Simulated single-bicycle crashes in the VTI crash safety laboratory

Figures & data

Table 1. Maximum resultant of accelerations measured in the crash test dummy head when hitting the floor after sideway falls with four different types of bicycles.

Bicycle type	Height (cm)	Test 1	Test 2	Test 3	Test 4	Median value
Lady’s bicycle	184	45,7g	42,5g	46,6g	111,5g	46,2g
Commuter bicycle	168	39,6g	41,8g	42,5g	41,9g	41,9g
Pedelec	176	45,2g	224,7g	46,4g	46,1g	46,3g
Recumbent bicycle	120	47,8g	96,9g	56,6g	119,9g	76,8g

Four consecutive crash tests for each bicycle. Raw data filtered using a CFC 1000 filter. Seating height measured from the floor to the top of the dummy head.

Table 2. Maximum resultant of accelerations measured in the crash test dummy head when hitting the floor after simulated single-bicycle crashes in 15 or 25 km per hour with four different types of bicycles.

Bicycle type	Sudden stop		Sideways dislocation
	15 km/h	25 km/h	15 km/h	25 km/h
Lady’s bicycle
Test 1	695,3g	766,0g	44,0g	414,2g
Test 2	634,4g	50,5g	54,5g	437,3g
Test 3			56,5g
Commuter bicycle
Test 1	645,3g	583,4g	152,6g	47,0g
Test 2	669,9g	Broken accelerometer	49,5g	76,3g
Test 3	587,3g	913,5g	47,5g
Pedelec
Test 1	Fall backwards	151,4g	50,6g	563,5g
Test 2	46,3g	50,7g	43,3g	Broken accelerometer
Test 3				138,7g
Recumbent bicycle
Test 1	344,5g	857,1g	125,6g	110,1g
Test 2	174,8g	344,3g	144,4g	225,1g

Raw data filtered using a CFC 1000 filter.

Figure 1. Calculated HIC36 values from the accelerations measured in the crash test dummy head when hitting the floor after simulated single-bicycle crashes with four different types of bicycles. At the top the sudden stop scenario in 15 followed by 25 km per hour. The two lower figures show the dislocated front wheel scenario in 15 and 25 km per hour respectively. Raw data filtered using a CFC 1000 filter.