The days of the stabiliser on kids’ bikes seem to be over with the proliferation of balance bikes on the market. The skills learned on the balance bike make the transition to riding with pedals a good deal easier and kids are going straight from the balance bike to pedaling without having to use stabilisers. We can all remember the day that the stabilisers came off either for ourselves or own kids – it either went well with a chasing parent trying to slow the freed child down or it ended in an ungraceful fall to earth. The problem with stabilisers is that there is fall protection inbuilt and so a good sense of balance and bike handling skills aren’t necessarily learned. What if though, you had a balance bike that won’t fall over? Bring on the Jyrobike, a self balancing bicycle that its creators claim dramatically shortens the time it takes to master riding without assistance.
The gyro in the front wheel stops the bike from falling and the inventor says that he has taught children to ride bikes in as little as 15 mins. The technology is also adaptable in that it can be used for adults who have balance issues due to impairment or age. What’s more, it even includes a stereo sound system that plays sound effects such as bugle music, sirens and a roaring dinosaur! The test ride video is impressive:
Gimmick or wise investment? I don’t really know but I could see it being used in group sessions at schools for those who are struggling or when getting training done is a time strapped event. More information can be found on the Jyrobike website
