SuperCycle KickStart Bike
It started with a pain point: right above the L3 and L4 vertebrae in my back . While stooping over to teach my then-four-year-old daughter to ride a bike, I knew there had to be a better way.
The result was an award-winning kid’s KickStart bike that makes it easier for parents to teach their kids to ride a bike. The insight needed for the Kickstart came through extensive research and my desire to turn insight into innovation.
We spoke with both parents and kids to understand what they were looking for in a first bike.
Parents wanted a design that made it easier to teach their children to ride,
They were willing to invest a little more in a higher-quality bike that could grow with their child.
For kids, riding a bike was all about independence and confidence. To get there, they needed:
More stability when starting and stopping
An easier way to get moving and come to a stop
A design that supported both kids and parents during the learning stage
A bike that looked cool
To make sure the bike fit just right, we tested it with kids ranging from a small 5th-percentile 4-year-old to a tall 95th-percentile 6-year-old.
With a seat that slides back and handlebars that tilt forward, the bike easily adjusts as children grow, giving parents confidence it will last through those early riding years.
The bike grows with the child at every stage of learning:
With training wheels, they experience the freedom of riding for the first time.
With the parent handle, kids build confidence while knowing mom or dad is right there to support them.
And when they’re ready, the training wheels and handle come off, and they can ride on their own.
The first prototypes arrived in late fall and were a hit with kids.
The frame shape performed as designed, but it also revealed an unexpected benefit, the pedal position allows for a “kick start,” allowing kids to get moving, build speed and balance with ease.
The final bikes shipped in Spring 2019 and quickly sold out.
Over the past six years, the design has exceeded expectations, with 30,000 bikes sold. In 2024, it was relaunched under the Raleigh brand, extending its success and legacy.
At launch, it received tier-one marketing support, including a national TV campaign and quickly sold out across the country.
In 2020, the project was recognized with Canadian Tire’s Going for Gold Award for Best New Product.