Back in the 18th century, our relationship with the Brits wasn’t so hot - the whole American Revolution thing. But today we’ve got a lot to thank the UK for: Maclaren strollers, fax machines, penicillin, steel-ribbed umbrellas (a.k.a. bumbershoots), Burberry and Jude Law, to name a few. Now we’re getting some new hot wheels from across the pond.
Early Rider, already popular in Europe, is a light-weight, learner bike specifically geared toward toddlers and preschoolers. It’s got no pedals. Kids ride it Fred-Flintstone style, walking and jogging along, coasting when they feel like it. The point of the bike is to concentrate on learning to balance; kids can work on gross motor skills and gain self-confidence before throwing in pedaling. These British bikes weigh between seven and 11 pounds. All three versions of the Early Rider are made from Forest Stewardship Council sustainable birch, have an embossed flame and faux leather seat pad. Of course, with a bike this good-looking, Junior will need suitable headgear to match.
That’s when you turn to Nutcase, a Portland-based helmet company. They make a line for kids (toddlers to age 5) called 
Little Nutty. Each helmet is made from an ABS shell and with an EPS shock-absorbing liner. The helmets are one-size-fits-all and have a spin-dial fit system. One of the company’s co-founders was a creative director at Nike. No wonder these helmets have got such great visuals. The newest Little Nutties are Flower Power and Paint Fight (pictured), but you’ll also want to check out the 8 Ball, Dots and Urban Caution designs.
Ride, baby, ride.
Early Riders are available at earlyrider.com, and Little Nutty helmets at nutcasehelmets.com.