Ghost partner for outdoor cycling

Athletes have relied on pace makers for a long time to achieve their greatest feats. EliudKipchoge ran the marathon distance in under two hours in 2019 with the help of 41 professionalrunners to set his pace. An amateur athlete is unable to acquire similar circumstances fortraining. Computer-assisted indoor training machines such as the well perceived companyPeloton show ghosts partners on a screen that set the pace. A few companies offer augmentedreality (AR) goggles for outdoor use. These products are expensive and infect user comfortand safety.

This invention presents a low cost, intuitive signaling system which allows athletes to optimizetheir training. The invention is especially applicable to all types of sportive cycling.

The invention uses a light signaling system that supports athletes to pursue their optimalpacing strategy. The pacing device is mountable to the handlebar of a bicycle. It projects alaser signal on the road to display a reference ahead of the cyclist that is always in sight of therider. The device adjusts the laser spot according to the velocity of the cyclist in relation to theset target speed: At a velocity below the target speed, the laserspot increases the distances tothe front wheel. This indicates that the “ghost-partner” travels at higher speed. At a velocityhigher than the set target, the laser point approaches the bicycle’s front wheel. The targetvelocity and the preferred pacing strategy can be adjusted on the fly by the rider.

The pacer provides a new type of training for experienced and amateur riders during trainingsessions. It motivates the cyclists to achieve their training goals in a playful manner.

• Intuitive pace signal applicable for sportive cycling
• Easy handling and very safe also in traffic.
• Can be integrated in speedometers or provided with connectivity to cellphones

A functional prototype is finished. It provides two modes: Instantaneaus and accumulative. Ininstantaneous mode, the rider receives an instant comparison between the target and currentvelocity. The accumulative mode displays the difference between the distance covered by therider and the „ghost-partner“ up to this point.