Check the Strider Facebook and Instagram pages for photos of the Lincoln race! The Lincoln CBS TV affiliate, 1010 News, covered the event with this piece: Strider Bike Racing Returns. The Lincoln Journal-Star also came out and wrote the article: Big Win for a Small Boy: Strider Cup Special Needs Race Empowers Children. They also posted images at Photos: Strider Cup Race.

 

Tour de France of Toddler Racing Features Strider Bikes in Lincoln

Governor Pete Ricketts Declares Kids Bike & Smile Day

Mayor Chris Beutler Declares Youth Cycling Day

Rapid City, SD (June 10, 2017) — Strider Sports, the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of children’s no-pedal balance bikes, welcomed future Tour de France riders to the Strider Cup Race Presented by Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers today at Tower Square in Lincoln. In honor of the event, Governor Pete Ricketts declared June 10 Kids Bike & Smile Day, and Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler has declared it Youth Cycling Day.

The Wall Street Journal article, Welcome to the Tour de France of Toddler Racing, recently shared, “Training wheels have been disrupted. Today, more children than ever are learning on balance bikes … The concept is simple: The more a child rides a balance bike, the more comfortable he or she becomes on two wheels.”

Since 2007, Strider Balance Bikes have trumped tricycles as the best way to teach toddlers to ride. Strider Sports is celebrating 10 years in business and over 1.6 million Strider Bikes sold in more than 75 countries.

Toddlers, some still in diapers, strode along the 600-foot plus course over and around obstacles at the Strider Cup Race. The youngest registrant was Roman Hirt from Junction, KS, at just 18 months old. He’s been on his Strider Bike for just a month and grinned throughout the entire race.

Today’s race was the third of three events in the national Strider Cup racing series. Most of the 172 registrants came from across Nebraska, but racers traveled from Canada and over nine states, including Texas and Florida.

Siblings 3-year-old Ezra and 4-year-old Madelyn Sherman raced their hearts out. Madelyn recently transitioned to a pedal bike without using training wheels. Their mother, Becky, said the event was well-organized and fun, adding, “cycling is a wonderful sport for families. Starting on a Strider Bike is not scary or intimidating. Both Ezra and Madelyn wake up in the morning and want to ride. We get out a few times every day, and it’s good for me too!”

All racers were treated to a celebratory podium award ceremony after their main race, where they received either a trophy or a medal and posed for the cheering crowd. The event included races for 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds, as well as riders with special needs. Strider donated bikes to Easterday Recreation Center for area children with disabilities to participate in the Special Needs Races.

Rhett Elkins from Lincoln sped his way to the top of the 2-year-old class, one of the largest fields of the day. In the 3-year-old class, Case Dubbelde of Rapid City captured the number one spot on the podium. Drake “Silas” Franklin of Lincoln came in first among the 4-year-old racers. In the final race of the day, 5-year-old Brecken Yingling, who traveled from Topeka, KS, took home first place in his class.

The first two 2017 Strider Cup races were held May 6 in Fort Worth, Texas and May 27 in Pittsburgh, PA. Participating in any of these events automatically qualifies the rider for the Strider Cup World Championship, July 21-22 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Strider event page, https://striderbikes.ca/events has more information on all of the races.

About Raising Cane’s & Southern Hospitality Ventures

The Lincoln and Grand Island franchise—Southern Hospitality Ventures—was opened in 2006 by Justin and Jennifer Jones, who moved to Nebraska from Louisiana. Since opening their first location, they have set out to make a change in their community by becoming active community leaders with programs such as this one. Since 2006, the franchise has given back over $1.4 million to the communities in which their restaurants are located.

Raising Cane’s has One Love—chicken fingers—and focuses its menu offering on fresh, made-to-order chicken fingers paired with their homemade Cane’s sauce, grilled Texas toast, creamy coleslaw, and crinkle-cut French fries. facebook.com/CanesNebraska or twitter.com/CanesLincoln

About Strider Sports International, Inc.

Strider Sports designs efficient, no-pedal balance bikes for children age 18 months – 5, and for older riders with balance and coordination challenges. Strider’s mission is to simplify a bike, so proper size and weight combine to eliminate fear of riding and instill confidence. Strider Bikes allow riders to learn balance, leaning and steering; thus eliminating the need for tricycles or training wheels. Founded in 2007 in Rapid City, S.D., Strider has sold over 1.6 million bikes and is distributed in over 75 countries. It has donated over $850,000 through its Rider Fund. Visit www.StriderBikes.com, Facebook or Instagram.