The world's first elliptical bike, called the ElliptiGo, was invented by mechanical engineer and Ironman athlete Brent Teal and his friend and fellow cyclist and triathlete Bryan Pate, who had so much pain from knee and hip injuries that he was forced to narrow his exercise activity to low-impact options. Because Pate wanted to continue exercising but hated being locked away in a gym, he and Teal came up with a new product concept that would provide "a low-impact running device that [Pate] could ride on the street." The ElliptiGo is a mix between an elliptical trainer and a standard bicycle, but with 3- and 11-speed models that can make the ride as leisurely as a stroll or as aggressive as a full-out cycling workout. One observer describes it as having "the sleek curves of a high-end road bike, the clean lines of a Razor scooter, a pair of shiny carbon-fiber elliptical pedals, a smooth hub-and-crank stride mechanism and a steering column that collapses for easy storage."
1. Using the rules of thumb for reducing the risks related to introducing an innovative new product (see pages 397-398), how well are Teal and Pate likely to do with the ElliptiGo?
2. What are the primary benefits and drawbacks of this innovation?