Reinventing the wheel

Michael Jenkins with the wheel-skate. Source: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

THEY look like something from Ben-Hur - except in miniature.

The creation of Adelaide electrician-turned-inventor Michael Jenkins, the wheel-skate rolls on to the international market in August.
Costing up to $11,000 for a pair, the wheel-skate features two large carbon fibre wheels. The skater's feet are suspended below the axle, which is believed to enable a smoother ride than skiing or cycling and can be worn for hours without discomfort.
It can also reach a top speed of 40km/h.
To pull up, skaters need to do a "t-stop," where one foot is dragged sideways on the road surface.
Mr Jenkins, 50, came up with the idea by combining his favourite forms of transport - skiing, cycling and skating. He then started developing it from his garage in 2004.

But, he concedes, because of the high price, the skates would not "be for everyone".
"Manufacturing products using carbon fibre isn't cheap because, apart from the material, it's a very labour-intensive process," he said.
But riders who are willing to pay the premium get skates which can gain and maintain momentum with less effort and greater stability than conventional skates.
"The wheel-skates allow riders to commute like a bicycle but give a freedom which can only be experienced without a seat or handlebars, and greater aerobic exercise value because you're not sitting," Mr Jenkins said.
He has spent the past three years in China developing the skates because when he tried for a government grant to produce it here, he was turned down.
"I had friends and family who know me and trust me as investors, which has been a great help," Mr Jenkins said.