Child's Toy still in prototype phase??

July 6, 2006 11:41 AM from

Link

The idea of this tricycle is: At rest, the Shift bike's two back wheels tilt in at the top to form a stable, balance-assisting "A." When the rider leans forward—a natural tendency when pedaling faster—the weight shift activates a tension band that unites the bottom of the rear wheels into, effectively, a single wheel. As the rider slows, the wheels split again. ~Popular Mechanics, Nov 2005

This gives the child the confidence of training wheels, and when traveling fast enough it becomes a bicycle...then upon slowing it morphs back into a tricycle. Very cool I think.

Ever since I read about this Shift Bicycle (before my son was tall enough to reach any sort of pedals) I've wanted one for him. In the last couple weeks he's grown tall enough to reach his pedals and go, so I think this would be an awesome new gadget for him to learn balance on, and for us parents to marvel at.

The article dated Nov 2005 states that the bike would be available this summer. But I can't find it anywhere, not even online. Does anyone know differently?

2,343 views 4 replies

Reply #1 July 6, 2006 1:20 PM from

JoeUser Forums Top

Huh. That's one heck of a weird bike, my friend. Looks like fun, though.

Are they gonna make them big enough for the rest of us?

Reply #2 July 11, 2006 9:57 PM from

JoeUser Forums Top

I did a search, and found an article that said it would be 2007 that it would be ready http://michaelscycles.net/page.cfm?PageID=665

I wouldn't mind one either...but I'm just a big kid!

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Reply #3 July 11, 2006 10:04 PM from

JoeUser Forums Top

I saw something about this on one of the bike forums a while back. I think they're trying to work through some legal liability try to not get sued type stuff. Lawyers ruin everything ya know. Pretty cool idea.

Reply #4 July 11, 2006 10:58 PM from

JoeUser Forums Top

2007 that it would be ready

Thank you Sally for searching on that too. You found what I couldn't! So I'll relax for another year. I hope my son will still be interested in tricycles when he's 4

I think he will be.

I think they're trying to work through some legal liability try to not get sued type stuff. Lawyers ruin everything ya know.

GRR. Yeah I've seen lots of evidence of people's greed and stupidity ruining fun for the vast majority.

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