2022 woom Year in Review
As we look back on 2022, it’s a perfect opportunity to celebrate! We love being part of such an amazing community both here at woom and beyond — and it’s all possible because of our Riders, our families, our woomsters, and our supporters.
2022 was one of our best years yet, full of amazing Magic Moments! From hope in the face of tragedy to creating opportunities for change, we have seen inspiring transformations personally and globally this past year.
Your Magic Moments
To get rolling, we want to celebrate the stories of these amazing Riders whose passion for bikes knew no bounds. We love cheering on woom families as they integrate cycling into the everyday. These are the moments that make woom way more than just a bike.
Adventures of all sizes
Here’s the thing about Magic Moments: they come in all shapes and sizes, from everyday rides to cross-country adventures. And all are equally worthy of celebrating.
For the Mawhinney family, riding around Brooklyn is part of their daily routine and a way they bond and connect with each other. The Mawhinneys loved taking on 2022 with the woom NOW, and seeing just how much their Riders rose to the challenge. As David Mawhinney puts it, “Seeing them progress as well . . . it’s incredible for a parent. They surprise themselves, and they surprise you.”
Another woom father, Patrick Lee, echoes that sentiment as he loves spending time with his daughter Elin on her woom bike. “Riding with her, there is that way of grounding me overall,” he says. “You don't have to take it too crazy or seriously.”
Shep Colver blew us all away in 2021 when he completed a cross-country trek with his dad. So it came as no surprise when he took on a whole new journey in 2022 with his mom! This mother-son duo tackled the Oregon Coast for what was mom Liz Colver’s inaugural bike tour. We’re so proud of Shep for not only believing in himself but also for believing in his mom and inspiring her to go the distance too!
And as we closed the year, we all smiled at the Magic Moments YOU shared on social media. More than a toy that will be played with and put aside within days, a woom bike is a catalyst for connecting loved ones, creating adventures, and mastering new skills. It all adds up to a whole lot of joy! To celebrate another wonderful season coming to a close, we shared some of YOUR favorite #woommagicmoments.
The power of movement with Alysia Montaño
2022 was a year of new and exciting things, and for us, that meant introducing our new woom partner: Alysia Montaño! As a celebrated Olympian, Alysia is truly passionate about movement and keeping her family active. With the help of woom bikes, Alysia’s children can keep up with her on her morning runs, turning exercise into a family affair.
Celebrating getting out, getting active, and getting awarded
From Screen-Free Week to Mother’s Day, spring brought many ways to celebrate movement, as so many Riders enjoyed time in the fresh air. “I like to think of movement as a source of life, and it helps me re-frame the importance of creating a way to get the whole family moving when our time seems to merge into the next few days,” says Alysia Montaño.
Heading back to school with woom
This past fall, we loved coming alongside our woom families to shift into the back-to-school mindset with intentionality. We encouraged families to help their kids ride bikes to school where possible, turning a mundane daily drive into something truly special. And as Elliot proved by biking to kindergarten for his first day, using a bike for commuting to school is not just for the bigger kids!
“Confidence on a bike is powerful,” says Elliot’s mom, Katy-Robin Garton. “The belief a child has in themself on a bike can transform an overwhelming and scary experience into a positive one — like your first day of kindergarten.”
Our Magic Moments
What makes a moment especially magical for us at woom is when it brings magic to others who need it. That’s the real goal behind our #woomgives initiatives. It’s not to pat ourselves on the back but rather to give back and help children of all ages and backgrounds discover the possibilities through riding a bike. Here are just a few of our own Magic Moments from 2022:
Rebuilding in Boulder
After wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes in late 2021, Jennifer Henry wanted to do something to help restore hope among the children and families affected. We lent our support alongside Basecamp Collective and helped Jennifer bring 133 woom bikes to the Boulder community in early 2022!
Bringing young Riders to the World’s Premier Cycling Festival
If you’re an avid cyclist, you may have heard of the Life Time Sea Otter Classic presented by Continental, a festival where cyclists from around the world gather in Monterey, California, to celebrate their love of bikes together. This past year, we hosted the woom Kids’ Zone for cyclists age 12 and under to play and ride in their own exclusive corner of the event. With a fully enclosed space full of age-appropriate obstacles and a separate zone for balance bikes and kids learning to ride, we’re proud to have made our favorite cycling event accessible to all ages.
Relaunching the woom SHOWROOM
We have a deep love for our home base in Austin, Texas, and love connecting with local woom Riders and their families! That’s why we were so stoked to relaunch the woom SHOWROOM earlier in 2022, a free event for kiddos to test ride bikes, pick up a new set of wheels, ask questions to a certified cycling instructor, and much, much more.
Educating on sustainability
Given our passion for sustainability and the power of bikes to reduce carbon emissions, we were thrilled to have April Obersteller represent woom at the Austrian embassy this past fall for a special roundtable.
Our commitment to the environment goes beyond inspiring conversations and is woven into the very fabric of what we do. Whether we’re celebrating World Bicycle day, hearing about one of your Magic Moments on social media, or launching a new product, we take care to think of our impact with every single pedal forward.
woom in the Spotlight
woom on The Kelly Clarkson Show
We were beyond excited when Kelly Clarkson herself showcased woom in her 2022 Gift Guide for the Kids segment! Everyone in the audience received a $600 woom gift card and learned how woom’s child-specific design helps kids learn to ride and fall in love with cycling.
Outside Magazine
All of us at woom cheered as Outside Magazine included the woom 2 in its annual list of best kids' gear. The publication recognized the bike is about 40% lighter than most comparably sized kids’ bikes— making it ideal for the littlest learners!
Good Housekeeping
Outside noted how woom’s lightweight design and low geometry make it ideal for kiddos. And Good Housekeeping’s renowned engineers acclaimed woom’s phenomenal construction, highlighting the aluminum frame, the ergonomic handlebar, and the quality tires.
The Wheels We Introduced
It wouldn’t be a true 2022 recap without a roundup of our newest releases at woom this year! We love listening to our riders and their families as we constantly experiment and develop new products to make cycling even better for children around the world.
woom NOW
We’ve said it already, and we’ll say it again: Commuting kiddos are loving the woom NOW! And as if Rider reviews aren’t enough, the woom NOW has swept the awards for its innovative design! Working closely with actual young Riders helping us test and prototype, we are thrilled to have launched this bike designed exclusively for kids and ideal for commuting.
woom ORIGINAL in Power Pink Limited Edition
Completely new bike designs are exciting, but so are new looks on old favorites! This past year, we unleashed the power of pink across all woom ORIGINAL bikes for any child who loves this vibrant, joyful color.
woom 3 AUTOMAGIC
Our revolutionary two-speed kids’ bike features automatic shifting thanks to an internal gear hub. What does that mean for your kiddo? They’ll start off easily in first gear, then once they’re up to speed, the hub will automatically switch to second gear. Experienced young riders who’ve already mastered balancing and pedaling are now ready to level up to higher speeds, all without the need to learn how to shift gears manually!
Riding the Magic into 2023
Pedaling back through the amazing year we’ve had is great, but as all our Riders know, it’s always exciting to dream about rides to come. We couldn’t be more grateful for our woom community. We can’t wait to see what magic 2023 has in store and hope you’ll join us for the ride.