12 inch kids' Gyrowheels are designed to fit 12 inch kids’ bikes and 16 inch kids' Gyrowheels are designed to fit 16 inch kids’ bikes. What size bike you should buy depends on the rider’s inseam. It’s best to take a look at the size chart on the individual bike as they vary in style and dimensions.
• 12 inch bikes typically accommodate children who are 34-46 inches in height
• 16 inch bikes typically accommodate children who are 40-52 inches in height
If a new rider is between sizes, we recommend the smaller of the two appropriate sizes. A smaller bike allows for easier handling, including steering and pedaling. It also allows the rider’s feet to touch the ground more readily, which makes new riders feel more confident. Further, we recommend that new riders start out by pushing along the ground with their feet, so an appropriately small bike is particularly important for this.
Note: The 12 inch kids' Gyrowheel should not be used by riders who exceed 88 lbs. The 16 inch kids' Gyrowheel should not be used by riders who exceed 100 lbs.
There must be at least 3.43 inches between the two prongs of the bike’s front fork so that Gyrowheel can spin freely once installed. The fork is the part of the bike where the front wheel is attached. Please contact us if you have any questions about this.
No, 12 inch and 16 inch kids' Gyrowheel are designed for 12 inch and 16 inch kids' bikes respectively and to accommodate the height and weight specifications of these kids’ bike sizes. Gyrowheel should not be used in any other manor – alone or in conjunction with another device.
No, 12 inch and 16 inch Gyrowheels are designed for 12 inch and 16 inch bikes respectively and to accommodate the height and weight specifications of these kids’ bike sizes. Gyrowheel should not be used in any other manner – alone or in conjunction with another device (including a unicycle). Also, Gyrowheel helps more with the side-to-side stability. The most difficult part of learning to unicycle is mastering the forward and backward balance - something Gyrowheel's current design cannot help with.
We have lots of big plans for Gyrobike products. Adult models, including unicycles, are in the works. Sign up for our email newsletter and we’ll keep you posted on our progress.
Absolutely. We have several retailers already carrying Gyrobike products that sell to U.S. and Canada residents. Visit our "shop" tab for a list of retailers in your area. We are adding new ones weekly. If you’re interested in carrying our product, send an to email to orders[at]thegyrobike[dot]com and fill out our wholesale request form.
We currently ship Gyrowheel to the US and Canada. Additionally, one of our retailers ThinkGeek, ships both the 12 and 16 inch kids' Gyrowheel to Canada.
We are always open to expanding into international markets. If you’re interested in distributing our product, send an to email to sales[at]thegyrobike[dot]com and fill out our distributor request form.
Gyrowheel comes with a NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) battery pack enclosed inside Gyrowheel as well as a charger. It plugs into any standard outlet in your home.
No, you don’t need to because it is rechargeable. You simply plug the charger (provided) into Gyrowheel and charge it the same way you charge a cell phone or a laptop.
No. With three stability levels, it is easy to turn down the added stability of Gyrowheel as the rider progresses, and eventually there will be no need to turn Gyrowheel on at all.
12 inch Kids' Gyrowheel The 12 inch Kids' Gyrowheel runs for 2+ hours on the highest stability setting. It will run longer on the lower stability settings. For optimum battery life and product performance, read Gyrowheel’s entire user manual. 12 inch Gyrowheel should be charged for 16 hours after the low battery indicator light turns on.
16 inch Kids' Gyrowheel The 16 inch Kids' Gyrowheel runs for 45+ minutes on the highest stability setting. It will run longer on the lower stability settings. For optimum battery life and product performance, read Gyrowheel’s entire user manual. 16 inch Gyrowheel should be charged for 4 hours after the low battery indicator light turns on.
It is best to store your Gyrowheel in a cool, dry place.
Like all electronics, batteries discharge slowly over time, so you'll want to make sure to store your Gyrowheel fully charged and be sure to charge it back up every 2-3 months to maintain the battery life.
Gyrowheel is not intended to be operated with a front hand brake. If you would like to use Gyrowheel with a bike that has a front wheel hand brake installed, please remove or disengage that brake before use.
It depends. Gyrowheel may be helpful for some children who have a disability related to balance, strength, hearing, and general coordination. However, if the condition or disability is quite severe, Gyrowheel may not be able to offer enough assistance to provide a safe experience. We have yet to do extensive testing with kids who have various disabilities, but we plan to soon and will certainly update our website with such information. In the meantime, feel free to contact us. We may be able to help better guide you as to whether or not it is right for your child.
The quick answer to this question is that it is the effect of precession that stabilizes a bike at high speeds, not what people typically think of as a gyroscopic effect. The front wheel acts like a flywheel (a fast spinning, heavy disk). As the bike tips to the side, precession will cause a torque that turns the handle bars toward the direction of the fall. Turning into the fall is how a rider overcomes instability and straightens the bike. At high speeds, the front wheel is spinning very quickly and acts as a big gyroscope. When you start to fall over, it’s the instantaneous turning of the handlebars that rights the bike.
Therefore, a flywheel on the back wheel would have no effect on turning the handle bars, and therefore almost no effect of stabilizing the bike in the way a gyroscope would (what most people think is the effect of Gyrowheel).
However, the precession force is strong enough to turn the handle bars and re-right the tipping bike ("TURN INTO THE FALL!" Is what one should be telling a person learning to ride). Gyrowheel simply amplifies the natural stability that is achieved when riding a bike at high speed (because at higher speed, the front wheel is like a big gyroscope).
The design of a bike is very sensitive to the alignment of the fork (how far over the wheel it hangs) because that affects how “quick” the turning effect is.
If the indicator light does not start pulsing red immediately, continue charging Gyrowheel as described in your instructions. Like most electronics, Gyrowheel does not come fully charged, thus the initial charge may take longer. Simply leave Gyrowheel charging for the recommended amount of time (16 hours for a 12 Inch Kids’ Gyrowheel and 4 hours for a 16 Inch Kids’ Gyrowheel). If it is charging properly, the indicator light will begin pulsing red during that time.
Please note that you cannot over-charge your Gyrowheel so there is no harm leaving it plugged in longer than the recommended charge time.
Please dispose of Gyrowheel properly. Gyrowheel contains Nickel Metal Hydride batteries (NiMH). Please check with your local or state organizations on the proper disposal methods or disposal restrictions in your area. For further information, please contact Gyrobike directly.
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