No More Training Wheels

It seems some incredible ingenious guys have come up with a way to take away training wheels AND scraped-up knees all at once. Their idea won 1st place in something like the "International Bike Invention Contest" or something like that. It's a big tricycle that morphs into a bicycle as you start going faster. Slow down, and it's back to being a 3-wheeled beginner bike.

It sounds to me like their basic theory is that, when learning to ride a bike, kids are concentrating so hard on not falling (and possibly if mom or dad is still holding on), that they aren't confidently looking forward and pedaling briskly enough to stay up anyway. I must say that the design is freakin smart, but I'd be anxious to know how often it might break and/or if there are parts that wear out and all that other stuff. No indication as to costs, but I'm sure it'll be just like most bikes--Wal-Mart will promise that they'll sell a 40 gazillion of them, but only if the manufacturer gives them a price that's 1.5 cents more than what it costs to make it, so that they can offer it for $59.84 or something like that. Just like they did to Huffy.

But now that I think about it, in the same way that technology in the form of the ATM/direct deposit makes my use of a bank teller unnecessary, does this mean that if I buy my kid this piece of ingenious technology, that they won't need my help in learning to ride a bike?? These inventors are trying to wage a war against the family core, and drive a wedge in between my soon-to-be daughter or son! They should be ashamed! Somebody call Dr. Dobson!! OK, not really. But it is an interesting thought.

Congrats to the winners. I'm anxious to see if this makes it to the consumer--I'd love to see it in action. Capitalism is a wonderful thing.