Inspired by Chris Small und woom

Auf Spielplätzen und Mountaintrails, in Parks und auf Radwegen: Überall sieht man sie, Kinder auf woom-Bikes, die früher fahren, selbstbewusster lenken und einfach nicht mehr absteigen wollen.

Für Chris Small, Vice President of Innovation beim österreichischen Kinderfahrrad-Hersteller woom, war das der Moment, in dem aus einem Startup eine Global Love Brand geworden war. Im Interview spricht Small über die Designphilosophie hinter dem Erfolg: Warum Dreijährige die ehrlichsten Produkttester sind, weshalb sich gute Fahrräder „schnell anfühlen, auch wenn sie stillstehen“, und wie woom mit selbstbalancierenden Laufrädern bereits Neun-Monate alte Babys aufs Rad bringt.

Looking back at woom’s journey from startup to global player in children’s bikes – was there a pivotal moment where you realized „this is actually working“? What made the difference?

When i see the many kids and families in our local pump tracks, parks, cycle paths and mountain trails – proudly riding earlier in age, with more confidence and not wanting to get off – i knew this was now a global love brand, beyond our product. That joy and independence were proof our design philosophy worked. It wasn’t a marketing milestone, it was a human one.

You’ve managed to create bikes that kids genuinely want to ride, not just bikes parents want to buy. How do you balance the desires of your two customer groups – the decision-makers and the actual users?

We design for kids first – their needs, ergonomics, and emotions drive everything. But we earn parents’ trust with safety, durability, and smart engineering. When both feel understood, that’s the sweet spot.

Walk me through a typical design iteration at woom. Do you test prototypes with kids, and if so – what’s the most surprising piece of feedback you’ve ever received from a young tester?

Every prototype gets tested by kids, the little ones are brutally honest and wonderfully creative. One tester once said: This bike feels fast, even when it’s standing still. That’s when we knew design could feel as powerful as function.

The naming system – GO, EXPLORE, OFF – feels purposeful and action-oriented. Tell me about the philosophy behind this approach. And then there’s „wow“ – quite a departure from the action words. What’s the story there?

Our names mirror the journey of the childhood: GO for the first ride, EXPLORE for discovery, OFF for adventure. Each word is about motion and curiosity. WOW captures the pure wonder of that very first balance moment.

Many parents describe woom bikes as the „coolest bikes on the playground.“ That kind of desirability is hard to engineer. What role does design play in creating this status, and how much of it was intentional versus organic?

We don’t set out to make the coolest bike on a surface level – our bikes are the coolest, because they are the best functioning, safest, most child centric bikes out there. But good design naturally creates desire. The clean lines, colors, and proportions speak a universal design language that kids instinctively love.

The woom wow represents a significant expansion into the youngest age group with its self-balancing technology for babies as young as 9 months. What design challenges did you face in creating a balance bike for this age group, especially considering their developmental stage and safety concerns?

We created a product for kids who can’t even talk yet, so gathering feedback meant observing with all our senses. Every reaction, every movement counted. And we wanted to launch a balance bike that truly balances, we’re the first to do that.

How does your design process evolve as you develop bikes for different age groups – from a 9-month-old using the wow to an 8-year-old on the GO 4? Are there fundamental differences in your approach, or do the same core principles apply throughout?

Our core principles remain the same: lightweight, intuitive, safe, high-quality, and confidence-inspiring. What changes is how we bring them to life: a toddler needs stability, while an 8-year-old craves speed and control. One design philosophy, many expressions.

The kids‘ bike market has become increasingly competitive, with many brands trying to replicate woom’s approach. How does this affect your design decisions? Does it push you to innovate faster, or does it validate your original vision?

Competition keeps us sharp but doesn’t define us. We don’t chase others, we stay obsessed with kids’ needs and simplicity. If others copy, it just means our vision resonated.

Without revealing too much – what excites you most about woom’s product pipeline? And I have to ask: are there plans to expand into adult bikes? Many parents would love to ride the same quality they’ve experienced with their kids‘ bikes.

We’re constantly exploring new ways to empower kids through design – lighter, smarter, more inspiring. E-bikes for kids will be a big focus next year. As for adult bikes, we hear those parents loud and clear. But we’ll always stick to what we do best: making the world’s best kids’ bikes.