Both 12 inch and 16 inch kids’ Gyrowheels will be available for purchase internationally before the end of 2010. Sign up for our email newsletter and we’ll keep you posted on exact timing and how you can buy it.
12 inch Gyrowheels are designed to fit 12 inch kids’ bikes and 16 inch 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 riders who are 34-46 inches in height
• 16 inch bikes typically accommodate riders who are 38-52 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: Gyrowheel should not be used by riders who exceed 88 lbs.
No, 12 inch and 16 inch Gyrowheel 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 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).
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.
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.
It runs for nearly 3 hours on the high stability,and it will run longer on the lower stability settings. For optimum battery life and product performance, read Gyrowheel’s entire user manual. Gyrowheel should be charged for 16 hours after the low battery indicator light turns on.
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.
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.
