Road Test: Does the WingFlyer Really Fly?

By Heidi Drake

 

When the WingFlyer box arrived at Play Outdoors, we all wondered: Is it a scooter? A moving stair stepper? An outdoor fitness machine? It sure wasn't a bicycle.

It’s all of the above, actually. Our head Gear Guru, Ben Z., immediately took it for a test spin in the parking lot and deemed it “weird, but fun!” This melding of stair stepper-like pedals and scooter wheels and handlebars is the newest wheeled “toy” to hit the U.S. this past summer, and Play Outdoors was invited to give it a try. I couldn’t wait to take my own test monkeys, Elise (8 ½) and Maya (6 ½) out for a spin.

I do have to note that we were sent WingFlyer’s Z150 model, which is rated for riders 8-adult and up to 220 lbs. I tried it first, and once I got the hang of it, was having a pretty good time in my girls’ school parking lot in Sunriver. But, I did wonder if a larger or wider front tire might help the WingFlyer feel more stable—it was a bit wobbly for me.

Maybe I’m just a bit of a wimp. The girls couldn’t wait to try it out, even though it was a bit big for both of them. (WingFlyer does make the Z100 model too, which is designed for 8-12-year-old riders up to 160 lbs. That may have been better for kids to test.)

Elise got on first, and after saying it felt, “shaky” and having a bit of trouble, kept at it and soon was cruising around the lot. I’m sure her being adept on a Razor scooter and mountain bike didn’t hurt. She figured out the rear brake and after about 10 minutes was riding and dismounting gracefully.

Six-year-old Maya hopped on next and thanks to her can-do nature, took right off! Check out the video to see how she did.

The bottom line? We had fun testing the WingFlyer and it’s a great workout for your legs. The Z150 was pretty heavy, so the kids couldn’t get it in or out of the car; but again, that model wasn’t designed for my young girls. Priced from $229-$299 on WingFlyer’s website, it remains to be seen whether parents will want to drop their dough on one or stick with a bike and $50 Razor. We look forward to seeing how the WingFlyer takes off.