Kids. Love 'em or hate 'em, they never stop growing. At least until they're adults. Seems like every other month you gotta buy them a new pair of shoes, new backpack, new clothes, never mind all the sports gear they need each year. Well, Spanish bike maker, Orbea, is trying to change that - at least for bikes. The company is now selling the Grow bike in the U.S., which has an adjustable aluminum frame that extends as your little grommet does. Pretty cool, in theory.
Orbea claims the bikes fit much better than simply moving the seat and handlebars on a bike that's a bit too small or large, which was the old solution for cheap (read reasonable) parents, unwilling to shell out for a good fitting bike. With the Grow, your special little person gets to ride a bike that fits perfectly.
This seems like a good idea, but then, maybe its just overkill. Riding an ill-fitting, hand-me-down bike is something of a rite of passage for kids. Or at least it used to be. But then again, so did not wearing a helmet, getting lost in the grocery store, and spending the entire day outside, free from parents. Furthermore, there are three sizes of the bike, which seems to somewhat defeat the point. I don't have a perfect memory, but I remember having three bikes growing up. A red one, a black one, and then, a mountain bike that was too big for the first couple of years I rode it, because I was supposed to grow into it, which I did after mashing my 'nads on the cross bar a few times. Also, they're expensive - or so they seem to someone who doesn't buy kids stuff very often - ranging from $240-$340 depending on the size. Seems like you could buy 8 used bikes for your kids for that price. Just saying'…
Via
Gizmag
