The Trikke scooter -- the latest way for people to look dumb
By Simon Spagnoletti 
posted Jun 14th 2004 9:15AM
posted Jun 14th 2004 9:15AM
As if those Razor scooters didn't look absurd enough, the Trikke scooter has risen up to challenge it for the title of the latest "thing no one over twelve should own." It adds another leg and is operated with a motion similar to downhill skiing. Invented twelve years ago and introduced into the market in 2002, the Trikke's makers are still trying to make it into the next big trend, apparently ignoring the fact that it refuses to catch on. They are waiting for the market for bikes and scooters "to mature." They must have missed the thousands of people riding bikes every single day. As for those Razor scooters, we all saw how long that fad lasted.
Simon,
I agree with you, there is a level of absurdity to the look of the Trikke and the look of the motion. Have you ever ridden one? The ride and workout are fantastic.
Some of my outdoor activities include mountain biking, inline skating, snowboarding and now Trikking. I suggest you ride one, the ride is worth the looks.
Trikking is new, different, so was skiing, roller skating, skateboarding and snowboarding. Snowboarding, do you remember the Snurfer?
I think you should apply the word dumb to motor sports like Jet Sky or any sport that harms the environment. I bet the fish think they look pretty dumb, humm? Regarding Trikke, do you evaluate without trying? Or your evaluation calls it dumb based on the fact that it is not a commercial success like skating or biking? Anyway, like your blog :-)You've got a fan from Portugal.
Well, must say I fully agree with 2 other comment-writers: have you tried it? The sickness these days is that everyone is worrying constantly about how they look and what they are doing. Just shut up and start riding on one, you'll see that
1) it actually is not at all an absurd looking movement, ONCE you know how to do it, once you start carving instead of just turning the wheel. Can be quite cool even, have a look at the freestyle images on the Trikke.com site.
2) it is much more fun than you would ever imagine.
Me too I am a big Trikke fan, but not a big one of those people that think they're cool by constantly being negative about things "out of the ordinary". Open up man !
you are maybe one out of 50 peop;le who have a negative thing to say about the TRIKKE. i started riding sep 2004, havent missed but maybe 5 days, and that is only because of rain.. trikking is the most fun and total body workout ive ever been able to stick with...i trikke all over town and i get stopped an questioned by at least 2 or 3 peopl
per day.. not to mention, people honking, smiling, giving you the thumbs up,(no they're not flipping me off) telling you "thats cool", screaming out the window as you fly down the sidewalk, past all the backed up traffic. smiling and listening to headphones and having a great time...Not only do you feel GREAT while youre doin' it...you get the benefits of a losing a great amount of fat aound your middle, muscles in your arms and back and abs and legs that you thought youd never owned before, stort popping out all over the place. So what do i do when i think maybe someone thinks I look like an idiot?
I stop and ask them if theyd like to ride it, and tell them how much fun it is, (i find that, the people who are so negative and critical of other peolple,are so insecure with themselves, they dont have the guts to try anything that might not make them "cool") and if they have the guts to try it, well, they dont laugh anymore, (most of the time they cant even get it to move) their attitude always changes and they tell you its cool, ask where they could buy one ( probably out of coutesy
not to mention, you sound like you're miserable, i bet if you're married, your wife is probably either just like you, insecure, judgemental, and miserable, or just plain miserable because she
married you. (never mind you're probly not married) Do yourself a favor , get a life,
I think it's just the case when a new invention comes along, that seems so simple and brilliant, it's bound to be confounding to people. So as an inventor myself, I wish I had thought of it. I'm just wondering why they aren't more popular. Maybe people have a sense that the Trikkes aren't very stable and that they are going to fall off. Once you start riding, I'm sure it won't take long to get hooked. And once these vehicles get more widespread and refined, they will sell like hot cakes. Since I really like to cross-country ski, what a great way to pursue the sport on the off-season! Maybe they'll invent a snow-worthy model some day. I plan to get one by my birthday, which is a month from now. And who really cares what other people think -- once they try it out, they'll want one too. Also, I'd like to see a more detailed consumer guide to these scooters. That would pave the way to a swingin' new Trikke age!
There are many ways you can look dumb while exercising, no matter what device you use incorrectly. The first person I have seen riding a trikke looked rather cool. It seems to me you have seen one dumb person on a trikke and you jumped to a premature conclusion. I have no idea how I look on a trikke but I certainly feel well on it and it is serious exercise. I am sure it is not going to catch like the bicycle, which is easier to ride. However, a serious skier will enjoy trikke off season training on asphalt and I strongly recommend it before taking to the slopes.