Made In Chicago: Self-Balancing Unicycles
(CBS) -- On the sidewalk, you'd never hear a self-balancing unicycle coming, but you'd see it.
"It's a great conversation starter," said Timothy Goebel, president of On Balance Outdoor. "I like to say it's better than a puppy."
On Balance Outdoor is a Highland Park store that sells electric unicycles, folding bicycles, electric skateboards and folding scooters. Pam Leiter is the owner of On Balance Outdoor.
Podcast
"I don't think there's any other store in the United States that carries this mix of products," Leiter said.
Three years ago, she was working in Streeterville - and she commuted from the suburbs.
"So I was dreaming at my desk, oh I wish I had a way of getting from the train station to my office that wasn't walking because walking took a lot of time and I was often running late anyway," Leiter said.
And she discovered electric unicycles. She says the unicycles take less than an hour to learn.
The shop opened when the economy was in low gear, but Leiter says that, "it's coming along. She says she rides unicycles and she has two hip replacements.
"You lean forward to go faster and you lean back to brake. It balances from front to back. That's why it's called self-balancing. But you have to use your own core muscles to balance from side-to-side."
Goebel says he gets one question all the time when he's riding down the street - often with a backpack full of stuff.
"How does that work? And really, the question they're asking is - they're asking themselves - can I do this? The answer, 99 percent of the time is, yes you can."
For more information, visit onbalanceoutdoor.com.
