Gyrowheel Reinvents the Training Wheel for Kids Michael Kwan February 16, 2011 Let’s go back to your childhood and reminisce about when you were first learning how to ride a bike. Chances are that you had training wheels on the back and someone gently holding on to the back of the seat to keep you stable. The trouble with this learning method is that it really doesn’t teach you how to ride a bike. But we have new technology now. The Gyrowheel is completely different than traditional training wheels, because your two-wheeler doesn’t become a Frankenfried four-wheeler. Instead, you replace the front wheel on a regular bicycle with an auto-balancing one. Yes, the Gyrowheel effectively transforms that cheap kid’s bike you found at a yard sale into a Segway-esque machine. Inside the wheel is an independent disk that, when powered on, will create gyroscopic precession. This stabilizes the bike, even at lower speeds, ensuring that little Suzie doesn’t suddenly topple over. There are three stability settings, so as little Suzie gets better this, you can turn down the assistance level. Eventually, she’ll learn to balance herself, you can swap out the Gyrowheel for a regular one, and she’ll be well on her way to Dave Mirra level skills. Or something. The 12-inch version is $98.99, while the 16-incher is $134.99. Get ’em both at ThinkGeek. I wonder if my notoriously bad sense of balance would have been addressed if the Gyrowheel was around when I was kid. Share This With The World!
