Learning how to ride a two-wheeled bike is one of the biggest challenges a kid can face, and starting off on a tricycle doesn’t make it any easier since it’s a different riding experience — but why should it be? That’s what brothers Steve and Rich Thrush asked before designing a new kind of pivoting tricycle that has kids leaning into turns, which helps prepare them for the eventual transition to balancing on two wheels.
Called the Dreisch Learning Tricycle it’s ridden just like a regular trike with kids directly pedalling the front wheel, but the hinged frame allows the rider and front assembly to lean left or right into corners which is exactly how one turns when balancing on a two-wheeled bike. The hinges have limited movement so that it’s still very difficult for a young kid to topple the three-wheeled tricycle, but at the same time it helps develop skills and muscle memory that should make the transition to balancing on a two-wheeled bike a little easier.
The Thrush brothers have decided to launch their creation with the help of Kickstarter, and the Dreisch Leaning Trike managed to just surpass its $US10,000 funding goal which means if all went well during production, it should be available soon. Retail pricing is expected to be around $US300 which is admittedly a little steep for a kid’s toy, but it can certainly be handed down from child to child. And if it does make the process of teaching a kid to ride a two-wheeled bike considerably less painless, it might just be worth the investment. [Dreisch Learning Tricycles via Core77]