The next chapter for woom

The woom EXPLORE in neon coral, jungle green, magnetic blue and woom red (left–right)

Explore the world with woom

The woom EXPLORE has been developed especially for older kids between the ages of 6 and 14. With an unmistakable design, new high-end components and bold colors, it is the perfect bike for kids to explore the world confidently and independently.

Bringing together all the usual hallmarks of a woom bike, the woom EXPLORE is superlight, high quality and age-appropriate right down to the smallest child-specific detail.

What sets the new model apart?

It's in the updated, ergonomic saddle and grips, the hydraulic disc brakes from Promax, the choice of Schwalbe's Billy Bonkers tires and the bang-up-to-date, sporty frame geometry and design.

On top of that, it also has new shifters that are intuitive and smooth to use. On the woom EXPLORE 4, there's a Shimano twist shifter, while the woom EXPLORE 5 & 6 are specced with a trigger shifter from microSHIFT.

Redesigned from the ground up

The team at woom put three valuable yet intense years of R&D into the woom EXPLORE.

After what felt like non-stop discussions, it was time for some comprehensive market research: What should a 6–14-year-old's perfect bike look like? What are the essential features? What sort of experiences do they want on their bike?

Martin Prähofer, who was part of the development team, recounts what was going through their minds at this point:

"We wanted to develop a bike that would instill a sense of freedom in the rider. A bike that would enable them to explore beyond their neighborhood and go on unforgettable adventures with their friends. A bike that would work in both the town and countryside – one that would expand their horizons, get them excited about being active, and create bonds between like-minded people."

The result is an informed design that's carefully tuned to meet the needs and style aspirations of generation Alpha.

R&D for days (actually, years!)

Designers, engineers, project managers and a long list of bike geeks played a part in the development of the woom EXPLORE.

"Teamwork is essential on a project of this size, which has seen us create three brand-new bikes and bring them to production. You wouldn't be able to see a project like this to completion without all these specialists investing so much for a common goal," explains Martin.

After initial sketches, the team moved on to prototyping.

Here's where you've got to carefully consider every single little detail, and keep refining them until you're absolutely satisfied.

Test rides were a key element during this stage.

Young riders were presented with the woom EXPLORE and tasked with testing it to the max. Their feedback found its way into the development, allowing Martin and the team to confidently create a bike that provides the ultimate in comfort, safety and fun.

New design language

Through certain elements – as one of the main figures behind the design, Matthias Leite-Gürtner, explains – the bike brings across a modern aesthetic and energy.

"We've given the woom EXPLORE a more angular-looking frame and less pronounced kink in the top tube. It's a bike with a more grown-up, sportier look than your younger sibling would be riding, which suits older kids.

We've also adopted what we've internally been calling the "Chrome Delete" approach, which means going for a more black aesthetic with fewer silver, chrome and aluminum bits.

This bike also has more subtle branding.

This design creates space on the frame for kids to apply the sticker set in whichever way they choose. From experience, these are going to be really popular."

When it comes to customizing the woom EXPLORE, the message is clear – The frame is your canvas – and this aspect is integral to the bike's identity. After all, self-expression is all part of growing up.

Four bold colorways

The woom EXPLORE has launched in four fresh colors: in a standout woom red, magnetic blue, neon coral and jungle green.

For Matthias, there's something really special about the new colorways:

"We've gone for a darker look on the woom EXPLORE for the fork and rear end, giving it fully black rims as well. This really enhances the frame's main color.

All four colorways have been given a matte finish, which gives it a really fashionable edge."

To determine the color scheme, woom enlisted the help of internationally renowned color expert Jen Holloway. So, what was the grand ambition for her and the team?

Jen muses on the complexities of picking frame colors: "We looked for colors that not only suit the brand, but also appeal to the target age group." It wasn't as easy as it sounds:

"Selecting colors that will ultimately work on the bike involves a bit of alchemy to get the planned effect. The finish that you give to the frame is really important: the exact amount of paint, the temperature you cure it at, and the material. There's a lot to think about."

Class components for more comfort and safety

The woom EXPLORE is specced with disc brakes from Promax. As Matthias explains, the development team picked these specific brakes for two reasons:

"Firstly, we knew that a lot of children were requesting disc brakes. And secondly, we were convinced by the versatility that disc brakes add to a bike, especially for adding light off-road terrain."

The team also zoomed in on ergonomics during the R&D phase:

"Important ergonomic contact points, like the saddle and grips, were completely redesigned to ensure perfect ergonomics for the rider and increased comfort. For older kids and teens, who may now be riding slightly longer distances, this is really important," Matthias expands.

The emphasis on versatility also led the team towards a specific set of tires:

"The Billy Bonkers tire from Schwalbe is a great all-rounder that not only rolls well on tarmac but also suits light off-road terrain, pump tracks and more. As they're a bit wider, they help to add more comfort, and also look pretty cool in my opinion.

Really, it's the components on this bike that unlock the freedom to explore on all sorts of terrain. That's where the name comes from. For kids and teens that are growing up and gaining independence, the woom EXPLORE is the perfect way to discover the world around them."