Posted November 18, 2018 08:51:47A couple years ago, a bike company in Sydney called Mophoto launched a new tricycle designed for older people.
The company said it was the world’s first “tricycle for older adults”.
“I’m sure you could have said we’re an older generation, and we’re not exactly the youngest generation either,” said the CEO, Harley Davidson’s Peter Tofte.
“We think it’s great for the older people to have a safe and reliable vehicle, so we thought, let’s give it a go.”
In the US, where the Mophotos were based, the company launched the M-Trike.
Its popularity was such that the company started selling the tricycle in a limited-edition model in the US.
The company is currently selling a new version, the MOTO Tricycle.
It comes with a GPS and bluetooth headset.
But the original M-trike’s reputation is not one of safety.
It was widely criticised by some riders, including former Olympic gold medallist and bike commuter Ian Walker, for causing accidents.
In a video he posted to YouTube, Walker said that the tricycles design “seemed like a complete waste of space”.
In an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Walker criticised the company for saying it had “zero tolerance” for people riding in an unsafe manner.
Walker also said the tricees “could be dangerous for pedestrians”.
A recent report by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) said the safety of the triches was “questionable” and suggested they should be banned from public places, such as roads, and should only be ridden by people over 55.
Mophoto said the Moto Tricycle is meant to “ensure that the safety and wellbeing of older Australians is not compromised”.
M-Trikes safety is “questionably upheld” by RACP, it said.
It’s understood that the new tricyclers have been available to consumers in Australia for several months, with the latest model hitting the market last week.
For a tricycle to be considered safe to use, the following requirements must be met:The bicycle must have an on-board GPS device to ensure that you’re following the route accuratelyThe vehicle must be in good condition, as it is intended to be used for long-distance journeysThe vehicle is fitted with a bluetooth transmitter to transmit data to the bike’s external speaker and to a mobile phone via BluetoothThe bike must have a helmet with a built-in GPS device, and a shoulder harness that can be used to attach a helmet and shoulder strapsTo find out more about the M.T.I. tricycle safety, read the RACI’s report.
You can also read more about Mophots recent tricycle successes.
Topics:travel-and-tourism,education,sydney-2000