Captain's Log

Toys - Gyro Wheel

A few years ago I saw a cool toy at Book People called the gyro wheel. It was only a few dollars, and I had enough fun in the first 2 minutes to justify the purchase, so I snagged it. It's a pretty simple toy, but it can provide hours of distraction. It's a single metal rod, bent into a rail for a magnetic 'gyro' wheel to roll on. The wheel sticks to the rail since the wheel is magnetic, and it can roll along one side and then flip to the other when the rail gets wider than the wheel. You kind of have to see it to fully understand the magic, so hopefully the video below will give you some of the feel if you've never seen this before.

It's a great toy for a coffee table or desk, since people immediately pick it up and wonder what it is and how it works. I've given gyro wheels to a ton a friends, since everyone loves it (or at least I think they do.) Here's a link to the manufacturer's page and a link to a Google search that results in a bunch of merchants selling the toy - if you are looking for one yourself.