A Leamington business which is on a mission to help children become bicycle pedalling pros is riding high after selling its 1,000th bike thanks to an innovative new product.
Kidvelo, which specialises in children’s balance bikes, has announced the milestone sale which comes after the business launched a convertible balance to pedal bicycle.
The family business, which is based at Squab in Leamington, is run by husband-and-wife Gary and Karen Wood who created the product to address one of the main issues that parents face when it comes to buying a bike – that children can outgrow them quickly.
The latest product adjusts to give longevity of use with no compromise on performance or quality, and its popularity saw the first shipment sell out within just five weeks.
Karen originally discovered balance bikes for her own children in 2009 and took a gamble by leaving her career to become a distributor - originally retailing from her kitchen table in Leamington before launching a distribution unit at Squab.
Her knowledge, passion and industry experience inspired her and Gary to move into manufacturing, joining forces with an Australian distributor with similar values and passions in 2019 to create their own balance bikes in a bid to make them even better for children.
They began by creating a traditional balance bike before launching their convertible model at the end of 2022.
All of the products are sold solely online through the Kidvelo website to keep costs low for families, and ensure the business is sustainable as possible by shipping directly to the consumer.
Kidvelo has won a string of awards, including being named winner of the Start-Up category of the 2022 British Business Awards, receiving Gold for the Best Balance Bike in the Made for Mums 2022 Toy Awards and Best Bike in the Organic Baby Awards.
It has now made a major investment in more stock as it prepares for the Christmas period.
Karen said: “We are delighted to reach 1,000 sales – it is an incredible achievement as a small ecommerce business.
“When we first launched our convertible balance to pedal bikes they sold out within weeks, and we’re now in a position where we can’t make them fast enough.
“The wider bike industry is in trouble due to over stock in the supply chain, so it’s fantastic that we’re in a strong position and are looking at ways we can ensure our bikes remain in stock for consumers.
“We want to revolutionise the way that children learn how to ride a bike. Often parents spend money on a balance bike which a child grows out of quickly, before moving on to a heavy bike with stabilisers.
“Our convertible bikes come in two sizes, one for children aged three to six and one for children aged five to eight, and removes the need for stabilisers.
“We’ve received some fantastic feedback, including from bicycle instructors which is incredible, and we’re now looking to the future and continuing to grow the business further.”
Alex Henney, a director at Squab, said: “We would like to congratulate Karen and Gary on this milestone.
“They have been based at Squab for many years, and this significant achievement represents how much Kidvelo has grown.
“We are pleased to have been able to support them by providing flexible accommodation to suit their needs and look forward to seeing what the future holds for the business.”
Caption: Karen Wood, of Kidvelo, with Andrew Kay, of Squab.