Home > Other Fun Stuff > Kickstarter

Kickstarter: The Jyrobike, An Auto Balance Bike For Kids

19 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

Jyrobike Auto Balancing Kids Bike

By harnessing the physics behind what makes a gyroscope work, the creators of the Jyrobike have built a bicycle that remains upright and stable, which helps children learn how to ride a bicycle quickly.

It works by utilizing a unique front wheel, that has a fast spinning disc motor driven wheel, which is powered by a rechargeable battery. The resulting gyroscopic force of the spinning disc in the “Control Hub” allows the bike to stand up even at slow speeds.

Jyrobike Image

As children develop confidence, parents can use a wireless controller to adjust the balance settings, to gradually ween their kids of the bikes electronics stabilization aids.

The company has collected 20k of their 100k goal with 30 days to go. Interested? For $129 you can back the project and get a 12″ Conrol Hub front wheel and Wireless Controller, $149 will net you a 16″, and for $249 you’ll get a whole bike.

Head here to back the project

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

19 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Gunnstein
Gunnstein
9 years ago

Unnecessary (but then again, so is most tech). Might be a good thing for kids with more balancing troubles than most.

mick davidson
mick davidson
9 years ago

Nice idea, but it doesn’t teach the child how to ride, since it’s doing most of one of the essentials for them.
Learning to stay upright is a very important thing to learn. If most of the work’s being done for you, then what are you learning? OK, you can gradually reduce the child’s need for it, but why bother in the first place? It’s not like it takes years to acquire the skills needed to stay upright is it? Falling off is not only a good teacher but it prepares you for the inevitable.
Why not use stabilisers instead? They’re a lot cheaper, don’t have to be invented and no one has to give their cash to fund their fund-raising activities.

anonymous
anonymous
9 years ago

I’m pretty sure I saw this before except as a standalone wheel.

larsv
larsv
9 years ago

@ Gunnstein: +1

Chader
Chader
9 years ago

Been there, done that…

Nick
Nick
9 years ago

Two big of a wheel size, most kids learn at a younger age

edge
edge
9 years ago

@mick davidson +1

Mike in UK
Mike in UK
9 years ago

According to Wiki, the reason some of you have seen this idea before is because it is the SAME COMPANY! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyrobike Doh!

I think its a good idea to give kjds the confidence on the bike and then gradually ease off on the gyro as they learn to balance. Having taught 3 kids to ride, it is the lack of confidence that holds them back initially – then one day off they go.
What would bother me is that you should only really use this device as a very short term measure during the training and therefore the cost may be excessive unless you can sell it on.
Maybe it also has application for people with physical disability/balance problems/potential unicyclists?

Bart
Bart
9 years ago

this already exists. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004J1FPWE?pc_redir=1401600963&robot_redir=1

Bought one for my kid, It sucked. Put him on a balance bike and in less than 2 weeks was riding on his own.

Guy
Guy
9 years ago

+1 for mike getting the real picture.

CBX
CBX
9 years ago

Are people so underwhelmed by their infants they need to throw pampering tech at them? Fall and learn!

Luiggi
Luiggi
9 years ago

I understand how some kids starting at older age would benefit from this rather than training wheels (those things are the mere reason a whole generation is bike-crippled down here and should be banned). However, I’ve found a balance bike is the best way to introduce a kid to cycling. Three years ago, me and my wife gave a Strider to my 3 years old nephew, and he was riding it down the block in less than 20 minutes. Fast-forward three years, we got my 22-month kid his Strider two months ago. Within 20 minutes he learned the basics. In less than a month he was dropping down a small step we have between the kitchen and the dining room. Watching the “Jackson Goldstone Goes to Kindergarten” video really gave him a boost, and now he’s sending some stairs and even doing some sort of barspins. Hell, he even did his first run down the local BMX track!

OK, I have to stop typing to wipe the drooling from the keyboard, but I guess I made my point clear enough.

MikeC
MikeC
9 years ago

@Bart: Was thinking the same thing. What does this thing do that a balance bike does not do for less than half the price? Nothing. Get your kid going on a balance bike, step up to a pedal bike not long after.

What happens with a kid who gets used to auto-balance when you put them on a regular bike…? What happens when that learner kid runs out of battery mid-ride…?

'Ol 'Shel
'Ol 'Shel
9 years ago

Give your tint tots a scooter LONG BEFORE they’re ready for a bike. They’ll figure it out on their own, before they’re ready to master pedaling. Keep them off trikes.

Most adults hamper their kids’ ability to master balancing.

David B
David B
9 years ago

I spoke with a friend with an autistic child, who can’t ride a bike about this. He is doing more research, but believes this could be a great invention for his son and kids with autism that can’t ride bikes. Due to all the distractions that these kids deal with and how there mind processes them, it is difficult for some of these kids to be able to concentrate enough to figure out the balance. With this bike, they could be able to ride, balance and enjoy what many of us love. This could be a very wonderful tool for these special kids. I understand the comments about kids need to learn and this is and they need to do it and learn the balance on there own, and I believe that as well, but with kids with certain conditions like autism, it could be a great tool.

Robert
9 years ago

The Jyrobike is a great bike to learn on, even with the fact that it has auto balance. I think it all comes down to what the parents prefer and what the child will find easier to learn on. The main thing you want to teach your child is balance, but with auto balance the child can gain their confidence first, before trying to balance on their own. The child might develop a fear if they fall, but auto balance will make them use to riding a bike first. After they get the idea, you can which them over to a balance bike so they can learn the rest. You go with whatever your child finds easier. That the only way they will learn and have fun while doing it.

Jenni
7 years ago
Reply to  Robert

The Jyrobike is a bit of a catch 22 when it comes to balance bikes. The point of a balance bike is, as you say, to teach a child balance, so when you take that away… it kind removes the whole point of the bike.

Linda
Linda
9 years ago

I am so excited by this product, I have a son who has a visual impairment that affects his balance, which means I thought he would never be able to ride a bike without stabilisers, now it looks like he might. I do hope this is a success.

Mumzy
Mumzy
9 years ago

How I wish our grandson could balance & peddle at the same time–fall & get back up! But for some kids, that is not going to happen on a regular bike. We ordered this bike for our then 5 yr old grandson last summer while he was n the throughs of post brain cancer surgery chemo. His friends & same age cousins ride bikes, but he can’t due to compromised motor, balance, & visual defects from residual tumor, surgery & chemo side effects.
This bike will mean he CAN ride w his cousins this summer! Once it arrives & we teach him, I will give feedback. Please pray the bike arrives soon.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.