Small lightweight package that stores on bicycle, under rainy/cold conditions can inflate to offer weather protection. Could be inflated using existing bike pump/CO2 canister - for rapid deployment. Would be aerodynamic - more so than existing bike +rider. Either an inflatable device or a rapidly deployable structure, if someone made this 'bike umbrella' I would want one.-- Osborn, May 30 2002 Gizmo: the movie http://us.imdb.com/Title?0074573Halfbaked with ambition [gniterobot, Aug 24 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004] Good one! I can't believe that this isn't baked already, but I've found no reference.-- angel, May 30 2002 Good idea. I'm having trouble picturing it though. Maybe inflatable ribs with material in between?-- stupop, May 30 2002 That's what I was thinking; something along the lines of a cross between an umbrella and those inflatable igloo tents. Any chance of an illustration, [bristolz]?-- angel, May 30 2002 May have the ribs - would only need to support itself + wind resistance. Could mount to various points of the bike and may be fixed to a rigid perspex screen. Visibity could be a problem but could be safer than 'open' bicycle as you wouldn't need make hairy trafic manovers in an atempt to stay dry.-- Osborn, May 30 2002 Hmmm...it does sound quite dangerous. Any chance of 360deg wipers?
BTW, you're leaving out letters all over the place [Osborn].-- stupop, May 30 2002 Your air bag is already there in the event of an accident though!-- Osborn, May 30 2002 Y'all are 26 years too late. Go to the US Patent Office database (http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/srchnum.htm) and search for number 3984142. You'll come up with Paul Van Valkenburg's Inflato-fairing. ;-)-- jwills, Aug 24 2002 If anyone has ever seen the old black and white movie "Gizmo" then you might have seen this one...It's an older film about inventions that never quite made it (like here, but more ambition)...check it out..it's a good laugh-- gniterobot, Aug 24 2002 Great idea! make it reusable, and easy to pack. add a really cool design and Voila!-- noyola, Apr 24 2003 random, halfbakery