Kids Ride Shotgun

What Kids Ride Shotgun does

Kids Ride Shotgun Limited is a privately held New Zealand designer, producer, and seller of mountain-bike (MTB) products aimed at parents who ride with children aged 0–5 years. Founded in May 2017 in the North Island of New Zealand by Dan Necklen and Tom Hayward after Necklen, an MTB parent, found that no existing child seat allowed him to ride trails with his three sons on a full-suspension bike, the company pioneered the frame-mounted front child bike seat category for modern MTBs and e-MTBs. Its core product platform spans four seat tiers (the Original Shotgun, Shotgun 2.0, Shotgun Pro, and the 2025-launched 2-in-1 Shotgun Pro EVO covering 9 months to 5 years), three matching child-handlebar SKUs, combo bundles, and the Dirt Hero off-road balance bike (12"/14" convertible, with a Magura hydraulic disc brake and child-safe rotor guard). Differentiating technology includes a zero-frame-contact quick-release headset mounting system, adapters for proprietary MTB headsets (Trek Knock Block, Scott Syncros, internal cable routing), and Fidlock childproof magnetic buckles on the EVO harnessed configuration.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model: a Shopify direct-to-consumer storefront ships globally (USA, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, UK, plus broader Europe) with free shipping over $39, 60-day returns, and a 1-year warranty, layered with an international distributor network and a local bike-shop stockist find-a-stockist map, plus a US warehouse in Utah for North American fulfilment. Pricing is unit-based — Original seat $119.99, Shotgun 2.0 $209.99, Shotgun Pro $299.99, Pro EVO $439.00, Dirt Hero from $399.99, and accessories $40–$143 — with combo seat-plus-handlebar bundles capturing $15–$25 of incremental AOV. Marketing is community-led via the FLOW Fund grassroots ride-leader programme, the owned Shred Til Bed Community Facebook group, earned media across major MTB publications, event presence at Sea Otter Classic and Bentonville Bike Fest, and organic social (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest). The company has been grant-funded rather than venture-backed, with five NZ Callaghan Innovation R&D grants (totalling roughly NZ$185K from 2020–2024) and an undisclosed Feb-2019 raise, and operates a tri-continental team across New Zealand (HQ), Tweed Valley Scotland (European office), and North America.

Name

Kids Ride Shotgun

Legal name

Kids Ride Shotgun Limited

Website

https://kidsrideshotgun.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kids Ride Shotgun designs, produces, and sells frame-mounted front child bike seats, off-road balance bikes, and trail accessories that enable MTB parents to ride trails with children aged 0–5 years, selling globally via DTC e-commerce, bike-shop stockists, and international distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's mountain bike seats and family cycling gear

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Motorcycle, Bicycle, and Parts Manufacturing (336991)

SIC

Motorcycles, Bicycles & Parts (3751)

akta.pro primary industry

Kids’ & Family Bike Retail (Youth, Trailers, Seats) (CRAMAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outdoor & Ride-On Toys Retail (CRALAFAC)

Keywords

• Front-mounted child bike seats
• Mountain bike child accessories
• Kids off-road balance bikes
• MTB family cycling gear
• Children's cycling equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Mount Maunganui

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-consumer hardware sales: One-time e-commerce sales of child bike seats, balance bikes, handlebars, helmets, tow ropes, and apparel via kidsrideshotgun.com Shopify storefront, with free shipping over $39 and 60-day returns.
2. Wholesale and distributor hardware sales: Bulk sales to bike shop stockists and international distributors across the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and multiple European countries.
3. Product bundle pricing (seat + handlebars combos): Combo SKUs (Shotgun Combo, 2.0 Combo, Pro Combo) bundle a seat with matching handlebars at a ~$15–$25 discount versus buying separately, driving average order value.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kids Ride Shotgun designs, manufactures and sells a family of front-mounted child bike seats purpose-built for mountain bikes (including e-MTBs and full-suspension models), complemented by matching child handlebars, the Dirt Hero off-road balance bike, the Uplift balance bike carrying backpack, tow ropes, pogies, adapters and kids' apparel. The range covers children aged 9 months to 5 years, allowing parents and toddlers to share off-road trail riding rather than splitting the family up.

Product overview

Kids Ride Shotgun offers a portfolio of mountain bike (MTB) family products designed for parents and kids aged 0–5 years, with the company's tagline "Where the ride starts — from your first ride to a lifetime of adventures." The core platform is the family-MTB riding system, in which a parent rides their full-suspension or e-MTB while a young child rides in a frame-mounted front child seat (Shotgun Seat, Shotgun 2.0 Seat, Shotgun Pro Seat, or the new 2-in-1 Shotgun Pro EVO) and grips their own detachable Shotgun Handlebars (Pro / 2.0 / original). These three seat tiers and three bar tiers are sold individually or as Combo bundles (Shotgun Combo, Shotgun 2.0 Combo, Shotgun Pro Combo). Complementing the parent-mounted seats, Kids Ride Shotgun sells a standalone Dirt Hero Off-Road Balance Bike (12"/14" convertible, with Magura hydraulic disc brake) and the new Uplift Balance Bike Backpack for shuttling balance bikes on hikes. Trail accessories include the MTB Tow Rope (Black/Orange), Quick Fit MTB Tow Rope, Child Hip Pack, Shotgun Pogies, and adapter kits (Shotgun Pro ICR Adapter Kit, Trek Knock Block Adapter, Scott Syncros Adapter). The product line also includes resold third-party safety helmets (ABUS YouDrop Full Face Helmet, MET Hooray MIPS), Shred Til Bed character apparel (Upshift Unicorn, Loose Lion, Dialled Dino windproof kids MTB jerseys), and the Shred Til Bed MTB Animal Alphabet book.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dirt Hero: Dedicated sub-brand for the company's off-road balance bike range for kids aged 2-5 years, including the Dirt Hero 12" and 14" wheel sizes.
• Shred Til Bed

Products and services

• Shotgun Pro EVO 2-in-1 Child Bike Seat Flagship 2-in-1 front-mounted child bike seat for mountain biking that converts from a harnessed bucket seat (kids 9 months to 2 years, 9-15 kg) into the Pro seat (kids 2-5 years, 12-27 kg). Features 15-second quick release, zero frame contact, fully adjustable seat position, Fidlock childproof buckle, 5-point harness, sternum strap, and meets ASTM and EN safety standards. For MTB parents who want to share trail rides with toddlers and pre-pedalling children.
• Shotgun Pro Seat e-MTB-compatible front-mounted child bike seat with zero frame contact and 30-second quick release for kids 2-5 years (27-60 lb). Adjustable leg widths, saddle position and 7 leg length options; fits nearly all modern mountain bikes with 1 1/8" steerers including e-MTBs with wide down tubes. Ships from Utah warehouse.
• Shotgun 2.0 Child Bike Seat Mid-tier front-mounted MTB child seat for kids 2-5 years (27-60 lb) with quick release, adjustable leg width, angle, saddle position and 2 foot peg positions. Fits almost all modern analogue mountain bikes requiring front suspension, with thick rubber padding safe for carbon or alloy frames.
• Shotgun Original Child Bike Seat Entry-level frame-mounted MTB child seat for kids 2-5 years (27-60 lb) with 3-4 minute Allen-key install and removable/swappable fit. Adjustable leg width, angle and saddle position; fits almost all modern analogue mountain bikes with front suspension and is safe for carbon frames.
• Shotgun Pro Child MTB Handlebars Quick-release (15-second) child handlebars that mount to the parent's MTB handlebars, giving kids their own bars to grip. 355 mm wide with custom 19 mm KRS pro grips; fits 31.8 mm and 35 mm handlebar diameters and stems up to 60 mm wide.
• Shotgun 2.0 Child Handlebars Allen-key fitted child handlebars (1-minute install) for the Shotgun 2.0 seat. 250 mm wide with custom 19 mm undersized grips; fits 25.4 mm, 31.8 mm and 35 mm handlebar diameters and stems up to 75 mm wide.
• Shotgun Pro Combo (Seat + Handlebars bundle) Bundles 1× Shotgun Pro Seat + 1× Shotgun Pro Handlebars at a saving versus buying separately. Designed for electric and regular mountain bikes, with zero frame contact and quick-release mounting.
• Shotgun 2.0 Combo (Seat + Handlebars bundle) Bundles 1× Shotgun 2.0 Seat + 1× Shotgun 2.0 Handlebars at a saving versus buying separately. Quick-release frame-mounted seat with 2 foot peg positions and Shotgun 2.0 handlebars with secure Allen-key fitting.
• Shotgun Original Combo (Seat + Handlebars bundle) Bundles the original Shotgun Seat + Shotgun Handlebars at a saving versus buying separately. Allen-key fitting for both seat and bars; fits 25.4 mm, 31.8 mm and 35 mm handlebar diameters and stems up to 75 mm wide.
• Dirt Hero Off-Road Balance Bike Scaled-down enduro-style off-road balance bike for kids aged 2-5 years, convertible between 12" (ages 2-4) and 14" (ages 3-5) wheels. Features AL 6061-T6 frame and fork, Kenda Booster 2.2" pneumatic tyres, KRS custom 19 mm grips, slack MTB geometry, and a Magura Storm MT A2 hydraulic rear disc brake with a child-safe rotor guard. Bike weight 4.4 kg (12") / 4.6 kg (14"). Frame and fork carry a 5-year warranty.
• Uplift Balance Bike Backpack Carrying backpack purpose-built for shuttling balance bikes on hikes. Fits most major balance bike brands and sizes via two adjustable bike mounts with 9 position options; loads in under 30 seconds. Includes rigid load-distribution back panel, 20L detachable cargo bag (10 kg max), hydration system compatibility, and 5 kg max load on the mounting system.
• MTB Tow Rope (Orange) Orange MTB tow rope designed to help parents assist young riders up hills and steep terrain. Lightweight, attaches to the adult's bike and the child's harness or handlebars for assisted climbing on the trail.
• MTB Tow Rope (Black) Black colour variant of the Kids Ride Shotgun MTB tow rope for assisting young riders uphill on mountain bike trails.
• Quick Fit MTB Tow Rope Updated MTB tow rope variant with a quick-fit attachment mechanism for faster connection between parent and child riders on the trail.
• Shotgun Pogies (Kids Handlebar Mittens) Insulated, waterproof (10,000 mm) handlebar mittens for kids 2-5 years with 3M Thinsulate filling and fleece lining. Rigid cuffs stay open for easy access and attach via velcro to any Shotgun handlebars or directly to the parent's MTB handlebars. Not for use with brake or gear levers.
• ABUS YouDrop Full Face Helmet Resold ABUS full-face helmet for kids 18 months and up with removable chin guard, in-mould EPS/PC construction, Zoom Spin dial fit system (48-55 cm head circumference), ponytail-compatible cradle, removable washable pads, Velcro fastening break-away peak, and push-in buckle. Weight 420 g. Available in Velvet Black and Chalk Grey.
• MET Hooray MIPS Kids Helmet Resold MET Hooray MIPS kids helmet featuring MIPS rotational impact protection. Currently sold out on the storefront.
• Upshift Unicorn Windproof Kids MTB Jersey Windproof MTB jersey for kids featuring the Upshift Unicorn Shred Til Bed character, designed to introduce kids to mountain biking apparel.
• Loose Lion Windproof Kids MTB Jersey Windproof MTB jersey for kids featuring the Loose Lion Shred Til Bed character.
• Dialled Dino Windproof Kids MTB Jersey Windproof MTB jersey for kids featuring the Dialled Dino Shred Til Bed character.
• Shred Til Bed: The MTB Animal Alphabet Book MTB-themed alphabet book for kids that introduces mountain biking concepts using animal characters from the Shred Til Bed line.
• Child Hip Pack Hip pack designed for kids riding shotgun, used together with the MTB tow rope to carry small items on the trail.
• Shotgun Pro ICR Adapter Kit Adapter kit that allows the Shotgun Pro seat to fit mountain bikes with internal cable routing (ICR) headsets. Sold as a standalone SKU.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ MTB families have ridden with Shotgun seats
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship technology partner, core accessory partner, core component partner, minor accessory partner, core quality partner, core distribution partner, core community partner, core grassroots gtm partner and core event partner.

• Maguraflagship technology partnerTechnology or IntegrationCo-developed hydraulic disc-brake system for the Dirt Hero off-road balance bike. Features Magura MT A2 / Storm MT A2 caliper, mineral-oil hose, and the world's first child-safe rotor guard. Warranty on third-party Magura parts handled via Kids Ride Shotgun as intermediary.
• ABUScore accessory partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorResells the ABUS YouDrop Full Face Helmet (S, 48–55cm head) as the premium child helmet recommended with the Dirt Hero. Co-marketed with detailed feature breakdowns (removable chin guard, Zoom Spin fit, in-mould construction).
• Kendacore component partnerTechnology or IntegrationSupplies the Kenda Booster 2.2" (12"/14") pneumatic tyres specified for the Dirt Hero off-road balance bike, chosen for grip and cushioning on MTB terrain.
• METminor accessory partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorResells the MET Hooray MIPS kids helmet through the storefront (currently sold out).
• TÜV SÜDcore quality partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndependent third-party quality inspector cited on product pages (e.g., Uplift, Pro EVO) with a dedicated 'Why we choose TÜV SÜD' content page. Underpins the brand's independent-quality-inspections USP.
• International distributors networkcore distribution partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMulti-region wholesale/distributor partnerships managed via a dedicated International Distributors page; secured distribution in key USA, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ and European markets since 2019.
• Shred Til Bed Community (Facebook group)core community partnerOthersOwn-brand Facebook community group of MTB parents used for peer support, sizing/fitment questions and customer word-of-mouth; surfaced repeatedly across product and fitting pages.
• FLOW Fund community leaderscore grassroots gtm partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerReciprocal partnership: selected family-MTB ride-group leaders receive a product budget, marketing amplification and connections to a global network of MTB parents and retailers in exchange for hosting regular inclusive rides on MTB-specific terrain.
• Sea Otter Classic & Bentonville Bike Festcore event partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerExhibitor/event partner at two flagship North American MTB festivals, used for product demos, brand exposure and meet-ups with the family-MTB community.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Thule: Swedish global brand selling child bike seats (including front-mounted variants), bike trailers, and child carriers. Overlaps with Kids Ride Shotgun on front-mounted kids bike seats but Thule's portfolio spans many product categories and its seats are not purpose-built for modern MTB/e-MTB geometries.
• Hamax: Norwegian manufacturer of child bike seats and trailers with decades of safety heritage. Directly competes in the child bike seat category but predominantly in rear-mounted, urban/commuter-style products rather than Kids Ride Shotgun's front-mounted MTB-specific niche.
• Specialized Bicycles: Major US MTB brand including the full-suspension and e-MTB models Kids Ride Shotgun seats are specifically designed to fit. A natural OEM/bike-brand partner and competitor for the parent-cyclist's wallet, though Specialized does not sell child seats itself.
• Trek Bicycle: Major global bike brand including MTB and e-MTB lines that Kids Ride Shotgun explicitly designs adapters for (Trek Knock Block). A potential OEM partnership target and indirect competitor for premium family cycling share-of-wallet.

Direct peers

• Bobike: Dutch child bike seat brand (part of Coolminds) selling both front- and rear-mounted seats. Closest direct peer in product form factor (front-mounted child bike seat), though Bobike's distribution skews European commuter rather than MTB-specific.
• Burley Design: Oregon-based maker of child bike trailers (D'Lite, Encore) and child seats. Competes for the same parent-customer wallet but via tow-behind trailers vs. Kids Ride Shotgun's front-mounted seat, addressing overlapping but distinct use cases.
• Woom Bikes: Austrian premium kids bike brand for ages 1.5-14. Competes most directly with Kids Ride Shotgun's Dirt Hero off-road balance bike in the kids MTB-adjacent segment, and shares a premium, parent-focused DTC brand ethos.
• Strider Sports: US-based pioneer of the kids balance bike category (ages 18 months-5 years). Direct competitor to Dirt Hero in the balance bike category; Strider focuses on paved/light trail riding whereas Dirt Hero targets enduro-style singletrack.
• iBert: US maker of front-mounted child bike seats (including TrueFit and Mini Blossoms). Closest direct competitor on product form (front-mounted child seat) and target customer (parent-cyclist), though iBert's products are positioned more for commuting and casual riding than mountain biking.
• WeeRide: US brand specializing in front-mounted child bike seats (Co-Pilot, Kangaroo models). Competes directly with Kids Ride Shotgun's front-mounted seat lineup but with broader all-bike positioning rather than Kids Ride Shotgun's MTB-specific focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@kidsrideshotgun
• Facebookfacebook.com/KidsRideShotgun
• Instagraminstagram.com/kidsrideshotgun
• TikToktiktok.com/@kidsrideshotgun
• Pinterestpinterest.nz/kidsrideshotgun
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kidsrideshotgun

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kids Ride Shotgun