This nationally sanctioned race gave small children, ages 2-6 years old, a chance to put their balancing skills to the test in a friendly, competitive environment. Not only did this race help riders build the confidence that lays the foundation of good sportsmanship, but it also allowed them to meet other kids who share the same passion for two wheels.

For the Strider Cup, in the 2-year-old class, Cal Garcia from Bentonville, AR dominated the field and took home the championship. Jax Linden from Bentonville, AR won the 3-year-old class. Jax is no rookie to Strider Racing as he traveled to Osaka, Japan earlier this year to compete in the Strider Cup World Championships. Lastly, Ivan Bogdanov traveled from Houston, TX to compete and took first place in the 4-year-old class.

In the Adventure-Cross races, 14x riders ages 4-6 years old put their endurance skills to the test as they ran their first lap, strided their bike in balance mode for the second lap, and then had their grown-up swap their footrest for a pedal kit to finish lap three by pedaling their way to glory. This race was certainly not for the faint of heart. In the 4-year-old class, Alden Warren from Bella Vista, AR took first place. For the 5-year-old class, Leo Holt from Kansas City, MO raced his way to victory. Lastly, the 6-year-old class was dominated by Gus Holton from Bentonville, AR. 

All participants received a medal and top placers received a trophy!

This event wouldn’t have been possible without support from the following sponsors: Hershey’s, Pirates Booty, Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers, Kodiak Cakes, Po Campo, Walmart Museum and Spark Café, Smitty’s Garage, Azul Tequila Bistro, and Visit Bentonville.

Click here to learn more about upcoming Strider events.

2023 Photo Gallery

The post Exciting Competition and Community Fun at 2023 Bentonville Strider Cup appeared first on Strider Balance Bikes.

Do you have any core memories from when you started riding the Strider Bike?

WB:   Yeah, I remember cruising through our house, riding ramps in our backyard, and riding in the very first Strider warehouse.  I also remember placing 3rd in the World Cup in 2013 when it was Rapid City, traveling to Sarasota, and riding on the beach with the Strider crew.

CB:   I remember riding it on the stairs in my house and around the cul-de-sac. My red, white, and blue Strider was my favorite.

How was it transitioning from a Strider to a pedal bike?

WB: I felt like it was easy. From what I remember, it just clicked right away, and I was super comfortable really early on.

CB:   I don’t really remember, so it must have been easy.

How has learning to ride on a Strider impacted your love of riding?

WB: It really gave my riding career a solid base. Strider gave me a community, and later, a job!

CB:  It impacted me a lot. I started racing BMX because of Strider Bikes.

What is your favorite trick/jump to do on a bike? 

WB: Probably a T-bog or an X-up

CB:  Pro set at the BMX track

If you could ride anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

WB: British Colombia or the Utah Desert. BC because of the of the amazing trails and numerous bike parks. Utah Desert because you can build and ride whatever you want and it would be sick camping in the desert.

CB: Bentonville, AR. It’s bike heaven.

What’s a piece of advice that you can offer to kid’s learning how to ride?

WB:  Push yourself, try the next biggest jump, and you will progress over time. Be prepared to crash, to work hard for what you want, and you will never be disappointed.

CB:  Don’t use training wheels. Try short distances your first few times riding. Wear gloves. You can do it.

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How old were you when you first began riding your Strider Bike?

LF: I was 4 years old
MF: I was 2 ½ years old

I know you were super young when you first started riding on the Strider, but do you remember it at all or have any core memories?

LF: I remember going to the pump track in Truckee to practice balancing.
MF: I remember getting on the Strider right after I fractured my leg and couldn’t walk, it helped me a lot as it built my strength.

How frequently do you compete in races? What titles do you currently hold?

LF: During the season I will probably race 1-3 times a month. The title that I currently hold is 8th grade NICA champion for The Northern Nevada League. I am also in my second season with the Reno Tahoe Junior Cycling team.
MF: I compete in races in the spring and fall now and am currently the 6th grade champion for the northern Nevada Nica league 2022.

What is your favorite biking snack?

LF: Skratch Gummies
MF: Honey Stinger Waffles

Where is your favorite place to ride and why?

LF: I really like to ride in Truckee because the trails are well maintained and flowy. In terms of Travel the best place I’ve ever ridden is Bend, Oregon.
MF: My favorite place to ride is Truckee and Euer valley because I have a lot of memories there.

What has your proudest biking moment been?

LF: It’s hard to say but probably winning the Nevada NICA league or one of my bigger rides.
MF: My proudest biking moment was when I finished the Yerington, NV race for Nica, it was my first win and felt really good.

Do you have any big biking goals that you’d like to accomplish?

LF: I would like to be in the top 40% for this year’s USA Cycling season (of the races I travel for). Also, I would like to be ready to race JV1 (Junior Varsity) in the upcoming Nevada NICA season.
MF: I would like to try to podium on most of my races and continue on the path that I’m on.

What’s a piece of advice that you can offer to kids learning to ride?

LF: Don’t feel like you’re being forced into a sport, try to stay active and do what you want to do.
MF: I would say not to give up because if you give up you miss all the opportunities that riding can offer.

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I know you were just 2 years old when you started riding your Strider, but do you have any core memories?

OF: I remember riding my Strider through large puddles of water after a downpour of rain at my friends’ Bob and Quinn Wentzell’s place in Benton, OH.

Did any of your friends ride Strider Bikes, as well?

OF: None of my friends had Striders or even bicycles. Some of my friends are older than me and had never ridden a bicycle before– but they all liked coming over to my house to watch me ride. I think they finally figured out that if they wanted to keep up with me, they would have to learn to ride a bicycle so they could ride with me.

AF: Owen inspired all his neighborhood friends to learn to ride a bicycle. He would loan his Strider to some of the smaller kids to learn on. Fast forward a few years, and now we have a sizable bicycle gang riding around the block together.

How has learning to ride on a Strider impacted Owen’s love of riding?

AF: The Strider Bike gave Owen the opportunity to participate in moto-trials competitions before he could even ride a trials bike. He rode in his first moto-trial competition when he was 3 years old on his Strider. Our local moto-trials club, Trials Inc., is passionate about getting kids involved and growing the sport of Moto-trials, so they added a Strider Class for any kid with a Strider or bicycle who wanted to participate in the competition.

What is your favorite trick/jump to do on a bike?

OF: Oh, that is hard. I love doing the back wheel hops, nose wheelies, and front wheel pivots.

What is your favorite place to ride and why?

OF: My favorite place to ride is the Trials Training Center (TTC) in Sequatchie, TN. They have a great practice area where I love riding my trials bicycle with my friends during the NATC East Coast Youth National. They also have a lot of trails, rock gardens and boulders–perfect for moto-trials.

How many bikes do you currently own?

OF: 2 Striders, 2 Trials bicycles, 2 Unicycles, 1 Giant STP hardtail mountain bike, 1 GT BMX race bike, 1 Extreme E-Bike, 1 Yamaha TY80 , and 1 Oset bike

If you could ride anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

OF: I would love to go to Europe and compete in the UCI World Youth Cup, or spend a couple of months competing in the many trials competitions held in the UK and Scotland–and maybe run into Jack Carthy or Danny Macaskill.

What is your favorite biking snack?

OF: Cashews, Pringles, and Nerd Ropes

Why bike?

OF: To have fun. I don’t play video games like most of my friends. I enjoy spending my time outside learning new tricks on my trials bike. I also enjoy going to the garage and checking my bikes over to make sure they are in working order, and then I pick one and just go cruising around.

What piece of advice can you offer to kids learning to ride?

OF: Get a Strider or even a scooter and learn how to balance and coast first. When you’re ready to ride a pedal bike, you can ride it just like a Strider until you are ready to put your feet on the pedals.

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Do you have any core memories from when you started riding the Strider Bike?

JM: I don’t remember much, but I do remember riding and setting up obstacle courses in the driveway with my dad and brother. I also remember competing in a Strider World Cup in Sarasota, Florida.

How has learning to ride on a Strider impacted your love of riding?

JM: Learning to ride on a Strider has jump started my progression and gave me a passion for riding at a young age.

What is your favorite trick/jump to do on a bike?

JM: My favorite trick to do on a bike would probably be a 360 x-up

What is your favorite place to ride and why?

JM: In my backyard, it has the biggest and best jumps that suite my riding style. I also love riding in my backyard because the things I build are creative and unique and allow me to expand my imagination when riding my bike.

How many bikes do you currently own?

JM: Currently I have 5 bikes and 1 dirt bike.

What is your favorite biking snack?

JM: Salty potato chips

Who are your favorite people to ride with?

JM: My brother and my friends

Would you rather ride solo or in a group?

JM: It always depends on the ride and what I’m trying to accomplish, but in general I would rather ride in a group.

If you could ride anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

JM: I would ride at Woodward West in California because they have different types of riding and opportunities for progression. For example, they have multiple skateparks, dirt jumps, mega ramps, airbags, foam pits, and more.

Why bike?

Bikes have no limitation on progression or creativity. Almost every single sport has boundaries, rules, and limited opportunities. I don’t need a team to ride my bike and my only opposition is my own skill. I can ride whenever I want and just about anywhere, I want. Biking never gets old and there is no limitation to how far you can push yourself. I am not limited by organized teams and leagues, and I can ride my bike for the rest of my life. With biking there is ultimate freedom, and nobody can put rules and limitations around what I can and cannot achieve on my bike.

What’s a piece of advice that you can offer to kid’s learning how to ride?

JM: It’s all about balance. When you’re getting started, don’t worry too much about pedaling or anything else. Focus on just lifting your feet up learning how to balance on 2 wheels.

Is there anything else you’d like to add or want me to know?

JM: Biking is the best.

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How does it make you feel knowing that you were the very first Strider Rider?

BM: It’s a crazy feeling knowing that I was there from the very beginning, and to see what it has grown into! I am happy that millions of kids are learning to ride a bike the way I did. Biking has been one of the best things in my life. Just knowing that these other little kiddos get to experience the joy, mobility, discipline, and freedom of two wheels at a young age means a lot to me.  

Do you have any core memories when you started riding the Strider Bike?

BM: Back when I was on a Strider, I was obsessed with making obstacle courses and tracks. Whether it was in the driveway, at the Strider office, or anywhere that two wheels could roll. I was always pushing myself to go a little faster, slide a little further, or jump a little higher. One of my favorite memories is from when we set up a booth at Laguna Seca Speedway back in 2009. On one of the days, they had a kid’s bike race through an obstacle course. Of course, all the other toddlers were racing on regular pedal bikes, and I was on my Strider. I didn’t know what to expect but I dusted the pack and took first place! I was really happy. I always loved showing off new tricks/skills to my dad and it was the best when he would get the camera out to make YouTube videos. When the business was just getting started, I remember spending a lot of my time as a “mobile advertisement”. We were always testing out new prototypes and designs, so we took a Strider with us almost everywhere. I think my dad would notice when people were glancing at the weird no-pedal bike when we were out in public, so he would tell me to go ride up to them with a big smile and hand them a business card. 

Did you ever feel weird riding a bike with no pedals?

BM: When I was riding the Strider, I wasn’t concerned about it looking weird or what other people might think. I spent most of my two wheeled time on the strider, even after I could ride a pedal bike. I liked how simple and light it was because it was easy to practice tricks and jump around.  

Were you the first of your friends to learn to ride a bike?

BM: My 3-year-old friends back then were also Strider test riders, so we all learned at the same time! People were always surprised when they asked, “how old were you when you learned to ride a bike?” and I’d answer with “three”.   

How has learning to ride on a Strider impacted your love of riding? 

BM: Growing up on my Strider is the foundation of my love for riding. It’s been in my blood from a young age, and I was able to learn lots of skills I needed for biking and moto. I remember being obsessed with supercross and I knew all the riders, what bikes they were on, and their race number when I was 3 years old.  I always wanted my Strider to be a 450 dirt bike so I could hit those big jumps and rail the corners. Strider riding ignited my two wheeled passion and I love riding more and more every day.  

What is your favorite trick/jump to do on a bike?  

BM: Doing a whip and getting the back end out on a big floater has got to be one of the best things in the world.

What is your favorite place to ride and why? 

BM: There’s only one right answer for me and it has got to be Bentonville, Arkansas. The engineering and trail development is on another level!  

How many bikes do you currently own?  

BM: Right now, I have 4 bikes. I’ve got a yz250fx, an e-bike, enduro bike, and a trials bike.  

What is your favorite biking snack? 

BM: My absolute go-to biking snack would be some salty potato chips, a snickers bar, and ICE cold water!  

Who are your favorite people to ride with? 

BM: I love going out with my brother and dad. We’ve gone on lots and lots of adventures with two wheels. I also like to hit the motocross track every now and then with my cousin Dane of some of my buddies.  

If you could ride anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? 

BM: I’m going to be basic and say Whistler, British Columbia. It’s the top dog for mountain bike parks. The trails are flowy, and the jumps are big, so I’m all for it!

Why bike? 

BM: Aside from the most important thing, fun, it improves cardio-vascular and aerobic fitness, boots energy, builds muscle, and improves coordination. You can challenge yourself to learn new things and the discipline you need will transfer to other things in your life.  

What’s a piece of advice you can offer to kids learning to ride?  

BM: Don’t be afraid to be creative! Try new things, go over obstacles, ride in the grass, ride in the snow, do whatever you want! When you love to ride, you live to ride. The most important thing is to just have fun on your bike! 

Is there anything else you’d like to add or would like people to know?  

BM: Milk gives you superpowers. 

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Although Strider hosts many different types of events, the Strider Cup World Championship is the granddaddy of ‘em all. This race caters directly to children 2-6 years old who want to compete against riders from all over the world and experience the thrill of racing in spirited, supportive atmosphere.

This year, the World Championship is being held in Osaka, Japan on May 27th and 28th. This is the first-time that this event is being hosted outside the United States. Roughly 800 riders from 12 countries are expected to compete in this highly anticipated event. In fact, in April, parents had to enter a lottery in the hopes that their little ripper would be randomly selected to race.

Six American riders received sponsorships to be on Team USA! The following little shredders will be traveling with their families to Japan this month to represent the red, white, and blue in the championships: Sonny Alvarez, Tanner Davis, Jax Linden, Sylas McCain, Hikaru Mitogawa, and Gianpaolo D’Acquisto Estrada. All have previous racing experience are ready to bring the heat and put their skills to the test.

The 2023 Strider Cup World Championship is setting up to be one for the books. This will be a great chance for kiddos from all over the globe to make new friends, ride together, and most importantly, have a blast!

Click here to learn more about upcoming Strider events.

The post The Stage Is Set for the 2023 Strider Cup World Championship appeared first on Strider Balance Bikes.

This year, Bode is turning 20 years old and has grown to be an extremely skilled and confident rider. His favorite trick is doing a whip and getting the back end out on a big floater. Bode believes that biking is the best sport because it’s fun, improves cardio-vascular fitness, boosts energy, builds muscle, and improves coordination. He thinks that challenging yourself to learn new things and the discipline you need in biking will transfer over to other aspects of life. 

To celebrate World Strider Day, Bode recently built the Strider Rider 1 – Race Edition. For this limited-edition custom-built Strider, Bode chose:

• An aluminum Metallic Maroon 12 Pro Frame and Fork for lightweight and stylish shredding
• An ultra-lightweight ST-R Carbon Wheel Set for extra grip in the dirt and smooth rolling on the pavement (and a whole lotta cool)
• An Aluminum Flat Handlebar (securely attached with a high-performance ST-R Pro Stem Adapter) for a slightly forward and extra aggressive stance
• Blue Classic Grips for some awesome added flare
• A Performance Seat with an extra-long seatpost

Celebrate World Strider Day and Bike Month in style with the limited edition Strider Rider 1 – Race Edition. Plus, save $200 while supplies last!

Price: $759.94 $559.94
Discount automatically applied in cart. Limit one (1) offer per customer.

Add To Cart

The post Celebrate World Strider Day with the Strider Rider 1 – Race Edition appeared first on Strider Balance Bikes.

At surface level, Luke sounds like your typical toddler. In reality, his story goes much deeper.

Prior to his birth, Luke’s parents had no idea he would be born with a tumor. At delivery, it was very obvious. The Adkins family stayed in the NICU for five days before being told the tumor was cancerous and that they would need outpatient follow-up.

“I still get teary-eyed recalling that day,” Grace said. “When Luke was 19 days old, he had his central line placed in his chest and received his first dose of chemotherapy.”

A few months after his birth, Luke had a disarticulation at the elbow. A disarticulation is different from an amputation. An amputation is when medical professionals cut through the bone, and a disarticulation is when the arm is taken apart at the joint. In growing kids, you cannot cut through the bones and must go at the growth plate.

Originally, the plan was to take Luke’s arm at his shoulder. But when Grace and Riley spoke with their medical team, they made the decision to attempt to shrink Luke’s tumor from the elbow joint and save the upper arm.

He had 12 weeks of chemo prior to his surgery and was just shy of four months old when they took the arm after successfully shrinking the tumor down away from the elbow enough. Luke had negative margins after the surgery, meaning they removed all of the cancer cells.

Post surgery, he received 4 more cycles of chemo, which made him terribly sick. Since he was immunocompromised, the Adkins family basically lived in a bubble for the first year of Luke’s life. Through these tough times, Luke and his parents stayed strong.

For the past few months, Luke has had clear scans and remains cancer-free. However, the Adkins family never lets their guard down knowing that there is always a possibility of Luke relapsing.

Grace found out about the Adaptive Strider Program through the Lucky Fin Project. She looked further into the program on Strider’s website and learned that all she would need to do is measure Luke’s “lucky fin” and fill out some information on the attached form. Once that was submitted, the process was slick. Strider’s Fabrication Specialist took the information that she had provided and within a week, a custom, one-of-a-kind bike had arrived at the Adkins’ doorstep for Luke to ride. This bike wasn’t your typical bike though, it was one that would fit him properly and be comfortable to ride.

Luke has just started taking interest in his bike and and his father, Riley, is stoked for the day his son will be able to shred alongside him.

“Riley is big into dirt bikes and motocross,” Grace said. “He races in the SECCA circuit, which are trails through the woods. Race day is an all-day affair, and the very first races are the ‘tadpoles’ which are little toddlers on Strider Bikes! Riley is absolutely beside himself wanting Luke to be able to go race his Strider with the tadpoles!”

Luke will still need to go in for scheduled checkups but as of now, his prognosis is good. The Adkins family is preparing for many happy and active years together!

Strider sees many “tadpole races” in Luke’s future and will be cheering him on every step of the way! Want to follow his journey? Check out @adventuresofluke on Facebook.

The post Luke’s Story appeared first on Strider Balance Bikes.

But let’s be real, polished black isn’t for everyone. In fact, most kiddos have a mind of their own and will want to decorate the heck out of those discs! They’re like a blank canvas just waiting to be painted, drawn on, or dare we even say …. bedazzled.

Your child is a mini-Picasso. So, grab some supplies and let their creative minds run wild. If you’re in need of some inspiration, we’ve come up with a few ideas to get you started.

Stickers

Stickers reflect who we are and are one of the best tools for a DIY craft! They can also be removed as your child’s interests change.

Paint Markers

Painting encourages creativity and imaginative thinking. Give your kids a few paint markers and let them go to town on the discs!

Sharpies

Almost everyone has a permanent marker or two lying around somewhere, grab a couple and draw some cool patterns or pictures on the wheels. It will look epic when they spin.

Not only will decorating the disc wheel covers be an awesome bonding activity, but their bike will have a “personal touch” once it’s all done. Your child is one-of-a-kind so make their wheels just as unique and special as they are!

Be sure to tag @striderbikes on social media so we can see those sick wheels!

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