Grandmother Invents Sidecar Bicycle
Jean Ulrey simply wanted a way to take her granddaughter with her while she was biking.
As it turned out, she became an inventor and now an entrepreneur.
Ulrey, who lives in Pinellas Park, came up with using the old motorcycle sidecar idea and adapting it to a bicycle.
“We tried the trailer and she kept getting the dirt off the tires and she kept getting all the water off the tires,’ Ulrey said. “And I didn’t want to zipper her up in a little plastic thing.”
So Ulrey, who owns a welding business, came up with her own design. She designed a bike with seat adjacent to the rider instead of behind.
“The best thing is while you’re riding it and you turn corners the child stays up,” Ulrey said. “She sits right up next to us. I can talk to her, I’m right here next to her and she loves it.”
Photo by Bay News 9.
Curt on May 28th, 2009 7:48 pm
Cool. My mother need one of these.
Franchise Information on May 28th, 2009 7:56 pm
That’s very creative other than the traditional backseat of the bicycle. They have them on motorbikes and trikes, why not for other vehicles as well?
Donald on June 2nd, 2009 3:44 am
Great invention…Looks far more comfortable than your average child carrier.
Chris on June 2nd, 2009 6:53 am
Hmmm. This makes the bicycle about three times wider at the back than at the front – and the extra width is not visible to the rider without them turning around. I think a lawsuit from a disgruntled owner who wrapped their little moppet around a lamp-post is probably inevitable.
Angela Shupe on June 2nd, 2009 2:01 pm
I see where Chris is coming from but I was thinking about it and if the rider knows they have it attached with their child in it, why would that be a problem? Wouldn’t the riders that use that trailer-like carrier that attaches to their bike & pulls children have the same possible problem of being “forgotten” and wrapped around something? On top of that, the side car invention sounds safer.
David Oliver on October 4th, 2009 6:29 pm
It’s a nice idea and nice use of the car seat. There is a bicycle sidecar on the market (http://www.chariotcarriers.com/english/html/sidecarrier.php). Take a look.
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