Let’s face it. Personal mobility devices, from the Segway to the Yike Bike, are dorky as hell. The Cool Rider claims to be a little less socially awkward. As an argument, take a look at that product photo starring a nonchalantly posed male model. Hmmmm….
Let’s see. You can ride it with one hand – awesome. Maneuver it in a stance that suggests you’re posing for a magazine – excellent. Everyone in the product photos ride it with no helmet (check out the retail page for more pics) – coolness. Hey, maybe it IS cooler than a Segway.
The design looks much less complicated than the lot of personal mobility riders in the market. It consists of just a small motor attached to a lone front wheel, a long tubular handle and a detachable board. You can ride by propping yourself up on the attached board or, if you decide to remove it, by standing on anything with wheels (e.g. a skateboard, rollerblades, a rolling robot)
Built for a single passenger, the Cool Rider can haul you around at a top speed of 12 mph. It uses a rechargeable battery to keep the motor running at up to one hour for each full charge. You can remove the battery pack when charging (it plugs to a wall outlet), easily slapping it back on after being replenished.
Opulent Items has the Cool Rider listed for the not-so-cool price of $1,250 (which makes it more expensive than most 150cc scooters, all of which will run considerably faster). Still, you can’t pose like a male model on a scooter. Everyone knows that’s what you’re paying for.
[Opulent Items via Dvice]