A youth bike brand delivering 21st Century riding expertise and advanced gravity-fed skill progression.
Entry-level bikes cut corners and do not produce the level of progression we want all our riders to experience. We’re here to build better riders, not only better bikes.
Entry level bikes are mass produced, consist of low labour intensity and rely on cheap components to keep costs low. The side effect of this is they often come at a higher price as they reduce function and rider progression.
Why are your bikes so expensive?
Our prices are high because the components required to build a good bike cost a lot. And, a hand-built bike is hugely labour intensive. Our bikes also provide families with a low hassle premium. Field testing is never-ending. We personally create, iterate and field-test our bike range on the Queenstown downhill trails which are our daily inspiration and bike laboratory.
Our design process involves testing the bikes in the real world it is intended for, and as its most avid and demanding gravity-minded customer, I will only accept the best performance levels for our bikes.
What surprises most of your customers?
MeekBoys bikes tend to surpass all expectations of what a kids’ bike is expected to look like and perform like.
What do you think of the trend to put kids on larger wheels sizes faster?
I think it’s a bit of a con. The longer you can keep the kids on a smaller bike, the better their skill progression. Some kids may be faster with rolling speed in races but they won’t gain the same advanced skill level. Kids on big wheels are prone to hitting their backsides on the back wheel while riding on steeper gravity trails as their leg length is too short to reach over the back of the seat. This is often overlooked and it greatly limits the comfort and confidence for kids on technical downhill trails. Putting kids on 27.5 may give them more rolling speed but it robs them of gaining better skill progression and style.
What are you most proud of to date?
We have created and engineered a technologically advanced downhill bike for kids, at a performance-level that no one thought would be possible for many years to come.
Do kids really need full suspension?
The most important aspect of downhill bike technology is the suspension. This applies equally to young riders. The forks and shock are everything. This is at the heart of our bike designs.
Why can’t I simply build up a decent-enough bike from assorted bike parts out there?
We earnestly tried this method for a number of years when our boys were young. Cutting down adult bikes, made the geometry still more suited for adults. The existing kids’ models were far too inferior for the riding ability of the boys. After a series of well-meaning Frankenstein builds we decided enough was enough and designed a model for kids that quenched our technological thirst for creating a proper kids’ downhill bike.
What ingredients make a high-performance bike?
The Meek Boyz brand has been synonymous with high quality since its inception. Quality and a perfect linkage design for small people are paramount. We are all about creating new possibilities for young riders. Kids can now have a magic-carpet ride of their own. The bikes are designed to show respect and concern for experienced young riders and will equally reward new riders.
Is MeekBoyz going to build an enduro bike?
No, except for our 20” which is a multi-purpose design. Unlike downhill, kids can get away with riding an XC bike slightly too big for them in an enduro context and there are enough bikes available on the market to serve this purpose. We are all about kids who want to go hard, fast and big. In this respect, an enduro will never outclass a purpose built downhill rig.
Is downhill a sustainable sport into the future?
Downhill for kids is going in popularity due to the growing plethora of bike parks around the globe. Ski resorts are embracing the new summer chairlift industry that has arisen due to mountain biking. The infrastructure is already in place and families have access to first class resorts and locations to holiday at. Also, purpose-made mountain bike parks are springing up in many countries. The time for downhill adventures has never been more exciting or diverse.
How do I correctly set up the shock for my child?
The bikes are set up with a standard, off-the-shelf shock setting. They haven’t been modified for the bikes and this was one of our main criteria when designing our bikes, to ensure convenience for parents. You simply can use the online FOX shock manual to set up the bike according to your child’s weight.
Do I really need to invest in a big ticket bike for my child?
It is important to compare apples with apples. Our bikes are a pro-model version of a downhill bike. These are not simply a kids’ bike per se. The bikes are painstakingly designed and engineered to propel kids into being skillful, high-performance riders and powerful racers of the future. If your child is hoping to remain in downhill long-term, these are the bikes to accelerate them down this path.
What prompted you to enter and commit to creating a niche business in the cut-throat bike industry?
There was nothing out there for our boys, that could perform to their capabilities. Also, a giant leap of faith that there are like-minded parents out there, that demand the same level of excellence in bike products for kids. We remain true to the cause of providing young riders with high-performance rides.
Is it wise to buy a bike that my child will grow into?
Kids on bikes too big for them, can’t escape that they will need to exert more push to get acceleration and the manhandling effort is increased greatly causing a tendency to go out the front door more often! . A bike that’s a proper fit, or a bit smaller, will improve skill acceleration exponentially. A common misconception of parents is to buy a bike that their child will grow into but that unfortunately has the reverse effect and hinders a child’s skill-set and downhill technique. We kept Rory on his 20’ until he was 10 years old and this has made all the difference.
What do these new high-performance bikes contribute to the youth biking industry?
The creative process and continuation of design innovation is vital to progression in kids’ riding. The innovations we are making are important for the future health of prosperity in the youth biking industry. Because of our small scale we can afford to be innovative and try out new ideas quickly. This is also why our kids’ bikes are a huge technological leap ahead of the mainstream bike companies.
How are we able to sell our bikes at a cheaper prices than the adult equivalent?
Being based in Hong Kong, the epicentre of the bike industry in Taiwan and China, we are uniquely positioned to afford to do more to our bikes for the same amount of money. We do not have to compromise on quality , as we can devote more time to the essentials where the cost is much lower to do so. In comparison Western countries have higher constraints and this can lower the quality and attention to detail that can be afforded. Full pre-checks, alignments, testing and post assembly factors are more streamlined and cost-effective here. We also sell our bikes direct online to the customer which reduces overall cost of a high-ticket pro-performance bike.
What is the biggest obstacle you have encountered?
We have in a way, almost done too good a job on these bikes. It gives kids’ bike companies too much catching up to do and it feels it will take the industry quite some time to take all this in. This mindset applies to parents also who have never had the option before of a full, high-performance downhill bike for their children. This change in mindset takes time.
What key competency defines your bikes?
Big air and jumping acceleration.Our bikes are defined by their ability to do anything in the air. They put the rider in complete charge, giving kids the ability to arc, whip and position the bike at whatever angle or landing plane they chose. Equally as critical, the suspension touches down with an exceptionally plush feel. The bike sucks up the hard landings and helps kids ride out of difficulty.
What is the best age to start riding downhill?
The sooner the better. Age 5 is an optimum time and if they are on a proper high-performance bike, they will accelerate their skill level faster and progress exponentially.
What will my wife say?
We’ll leave that one to you to fill in…..