If it were possible for anything to be hot in Buffalo this winter , it was the newfangled 'ice bikes ' that debuted at an outdoor skating rink . The bicycles on ice skates were an immediate hit when they glided onto the Ice at Canalside the day the new rink opened on the city 's waterfront . Since that December day , the bundled riders who have ignored breath-taking cold to rent them have convinced inventor Lisa Florczak that she 's onto something . That , and the inquiries from several other cold-weather cities in Wyoming , Michigan , Minnesota and Canada interested in rolling them out next year . Scroll down for video . Lisa Florczak ( pictured ) came up with her version of the ice bike after seeing on the Internet that the contraptions were used in Beijing . ' I had no idea if this would work or how people would respond , ' Ms Florczak said on a recent afternoon as some Parkinson 's patients tested the bikes for their exercise potential . ' I thought I might end up being the laughingstock of the city . ' Instead , she is relishing being part of Buffalo 's efforts to revitalize its waterfront and draw people year-round , even when the Lake Erie breeze is something more endured than enjoyed . The bikes give even nonskaters a chance to try out the ice , along with the warm nuts , hot cocoa and craft beer sold at nearby kiosks . Florczak 's family business , Water Bikes of Buffalo , rented pontoon bikes that let riders pedal the Buffalo River in warmer months . Then economic development officials put out a call for ideas for the 33,000-square-foot ice rink being built nearby on a recreation of the Erie Canal . 'They said the ice is going to be pretty large , and they thought they might need something more than just skating , ' Ms Florczak said . Curling , hockey and broomball leagues emerged . ' I thought : ` What a perfect opportunity to go from water biking to ice biking , ' Ms Florczak said . The 26-inch bikes work with a dull blade in the front and a rectangular base attached to an ordinary bike frame . The inventor had looked up 'things to do on ice ' on the Internet and saw that bikes that ride on ice were already being used in Beijing , she told The Boston Globe . She bought a bike off the rack at Wal-Mart and worked with General Welding and Fabricating in Elma on a design . The bikes had to be sturdy , not tip and co-exist with ice skaters . Prototype testing showed that sharper blades , like on ice skates , were too fast , as were flat blades that worked like a ski . The finished product is a 26-inch bike that sits on a rectangular base with a duller blade replacing the front wheel . While originally scared that the bikes would damage the ice , Ms Florczak told The Buffalo News 'The rink guards said they did as much to the ice as a 5-year-old would do while ice skating . ' Stainless steel so they do n't rust in the snow , the contraptions ride like a regular bicycle , only without the need to balance . Riders brake by pedaling backward . 'It 's pretty neat , ' said Dave Wolf , of East Amherst , after giving a bike a spin . 'They take a little getting used to . No sharp turns . ' 'But once you get used to it , it 's a pretty nice ride . ' Ms Florczak said there were hours-long waits for the bikes during a warm December and riders have persisted despite a frigid and snowy winter in Buffalo . Mr Wolf , who has Parkinson 's disease , said he rides a three-wheel bike in the nice weather and likes the idea of a winter alternative . The inaugural year had 15 bikes on the ice on weekends only , with riders paying $ 10 for a half-hour turn . Ms Florczak said there were hours-long waits for the machines during a warm December . Riders have persisted despite a winter that has seen nine daily records broken for low temperatures . Friday was the 60th day in a row that there was at least an inch of snow at Buffalo International Airport and the 30th of a snowpack of at least 20 inches . Soon ice bikers may be able to outfit their own bikes to ride on the abundant ice . There are plans to sell kits that will let people convert a cycle for about $ 1,500 and the company is hoping for orders from other cities will make for a busy 'offseason . ' Ice Bikes of Buffalo , the name Florczak chose for the venture , is laser-cut into the running board . It was important , she said , that her city get its due if the bikes took off . She also wants to keep production local , after seeing relatives lose jobs during Buffalo 's economic struggles . 'It 's been , ' she said , 'an incredible ride so far . ' Ice Bikes of Buffalo plans to sell kits that will let people convert a cycle for about $ 1,500 and the company is hoping for orders from other cities .
lady ##bird bought a bike at auto - Mart and began experimenting . Inventor thought her creation might make her a laughingstock . bikes with rectangular base floated easily on the ice , with no need to balance .