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Hot Read Hot read Dec 18

Kyle Ervin and Family!

 

Kyle Ervin and his family are our Reid riders of the month for December

Kyle, a rep for our US Distributor, Olympic Supply Company and his family have become our Reid Riders for the month for December after we saw some awesome photos of his two boys ripping up a race on their Reid Monster 20″ Fat Bike! We caught up with Kyle to find out more about his family and their love for all things bike…

Introduce yourselves

Hi, I’m Kyle Ervin. My family consists of my wife Jessica and two lovely boys. My oldest Son is Tyler (6 years old) and youngest Son is Ashton (4 years old). We live in Waterford, WI.

This is my 21st year working for Olympic Supply Company in Milwaukee WI. I started as a part-time employee while attending college at UW-Milwaukee. Then, I became full time after graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Management Information Systems. After having my first child, Tyler, I wanted to use the products we sold to see how they really work for kids namely Reid!

When and how did the kids get into bike riding?

We started both kids on pedal free when they were 20 months old. It really worked for their confidence on the bike and learning balance. Both of them started walking with the bike between their legs. Then they would sit and walk and lastly, they would sit and scoot! They absolutely love going up driveways and coming down with their legs up in the air. They then started with pedal bikes when they were in their early 3’s. By then, they only really had to learn how to pedal, but that was achieved pretty quickly being the sons of a bike enthusiast! 

So, why Reid and why the Monster 20″?

Tyler initally had a Reid Ranger 20” from Spring of last year. However, I did a Reid fat bike demo in Spring of this year at the local park and brought Tyler so he could test out and ride the Reid Monster 20” fat bike and show attendees how cool it was to have a fat bike for kids to ride, too. Let’s say, because of his demands, it became his! He did promosie to make his bed every morning and go to bed on time every night to get it. So, he got the satisfaction of earning it. 

So, as we’ve seen above, Tyler and the Monster 20″ have been in a race, how did that come about?

The Bell’s Beer Iceman Cometh Challenge is a 30 mile point-to-point mountain bike race from Kalkaska to Traverse City, Michigan. It is the largest one-day mountain bike race in America. They run 4 races: The Iceman Cometh, the 30 mile race that has amateurs to pro’s riding it, The Slush Cup, which is an 8 mile race for amateurs, and The Sno-Cone, which is has two sizes; a 1.5 mile race that funnels into the main finish and a short ¼ mile short loop for the youngest on pedal free bikes. Spectators bang on the coroplast signs, ring their cowbells, and scream encouragement for these young athletes as they go by. All Sno-Cone entry fees collected are donated to three non-profit organizations supporting youth cycling programs.

This is Tyler’s 4th time riding in the race and Ashton’s 2nd time. Tyler did the shortest the first year and the longer the last 3 years. Last year, he rode it on the Reid Ranger 20”. This year, he rode it on the Reid Monster 20” and loved the added confidence he got from those fat tyres!

So, what do you think of Reid?

There are a couple reasons why I believe the Reid brand is so vital to bike shops in the United States. Mass market retailers that have very inexpensive bikes that are sold with very inexpensive parts. Then there are bike shop quality bikes that are sold at a premium with much better parts. When a consumer does the research and wants that specific brand, it is understandable. Reid gives you and option for a consumer that comes in to purchase just a “bike”.

What do you think of Reid kids bikes then?

Reid kids bikes come in at $150 to $230, whereas other larger brands with the exact same parts adjust a different sticker range from $195 to $290 depending on the size. That 25% is a significant discount to the price tag for a parent! And for me with two boys who love riding and will always be wanting the next size up or the next newest thing, Reid offers me an affordable way to do this.

Finally, what advice would you give to those families who don’t ride together?

I would encourage families to get out and ride bikes for a fun way to be healthy, active and bond together. It has been a great way to explore the area in which we live. We moved to a new city 3 years ago. Exploring different subdivisions on bikes led Tyler to meet one of his best friends. There has been tremendous work done in the Midwest on trail systems over the last 10 years. There is no better way to take advantage of nature than biking down a trail with your family.

 

Got a story to tell, want to be our Reid Rider of the month? Let us know by sending us an email, or simply #reidbikes on Instagram for your chance to be featured.

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