This web site is in the process of being overhauled to reflect changes in how the adapted bicycling program as founded by Dr. Richard Klein is being offered. As a point of history, the adapted bicycling program came about after nearly three decades of bicycle related research by Dr. Klein. In 2001 Richard and his wife Marjorie started to offer "camps" to various local organizations, often charities and/or schools. In 2007, Rainbow Trainers, Inc. entered into a contract with Lose the Training Wheels, Inc., a 501(C)3 charity operated out of Goddard (Wichita) KS.

GRAND OPENING OF RAINBOW'S ALTON IL BIKE SHOP

We are excited to announce that we are in the process of establishing a retail bicycle shop in Alton IL. A 6,500 sq-ft commercial building was acquired in August 2011. That is the good news; the not-so-good news is that the building will require extensive remodeling and upgrading. We have contracted with a reputable firm to do the construction work. Our best guess at this point is that it will require most of the cold winter months and into the spring of 2012 to do the upgrades. This will require a new roof, several new doors, and completely new wiring. Rainbow Trainers, Inc. expects to start the moving in process by the early 2012. Please be patient. Our new business location is 1480 Pearl Street, Alton IL 62002. We are located a few short blocks between Alton's most famous landmarks. We are just up the street from perhaps one of Alton's most popular dining and watering holes -- Fast Eddies Bonair on East Broadway. Then, if you go up one very short block to Park Drive, you are at our Rainbow Trainers, Inc. corporate headquarters. Our new facility and shop couldn't be better located. Our new building will have ample space and industrial capcity to do a whole host of things. We will have showroom space, a shop for fabrication and repair, and then ample indoor parking when our fleets of adapted bikes come back. We are even looking forward to reserving some of our new space for a museum -- a museum display of our historical adapted bikes that have paved the way for the adapted program to come into being. We anticipate that we will be in the retail trade bicycle business later in the spring of 2012. We look forward to seeing you. We will post pictures of our shop after the dust settles and the construction/remodelling end.

RECENT HAPPENINGS IN OUR ADAPTED BIKE PROGRAM

Excuses shouldn't matter, but nonetheless, we at Rainbow Trainers, Inc., have been busy building more and better bike fleets, so making changes to our web site isn't on the extreme high end of our priorities. Our primary task has been focused on seeing that the Lose the Training Wheels™ bike program is and remains in good hands. We are indeed pleased to report that the national charity, formed in 2007, is doing a spectacular job. This past year (season of 2011), the national charity was involved in approximately 80 camps, and served an estimated 2,500 children. Our work at Rainbow Trainers, Inc., is in keeping busy, but our work isn't as evident to the outside observer. In a sense, we are akin to the elves who keep plodding away at our work benches, but our activities aren't visible to the public -- rather only the results.

As we enter the season of 2012, Rainbow Trainers, Inc., is busy seeing that additional fleets of adapted bikes and their associated equipment are built and ready for service for summer of 2012.

For current information on our schedule and other details, please visit the web site of the national charity,
www.losethetrainingwheels.org

Our program uses unique adapted bikes allow children to Lose the Training Wheels™ and ride conventional bicycles. We are involved in the creation of a program and its delivery to permit children to literally "Lose the Training Wheels™." Our organization provides our adapted bicycles to the national charity, Lose the Training Wheels, Inc., and together we offer a program that is unique, and growing to be international in scope. The ultimate goal is to help children, such as your son or daughter, and other children, to lose their training wheels as well. This web site is intended to introduce ourselves to you.

The expressed goals of this web site are fivefold -- to educate any and all willing to listen:

1. That bike riding can be efficiently and safely taught,
2. That the universe of people capable of riding bikes is larger and less restrictive than previously realized,
3. To introduce you to some insights regarding the bicycle that may have escaped your attention up to now,
4. To have a little fun with the bicycle as an intellectual challenge, and
5. To permit our founder, Dr. Richard E. Klein, to use portions of the web site as a means of personal expresssion, a blog of sorts -- even if totally unrelated to biking.

A SAMPLE LETTER OUT OF THE MAILBOX

The following e-mail was received from a parent of a special needs child. We feel that this parent's e-mail sums up the situation that many parents find themselves in. They just sense that their child should be able to ride a bike, and yet somehow the fears and obstacles are too menacing. Some barrier seems to stand in the way. Their child is denied in so many ways -- because the child can't learn how to ride a bike safely and efficiently.

Dr. Klein,
I (recently) saw you featured in Midwest Living (November/December 2004, p. 14) and thought of my nine-year-old son, who has proprioceptive issues. He has made such tremendous strides in other areas. But, he is now embarrassed to ride at all, since he still needs training wheels. So he’s left behind when the neighbor kids want to ride or play many sports. He’s petrified with fear at the idea of raising them; he dislikes the unbalanced feeling. I’d love to learn more about the classes. Where are they offered? Are there techniques we can try at home?
Thanks for all the good work you do.
Name withheld -- Indianapolis IN

Our belief is that a solution is now at hand for this parent as well for the so many others with similar circumstances.

The parent in Indianapolis (letter above) also asks a very important question: "Are there techniques we can try at home?" As you browse the web site you will come across our answer. Hint -- Click in the sidebar to the left your screen, on the tab "Home Remedies."

With that said, welcome to our web site and enjoy your browsing.

Copyright Notice. All Contents of this web site are Copyright (2004-2012) by Rainbow Trainers, Inc., and these rights are granted under contract to Lose the Training Wheels, Inc., of Mclean VA. All Rights Reserved. The name "Lose The Training Wheels™" is considered and used as a trademark. All rights reserved.

This web site was last visited and upgraded on January 7, 2012, 10:30 PM CST.