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MiniBrake Lets Parents Remotely Hit The Brakes On Kids Bikes

Written by Saris Mercanti
22 Comments
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Remote Control Mini BrakeFor parents whos children are still unsteady on two wheels, a new Hungarian company is trying to make those first few years a little easier. The MiniBrake is a remote controlled system that enables parents to hit the rear brake in an emergency.

Installation is simple and the brake automatically tests itself for correct installation. When not in use, the device turns itself off, and will also lock the brake if the batteries run down.

The product is suggested for children ages 2 and up and has a maximum weight limit of 77 lbs. It works with a 50m/164 ft range and automatically stops the bicycle if the child exceeds that range.

Least you go thinking that this would be a fun way to mess with your kids, the product has been designed to “safely and smoothly” stop the bicycle within .5m/20″. Which should give attentive parents enough room to help their kids on strider or coaster brake bicycles stop before slamming into a curb, parked car, or tree.

Interested? The MiniBrake is still tens of thousands away from meeting it’s goal on Indiegogo. There are 16 days left in the campaign, so pledge $80 here to help the MiniBrake achieve its goal.
Saris Mercanti
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22 Comments
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Ben
Ben
10 years ago

At 167 feet all you can do is watch the carnage.

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notapro
notapro
10 years ago

I need this, pit bikes, and lots of alcohol.

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caliente
caliente
10 years ago

50mm range?!

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Vince pearl
Vince pearl
10 years ago

I can imagine a lot of kids getting teeth knocked out on the bars.

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Le Piou
Le Piou
10 years ago

6 months ago, I could only watch my kid going off a cliff because he just froze (made a 90 instead of a U-turn).
I was not able to do anything. Just watching him going down…
I swear, I thought he was dead. I wish that to nobody.

Teeth knock out? I think it’s a great deal and I would sign on it right away.

Great invention.

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Gregor
Gregor
10 years ago

I had bo child hwo was smoosh by car. I cry!!! So tears. Only if I had such a treasure device!!! my Yevgeni would still be at my heart. Very important device. I salute to invent!

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Tom
Tom
10 years ago

I’ve invented this new thing, it’s called responsible parenting. If you’ve not taught your kid basic safety skills and you still let them ride their bike near danger unattended you’re an idiot.

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Der_Kruscher
Der_Kruscher
10 years ago

Tom – it’s obvious that you’re not a parent or, if you are, that your kids are unlike virtually every other kid that’s ever been born – sometimes they make poor decisions when they get caught up in the moment and they’re having fun…despite what their parents have taught them. Additionally, sometimes unexpected things happen and kids don’t always behave predictably in new or stressful situations – they don’t have the experience or muscle memory that you or I do to deal with everything that they may encounter. I think a high percentage of the new stuff on BR is pretty silly but this product makes sense.

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adam
adam
10 years ago

seriously? These comments have to be fake, right?
Don’t let your kids ride a strider next to a cliff or by a busy street. This is like the ultimate helicopter parenting device.

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Andy
Andy
10 years ago

Gregor, that’s a very tragic and terrible thing that happened to you. Tom– troll much?

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JasonK
JasonK
10 years ago

Gregor, that’s awful. I’m so sorry.

Tom, I wouldn’t go throwing the epithet “idiot” around if I were you. It might be a little closer to home than you realize, if you get my drift.

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Der_kruscher
Der_kruscher
10 years ago

Adam – helicopter parenting hurts you and your children how?

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dimples
dimples
10 years ago

Helicopter parenting at its finest

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Tom
Tom
10 years ago

Der_Kruscher, yes I agree exactly with what you’re saying, kids don’t always behave predictably in new or stressful situations – they don’t have the experience or muscle memory that you or I do to deal with everything that they may encounter. That’s exactly why I don’t/didn’t let mine ride in potentially dangerous areas unattended (i.e. the street, next to cliffs? (seriously, next to a cliff?) until they had/have an awareness of potential dangers and the skills to prevent accidents …. it’s called -responsible parenting-. A child has to learn to be responsible for their actions and their safety and part of that is giving them the responsibility to do so, not hovering around them at all times with remote control devices waiting for the next scrape.

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Ron G.
Ron G.
10 years ago

That’s freakin’ brilliant. Most balance bikes have no brakes. When I was teaching my daughter to ride, I took the cranks off of her Haro z-12 to create a balance bike. Within about 300 yards, she had learned to ride. It was beautiful. Her strides lengthened, and she was coasting. We were in a neighborhood with little traffic, no cliffs, not much to worry about. And I am a bike mechanic–I was well aware that she was piloting a bike with no brakes. When she hit a very slight descent, a decline that no rider would even consider a hill, she took off. She lifted her feet, lowered her chin toward the bars, and she was flying. It was her first experience with the ecstasy we all know, and I was terrified. I understood all of the consequences that were completely outside her experience.

In this case, it ended well. She knew she how to stop the bike, and I didn’t mind a bit that she completely ruined a fresh pair of shoes within about two rides by dragging her toes on the pavement. But I also know I was very lucky that no one backed out of a driveway as she sped by, and if I could have had a remote brake I would have had no worries at all.

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adam_k
adam_k
10 years ago

Der_kruscher: It breeds individuals who are unable to comperhand the weight of reality around them. Like – not comperhanding that applying make up while driving at 70mph might not be a good idea.

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Le Piou
Le Piou
10 years ago

Wow.
Seriously?
So it’s always due to irresponsible parenting?
Obviously you can’t tell what happen this day or where we were, but obviously I did not let him ride on the edge of the cliff. He just happen to not finish is U-turn and ride for several yards before finding the F*^&ing cliff.
Responsible parenting is to prep for what you can expect to happen. That’s why he had an helmet and gloves… The hidden cliff? No I could not see it coming…

Guys, I wish you best of luck when you’ll have kids. Really.
And Tom, hopefully nothing will happen to your loved ones. And if something does happen, I hope that you won’t have a “I know better” @sshole coming to tell you what you could have done…

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Ajax
Ajax
10 years ago

Watch. This thing is going to cause more accidents than it prevents. How would you like someone remotely hitting the brakes on you when you are least suspecting it?

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Bubbrubb
Bubbrubb
10 years ago

My kid shreds on his strider. Started at 18 months, is almost 3 now. While I personally wouldn’t buy this, I think it’s good. Even the best parents hAve watched their kids get hurt, maimed, killed, and so if a safety deviceis offered, why not? I mean, most of us didn’t wear helmets when we were kids! Despite my instructions of looking both ways, stopping at driveways and intersections, etc.,my kid will sometimes do stupid stuff (again, not even 3) and on a few occasions I’ve flicked my front wheel to clip his rear out so he doesn’t go into the street dangerously. I’d rather have him crash than get run over. Maybe some parents would prefer to just punch a button to stop them.

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Der_kruscher
Der_kruscher
10 years ago

adam_k – Is that your opinion or can you site a study that shows your assertion to be true? I’m sure a strong case could be made that over-cautious/”helicopter” parenting produces cautious adults who fear negative consequences, whether they be real or imagined. …or how a kid turns out may be the result of a ton of different factors and maybe kids of helicopter or laissez faire style parents may be equally likely to apply makeup while driving in their cars at 70mph? Who knows? I’m not going to judge other parents for choices they make unless those choices cause direct, negative consequences to my kids. I just can’t see how a parent who chooses to use this product is affecting anyone outside their own family. If you want to use it, great! If not, great! And sorry in advance for this but it’s comprehend/ing not “comperhand/ing.” And to the commenters who think that kids are going to be eating sh_t because the brake slams on immediately, the article states that it is designed to “safely and smoothly” stop the bike. I assume that this feature is going to prevent kids flipping over their bars.

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A
A
10 years ago

@Tom, I totally agree with you, this is a product for the hopeless parent with no common sense. Next thing on the market will be a kids airbag suit……

That thing is also fitted to a balance bike what an absolute joke!, lets add an unpredictable element to learning to ride a bike because educating/parenting is too difficult

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NeurodiverseWorld
NeurodiverseWorld
2 years ago

Thanks to people like Tom and A, who are unable to understand differences and call others idiots without thinking a bit, there is still so much hate in this planet… The only idiot is your self centered comments.

ADHD kids, amongst others, will benefit of his amazing tool. If you dont need it, just dont buy it.

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