Early Rider

New Early Rider Movies!

andyl — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 08:04:27 +0000

We’ve been wanting to make another Early Rider film for some time now, but have never quite found the time. But thanks to our amazing creative agency 18 Feet and Rising, they have breathed life into all those projects that have never quite risen to the top of the to-do list. We wanted to capture the joy, excitement and wonderful purity of riding an Early Rider bike. The movies are not so much an advert for the bikes, more an advert for the spirit of freedom and adventure riding a bike can give – a feeling we think every kid should experience.

Armed with our creative storyboard, a renowned director in Guillaume Panareillo and the production greatness of Supergoober we set off deep into the Cotswolds to shoot our mini-movies. The results are below.

Take a look, tell us what you think. If you like them, share them.

“Husky”

“Hair He Comes”

Explorers Handbook Now Available!

andyl — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:17:23 +0000

We are pleased to announce that our beautiful new book – the Explorers Handbook – is now available to purchase from the shop. We’ve held it, stroked it, smelt the freshly printed new pages, we almost don’t want to let it go. But share it we must!

It’s packed with ideas for adventures, activities for busy minds, opportunities to colour and draw, pages to cut out and use, there’s even nature-inspired snack recipes. And when they are done you can share their work with us to earn a unique Early Rider flame pin.

It looks amazing, we are really proud of it and we think you and your kids will love it too! So to get your copy, click here or head to the shop where you’ll find it under ‘Good Stuff’.

Happy riding!

Early Rider (Virtual) Shop Opens for Business

andyl — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 10:10:13 +0000

We’ve been working hard. New bikes, accessories, Explorers club goodies, movies, we’ve even produced a book. The creative juices are well and truly flowing, spurred on from working with our amazing creative partners at 18 Feet and Rising.

So we thought it was about time we got ourselves a shop, somewhere to showcase and sell our wares. Right now you can buy our bikes, you can upgrade your wooden bike with pink or blue grips, you can even extend it’s life with an extended seat post. And if you’ve lost a bolt then there’s a spares pack for you.

But the exciting bit is coming this Easter when we’ll be launching our “Good Stuff” section – a whole shop floor dedicated to all the things necessary to be an Early Rider Explorer. Our first launch will be a wonderful book of adventure and exploration for your little rider. Watch this space, we think you are going to love it.

So take a look around and check back at the end of the month as we add some exciting stuff to our new shop.

Brown overalls on, pencil behind the ear, LET’S TRADE! Clickety click...

International Toy Fair time again in Nuremberg

andyl — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:06:48 +0000

The stand is built, Betty our trusty support vehicle has been polished and buffed to perfection, the full range of bikes are on display and the kettle is on! It’s another year at the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg.

As well as the Original Series of wooden bikes, our little pod of Spherovelos and the Belter, we’ve got the 2013 Alley Runner optional accessory kits on display including carbon forks and drop bars. Awesome.

If you’re here, come and say hello – we’re in Hall 7, Stand C-07.

Tim adding the finishing touches

2013 Alley Runner Options - drop bars and carbon forks anyone?

Serious business... Andy and Koos, our Spanish distributor

Meet Oscar, our newest sponsored rider

andyl — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 22:03:51 +0000

Meet Oscar, our newest sponsored rider…

Oscar is awesome. We’ve been enjoying his progress at the National Cycling Center in Manchester for some time now, mostly because his Dad is an avid Instagrammer. He is 3 and a half and already has more experience on the BMX track than all of us put together down to his twice weekly trips to race (how great to have that on your doorstep?)

He currently rides an Early Rider Classic which he bought from Keep Pedalling in Manchester and is tearing up the track and winning podium places on it. But the Classic is a cruiser, Oscar is ready for speed.

So we’ve snapped him up and offered him his first sponsorship deal. He’s going to try out a new bike for us, the Alley Runner 14″ – the only one in existence – and put it through it’s paces. So look out for him, he’ll be a blur of coolness and brushed aluminium. If his training goes well he might even get an Early Rider t shirt. Move over Rapha.

Here’s some pics of him in action on his Classic. Watch this space, he’s a star in the making.

Pre-race training session at the park

Race Face

Taking a break from winning

All in the genes: Oscar gets his winning ways from his Dad.

Alley Runners rolling off the Henley production line

andyl — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:39:40 +0000

We’ve been busy bees recently, and it’s been a long time coming. We first told you about our new bikes over a year ago, and finally, FINALLY, we have been able to get stuck in to building them. And the wait has been worth it – the components are beautiful and the finished bikes are looking amazing.

With our Belter building taking up all of Novembers production schedule and the ensuing Christmas rush for stock we started on the next addition to our Aluminium Series – the Alley Runner – in late December. A much easier construction and build process with no pedals, belt or brakes to fiddle with, just pure and simple goodness. It’s satisfyingly quick and rewarding to see the boxes and pallets fill up in the warehouse.

The Alley Runner is similar in size to the Lite, with a slightly longer reach and marginally longer body but on the same 12″ wheels. The hand finished brushed and lacquered aluminium frame and forks look awesome, a super-smooth running integrated headset and carbon bars and seat post make it our most tricked out bike to date. It looks and rides beautifully, we’re really proud of it. And even better, it will grow with the addition of 14″ wheels. Sweet.

Alley Runner in the Aluminium Series lineup

Alley Runner 12"

Carbon handlebars

Boxed, wrapped and ready to leave the warehouse

Merry Christmas!

nicholal — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 09:22:43 +0000

It’s been one heck of a year and – if we are all brutally honest – we’re all quite glad to get to the end! But we are amazingly proud of the new bikes and can’t wait to see them in action around the world.

Thanks to all of you who support what we do, it makes the long hours and sleepless nights all worthwhile.

Wishing all our riders old and new a very merry Christmas and heres to many more adventures together in 2013!

From all the Early Rider team

Andy, Jo, Nichola + Beccy

x-x-x-x

Belter Building Begins in Henley

andyl — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:52:30 +0000

Early Rider has begun production on it’s long awaited first pedal bike – the Belter. After 18 months in design and component preparation, the assembly process has begun in earnest at their new workspace in Henley on Thames. The initial build is 750 bikes, all of which have been pre-sold and will be delivered into retail through partners such as Evans Cycles, CycleSurgery, Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op etc.

The build is being headed up by Filipe Salbany and Rob Griffiths of AthleteService. Used to building small volume premium bespoke road bikes, this is the first sojourn into a production line approach to hand built bikes and they are relishing the challenge. Salbany said, “I’m in my element. I am hand building beautiful, lightweight bicycles for children that will provide the inspiration and opportunity for them to experience the freedom of cycling and the outdoors that I have loved all my life. I’m surrounded by tools, grease and bike components. It’s a big undertaking and not without its niggles but were making great progress and the bikes look fantastic. I feel extremely proud to be a part of it.”

Completed bikes should begin shipping by the third week of November and customers can expect to be able to purchase them through retail partners by the end of the month.

Moved in: New Workspace in Henley on Thames

andyl — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:51:15 +0000

We’ve moved in to our new workspace in Henley and it’s A.W.E.S.O.M.E. It’s an amazing old sawmill which will now house our Belter production and the first Alley Runner build. No sooner had we got the keys that a 40ft container arrived with components for the first 750 Belter bikes. We’re very proud and excited to say that our latest model – the Belter – is being hand built right here in the UK with the amazing skills and careful handling of Filipe Salbany and Rob Griffiths of AthleteService at the helm.

The address of our new workspace is The Old Sawmill, Empstead Works, Henley on Thames, RG9 1UF. It’ll be the office of Andy and Nichola, there’ll be a showroom, meeting space, warehousing as well as a workshop. And while we’re not open to the public as such we are always happy to welcome anyone who wants to come and say hello.

Contact details don’t change – you can still call us on 01794 367302 and email info@earlyrider.com

Apartment Therapy Original Series Review

nicholal — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 21:16:55 +0000

Early Rider Balance Bikes Test Lab Review

Product: Early Rider Balance Bikes
Price: $159-$199
Rating: Strongly Recommend*

Balance Bikes for preschoolers are becoming far more widespead in 2012 than when they were first introduced in 1999. Depending on where you live geographically, they are either easily found in every bike shop in town, or you have to order online to find your options. The design choices range from Waldorf-inspired wooden models to more classically designed metal frames. The only thing similar? No pedals.

One company that has stood out since their introduction into the bike world in 2006 is a British-based company, Early Rider. Their attention to design, quality in materials, and innovative attitude has elevated them above the standard metal frame designs we typically associate with bicycles for children. You can read previous spotlights on Apartment Therapy from 2009 and 2011. Recently, they added several more sizes and design variations to their line so that toddlers as young as 20 months to preschoolers up to 5.5 years old have the option of choosing a balance bike that specifically fits their height and leg length requirements.

Curious to see how the different sizes and styles translate into usability, I brought my 2.5-year-old and a 4-year-old friend with us to our local bike shop, Clever Cycles, in Portland, OR.

For those unfamiliar, a balance bike is a smaller framed two-wheeled bicycle, typically with 12″ wheels, and has no pedals. Children power the bike by walking or running their feet back and forth (think, Flintstones), while simultaneously counter-steering the handlebars to keep both wheels aligned and balanced upright as they glide along. These two main skills are the key to riding a two-wheeler; pedals add additional power, but at the fundamental level are not necessary. By learning how to balance and steer first, children can easily learn to ride a pedal bike without training wheels at a much earlier age, with most children bypassing the need for training wheels altogether. The argument against training wheels is that they actually change the balance skills needed to successfully ride a two-wheel bike correctly. While they can build confidence and teach how to pedal, once off, the child must still re-learn how to properly balance by counter-steering. Learning how to ride a balance bike first is recommended because the skill-set becomes a natural progression.

Easy Rider has taken into account the fact that children are introduced into biking at all different sizes and ages, but most balance bikes on the market are fit towards the average 3-year-old size. By offering three different size options, any young child can find a model that fits for whatever size they are when they begin to ride.

We found that there was some cross-over between sizes and that each model has a range of adjustments to grow with your child. The 2.5-year-old fit both the Lite-12 and the Classic-12, but the Evo-14 was still a bit too large for his feet to comfortably reach the ground without stretching. The 4-year-old fit the larger model perfectly. The key to finding which bike fits best for your child is going to be based on two factors – purchase one of the smaller versions if the child is starting young, 20 mos – 3.5=years-old (and might be passing it on to a younger sibling once graduated to a pedal bike), or purchase the larger model if your child is starting around 3.5-5.5-year-old range.

Both boys had a blast trying out the bikes, and the older one responded that his was super fast and that’s why he liked it best.

I surprisingly learned that the balance bike easily fit in the back of my extended paniers, which makes family cycling with a toddler that much more inclusive.

To find a dealer near you or to learn more, visit the Early Rider product website.

Pros:
• Quality wood construction
• 12-14″ spoke wheels with inflatable tires (replaceable at any bike store)
• child-size foam hand grips and padded seat
• different sized models available to fit variety of child sizes
• excellent design proportions for appropriate balance technique
• gender-neutral colorCons:
• Need to store indoors or under cover
• more expensive than many traditional bikes
• no additional color options.

Our Rating:
Strong Recommend*
Recommend
Weak Recommend
Don’t Recommend