Ridekick gets in gear with giveaway

FORT COLLINS – Ridekick International has received its first official
shipment of its battery-driven “power trailers” off the production line.
To mark the milestone Wednesday, the company awarded the first of the
units to the lucky winner of a random drawing earlier this spring –
former Fort Collins mayor Ray Martinez.

Martinex had the Ridekick trailer, which can propel a bike 19 miles an
hour for up to 12 miles between charges, attached to his bicycle at the
Rocky Mountain Innosphere in Fort Collins, where the company has its
offices.

“This is the answer to the shopping issue,” Martinez said, referring to
Ridekick’s electric propulsion that minimizes pedaling and exertion and
provides storage space for bike commuters.

Ridekick began a limited rollout of its motorized trailers this May, and
founder and president Mark Wanger said sales so far have been “better
than expected.” Wanger attributed business to Ridekick’s unique product
and the $649 price tag, relatively inexpensive compared with electric
bicycles. The units can be easily attached and released from a bicycle,
and weigh about 40 pounds including the battery.

“We’ve seen nothing like it,” Wanger said, adding that he hopes Ridekick
will emerge as the motorized-bike-trailer leader, citing the example of
Rollerblade among inline skates. He declined to share specific
production or sales numbers.

The company has targeted stores and sales in bike-friendly areas,
including the San Francisco Bay Area and Davis, Calif.; Phoenix and
Tucson, Ariz.; Austin, Texas; and Northern Colorado. Shops and dealers
of both electric and conventional bicycles have contacted Ridekick to
carry its products.

“We get really excited when (Innosphere) companies go to product
launch,´ said Ryan Speir, acting CEO of the Innosphere, which supports
startup clean-energy and technology companies. “It’s a real milestone.”