aerobag believes it’s time for safety technology to catch up.
The company has developed one of the first AI-powered wearable airbag systems designed specifically for cyclists, a device that uses motion sensors and AI to detect crashes before deploying in around 100 milliseconds to protect a rider’s back, neck and hips.
“Nothing has really changed since the 1970s for cyclists’ protection, even after big accidents in professional cycling,” Bert Celis, CEO of Aerobag, tells Zag Daily.
“We’re massively boosting the level of protection. This is a crucial step the cycling industry needs to take not only for its performance cyclists but for commuters and everyday riders.”
The company has already begun shipping its first systems to professional cycling teams Team Picnic PostNL and Team Visma-Lease a Bike. It’s now also entered the consumer market, with the Aerobag now available to retailers, commuters and cyclists of all kinds and deals already signed with clothing partners Nalini and Assos.
Most recently, Aerobag has launched a commuter configuration of the system. The airbag itself remains the same but commuters can use an additional ‘Aerobelt’ module that allows it to be worn with everyday clothing rather than integrated into cycling bib shorts used by professional teams.
Born out of tragedy
Aerobag was founded in 2025 by Bert Celis, Robin Deleener, Sam Ratajczak and Quinton Van Loggerenberg but the idea was sparked by one of professional cycling’s darkest moments.
In 2019, 22-year-old Belgian rider Bjorg Lambrecht died after crashing into a concrete culvert during the Tour of Poland. His death highlighted the harsh reality of modern racing: cyclists are travelling faster than ever yet remain protected by little more than a helmet.
While airbags have become standard equipment in motorsport and are increasingly common in disciplines such as MotoGP and horseracing, cycling has largely been left behind.
Only a minority of severe cycling injuries are covered by the helmet while most of the body remains unprotected. The addition of an airbag can provide a proportion of that extra coverage, reducing the risk of serious injury.
It’s what sold Dutch venture capital firm Fundracer on the idea, which acquired a minority stake in the company earlier this year to support its commercial rollout.
“What has impressed us most about Aerobag is that the founders are not simply building a company – they are pursuing a mission that comes straight from the heart,” says René Wiertz, Co-founder of Fundracer.
“Founder teams with such a strong sense of purpose often build more resilient, focused and successful businesses.”
The investment brings more than capital. Fundracer co-founder Gerard Vroomen also co-founded Cervélo, one of cycling’s most influential performance bike brands.
“Vroomen knows exactly what you’re dealing with in performance markets but also in other cycling markets,” explains Celis.
The anatomy of the Aerobag
The Aerobag consists of tubes sewn into bib shorts that run around the rider’s back and torso – much like a pair of suspenders – and a central electronic unit housed in a pouch worn on the rider’s back.
Each of the tubes have been folded in to minimise bulkiness and ensure the system doesn’t impede on performance, with the whole product weighing in at around 500 grams.
While sensors determine when to deploy, the Aerobag can also be tuned via onboard AI to provide riders with extra reassurance.
Much of the design innovation stems from Celis’ previous work in competitive cycling, where riders must maintain effective thermoregulation by managing sweat and ambient temperatures. Celis understood the importance of this after designing the kits worn by Belgian cyclists at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, believing thermoregulation in performance sports to be the ideal starting point for consumer technology.
“We worked hard to make the product compatible with pro-riders and now we’re making it compatible with commuters too,” Celis says.
The system is built around the Aerobag Plug-in, a compact unit containing the electronics and airbag. The Plug-in comes with one CO₂ inflator which triggers the airbag when a crash is detected. After deployment, the airbag itself can be reused while riders can replace the spent inflator with a new one.
“People think that the airbag works like the one in a car,” explains Celis. “In a car, it costs €1,000 to €2,000 and it basically only works when your car is destroyed. Here, you just take another CO2 cylinder and you can get back on your bike.”
The removable module can be transferred between compatible riding kits, allowing cyclists to wash their clothing without affecting the electronics.
Whether for professional cycling teams or commuters, the Aerobag itself is the same. Professional riders integrate it into their bib shorts, while commuters can attach the additional ‘Aerobelt’ around their waist, allowing them to wear the system with normal clothing.
“It’s what we call a switch kit,” Celis explains. “One Aerobag can be used across multiple riding outfits. Whether you’re commuting during the week or riding recreationally at the weekend, it works with different clothing.”
A changing safety culture
Celis’ background is in the performance side of cycling, which is how he found himself in his previous role as founder of Bike Valley, a cluster of cycling companies that formed to create a world-class cycling innovation and research hub in Belgium.
“Our first project in 2012 was building Europe’s first wind tunnel dedicated to measuring aerodynamics for professional cyclists,” he says.
That experience convinced him that innovations pioneered in elite sport eventually filter down to everyday riders. Aerobag is hoping wearable airbags will follow the same path.
“E-bikes are faster now than they were 10 years ago,” says Celis. “Riders must be thinking about the next level of protection.”
Statistics from the British Safety Council show that British cyclists face a 45% higher risk of injury when travelling to work than those who use cars or public transport. It is a similar story across Europe, with cyclists accounting for roughly 40% of all road fatalities in the Netherlands as one example, according to the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek.
Celis believes wearable protection could eventually become as routine as a helmet, with employers and insurers playing a role in accelerating adoption. In countries such as Belgium, where employer-sponsored bike leasing has become increasingly common, he sees airbags becoming part of a wider safety package.
“It’s a win-win to have all the components of safety like the helmet, the airbag and reflectors included within your bike leasing pack.”
Whether wearable airbags become as commonplace as helmets remains to be seen. Convincing cyclists to adopt another piece of equipment will take time, particularly in a sport where weight, comfort and aerodynamics have traditionally taken priority.
But as cycling continues to evolve from a performance pursuit into an everyday mode of transport, Aerobag believes the industry’s next major leap forward won’t be measured in speed. It will be measured in safety.
“It’s really a cultural change we need to create,” says Celis. “We feel it’s already brewing in the market.”
