Toy World - Yvolve Sports: Irish power

Born in Dublin, Yvolve Sports, famed as the original creators of the Y Fliker, has scooted its way around the globe to become the go-to company for wheeled goods from toddler to teen. In their portfolio, many multi award-winning products stand out, all divided under the umbrella of their three brands: Yvolution - wheeled toys and strollers for toddlers and pre-teens; Neon - light up wheeled toys and electric scooters for tweens and teens; and My Buddy Wheels - balance bikes with a cuddly companion for toddlers. With the mission to create happiness and health through outdoor wheeled toys, Yvolve Sports is shaking the market with their innovative products.

2019 is an exciting year for Yvolve Sports as it sees them launch their exciting new brand, My Buddy Wheels, in an exclusive partnership with Halfords UK. This year also marks Yvolve’s return to direct sales in the UK with a fantastic range of new and refreshed items including an electric scooter available for direct import and domestic purchase from their UK depot.

A step into the land of Unicorns & Rainbows

The newest addition to the Yvolve family is the brand new My Buddy Wheels. Already a hit at the Spielwarenmesse Toy Fair, it was a runner up for the ToyAward 2019.

My Buddy Wheels, developed by Yvolve’s award-winning design team, introduces a lightweight toddler balance bike cleverly disguised by a soft cuddly unicorn, dinosaur or horse buddy, all hailing from the land of Unicorns and Rainbows. The new bike comes with the already multiple proven benefits of a balance bike while introducing a “cuddly friend” that promises to make kids’ dreams come true. Afterall, who didn’t dream of mystical worlds with fantastic animals when they were little? For parents, My Buddy Wheels is also a dream, as the plush is easily removable and machine-washable.

“Climbing on to a mythical unicorn, a cuddly dinosaur or a friendly horse captures a toddler’s imagination like nothing else and will give them the encouragement to learn the fundamental skills needed to begin cycling,'' said Yvolve’s Global Head of Brand & Marketing Orlagh O’Reilly, “They will have so much fun that they won’t realise they are developing important skills like balance, stability and confidence before graduating to a pedal bike.”

It comes as great news that the innovative new toy will hit the shelves at Halfords across the UK in July. With the exclusive Halfords partnership, the My Buddy Wheels’ launch hopes to be a runaway success this summer.

A new and refreshed look for an original

However, not all the focus is on the new magical buddies. Afterall, you never forget your first child. Boasting the title of the original creators of the Y Fliker - the three wheeled, Y shaped scooter that encourages kids to ‘wiggle-wiggle’ wherever they go - Yvolution is Yvolve’s first brand.

Yvolution is thrilled to introduce a refreshed brand direction, evident across their products, packaging and brand new website. The new image promotes the idea of curious, inquisitive and active children that use play and learning to create memories and skills for life. “Our new Yvolution brand statement connects with moms and dads on an emotional level, by telling our stories, how our products are part of the little boys and girls’ daily life, how it helps them grow strong and healthy,” said O’Reilly, “These stories are about unplugging kids from devices and having them exploring the world while developing new abilities, enhancing their skills and most importantly, reassuring how safe our products are.”

One of the main key launches this year is also the refreshed lines of consumer’s favourites. The already well-recognised Y Velo range wheeled out new colours that are sure to please children and parents alike. The new teal colour already appears to be a favorite among audiences. The Y Velo line also brings innovative products, as their Y Velo Junior comes with a unique dual rear wheel design that makes it easier for kids to hold the bike by giving it more stability. Once children master the rear dual wheel, they can level up by removing one, thus creating a new challenge.

Another news is the redesigned Y Velo Flippa, featuring a clever new trike-to-balance-bike folding mechanism and a parent steering handlebar. Parents will simply ‘twist and flip’ - no tools needed - the back wheels to transform this mega trike into a two wheeled balance bike in seconds. The Flippa is one of the most versatile bikes in the market, preparing kids for life on two wheels.

Now under the branch of Yvolution, the award winning Strolly stroller-trikes have a modern and stylish look and feel. Comfortable, safe and practical for toddlers, they are also a fashionable accessory for parents. The strollers are already flying off the shelves in Europe and Australia and are sure to be a hit in the UK this Autumn.

The famous original Y Flikers and Y Gliders also got a makeover, boasting new vibrant colours that are sure to turn heads. Yvolution has been certainly ‘wiggle-wiggling’ their way to the top of their category.

A lit up new direction for an old favourite

The neon lights and sight of eager teens make us turn our heads to the third brand, NEON. Home of the famous NEON Street Rollers, the bright lights of this brand want to shine even further in the market.

Three new products were the focus during the toy fairs this season, each marking a new direction for different segments, all hoping to create a ripple in the market. The new focus ranges from electric to previously untapped categories. Looking to add a new spark to a favourite, NEON is introducing the NEON Ghost in their light up scooter segment. Riding the customization wave, the Ghost provides kids with the ability to customize their rides, much like they do in racing video games. The new scooter comes with controllable lighting, that can be set to constantly change between colours in various speeds or keep to one for as long as they want, thanks to the innovative RGB technology. There are a total of 10 colours that can be set in 3 different modes.

Scooting full speed into the electric market, the brand is also launching the NEON Edge, their first electric scooter. This affordable lightweight e-scooter is targeted at kids aged 7+ and comes with a durable li-ion battery, large LED wheels and an integrated rear hub motor, making it the perfect choice for everyday use. The NEON Edge promises to be the first of many in this electric range with more items to follow in 2020.

For their debut into the stunt scooter segment, NEON is presenting the Neon Tricky later this year. Made to be a perfect entry-level stunt scooter for any beginner, it is targeted at kids ready to start doing scooter tricks. The Tricky is designed for comfort and classic trick scooter use, with 100mm wheels that are specially made for short bursts of speed and a 360 spin handlebar, ideal for stunts. The motion-powered LED lights, a staple of Neon, add an extra flair to the stunts.

All these announcements set the tone for Yvolve Sports going forward. According to Yvolve’s VP & Commercial Director, Padraig Bracken, ‘Our customers are at the core of our brands and we make sure that we listen to their feedback in order to continuously improve our products. Our design team does an amazing job translating these wants and needs into high quality products. With even more developments to come, we are very excited to see what the future holds.’