London, Nov 19 (IANS) A lightweight scooter can be carried in a rucksack up a mountain and it can bring you down safely as it allows you to glide downhill in a standing or kneeling position, according to a British media report.
The manufacturers claim that the upright riding position and different sized wheels ensure perfect handling and safety as you wind your way down.
The Dutch company known as KOGA shows how it can be done. They have invented an integrated rucksack and scooter, the Bergmonch, which allows you to glide downhill in a standing or kneeling position.
All it needs is two minutes to re−pack the scooter into a nine kg rucksack which sits comfortably on your back. But the scooter can set you back by a thousand pounds.
The company points to studies that show 67 percent of all mountaineers suffer from knee and ankle problems because when walking downhill, our joints have to cope with several times the amount of our own weight, the Daily Mail reports.
The Bergmonch, which means 'Mountain Monk', can be used on mountain bike tracks and paths, as well as smoother roads. It is perfectly capable of covering large distances effortlessly, say KOGA.
In the long run, the makers hope their product will make Alpine tourism safer and more sustainable by reducing reliance on railways and toboggan runs to transport mountain bikes to the summits.
