A Bike Fit for a King!

Avanti recently captured global media attention, thanks to a public relations coup.
John Struthers, founder of Avanti, explained how events unfolded.
“This was the bike we presented to the Duke and Duchess for Prince George at the opening of the Avantidrome,” he said, referring to a new Olympic standard indoor velodrome that has been built just south of Hamilton, NZ.
“It wasn’t our idea. It was actually put forward by the people who owned and managed the Avantidrome, but obviously in my retirement it was a great thrill to be involved with something like this and something really quite special. Just seeing the look of joy on their faces when they opened the box and saw the bike and then later on particularly with Kate seeing the little shirt for little Prince George, she really is a proud mum.
“The whole thing actually absolutely went viral. We had 6.8 million hits on the internet. Del Woodford (NZ cycling commentator) was actually racing up in Belgium at the time. He turned on the TV in his hotel room and who should be there but me giving the bike to the royal couple. It’s been in all the magazines, Hello Magazine in the UK, Woman’s Day and Women’s Weekly in New Zealand.
“It was a fantastic occasion. Just the coincidence of the opening of the Avantidrome and the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Of course Cambridge is the town where the Avantidrome is, so it couldn’t have been a better fit.
“The bike itself is basically the Little Ripper that first came into our stable when my son Kim had little ones. Before he was always focused on the high end road bikes and then of course when the kids started coming along, the Little Ripper, which is the running bike without pedals.
So it is still the basic Little Ripper model, but we had one of New Zealand’s top artists decorate it. The graphics epitomise the New Zealand hills and the rivers. Also it’s a life picture of how people go through highs and lows and of course it’s got the artist’s name on it, Shane Hansen. He’s quite a well-known up and coming New Zealand artist. I think the bike was $200 and the graphics might have been a few thousand, but I’m not sure! (laughs)
“We actually did two bikes and this one here is going to be on display at the Avantidrome. “They took the other one back with them.
“They get a lot of presents and you can never be sure if they’re going to go back or be sold off in New Zealand. One of my son’s friends who was in the diplomatic protection squad was looking after the presents at one stage and the bike was very much a part of what was going back. Hopefully we might get future orders from the Prince as he grows a bit older! (laughs)
“We’ve got eight grandchildren now and the ones that have been through this bike, just to see their first experience of freedom, it’s a fantastic thing and you can’t really get kids on that style of bike quick enough just to give them the independence and freedom.”
Although John says that’s he’s officially retired, he was still on hand for the launch in Australia, meeting dealers and keeping an eye on the direction of the business he founded three decades ago.
“Things are moving along pretty well. Certainly Scott’s gathering a lot of momentum now. It’s good to see Malvern Star too… you know it sort of struggled a little bit over the years without perhaps clear direction. But certainly the range this year is excellent.
“I’m feeling very confident about the year going forward. If only the Aussies would get their lucky concept moving along more strongly. You’ve had so many years of continuous growth and then suddenly the wheels are falling off a little bit. I think it’s just basically confidence. People have got the money. The last thing I saw, their savings rate was well up, but certainly people are feeling better about themselves and better about what’s happening in the world.”