Million-Dollar Idea

“For us, Francisco is already a winner,” said Francisco Patino Sr., the proud father of the 19-year-old Queens College student, who is one of the final four contestants in the ABC reality show American Inventor, vying for the one million dollars grand prize. The finale will be held this Thursday, May 18, live from Los Angeles.
Francisco Patino’s invention is the double traction bike. The day he presented it to the judges, he explained that “it is a new bike design that features a second seat on the handlebars of the bicycle, so that a second rider can sit up front and help power the bike with their own set of pedals.” He called it a “safer and more efficient way for kids to ride on the handlebars of their friends’ bikes.”
In December 2005, more than 9,000 inventors answered ABC’s contest call. The first round selection process brought 500 people to Los Angeles. After elimination rounds, 300 remained. After another weeding out round, 50 were selected. For the next round, only 24 qualified. Twelve semi-finalists received $50,000 each to finalize their inventions. After this round, only four were picked to go the finals.
According to his father, Patino’s journey began almost four years ago, “when Francisco, my oldest son Sergio Cadavid – now in Iraq, an Army sergeant – and his little brother Felipe were looking for a way to ride together.”
The older Patino explained, “At that time I had a repair shop here in Queens, and my boys began to work on the bike, looking for a safer and efficient way for kids to ride on the handlebars of their bikes.”
Patino Sr. said the boys were very dedicated to their project, and Francisco had the idea of changing the angle of the front wheel because it blocked the back wheel, and the bike could not move. “They had all the tools at the shop. One day, Francisco found the way to get separate movement for each wheel. So when we watched the call for the inventors contest, we encouraged him to participate,” he said.
“The bike was the sensation of Bellerose. Everybody was asking for it,” said Astrid Lopez, Francisco Patino’s stepmother, and one of his biggest fans, who works as a real estate agent in Queens.
Francisco Patino was born in Barranquilla, Colombia. He came to the United States at the age of 12 to live with his father. He is studying International Business at Queens College, also runs a carpet cleaning business with his uncle, and he aspires to be a lawyer.
The passion for inventions runs in the family. According to the older Patino, two years ago, his brother, Rafael Patino won the Impex Award in industrial design in Pittsburgh. Last year, Rafael also won the contest for the best design for a bike in Colombia.
The family has a business named Don Felipe Coffee. The Patinos are also working on a new project, La37.com – for businesses around Roosevelt Avenue, 37 Avenue, and Northern Boulevard.
Queens College has invited its students, and Francisco’s fans to go to the campus on May 18, for the grand finale. “Everybody is welcome,” said Maria Matteo, spokesperson for Queens College. ABC will air the finale live at 9 p.m.