With the help of Guy Martin, HOPE go behind the factory door to show you how things get made at the Hope Academy HQ.
The new workforce can get a bit hangry, and never interrupt nap time... but production is up.
Enjoy!
]]>
Little Rider Co & Pink Bike are super excited to announce our Collab range for #PBGroms
Little Rider Co are on a mission to help kids get riding earlier, increase confidence and help little riders look like PRO’s. Through collaborations with awesome brands like Pink Bike, we can fast track this mission to make a positive impact to kids cycling.
Checkout the new LRC X Pink Bike - #PBGroms collab range:
Want to Order the Little Rider X Pink Bike #PBGroms jersey? Click here
Interested in a Little Rider Colab for your brand or team?
Want to be part of our Little Rider Co colab program?
We work with the coolest brands and PRO’s to make a positive impact!
You can check out our page to learn more about our collaborations with awesome brands and PRO’s
]]>
Little Rider Co & CHD British Super Bike Team are super excited to announce our Collab range
Little Rider Co are on a mission to help kids get riding earlier, increase confidence and help little riders look like PRO’s. Through collaborations with awesome teams like CDH, we can fast track this mission to make a positive impact to kids cycling.
Checkout the new LRC X CHD British Super Bike Team collab range:
Interested in a Little Rider Colab for your brand or team?
Want to be part of our Little Rider Co colab program?
We work with the coolest brands and PRO’s to make a positive impact!
You can check out our page to learn more about our collaborations with awesome brands and PRO’s
]]>
Little Rider Co & Prevelo are super excited to announce our Collab range for the Seaotter MTB event
Little Rider Co are on a mission to help kids get riding earlier, increase confidence and help little riders look like PRO’s. Through collaborations with awesome brands like Prevelo, we can fast track this mission to make a positive impact to kids cycling.
Checkout the new LRC X PREVELO collab range for Seaotter MTB Event below:
Interested in a Little Rider Colab for your brand or team?
Want to be part of our Little Rider Co colab program?
We work with the coolest brands and PRO’s to make a positive impact!
You can check out our page to learn more about our collaborations with awesome brands and PRO’s
]]>
My name is Becky, I am the Hope Academy Manager. I’ve worked at Hope for almost 13 years in various roles including European Sales Admin, Stock Control, Returns and Accounts. I’m currently doing my Chartership in Management Accounting, I’m a British Cycling Coach and Balance ability instructor.
In 2018 as the scheme really took off, I came onboard to help with the administration alongside my account’s role. In April 2020 I took on the role of managing the Academy full time.
Hope Academy UK from hopetech on Vimeo.
The Academy was the brainchild of our Director, Ian Weatherill. Over the years we built up several high spec kids bikes for staff members using our own components and realised these bikes were lasting well over 10 years being passed from staff member to member. With this in mind our former Workshop Manager took on the task of sourcing high end, light weight, components to build up a fleet of affordable bikes for the rental market. These are still the same fantastic bikes you see today.
We started off small to test the scheme and how it would work, tweaking as we went along as well as running skills courses alongside the mountain marathon series. Despite never actively marketing the Academy, news spread through word of mouth and our waiting list went insane!
As the pandemic hit many of our events were cancelled. When restrictions started to ease we wanted to give something back to local children, who had spent a lot of time isolated missing key social opportunities. We approached some local schools and went in to provide free skills sessions to groups of children, with the main focus on having fun! They have been a huge hit and this year, we have 8 key schools and working on fitting more in, this is something we really want to grow and love doing. We have also worked with a local charity providing skills days for children in the school holidays.
We do what we do because we genuinely love doing it. Watching the kids push themselves, having fun.. feeling proud of themselves is so rewarding. Especially when you get into schools with kids who don’t come from biking families or backgrounds, who are discovering it all for the first time. Knowing that our rental bikes are making riding easier, which we all know means more fun, is also a great feeling. We love seeing all the picture and videos that we’re tagged in!
What I love most about my job is that no two days are the same. Each day does start with the school run and coffee though! At the moment we have a lot of projects on the go. Most of the time it’s like spinning plates, dealing with whatever takes precedence that day. It’s what keeps it interesting!
Short term, our goal is to grow the team and work as quickly as we can through the waiting lists so we can get as many bikes as we can out there with kids as possible. Long term I would love an indoor and outdoor track so we can offer free learn to ride days in the school holidays for kids in the local community. If we make an impact in those early years it can help the kids form healthy habits for life. Child obesity has gone up 4.5% since lockdown and in 2022 40.9% of year 6 children are classed as overweight or obese with only 45% of children getting the 60 minutes of activity a day that is recommended.
Future plans: We have 2 new videos coming up which we’re excited about, we have a full clothing range collab with Little Rider which should both be out for summer and 2 new bike brands coming in 2023 for the rental! We are also going to start releasing Academy Coaching videos on our social media and encouraging young riders to practice and develop their skills.
We are trying to make as positive an impact as possible. Whether it be from modifying our bikes for children with partial or no use of a hand with our duo brake or blanking out the bottom bracket to make any of our range into a balance bike, so you can start riding at any age. To donating bikes to various biking clubs to help underfunded, low-income areas get access to bikes. If you’re reading and you’re a club or an organisation that are doing great things with kids and riding, get in touch! We love speaking to you and hearing what you’re doing! We’re also looking at putting on events and races nationwide over the next few years so that we can support young riders all the way through their cycling journey!
Well, Ian’s vision for the future would probably be to have every kid in the UK riding an Academy bike! I’d like to see the Academy grow as a community, like a national bike club, where everyone feels included.
I probably take the most inspiration from the people around me. The great thing about cycling is that there is something for everyone and it’s so inclusive and supportive. I have a 6-year-old son and a 14-year-old step-daughter, I see how Jasper’s confidence grows when he nails something he couldn’t do before or Maddie, our super cool teen who secretly loves it I’m sure when we make her come out in the rain, my husband who only started riding properly in his 30’s but is out there, taking on new challenges all the time. My dad who’s still riding and trialling at 65 who suffered through teaching me and my brothers and sister to ride and putting up with numerous falls into the canal, tantrums, and our moaning the whole time. My family, my uncle Simon started Hope with Ian over 30 years ago and my cousin Katherine was in the top 15 in the EWS then become a national champ at downhill. My colleagues. Everyone at Hope has such a passion for cycling, that it’s hard not to get excited about things. We have frequent staff rides, I’m not the best rider, but everyone rides together and is so encouraging… it really makes you push yourself and gives you the confidence to believe you can do it.
Would it be terrible to say Hope? I genuinely believe that we are doing some amazing things and not just with children’s cycling. We are a true British Manufacturer, in that everything we design, manufacturer and test is done right here in Barnoldswick, in the UK including our Olympic Track bikes. When Ian and Simon made the decision to keep everything inhouse instead of importing from oversees they did so with a view to controlling quality. I’m sure they never envisioned global pandemics and Brexit but that decision is what has helped us continue to provide our stuff without crazy lead times that are effecting the rest of the industry. We are a sustainable factory, we press all the swarf and offcuts into pellets and sell them back to the metal company to be recycled. All our coolant in the machines is cleaned and re-used on site. We have recently had solar panels fitted. Our components last 20+ years and we offer servicing to keep them running like new. Hope played a huge role in women’s cycling, setting up women’s rides and events for all abilities. Fantastic work that Claire, Hannah and Hope WMN is continuing. All our employees are given bikes and encouraged to cycle too and from work as well as providing children’s bikes for our kids.
A lot of coffee, a lot of taking things apart and putting them back together, both physically and metaphorically and a lot of grown men riding tiny bikes and doing wheelies.
How can people find out more about your work and your brand>
Follow us on social media platforms or check out our website: About — Hope Academy (hopeacademyuk.com)
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
]]>
Little Rider Co & Hope Academy are super excited to announce our Collab range.
Little Rider Co are on a mission to help kids get riding earlier, increase confidence and help little riders look like PRO’s. Through collaborations with awesome brands like Hope Academy, we can fast track this mission to make a positive impact to kids cycling.
Checkout the new LRC X Hope Academy collab range below and click here to read the Interview we did with the awesome team at Hope Academy.
Interested in a Little Rider Colab for your brand or team?
Want to be part of our Little Rider Co colab program?
We work with the coolest brands and PRO’s to make a positive impact!
You can check out our page to learn more about our collaborations with awesome brands and PRO’s
]]>
Little Rider Co & Frog Bikes are super excited to announce our Collab jersey for 2022.
Little Rider Co are on a mission to help kids get riding earlier, increase confidence and help little riders look like PRO’s. Through collaborations with awesome brands like Frog Bikes, we can fast track this mission to make a positive impact to kids cycling.
Jerry & Shelley Lawson founded Frog Bikes in 2013. It was a fruitless bike hunt for their own two children that inspired them to leave their corporate careers behind and create bikes just for kids.
Checkout the new LRC X Frog Bikes collab jersey below and click here to read the Interview we did with the team at Frog Bikes.
Interested in a Little Rider Colab for your brand or team?
Want to be part of our Little Rider Co colab program?
We work with the coolest brands and PRO’s to make a positive impact!
You can check out our page to learn more about our collaborations with awesome brands and PRO’s
]]>
A common mistake when searching for a child’s bike is to opt for a budget bike. Unfortunately, what many people don’t realize is that budget bikes are not designed specifically for kids’ anatomies, they are in fact simply a scaled-down version of adults bikes. This means that they can be as heavy as the child - which can lead to tears and frustration at not being able to cycle.If you imagine shrinking an adult, this would not create a child. Their limbs and body measurements would all be all wrong, so having bike features and components that are child-sized is important to a child’s success at cycling.Having a bike that is specifically designed for a child means it fits their anatomy properly. They will feel confident at maneuvering and handling the bike and it will make their journey as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
What makes Frog bikes special?
”Plainly put, the Frog bike designs are led by scientific research to ensure that the bikes’ geometry and components fit children properly. The bikes accommodate growing children so they can keep them for longer and they are robust enough to withstand years of use so that they can be passed on to several owners. But most importantly, Frog Bikes are made to ensure that kids can have many many hours of fun riding!”
Here’s some more detail and facts:
EASY TO LEARN ON
The lightweight frames make Frog bikes easy to manoeuvre and allow riders to balance, pedal and stop with more precision and control.
All Frog Bikes components are tailored to younger riders, helping to take away the stress of teaching children to ride. Frog Bikes select lightweight child-specific components without compromising on quality or safety, which also help to keep the bike lightweight.
Being able to lift and handle their bike, helps kids to build confidence in their cycling abilities whilst having fun and making learning to ride as quick and easy as possible.
For ease of handling, a kids’ bike should be around 40% of a child’s body weight. Frog bikes are one of the lightest kids’ bikes on the market.
Why do Frog Bikes use child-specific components?
“As children have shorter arms and legs, hands and feet, and narrower hips and shoulders than adults, bikes need to be specifically designed for their anatomies. All Frog bikes have been designed with the child in mind,”
A lot of time, investment and research has gone into Frog bikes, to ensure that they are not only of premium quality but that they are perfectly suited for children’s needs.
Having a good ergonomic bike design that is built to achieve the most optimal riding position is fundamental for riding comfortably.
Frog Bikes offer:
What range of bikes do Frog Bikes offer?
“From balance bikes for toddlers of 18 months, through to specialist bikes for road, track and MTB, for teens of up to 14+ years. Frog provides bikes to accommodate all children’s biking needs. And many components can be moved, raised, dropped or adapted in order to give the best position for the child when cycling, including the saddle, which can be moved forwards and backwards, and the handlebars can be raised, and if the child needs more growing room, a handlebar stem riser can be added too.”
The balance bike is where a child’s cycling life begins. The Frog balance bike is essentially a toddler’s bike without pedals that help children develop the necessary core balance skills to cycle. A great alternative to using training wheels.
The Frog balance bike range offers:
The Frog first pedal bikes are ideal for a child learning to pedal, helping them to build confidence in their cycling abilities. They can also act as a balance bike for a taller child by removing the pedals.
The Frog first pedal range offers:
The Frog hybrid bikes are versatile kids’ bikes, ideal for multiple-purpose use and disciplines - from forest trail riding to cycling to school.
The Frog hybrid range offers:
The Frog road bikes offer a super lightweight frame to help children increase their distance and speed. Great for road, gravel, cyclocross and triathlon use.
The Frog road bikes range offers:
Frog track bikes offer aerodynamic teardrop tubes to reduce drag, which improves speed and performance! These bikes are great for kids looking to get into both track and grass track racing.
The Frog Bikes range of MTBs is equipped with hydraulic disk brakes and junior specific suspension forks with lockout and compression control that work in unison with the rider. This allows riders to truly Push The Limits.
Where are Frog Bikes made?
“Frog’s comprehensive range of bikes are designed at our offices in Ascot, Surrey and are built at our manufacturing facility in Pontypool, Wales.”
Keeping design and manufacturing locally enables Frog Bikes to be more responsive to the market, lower carbon footprint and create jobs to benefit the local economy
What safety standards do Frog Bikes meet?
“Frog Bikes are all subjected to safety testing to meet The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards, ensuring they are safe for children to ride. The Hybrids, Road, Track and Mountain bikes are even tested to adult safety standards just to go that extra mile.”
Every single Frog bikes aluminium frame, fork and component conforms to standards set by EN and ISO. This means they have to undergo very rigorous testing, including impact tests, fatigue tests, force tests against handlebars and wheels and wheel truing tests.
Learn more about Frog Bikes fitting >>
What sustainability efforts is Frog making?
“Not only has Frog produced quality, award-winning bikes, but we also care about protecting the planet around us. We are responsible for designing and developing products that help minimise the environmental impact of our operations. And we are continually working to integrate sustainability into every aspect of the business.”
Learn more about their quest to become a more sustainable business >>
Through extensive research and careful sourcing, Frog bikes are designed for longevity and are robust and reliable. They offer a long lifespan due to their adaptability too. And since the bikes are well crafted using premium-quality materials, they require less maintenance. And customers can benefit from being able to hand the bikes down to siblings or friends or make use of strong resale value and trade-in opportunities.
What key points do you recommend to look for when searching for a child’s bike?
“When searching for a suitable bike for your child, always bear in mind the weight of the bike in comparison to your child, what child-specific components it offers, how comfortable is the seating position, what safety standards does it meet, and will it grow with them?”
To find out more about Frog Bikes visit www.frogbikes.com
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
I have always rode bikes from a young age. I started racing BMX at 18 years old but I never had any coaching and found straight away that this is going to be hard work!
After many successful years racing and even attended a few European and world Championships I wanted to be able to help the next generation of racers.
I now coach all riders from complete beginners up to world supercross racers all over the UK but specialize in learning to fly!
During the week is when the planning happens. As well as this I coach on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Weekends are the busy time for Smileys Flight Club.
Sessions are run most weekends all over the UK from beginners sessions of simply learning to ride to jumping dirt jumps and pro sections. When we are not training though we are racing! The SFC team take part in BMX regional, national and this year has a few riders heading out to the World Championship in France.
The goal is to provide quality coaching for all beginners to advanced, kids to adults, rollers to jumpers based on real racing experience. The plan is to continue traveling up and down the country providing coaching but also to help create a champion!
Since starting racing in 2007 BMX is getting stronger and stronger in the UK. We now have Olympic gold and silver medalists and since lockdown everyone is out riding, learning, progressing and having fun! The kids cycling scene is massive. Joining forces with the biggest and best selling brand Little Rider is like a dream team. LR provide the kit. SFC provide the coaching.
With the knowledge I’ve gained over the years riding multiple disciplines, back flips to world championships, I want to keep helping riders have fun learning to ride to the highest level with the biggest smile on their face!
Smiley’s Flight Club has become a strong coaching business in the UK selling out week in week out. Riders know they will have a great time getting big air and learning all the correct techniques safely.
I feel with SFC is one of a kind. Constantly seeing poor technique and dangerous riding is what drives me more to want to help others.
Smiley’s Flight Club is on Facebook and Instagram where there is often pictures and videos from training sessions as well as my website and the Wix app I use for bookings www.smileysflightclub.com
I’d Like to massively thank LR for the support behind the scenes over the last few years. 2022 will be massive running a team together. Looking forward to getting more little riders out on a track!
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
Little Rider Co & Smiley's Flight Club are super excited to announce our Collab jersey for 2022.
Little Rider Co are on a mission to help kids get riding earlier, increase confidence and help little riders look like PRO’s. Through collaborations with awesome brands like Smiley's Flight Club, we can fast track this mission to make a positive impact to kids cycling.
Smiley's Flight Club founded by Martin Brown offers specialist BMX and MTB coaching for a range of abilities and ages from various locations around the UK.
Checkout the new LRC X Smiley's Flight Club collab jersey below and click here to read the Interview we did with the team at Smiley's Flight Club.
Interested in a Little Rider Colab for your brand or team?
Want to be part of our Little Rider Co colab program?
We work with the coolest brands and PRO’s to make a positive impact!
You can check out our page to learn more about our collaborations with awesome brands and PRO’s
]]>
I started BMX Racing when I was six years old. I stumbled across the track one day on the way to the hospital with my father whilst he was recovering from a serious cycling accident – we both liked the look of it and said we would head down… a few days passed and I went down on a mountain bike I had at the time and fell in love! From there onwards I started hiring equipment and a bike from the club – then onto club races – followed by national and regional races and by the time I was 10 I competed in my first ever World Championships in Holland where I finished 4th.
I am a professional BMX Racer from Preston – currently living in Manchester. I love BMX Racing and everything about it. Getting to ride my bike day in and day out as a full time job is an absolute dream I have worked hard for since I was a little boy! I love all aspects of training – the gym work is really cool and I enjoy pushing myself and getting satisfaction after a solid winter gym session!
Depending on the time in the season and what day of the week it is – training can vary. A typical double day in winter will consist of 2 main sessions, gym and track. We would do around a 2 hour session in the gym which would include heavy weightlifting and also some core work. Following lunch and an hour or two of rest, we would then go onto the bike for a track session. We would do a few bike sprint efforts varying in length, anywhere from 10-60m. Following this we would get onto the track for some efforts, gates and skills work getting ready for the race season!
I want to become the best BMX Racer In the world, its always been a dream of mine and of course I would love a shiny Olympic Gold medal in the future! Apart from this I want to continue my progress as a professional athlete and keep enjoying it!
I think Cycling is growing massively growing in the UK. It’s nice to see the next generation coming through – although it would be nice for BMX to be a bit more recognised and more kids get into the sport! Hopefully the BMX success at Tokyo 2020/1 should help this a little bit!
I hope to inspire the next generation of BMX athletes and help the sport grow!
A massive inspiration to me growing up and to this day – are my parents. I recognize the sacrifices they have made for me and BMX Racing. All the money and time spent driving me round the country and ferrying me around the world to races, all the wet and cold winter nights stood trackside helping me, supporting me continuously at all the races I go too. I can’t thank them enough.
If you are interested in following my journey and learning more about me and BMX Racing. Please check out my social media my Instagram is @rosscullenn_ and Facebook is Ross Cullen.
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
]]>
Little Rider Co & Kidvelo Bikes are super excited to announce our Collab jersey for 2021.
Little Rider Co are on a mission to help kids get riding earlier, increase confidence and help little riders look like PRO’s. Through collaborations with awesome brands like Kidvelo Bikes, we can fast track this mission to make a bigger positive impact to kids cycling.
Kidvelo Bikes are a specialist balance bike manufacturer based in Australia and the UK . The philosophy that the less weight in a bike, creates a better ride and equals more fun, shines through in quality balance bikes aimed at toddlers and upwards.
Checkout the new LRC X Kidvelo Bikes collab jersey below and click here to read the Interview we did with the team at Kidvelo Bikes.
Interested in a Little Rider Colab for your brand or team?
Want to be part of our Little Rider Co colab program?
We work with the coolest brands and PRO’s to make a positive impact!
You can check out our page to learn more about our collaborations with awesome brands and PRO’s
Completely by chance! I was at nursery with my oldest child, who was then aged 3 and spotted a wooden toy balance bike. Intrigued, I started researching balance bikes and their purpose and started off as a home based dealer of Strider.
My enthusiasm for these strange looking bikes with no pedals grew. When I started out, 12 years ago, balance bikes weren’t common and it took a lot of persuading parents to give it a go and ditch stabiliser. Our company grew. I took on the UK distribution role with my husband and we helped teach thousands of toddlers how to ride a bike, developed a balance bike racing competition and spent a lot of time trackside finding out what parents wanted. The idea, to manufacture our own range of kids bikes was born as we were very keen to put our knowledge and experience into developing a bike that would be suitable for the next generation and to fix the things we didn’t like.
As my husband and I manage all the roles between us, every day is different for us both. The whole project was brought together during global lockdowns, so everything had to be done over the phone or via the internet. Coming up with ways to overcome travel bans, whilst needing to touch prototypes and tweak things, whilst developing a new brand with Australian partners, sees a lot of time spent on video calls at strange times of the day. I think best whilst on long dog walks which I fit in several times a day. My husband sorts all the IT and distribution logistics, but as our warehouse is a few miles from our house, he gets his thinking time whilst riding his bike to work.
We are determined to keep enjoying the journey. We love what we do and over the years have won several awards for our customer service, which we are keen to ensure that we keep as excellent. Having a UK based customer service team, whose own children have learnt on bikes, is key to helping the families to get the best out of our brand. We have some exciting new bikes launching in 2022 but I am sure you understand we don’t wish to say too much on that right now. The range of bikes and accessories, will have something suitable for every child, regardless of ability and size.
The biggest obstacle is the fluctuating currency and difficulties in global shipping and logistics which is affecting the whole industry. Costs of raw materials and energy are escalating upwards which affects the cost of goods. There is a lot of hype in the media, but not without foundation. Shipping costs have risen 10 times what they were 2 years ago and I fear many brands will simply become too expensive for UK families and availability of stock is a big problem for many.
The small independent cycling shops will potentially struggle to obtain stock with reasonable margins to cover their overheads, which may mean a decrease in choice for the consumer. That is never a good thing. This may lead to an increase in purchase of poorly manufactured imported bikes through auction sites, which may be dangerous to ride.
The good news is the customer is becoming savvy and wants good quality bikes to put their children onto, which is good for us.
We have sold bikes online for many years. We were probably the first to focus on selling bikes over the internet 12 years ago and it is very possible to still maintain good customer service and deliver bikes in perfect condition. We keep costs down and don’t need to build in margins so it does help us deliver excellent quality bikes at a better price. The COVID pandemic has made people turn more to the internet for goods and I do believe that online retailing is the way that people will buy most of their bikes in the future.
Kidvelo’s complete range will be suitable for every child aged 1 to 10 years and bring top quality bikes at affordable prices to every home. As we have designed them from scratch, based around the child riding them, we know we will become a brand associated with good quality light bikes that give children confidence and get them riding
Our own children learnt on balance bikes and then moved onto Islabikes. Isla, the original founder, showed us that good quality bikes could be delivered directly to families without the need for high street shops. Having walked into several bike chain stores, we realized that the information you gained on a bike was limited to the person that serves you. This gave us confidence 12 years ago that we could do the same. We put our honest factual advice on our website that informs the customer and an expert can always be reached.
Kidvelo started in 2019 so over the last 2 years many prototypes were developed and tested by many children before being redeveloped. We had 12 years of experience of talking to parents trackside, so we already knew what the kids wanted and what they didn’t need, to become good riders. We were determined to exceed safety standards, keep the center of gravity low to aid balance, keep quality high and keep the bikes light. We had some pet hates, such as plastic/foam tyres that simply don’t last and are uncomfortable ride, which whilst they help lower weight, their poor performance made them a no go here.
Simply visit kidvelobikes.co.uk
We have blogs that inform, and articles that will help you get the best out of your bikes. We will happily give honest advice to any parent and we are available for a chat on 01926 339107 or drop us a line to help@kidvelobikes.co.uk
Australian and Asian customers can visit our sister company in Australia at kidvelobikes.com
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
We have been running CFC for almost 20Yrs. CFC was founded by Mike Grisenthwaite and I joined him shortly after. We raise funds through private and corporate fundraising and events and through sales from our charity bike shops. All these proceeds are then used to provide bikes, cycling equipment and advice to children and the families of children living with or beyond cancer all over the UK.
I am Trustee Director for CFC. I give my time voluntarily. As a cancer exercise specialist, bike fitter and Sports Injury specialist I help with any cases where bike adaptations or special needs must be accounted for as well as helping to run the charity as a whole.
We do it because if you could put cycling or exercise into a pill it would be a miracle drug for anyone fighting cancer or living with the after-effects. Giving children back a tiny bit of independence when they can pedal a bike around their home or the park with their family and friends. The gift of cycling gives them back a bit of dignity amongst all the other horrors they may be going through at such a difficult time. To see a young person able to ride a bike for the first time after having a limb amputated for example and thinking they would never be able to do something like it is honestly mind-blowing!
We would ideally like to open a number of further Charity Bike Shops around the UK in order to be able to deliver bikes and equipment directly from someone within the organization to the family where up to now we have had to ship bikes to local bike-shops etc.
I believe the children's cycling scene shows a lot of promise of continued growth and hopefully more and more young people will find cycling as our Olympians keep winning medals in all disciplines and more and more of their parents get into the sport in some form or another too. The future looks great for cycling I hope.
We just want to provide every child living with cancer with a bike if they would like one!
My collegues at CFC all inspire me, but most of all all the children I meet who are so strong and stoic under the toughest of conditions inspire me greatly. I am constantly in awe of how they are handling the tortures of cancer treatment and the ability to put a big smile on their face and enjoy pedaling. It really helps put life into context seeing these children.
Visit one of our shops, keep up to date on our Cyclists Fighting Cancer social media feeds and/or on the website. We would love your support if you are planning any cycling challenges etc get in touch
website: Cyclistsfc.org.uk
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
]]>
Little Rider Co & CFC - Cyclists Fighting Cancer are super excited to announce our Colab jersey for 2021.
Little Rider Co are on a mission to help kids get riding earlier, increase confidence and help little riders look like PRO’s. Through collaborations with awesome brands like CFC-Cyclists Fighting Cancer, we can fast track this mission to make a bigger positive impact to kids cycling.
CFC-Cyclists Fighting Cancer, founded by Mike Grisenthwaite and Richard Salisbury, is a UK children's charity providing bikes and equipment to children living with or beyond cancer.
Checkout the new LRC X CFC colab jersey below and click here to read the Interview we did with the team at CFC-Cyclists Fighting Cancer.
Interested in a Little Rider Colab for your brand or team?
Want to be part of our Little Rider Co colab program?
We work with the coolest brands and PRO’s to make a positive impact!
You can check out our page to learn more about our collaborations with awesome brands and PRO’s
]]>
Little Rider Co are on a mission to help kids get riding earlier, increase confidence and help little riders look like PRO’s.
Through collaborations with awesome brands like ProYOUth Nutrition we can fast track this mission to make an even bigger positive impact to kids cycling.
Who are ProYouth?
ProYOUth Nutrition, a category disruptor brand recognised for Innovation in Sports Nutrition for youth athletes and active families. ProYOUth Nutrition offers healthy nutrient dense convenient snacks on the go for active and sporty youth with specific focus on supporting performance.
Previews of the LRC X ProYouth colab jerseys can be found below:
Interested in a Little Rider Colab for your brand or team?
Want to be part of our Little Rider Co colab program?
We work with the coolest brands and PRO’s to make a positive impact!
You can check out our page to learn more about our collaborations with awesome brands and PRO’s
]]>
That’s a wrap for the GT Malvern’s Classic Mountain Bike festival for this year. What an event! From dirt jumps, racing and enduro to Balance bike races, trade stands and DJ’s – It was the bike event of the year!
Little Rider Co were proud to be one of the main sponsors for the Balance Bike World Championship at the GT Malverns Classic Mountain Bike festival.
It was amazing to see so many Little Riders across the fields of Malvern – We received so much support, the World Champ jersey presentations for the Balance bike winners was amazing!
"We are super excited to be working with Pink Bike, Si Paton & the Malverns crew this year and supporting all the kids events and races. Si is a huge supporter of kids cycling and everything he does aligns with our mission to get kids on bikes and feeling confident. We don't work with everyone and we don't offer custom services, we only collaborate with cool brands on a similar mission.
Working on the Malverns project is a perfect fit and we are excited on what we can do together in the future!"
Mike - Little Rider Co
“It's been an absolute pleasure working with Mike from Little Rider Co from the initial idea concept right through to the design and delivery of the final product!"
Si Paton - Festival Director
Below are some of our favourite highlights – Who’s coming next year?
Getting ready to rock in style!
Getting ready to welcome the Little Rider Army to Malvern
Little Rider Gear all setup and on show at the Malverns Classic
Lots of excitement in the Little Rider Racing
Little Riders stoked to see our Little Rider Springer Vehicle
Little Rider rocking their World Champ Jersey and medal
The Little Rider World Championship Jersey in all its glory
The Little Rider stand busy in action
Another excited Little Rider at the Little Rider Stand
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
]]>
Teaching your child to ride a bike and seeing them whizzing along is a proud moment for any parent. However, the barrier many face when kitting out their child with a new high-quality bike is knowing which bike to choose – not to mention the upfront cost. The expense is particularly painful when parents know that the bike they purchase for their little one today will only last them a year or so, before it is outgrown…
Many parents end up compromising on size and quality when buying kids bikes – and unfortunately, this often means kids end up have a less enjoyable experience of cycling, too.
Step in the Bike Club. Founded by James Symes and Alexandra Rico-Lloyd, young parents from London, this kids bike subscription service provides a solution – enabling families to exchange their children’s bikes as they grow (from just £4.99 a month).
Since these monthly subscriptions were made available in late 2016, over 36,000 people around the UK have signed up to the Bike Club community, and are enjoying fun family bike rides.
The concept is simple. Parents make monthly payments in return for the long-term loan of a premium kid’s bike from the best brands (including Frog, Forme, Squish & Strider).
You pick the perfect-sized bike for your child and when they’ve outgrown it – simply exchange it for the next size up.
You can also choose between brand-new or refurbished preloved bikes (‘reBikes’) – so it’s sustainable, too. Plus, you’ll never have outgrown bikes filling up your shed again, have to go through the hassle of selling the old bike online, or contribute to landfill. Win, win!
Prices start at £4.99 a month for a balance bike with a range of models and sizes available in stock for quick delivery.
To learn more about the Bike Club visit their website: www.thebikeclub.co.uk
The Bike Club celebrate their members’ achievements regularly - in a blog series entitled #LittleRevolutions. It's amazing to see what these children can accomplish on their lightweight bikes - with each revolution of their wheels, they’re changing their own worlds!
"Oliver got his new bike from you for his 5th birthday. He used it to finish his 100 miles in 1 month in aid of Prostate Cancer UK - raising £675! He absolutely loves it - thank you."
Oliver's mum, Amy McK.
1. WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT CYCLING?
"I love cycling with Mummy and getting my strength up"
2. NOW YOU'RE OFFICIALLY A BIKE CLUB SUPERHERO, WHAT'S YOUR SUPERHERO NAME GOING TO BE?
"Speedy Flash"
3. WHAT'S THE BEST BREAKFAST TO EAT TO MAKE YOU GO REALLY FAST ON YOUR BIKE?
"Hmm... croissants"
"Phew, what a day! So proud. Rachel raised over £900 to fund a bike and scooter shed at her school. 27 miles ridden. No punctures! Only 1 almost accident! Many ice creams consumed! Thanks for both your sponsor and making top bikes accessible to all."
Rachel's dad, Dan R.
1. WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT CYCLING?
"You don't use as much petrol and you don't burn fossil fuels, which is better for the environment. You get exercise and you can go to lots of different places."
2. NOW YOU'RE OFFICIALLY A BIKE CLUB SUPERHERO, WHAT'S YOUR SUPERHERO NAME GOING TO BE?
"Ice Cream Unicorn Girl"!
3. WHAT'S THE BEST BREAKFAST TO EAT TO MAKE YOU GO REALLY FAST ON YOUR BIKE?
"I love to have waffles or pancakes with strawberries and maple syrup!"
1. WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT CYCLING?
"I love the challenges. They are really fun and I love doing things that I think I can’t do."
2. NOW YOU'RE OFFICIALLY A BIKE CLUB SUPERHERO, WHAT'S YOUR SUPERHERO NAME GOING TO BE?
"I will pick TrailBoy. My superhero power would be being able to do backflips!"
3. WHAT'S THE BEST BREAKFAST TO EAT TO MAKE YOU GO REALLY FAST ON YOUR BIKE?
"My best breakfast is Weetabix and yoghurt mixed in!"
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
]]>
Little Rider Co are on a mission to help kids get riding earlier, increase confidence and help little riders look like PRO’s.
Through collaborations with awesome brands like The Bike Club we can fast track this mission to make an even bigger positive impact to kids cycling.
The Bike Club was founded by Alexandra Rico-Lloyd and James Symes, young parents from London. They thought that there must be a better way to pay for consumer goods than ownership or traditional retail finance, and started the company in 2016.
Previews of the colab jerseys can be found below: -
Want to be part of our Little Rider Co colab program?
We work with the coolest brands and PRO’s to make a positive impact!
You can check out our page to learn more about our collaborations with awesome brands and PRO’s
]]>
I’m Marina Wegorek, Founder and CEO of ProYOUth Nutrition, a category disruptor brand recognised for Innovation in Sports Nutrition for youth athletes and active families. My best job , however is being a mum to my two very active children Ava 10, Alec 6, who love their multiple activities including swimming, athletics, cricket, football, music, drama & instruments. Our family enjoys an active & healthy lifestyle where nutrition is an important consideration in our everyday choices.
ProYOUth Nutrition was born from my experience as a mother, of being unsatisfied with snacking options available to active, sporty kids. After-school was often a rush back from school to sports clubs but I just didn’t want to offer my children snacks that were high in refined sugars and artificial sweeteners. These tend to have long term detrimental impact on health and insulin response, but sadly adult sports nutrition snacks were not an option, as they contained ingredients that were not suitable or in safe levels for children.
I saw a real need for an alternative option for active children & so I sought the help of a team of leading applied sports, exercise scientists and nutritional experts. In my work with the scientists, we focussed specifically on how the nutritional needs of adults & children differ and impact of ingredients on long term health.
By catering to different nutritional profile of children, we could improve their overall performance & long-term health. That’s exactly what I have created now – A healthy nutritionally convenient snack on the go that not just adults but children can also enjoy.
My Business is ProYOUth Nutrition which offers healthy nutrient dense convenient snacks on the go for active and sporty youth with specific focus on supporting performance.
Through ProYOUth Nutrition, we combine fitness, nutrition & education together to achieve one goal - inspire healthy choices from grassroots & educate wider society on the importance of healthy lifestyle. Through ProYOUth-Nutrition we champion the Grassroots-Movement.
Kids and youth are the future! We support and work with athletes before they reach the heights of fame. We nurture our community and walk with them in their steps to success and achievement. Seeing our community of young athletes winning medals and sharing successes makes me feel like a proud mother, not just to my kids, but to the wider community of young people. This is why I love what I do.
No two days are the same. I wake up at 6am with the best intention of getting through my ‘To Do’ list, which I would have promptly updated the night before. However, I wake up to a phone that greets me with an inbox filled emails and messages from our international contacts who are few hours ahead of UK with a whole new set of actions that need attending to.
My multi-tasking mode kicks in straightaway where I get busy responding to work emails, messages whilst getting children ready for school. After school drop off, I get back home at 8.30am for meetings and business tasks which often involves me flipping multiple hats of marketing, sales, PR, social media, finance etc. Recently my time also needed to be spent on New Product Development and production planning. The juggling act of switching in between various modes of communication via WhatsApp, emails, zoom meetings and telephone calls tend to carry on till 3pm at which time I leave to pick up kids from school. I often take my laptop with me to squeeze a further 15minuites of worktime whilst I park and wait outside the school for kids to finish school.
Between 3pm-8pm I return back to mummy mode taking care of kids, homework, cooking and being a taxi driver for their activities. I love watching them and being part of their activities and therefore often volunteer to be a helper at their swimming squad or other clubs. Although the afternoons are predominantly dedicated around my children, I do find myself multitasking with work calls if my lovely team need my time and guidance.
Around 8pm, kids get settled to bed with bedtime reading after which I then end up most evenings with my sidekick - the Macbook again. My husband has to remind me often to switch off but my way of trying to get the best of both work and relaxing, is by watching TV whilst trying to work. My head pops away from the laptop screen every now & then to catch a bit of the story on the TV screen. Guilty and need to stop working but when do startups get to stop?! ☺
However, there are nights when I do manage to relax completely with a glass of wine and actually enjoy a movie with my husband.
I aspire for ProYOUth to be the No.1 snacking choice of Youth Athletes - A brand that parents trust and children love!
We are working on some exciting new product development plans and I’m looking forward to seeing them launched. We are thrilled to see our brand ambassadors achieving huge milestones in their sporting aspirations like going into Olympics and making Team GB. We want to further build on this amazing pool of young athletes who will go on to achieve great things.
Our team has been expanding and we have already launched our brand internationally, but I hope to see our brand in more international territories and become a global brand with a fantastic team behind it.
It has been incredible to see the growth in Cycling trends.
During lockdown it was amazing to see more families take to cycling where the data from Sport England showing that 18% of those who are currently cycling are doing so with children in their household.
With the ease of lockdown we don’t want to see a decline in healthy activity. More should be done to encourage families take to cycling not just as a leisure activity or a healthier greener way to move but also as a good sporting option. #LetsRideLocal and similar campaigns are great but, more can be done to create awareness of the cycling scene for children. I love seeing more female riders in this previously, predominantly a ‘boys’ sport.
As always Nutrition consideration, empowering the young riders not just to think about their skills but be smart about their food choices that helps them perform, recover, and grow. I would love to encourage more females to become role models too.
We already have some amazing BMX Ambassadors like Ross Cullen who is going onto be a reserve for the Team GB Olympics teams together with other talented young riders like Matt & Emily Hutt , Ryan Martin who are all multi trophy winning champs. We are also delighted to have MTB racer Felix Nelson as a part of our ambassador cohort. Through ProYOUth, we want to create more awareness of this sport, showcase our ambassadors both male and female, who can become great role models for the younger generation.
We would love to create more support and education around managing injuries and recovery process but also around mental health awareness.
I’ve always enjoyed cycling as a leisure activity and as a family we enjoy this during summer months as a fitness and relaxing activity but haven’t personally considered it as a sport. However, I have found myself glued to the TV screens during Olympic games and have huge respect for the endurance distance cyclists. Some of the best role models I have grown to know and recognize are Sir Chris Hoy and Helen Wyman. However, through our ambassadors I have been really impressed with the BMX Bikers – Its honestly amazing to see their skills and some of those ramp jumps look like watching thrilling stunts in movies.
The research process is one long process that can take 12-18 months where we work with industry experts, research to deep dive, and build on gaps and needs. Identifying our key USPs and marketing differentiation is key market success. From the concept stage, we commit to product development which can take multiple versions of development, which we then test with our market. The final winning formulation is driven by our customers and focus groups.
We pride ourselves in offering health benefit focused formulation and therefore the correct health validation is necessary – We do this through lab testing to understand which of our nutrients can provide the valid claims. Whilst our products may have additional vitamins or minerals, we don’t make any claims on those that do not meet the needed levels.
Even after our products have been launched to the market, we take our customer feedback to continually refine and improve our recipes. Our customers are behind our product development thinking before, after and always!
More information about us can be found on via our website www.proyouthnutrition.com and via our social media pages on https://www.instagram.com/proyouthnutrition/ and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PYNutrition/about/
We are truly delighted to be a part of Little Rider Community who is aligned to our values and vision in every way. Watching the world’s youngest riders gives me the biggest smile and they are so inspiring. We are looking forward to building our partnership more with Little Rider Co and being part of their journey.
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
]]>
Little Rider Co & Combo Camps are super excited to preview our Colab jersey for 2020/21.
Little Rider Co are on a mission to help kids get riding earlier, increase confidence and help little riders look like PRO’s. Through collaborations with awesome brands like Combo Camps we can fast track this mission to make a bigger positive impact to kids cycling.
Combo Camps is a multi-sport camp in the heart of Whistler. They have a huge variety of skill based sports and professional coaches on the team which allows us to ensure every child can get outside and get active.
See below the new jerseys and links to previous articles we did with the team at Combo Camps.
Interested in a Little Rider Colab for your brand or team?
Want to be part of our Little Rider Co colab program?
We work with the coolest brands and PRO’s to make a positive impact!
You can check out our page to learn more about our collaborations with awesome brands and PRO’s
]]>
How did you get your ‘job’?
Having worked in Whistler as a kids specific bike coach for the last 4 years, I was approached by the team to join them in a managerial role to help elevate the Kiddy Combo Program. Over the past 6 months however the role has expanded across all of the Combo Camps Programs. It’s been an exciting opportunity to use my passion for biking to get kids active and outside but also to expand my expertise into an older age range.
What is your business/brand and WHY do you do what you do?
Combo Camps is a multi-sport camp in the heart of Whistler. We have a huge variety of skill based sports and professional coaches on the team which allows us to ensure every child can get outside and get active.
Before joining Combo Camps as a manager, I coached snowboarding in the winter and biking in the summer. I do what I do because I LOVE biking and I want to share my stoke for riding with ALL our campers. Seeing their smiles at the end of the day makes the hard work all worthwhile
What is a typical day in the life look like at your business / brand?
We spend the mornings working on our skill based learning in our chosen sport. Our biggest camp by far is Bike Camp, but we also offer Tennis, Adventure, Improv, Dance and Sailing.
Our afternoons are all about the lake activities, getting kids out on the water paddle boarding, canoeing or kayaking. Peak summer in Whistler can get really hot and there’s no better feeling than jumping in the lake after a long morning riding.
What are your goals and future-plans for your business/brand?
As we move to the future we are looking to elevate our programs by increasing coach training opportunities and partnerships with like minded companies to ensure best practices when working with children and supporting our community.
We also aim to expand the reach of our programs - we have a unique opportunity here in Whistler that we want to share with communities that don’t necessarily have the same trail networks available to them. The pandemic put a pause on on these plans, but we have an exciting announcement ready when restrictions ease.
How do you currently see the kids cycling scene?
We have an amazing kids bike scene here in Whistler - there are opportunities to ride and be coached for any level of rider, from the casual pedaller to the race team pros, Whistler offers everything. It’s a scene that grows EVERY year and it’s absolutely amazing to see. Each School/Camp has their own unique selling point and there really is room for every business to thrive.
The unfortunate truth is, that this is not the case for other communities - there is often a lack of professional coaches/guides outside of the core biking communities and furthermore a lack of safe trail networks. We are so lucky to have our entire town supported by our Valley Trail Network, allowing everyone to get around town on their bikes without the need to travel along highways or busy roads - which is such an important element when teaching children to bike. I think if the kids cycling scene is to continue to grow worldwide our local councils have to be prepared to invest in this basic infrastructure.
Biking should be accessible to everyone at any ability.
What impact would you like to make on kids cycling, and how do you see the future?
I hope to ensure that every child that comes through our Camp leaves with a smile on their face and a passion for riding their bikes. Helping to make happy memories for these little riders, will only continue to spread the bike stoke far and wide.
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that keeping active and getting outside is essential for both our mental and physical well-being - for the future I’d like to see every child learn to move their bodies in a way that they love, regardless of the activity
Where do you take your inspiration from? Who inspires you in the industry?
The people in our community inspire me, especially my fellow coaches- watching them, learning from them and sharing ideas with them all inspire the programs we build and the direction Combo Camps is taking.
Within the biking industry, we are inspired by the likes of PORCA, WORCA and SORCA who all give back to the community and ensure our trails remain clean, safe and fun. Also, ZEP and PMBIA are leaders in coaching quality and we are definitely inspired by their professionalism, experience and pure stoke for riding.
What goes into the research when developing your new products / service?
We develop our new programs based on feedback from our Combo Camps Families, the Whistler Community and our coaches. We also draw a lot on our own experiences as children, what did we enjoy, what were our most memorable moments - these all feed into how to make every day the best day ever
How can people find out more about your work and your brand/business?
Visit our website and if you have any questions, just give us a call or drop us an email. We love talking about what we do and we’ll happily talk you through a day at Camp.
Any other comments / content you would like to include?
Stay tuned on everything Combo Camps by following our instagram and facebook! @combocamps
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
]]>
.
Little Rider founder Mike Douglass talks collaboration, expansion and being purpose driven.
Can you give us a little background on Little Rider Co?
We started looking for a brand when our first son started to get into balance bikes and racing. There are lots of great kids’ bike brands out there, but we really struggled to find quality tech wear and protection for the little ones. A lot of the mainstream brands don’t cater well for ages 2-14, and the brands that do were just not what we were looking for in a brand. We wanted to build a brand with a mission; to get more kids on bikes and get them looking like pros. We launched in 2019 with our hero product being our technical jersey, but have expanded into technical shorts, gloves, pants and apparel. We now have over 100,000 little riders across the globe and rapidly growing. You can get a feel our brand, mission and Little Rider Army over at www.littlerider.com and www.instagram.com/littleriderco.
What makes Little Rider unique?
Our main strength is that we are purpose-driven. We treat ourselves as a media brand, and everything we do is to support our mission of getting more little riders riding and inspiring the pros of the future. Whether that be high-quality products, collabs with like minded brands or online content to support our community. A lot of the bigger brands don’t invest enough in the age range we support, and as mentioned the ones that do fall short on quality or brand. Another focus for us is our style and brand appeal. We are inspired by brands like Troy Lee, Hoonigan, Oakley etc., and we find it’s the Little Riders parents that relate to this and want their kids to look and feel the part. We find that when the little riders feel confident, it boosts their enthusiasm for riding and progression.
Tell us about your brand collaborations.
We have a saying: ‘We don’t do custom, we do collabs’. We are really excited about our Little Rider Collab Programme. We allow other brands, teams and pros to leverage the Little Rider Co brand and network by creating unique co-branded products and campaigns. We work with people that are aligned with our mission in supporting kids cycling. We find a lot of the cool brands and bike companies out there that make quality bikes or gear don’t want the headache of designing and manufacturing technical bike wear for kids. That’s where we come in. We work with the brand to align concepts, and give the brands access to a technical wear portfolio that is great for their social media, campaigns or upsell products to their existing business. We have worked with great brands like Prevelo Bikes, GT Malverns Classic, Hornit Bikes and VPACE. We are just about to launch a collab jersey with BMX legend Bob Haro (founder of Haro Bikes and Freestyle BMX) which we are really excited about! You can read more about our collab programme on the Little Rider Co website.
What impact has COVID-19 had on Little Rider Co?
It’s been a tough 12 plus months for everyone, for varying reasons. However, to take a positive slant we have seen a boom in cycling too with more kids getting onto bikes which has to be good. There have been challenges across the board in terms of getting stock into the country, and shipping to customers in Q4 during ‘shipagedon’ was a challenge, but all part of the game. We see light at the end of the tunnel with summer coming, and hope everyone is moving to a safer place with lots more bike time.
What are your more recent product developments?
We have recently launched our Little Rider technical glove range to complement our jerseys. These have been a great success – we saw a massive need for a better quality glove, for the really small fingers.
What are your plans for 2021 and beyond?
We have a lot we want to achieve in 2021/22 – where to start! We are working on expanding our tech jersey range, we want to do a jersey release each quarter. We are working hard to expand the product range, and aiming to release a protection range for the little riders this year – we feel safety gear is another underserved area for ages 2-14. Another big focus is our collab programme – we want to work with more awesome brands, teams and pros to get kids cycling to the next level.
Want help getting your Little Rider started?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
]]>
How did you get your ‘job’? (How All Kids Bike started)
In March 2017, the Strider Education Foundation was created with the dream of teaching every child how to ride a bike. We know that learning to ride a bike is about much more than pedaling a two-wheel bike, it’s about the confidence, freedom, health benefits, and the joy that conquering a new skill brings to developing hearts and minds.
There is a shocking decline in youth ridership, and children simply aren’t learning to ride. When the Strider 14x Sport Balance Bike was released, we built the proven All Kids Bike Learn-To-Ride curriculum specific to Kindergarten PE.
Reaching kids in PE class is the fastest way to reach all children, eliminating any potential barriers. Since the launch of the All Kids Bike, 342 schools are running the program in 42 states.
What is your business/brand and WHY do you do what you do?
All Kids Bike is a national movement, led by the Strider Education Foundation, to place Kindergarten PE Learn-To-Ride Programs into public schools for free, using donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations.
We’re on a mission to teach EVERY child in America how to ride a bike in kindergarten PE class. We believe that learning to ride a bike builds confidence, increases health and happiness, expands opportunities, and brings people together. Learning to ride a bike is not only a rite of passage, but a life skill that children can benefit from forever.
What is a typical day in the life look like at your business / brand?
The All Kids Bike team is small, but mighty! School communication is constant. Whether a school has already received the program or is working hard to do so, we build relationships to support them wherever they are on their two-wheel journey.
We also have many generous donors and are always working to find more passionate people to join our mission and bring bikes to schools that are close to their hearts. Donors can be individuals, businesses, or organizations who align with our mission, and we’re always eager to connect with them and share our joy for kids on bikes!
Communication and making these connections are vital in reaching our goal of teaching more children how to ride. It really does take a village, which is why our relationships are so important to us.
There are a lot of logistics that go into delivering a whole fleet of bikes, pedals, helmets, and curriculum to a school. From making sure everything gets there at the right time, to supporting the build and delivery, there are many details that go into making the delivery special for the kiddos.
We love to celebrate schools reaching their fundraising goals, bike deliveries, new pedalers, and happy kids! We work hard to spread the word and share the excitement with those who share our vision through social media, blogs, press, and advertising our mission.
What are your goals and future-plans for your business/brand?
All Kids Bike is growing quicker than ever. Who doesn’t want to see more kids on bikes? We’re working hard to keep up with the demand for the program.
We’re having conversations with passionate donors to move schools off our waitlist (a list of schools seeking funding for the program). We’re also building an incredible roster of National Ambassadors to help spread the word about All Kids Bike and engage various industries.
We’re educating teachers across the nation on the program, so they feel confident bringing the joy of two wheels to their schools. We are also adding additional Learn-To-Ride Program offerings to reach more kids and enhance the skills of Kindergarten PE Program graduates with STEM, Traffic Safety, and more. These small steps move us closer to our main goal, which is to teach every child in America how to ride a bike.
How do you currently see the kids cycling scene?
Kids aren’t learning to ride due to various barriers; it could be an economic, regional, or time constraint for families, but there has been a shocking decline in youth ridership in the last decade. Unexpectedly, throughout the pandemic, cycling has become much more prominent.
More families are seeing the importance of getting children outside and active, and a bike is one of the best ways to do that. Additionally, we’re seeing many urban areas fighting for proper infrastructure to make cycling a safe option for transportation which contributes to eliminating some of the barriers.
By teaching this life skill in kindergarten, we can offer an opportunity to all children, which they can enjoy with their families, friends, or take advantage of the many bike-friendly spaces being invested in locally.
What impact would you like to make on kids cycling, and how do you see the future?
All Kids Bike would like to make learning to ride a bike a standard for every child. We confidently believe in the importance of Riding being the “Fourth R” of elementary education, along with Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic. When children learn to ride in school, they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to utilize a bike in whatever adventures they choose. In the future, we hope kids will return to biking as a form of transportation, freedom, and fun.
Where do you take your inspiration from? Who inspires you in the industry?
Our inspiration comes from our love and passion for two wheels. We know what cycling has done for us and want to share that with children all over the country. Strider Bikes is a huge inspiration in the industry. They are teaching children to ride earlier than ever, and we want to be the net that catches all the kids who do not have that opportunity. The launch of the revolutionary Strider 14x Sport in October of 2017 was perfect for what we were trying to accomplish, as it converts from balance to pedal bike when the rider is ready.
What goes into the research when developing your new products / service?
There are many school learning standards we must integrate into our curriculum to stay current with school needs. We strive to have simple curriculum for teachers to learn and teach as part of their annual PE curriculum that provides the most successful results and aligns with their required standards.
After a few years of running the program, we worked with Strider Bikes to create an AKB-specific Strider 14x that is designed with teachers and classrooms in mind. Strider made various minor changes based on teacher feedback to make the bike more user-friendly and easily adjustable. It is also branded as All Kids Bike and is only offered as part of the All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Program. We might be bias, but we sure do love the green and white design!
How can people find out more about your work and your brand/business?
More information can be found on our website, www.AllKidsBike.org, by emailing info@allkidsbike.org, or following us on social media @allkidsbike.
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
]]>
How did you get your ‘job’?
I’m a self-employed designer.
I’ve had anxiety ever since I can remember but I didn’t know what it was until later life, when I found out what it was (generalised anxiety disorder) I wanted to try and help my mental health.
I was no longer playing football so I decided to get into biking, I wanted to try and inspire others to bike to also help their mental health and saw there was a gap in the market with repost accounts (a repost account that reposts ‘normal people’ and not known riders).
As my background was design and marketing, I set up the social media, branding, website and was away.
What is your business/brand and WHY do you do what you do?
We do quite a lot however the main part or mission statement is that we encourage people to get out on their bikes to help physical and mental health while having fun and helping the environment.
I do it because I know first-hand how difficult mental health can be and I want TotalMTB to be a safe please for people to speak openly and confidently about their mental health and if they’re struggling.
The more people and awareness we spread the better and the more people we can help.
What is a typical day in the life look like at your business / brand?
I look after my daughter alot while my wife works so that takes quite a bit of time, of course I enjoy spending time with my daughter but it takes alot of time away from work.
My main business is design and marketing so I have to balance keeping that running while trying to develop TotalMTB which at times is difficult.
With TotalMTB there’s alot of emails back and forth throughout the day discussing things with brands new and old.
What are your goals and future-plans for your business/brand?
We’re always coming up with new ideas for our community but my goal is it reach as many people around the UK, Europe and World about mental health and hopefully impact them in a positive way.
How do you currently see the kids cycling scene?
Personally I think kids biking has developed and become so much bigger and better over the last few years.
There are a few factors in which I think it has developed more although I may be wrong in some and I may have only just come across them myself:
All the above has made it so much more accessible for little ones and I think it’s fantastic.
What impact would you like to make on kids cycling, and how do you see the future?
To encourage kids out on their bikes, having fun, without caring much about what bike they’re on or what brand clothes they’re wearing or taking a photo for social media.
While they’re out they will be actively learning about nature, the environment etc.
It will massively be helping their mental health being out and it’s a great way to bond with family and friends.
Where do you take your inspiration from? Who inspires you in the industry?
In the beginning it was BKXC and GMBN, we follow some great people and great brands who’re all doing fantastic work and sometimes we get inspiration through them and social media.
But we also now try and lead our own path with ideas.
What goes into the research when developing your new projects?
There’s a process to project ideas we do:
How can people find out more about your work and your brand/business?
There a lot more information about all the projects we do, things we support and people who support us on our website www.totalmtb.co.uk
People can also follow us on social media, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Any other comments / content you would like to include?
I personally think that the work especially done by Little Rider Co and Si Paton for kids cycling is fantastic and is doing wonders for youngsters.
We hope to get involved more in kids cycling as time goes on.
For example we’ve recently started a new project with Daisy (@pint_size_cyclist) in which we encourage kids to go out on their bikes.
We want to see their experiences and progression on a bike to share them and inspire other kids.
We’ll be doing challenges every so often to keep kids engaged and having fun on a bike while outside.
You can follow the Instagram @AdventuresWith.Daisy
What are the benefits of riding for the mental health of Children?
As kids are young and still developing we don’t know if and when they are suffering with mental health however what we can do is try to keep them active and outside, this will certainly help their mental health.
They may still suffer in the future unfortunately as it’s not something you can totally stop from happening but there is things you can do to help ease it and maintain it with the most important being getting exercise and being outside, where biking fits perfectly.
What activities, actions or habits can we all do more of to support better mental health?
As mentioned above being active and outside is one of if not the best thing people can do but I think another important thing we can do is try to make society more open and understanding to mental health.
Make it so people are comfortable and comfortable to be open about it and seek help.
If we can we’d be able to help so many more people, unfortunately we can’t stop mental health but we can help and manage it the best way we can.
Want to connect with Little Rider fam's?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
]]>
Pink Bike X Little Rider Co announced as key sponsors of the Balance Bike World Championship at the GT Malverns Classic Mountain Bike festival.
The Little Rider Co team are excited to be the official technical wear sponsor for all kids racing at the Malverns event and creating a very special limited edition jersey for the winners of the races.
"Riders ready, watch the gate as we team up the Little Rider Co to be the official winner's jersey of the Balance Bike World Championships. The fastest girls and boys in the World will stand proud on the podium wearing these 'Money can not buy' winners jerseys.
It's been an absolute pleasure working with Mike from Little Rider Co from the initial idea concept right through to the design and delivery of the final product!" Si Paton - Festival Director
What is the Balance Bike World Championships?
Children aged from 2 to 5 years of age can race in this fun and competitive competition. Race categories are split between both boys and girls as well as age on the day. There are three days of racing with Quad Eliminator, Slalom and Downhill. Enter every race to be in with the chance to be World Champion! Enter here: https://malvernsclassic.com/balance-bike-racing/
When: 26-29th of August
Where: GT Bicycles Malverns Classic at Eastnor Deer Park, Ledbury near Malvern, HR8 1EN.
Want to colab with Little Rider Co?
We have kicked off World Little Rider Month to celebrate our awesome Little Rider Army.
This month you can expect giveaways, discounts and new product announcements – its going to be a busy month!
For the giveaways ensure you are on the Little Rider email list and following us on Instagram and Facebook.
See below to get your discounts for the month:
- LITTLE RIDER CO - Code: 'LITTLERIDERMONTH' - www.littlerider.com
FUEL CLOTHING - 30% off Code: 'LITTLERIDER' - www.fuelclothing.com
HORNIT BIKES - Code: 'LITTLERIDER10' - www.hornit.com
WILDCHILD BIKES - Code: 'LITTLERIDERDAY' - www.wildchildbikes.com
THE BIKE CLUB - 50% off first month - Code 'LITTLERIDER50' - www.thebikeclub.co.uk
PROYouth - Code: 'LITTLERIDER25' - www.proyouthnutrition.com
Little Rider Co are proud to announce our latest collaboration project with BMX legend Bob Haro. This is our biggest and most exciting colab to date, and we are looking forward to x2 cool design minds colliding and creating ‘New School meets Old School’. Bob is a pioneer in the bike community, and created what we now know as freestyle BMX in the 80’s. We are super stoked to be working on this project with the ‘Father of Freestyle BMX Riding’.
At Little Rider our mission is to get more kids on bikes and to inspire the PRO’s of the future. The Little Rider team have been massive fans of Bob’s work from early on and played a big part if the inspiration for getting into riding, and later on inspiration behind parts of the Little Rider Co brand. The team were lucky enough to meet Bob at the Cycle Show back in 2019. After exchanging ideas the concept for the ‘New School meets Old School’ colab range was born, bringing Bob’s awesome design and ethos to the Little Rider Army.
Little Rider Co X Bob Haro Range
The Little Rider Co X Bob Haro range features the Little Rider Co high quality technical base jersey with Little Rider Army branding, and with the famous Bob Haro bike cartoons integrated into the designs. The jerseys will come in Electric Blue, Hot Pink and Black/White stencil:
How did Bob Haro get started in the industry?
Born and raised in Southern California, Bob is an inspirational designer, artist, athlete and entrepreneur. Bob, known today as the Father of Freestyle BMX Riding, is one of the few athletes in action sports to be recognized as an icon to the sport that he founded during the late 1970s.
At age 19, Bob submitted his cartoon illustrations to BMX and motocross publications and thus began his career as an artist for BMX Action and Motocross Action magazines. His signature style became a regular addition to the pages of these notable periodicals and to innovative brands like Oakley, JT Racing, Redline and many more of that era.
As his artistic ambitions developed, so did his skills as a BMX racer and freestyle rider. Bob, a former motocross racer and avid skateboarder, took his passion for these early extreme sports and meshed them together on his BMX bike to spearhead a totally new sport called Freestyle BMX.
With newfound media attention and publicity for Bob’s innovative riding he was featured in many of the leading publications of that time. In 1981, he organized the first ever BMX Freestyle tour. He travelled over 13,000 miles in his branded team van while hauling ramps, a PA system, teammate Bob Morales and his brother Ron across the United States and Canada to promote this exciting, new California sport.
During performances at BMX tracks, bike shops, malls, county fairgrounds and any place else people would allow them to show off their ramp riding skills, Bob evangelized kids from not only across this nation, but the world, to the sport that he had founded.
As freestyle BMX grew in popularity so did Bob’s first company, Haro Bikes. From his humble beginnings of designing and manufacturing BMX specific products like number plates, brake levers and t-shirts, Bob took his creative passions and merged them with his interest in BMX to develop the first ever freestyle bike, appropriately named, the Haro Freestyler. With it he launched the category of Freestyle BMX into cycling and laid the foundation for one of the most successful BMX brands in the world today – Haro Bikes.
In 1993 Bob sold Haro Bikes and is no longer associated with the brand.
BMX was introduced into the Olympics in 2008 and Nike partnered with Bob as a designer and spokesperson for their BMX team apparel program. Bob designed the official team uniforms, logos and worked as a spokesperson for Nike on their 2008 and 2012 Olympic efforts.
The 2012 Olympics brought with them more involvement from Bob when he was hired as a choreographer for the Opening Ceremonies in London by Academy Award winning director, Danny Boyle. Bob was accredited with choreographing the closing scene in the ceremonies with the Dove riders.
Red Bull had also looked to Bob's creative talents for their 2012 & 2013 exclusive BMX racing event called the Red Bull Revolution that was held in Berlin, Germany. He also served as an event VIP and his new brand IKONIX was a sponsor, as well.
Today, Bob is liked, followed and viewed by thousands across the world. From new-school to old-school - BMX’ers around the world revere him and his continued contributions to the sport of BMX
Bob Haro comments:
“Kids are the roots and the growth of our sport. It's important to nurture and support their passion for Bike and active lifestyle. That’s what Little Rider Co are all about.”
Bob Haro Artwork featured on the Little Rider Range:
Mike Douglass – Little Rider Co-founder comments:
“At Little Rider we are super excited to be working with Bob. Bob has been a big inspiration early on for myself getting into BMX, or more recently Bob’s design collaborations with other leading brands. Bob’s attention to detail, creativity and passion to get more kids on bikes, is a massive driver for releasing this colab. I am looking forward to seeing the Little Rider army shredding in these special edition jerseys very soon.”
Don’t miss out on this special Limited Edition Launch...
The Little Rider Co X Bob Haro jerseys are a special release with a limited number created – These items are rare, and will become collectors items in their own right!
Don’t want to miss out? Sign up with your email to find out when they launch on the product pages.
Little Rider Co X Bob Haro Colab Jersey Range available from May 2021 - You will be alerted via email as soon as they become available.
]]>
"'Revvi are extremely excited to launch our new range of jerseys in collaboration with Little Rider Co. When we started looking for a jersey supplier it was a no brainer, the quality and fit of their product is excellent. We are looking forward to see this new product in use with our electric balance bikes"
Don - Owner - Revvi Bikes
"We are super excited to have REVVI onboard as a colab partner. We don't partner with everyone - the brand, product and mission needs to align with Little Rider's. We had fun creating the Little Rider X REVVI Tech jersey range to compliment their awesome electric balance bike range. We are excited to grow the partnership with the Revvi team".
Mike - Founder - Little Rider Co
Interested in a Little Rider Colab for your brand or team?
]]>
The next few weeks at Little Rider HQ is going to be awesome!
We have so many new launches, colabs, partnerships and plans launching soon - We wanted to give you guys a sneak peek into some of them that are coming very soon!
Below are snippets on some of the areas you can expect to see in the coming weeks....
FREE LITTLE RIDER CO GIFT CARD EXTENDED!
The Little Rider Co team have extended the FREE £5 off discount when your order hits £30 through April!
NEW LITTLE RIDER GLOVE DROP
The new FUTURE PRO glove range will be landing in April. Click the glove image to enter your email to be the first to find out when they drop!
LITTLE RIDER CO X REVVI COLAB
"We are super excited to have REVVI onboard as a colab partner. We don't partner with everyone - the brand, product and mission needs to align with Little Rider's. We had fun creating the Little Rider X REVVI Tech jersey range to compliment their awesome electric balance bike range. We are excited to grow the partnership with the Revvi team".
Mike - Founder - Little Rider Co
LITTLE RIDER CO & 'X' SECRET COLAB LAUNCH
This month we will be launching our new Little Rider Colab range with someone that has made a massive impact on kids cycling - This is going to be amazing!. Click the image above to enter your email to find out when they drop.
LITTLE RIDER DAY
Little Rider Day is fast approaching and we will be giving away some cool stuff on the build up to celebrate.
What do you want to see from LITTLE RIDER DAY?
PLANNING FOR THE BIGGEST MOUNTAIN BIKE EVENT OF THE YEAR!
The Little Rider Co team are deep in planning for sponsoring and attending the biggest bike event in the UK - the GT Malverns Classic.
From creating the event winners jerseys, to having Little Rider gear at the event we are looking forward to meeting the Little Rider Army there in full force.
What do you want to see at the event? Jump into the Little Rider Army FB group and let us know!
]]>