Coroner's concern over 'fixie' bikes after Italian aristocrat killed falling under truck on cycle without brakes

A coroner has raised concerns about fixed-gear bikes with no front brakes, as she heard how an Italian aristocrat died after falling under the wheels of a truck.

Filippo Corsini, heir to a Florentine noble family, was crushed to death by a lorry in London while riding a customised so-called "fixie" cycle that is illegal on UK roads, an inquest heard.

The 21-year-old was on his way to Regent's University, where he was studying international business, when he was knocked down by a German lorry at Scotch Corner, near Knightsbridge Tube station.

Westminster Coroner's Court heard he was hit at just before 12.40pm on October 31 last year after he had overtaken the lorry, which was being driven by German national Thomas Dose.

The inquest heard Mr Corsini, who was not wearing a helmet, overtook on the offside of the left-hand drive lorry, which meant Mr Dose would not have been able to see him.

Pc David Keen

Shortly after overtaking the HGV, the cyclist then pulled in front of the lorry which was accelerating faster than Mr Corsini.

The lorry hit the bike and he went over the handle bars and landed in the road before the truck ran over him, causing "catastrophic injuries". He was treated by paramedics and an air ambulance doctor, but was pronounced dead at the scene.

At Wednesday's inquest into Mr Corsini's death, senior Westminster coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox said: "I do have concerns about fixed vehicles."

She said his bike "may have contributed" to the fatal collision, but as it was already illegal to ride a "fixie" bike with no front brake, she could not write any recommendations to prevent future deaths.

Serious collision investigator Pc David Keen found there were no problems with the lorry and the diver had rested appropriately before driving through London, having arrived in the UK from Holland the day before.

He also told the court Mr Corsini was very close to the lorry as he overtook him, after moving closer to the vehicle to avoid the kerb.

Pc Keen said: "He could have potentially slowed or stopped, but his ability to do that was down to the bike he was riding.

"His bike had fixed gears, no front brake and in order to slow down he had to use resistance in his legs to slow down. That is the only braking mechanism.

"Bikes should have two means of coming to a stop. One was the resistance through the legs and there should be and additional conventional brake on the front really for it to comply with regulations.

"The nature of the cycle could have been what made it more difficult to slow compared to if he had been on a more conventional cycle."

In her conclusion, Dr Wilcox said: "Mr Corsini was traveling westwards lane and overtook Mr Dose. As he approached him he would have been very close to him to avoid the raised kerb in the pedestrian area in the middle of the road and was in a position where he would not have been visible to Mr Dose."

She added: "Then Mr Corsini, for reasons only known to him, overtook and accelerated passed the HGV and went in front of him."

She gave the medical cause of death as multiple injuries and gave a conclusion of accidental death.

She added: "There is no doubt this is an absolutely tragic death: what a waste of a young man."

Mr Corsini is survived by his parents, Duccio and Clotilde, as well as two younger sisters, but none were in court for the inquest.

The Corsini family is one of Florence's oldest, going back back to the Middle Ages with members including Pope Clemente XII, who ruled from 1730 to 1740, founding Rome's Capitoline Museums and commissioning the Trevi fountain.

The family has a wine and oil production business and also rents various properties in Tuscany as holiday homes.

Mr Corsini's bike was similar to the cycle that was being ridden by Charlie Alliston, 20, who fatally crashed into mother of two Kim Briggs, 44, on an illegal Olympics-style bike, with no front brakes, near Old Street roundabout in London.

Alliston was sentenced to 18 months in jail last September after being convicted of causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving.