One man’s desire to “carve” on a more stable and safer device was the motivation behind the Trikke.

During the latter part of the 1980’s, Brazilian Gildo Beleski, an engineer and inventor, wanted to learn how to skateboard and roller skate. It didn’t go so well. To his frustration staying upright instead of on the ground was almost impossible. However, gravity wasn’t going to stop him. Using the engineering degree he earned at the Brazilian Institute of Technology, Beleski created a three-wheeled vehicle for riding downhill.

In 1988, he finished what he would name the Trikke (pronounced /’trik\). With the combination of three wheels and brakes, the contemporary frame enhanced the ability to lean and camber without fear of falling. During a test run, he discovered that if he continued to lean and turn that even after reaching the bottom of a hill the Trikke would keep moving, even on flat ground.

In 1990, Gildo marketed his first version of the Trikke scooter. However, the reception was lukewarm. After garnering only moderate sales in 1992, he was forced to give up the initial Trikke design.

While on a business trip to the U.S. in the late 1990’s, Gildo watched people zip along the beach path on their human powered vehicles (HPV). It didn’t take him long to decide to introduce a new cambering device for their riding pleasure. He resumed work on his design and opened Trikke Tech in Buellton, California in 2000 and filed the patents for his Trikke cambering system. In 2001, two of them were accepted.

Then a chance encounter with entrepreneur trend-setter, John Simpson, gave Beleski the backing he needed. One day while exiting his favorite sushi bar in Santa Monica, Simpson saw Beleski riding his Trikke down the street. At first he thought the vehicle looked ungainly and ridiculous, but then he saw how it moved so easily without propellers. Without hesitating, Simpson chased down Beleski. Once Simpson took his first ride, he was sold and invested in Trikke Tech that same year. In 2002, Beleski asked Simpson to step in as Trikke Tech’s President. And not long after, they launched the scooter to the American public.

Since it’s first appearance, the Trikke has rapidly garnered attention and  become very popular. Things went explosive when it was mentioned on Time Magazine’s, “Coolest New Inventions of 2002,” list. The popularity grew and reached many Hollywood celebrities. The Trikke scooter skyrocketed to stardom when actors like  Brad Pitt, Jim Belushi, Jennifer Aniston, Jim Carey, and Ben Affleck started riding Trikkes. The Trikke has even made appearances on screen.

Trikke’s sales went through the roof between 2002 and 2004, jumping from less than a million dollars to a staggering $10 million in annual sales. Armed with a group of extremely talented executives, John Simpson doesn’t plan to stop there. His goal is to offer numerous innovations that will become the mainstay for recreational transport devices for many years to come and bring also bring in a new wave of sporting competition.

Already the excitement has spread internationally. Canada, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong as well as every major country in Europe has embraced the Trikke scooter.

For the future, Trikke Tech continues to refine its products to meet the requirements of all age groups. So no one is left out. With such a wide market, you’d be well advised to check it out yourself. You don’t want to miss out on the most innovative and exciting human powered vehicles that leads the field in safety, stability, and ease of use over any other HPV.

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