"Sky Bike" Great Fun For Young And Old Alike

"Sky Bike" Great Fun For Young And Old Alike FARM HOME Novelty Items 34-5-21 Scott Olson is an "idea guy". For example, one day he looked at a manure hauler mounted on a track inside a dairy barn and it inspired him to build a "sky bike" ride in his rural yard. It looks somewhat like a single-wheeled, upside down bicycle, with the rider pedaling around a 200-ft. long oval-shaped metal track. The track, located about 6 ft. off the ground, is supported by a series of metal poles anchored in the ground. "Neighbors come over with their kids and ride it all the time. It's a lot of fun because you never have to watch where you're going," says Olson. "You pedal just like you do on a regular bike, but you can't fall over. It really works great for people who can't ride a bike any more or who can't see. I have a friend in his mid 80's who says it makes a great fitness machine." The bike rides around a track built from welded-together, 4-in. dia. conduit pipe. A chain-driven 26-in. bicycle wheel runs against the bottom of the pipe. The bike frame is supported by a pair of hangers, each of which contains four roller blade rollers that follow the track. A 7-speed cable gear shifter mounts on one of the handlebars. "It moves at speeds up to 15 mph, which feels like you're really flying because you're going in circles," says Olson. "It doesn't have brakes on it so you coast to a stop. However, I plan to install brakes. I also plan to double the track length to about 400 ft. I'd like to build a commercial unit for sale." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Scott Olson, 7820 Paul Ave. So., Waconia, Minn. 55387 (ph 952 220-1250; rowbike@mac.com).

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