Leamington-business Kidvelo riding high after selling 1,000th convertible bike

A Leamington-based family e-commerce business, which has developed an innovative convertible bike for children, is riding high after selling its 1,000th model.

Kidvelo, based at Squab, run by husband-and-wife team Gary and Karen Wood, created the convertible balance to pedal bicycle to address one of the main issues parents face. Namely, that children outgrow their bikes quickly.

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A delighted Karen said the sale was an "incredible achievement".

"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," she said.

"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."

She added that the firm wanted to "revolutionise" the way children learn to ride bikes and explained that the product got rid of the need for parents to quickly buy another bike and use stablisers after a child outgrows a balance bike.

"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," she said.

"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."

Karen took a gamble in 2009 by leaving her career to become a distributor of balance bikes, originally retailing from her kitchen table in Leamington, before launching a distribution unit at Squab.

Along with Gary, they moved into manufacturing in 2019, joining forces with an Australian distributor, to create balance bikes, before launching their convertible model at the end of last year.

The first shipment of the latest product sold out within five weeks.

Alex Henney, a director at Squab, congratulated the pair on the 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."

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