Kids Ride Shotgun Seeks To Inspire A Global Kids Mountain Biking Movement

Kids Ride Shotgun is on a mission to raise the next generation of mountain bikers. Over extended lockdowns, demand for its ‘Shotgun’ child bike seat quite literally skyrocketed, driven by what Co-Founders Dan Necklen and Tom Hayward believe is an increasing demand for products that help families stay active.

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The seat fits onto all modern mountain bikes and is equipped with handlebars, foot pegs and foot straps, giving young children ages 2-5 a front-mounted view of the off-road action.

The Tauranga-based startup has expanded to an additional 10 countries over the past 18 months and now has distributors in some 18 different countries, including USA, Canada, UK and a number of European markets. It’s also celebrating a 580% YoY increase in revenue; and recently claimed its place as a finalist in the best emerging business category of NZTE’s New Zealand International Business Awards as it looks to establish itself as a leader in the children’s mountain biking category globally.

“New Zealand is well-known for its mountain biking, but the sport isn’t always that accessible to young families,” says Necklen.

He adds: “Now more than ever, getting outdoors as a family is critical to our mental and physical wellbeing. The Shotgun seat enables families with young children to do that safely and in a way that makes it engaging and fun for the littlest members.”

Unlike some child seats, the Shotgun seat isn’t rear-mounted, meaning that it fits on rear-suspension mountain bikes and that kids don’t miss out on the fun up-front. Thanks to full rubber frame protection, it also protects your bike from the scratches and scrapes installing other options often leave behind.

“During lockdown, Kids Ride Shotgun helped achieve three critical outcomes for families who found themselves unable to travel: it helped get kids off devices and onto mountain bike trails; it helped parents spend quality time with their kids; and it fostered a love of nature and the outdoors. These outcomes are evergreen and we’re proud to be enabling families globally to spend more time together doing what they love most,” explains Necklen.

Well-known for developing ‘the right product at the right time’, Kids Ride Shotgun also sells a mountain bike children’s alphabet book called ‘Shred ’til Bed’, and a mountain bike tow rope, to take the hassle out of hill climbs for little legs. The company is now currently expanding its New Zealand product development and marketing teams to support the launch of an additional 20 products for mini-shredders and mountain biking families over the coming 18 months.

“It’s an exciting time for our team. We work hard, but we all play hard too – we all ride bikes, and most importantly, we believe in what we’re trying to do for families and the future of the sport. It’s a fantastic time to be a part of a company helping to shape the future of mountain biking from the ground up,” concludes Necklen.

About Kids Ride Shotgun: www.kidsrideshotgun.com

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