Empowering Youth and Inspiring Play with Ryan McFarland

Ryan McFarland was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2021 for the impact he has had on children, in and out of the classroom and across the world, with his invention of the Strider bike. Ryan has always had an entrepreneurial spirit with a passion for mountain biking and motorsports. His mechanical inclination, and early exposure to entrepreneurship, led him to invent two award-winning U.S. Patents.

“When I was in kindergarten, I’d go to school in the morning and then, my grandma would pick me up; and I would hang out with my grandpa in the race shop in the afternoon. So, I’ve always been surrounded by mechanical things,” shared Ryan, as he reflects on his lifelong connection to racing through multiple generations in his family. 

When Ryan’s first son, Bode, was just two years old, Ryan was eager to have his son join him in adventure sports and the great outdoors. The original bike built for his son evolved through numerous prototypes and was ultimately issued a U.S. Patent. Strider Sports International was established in 2007 with its global headquarters located in Rapid City, SD. McFarland’s company has evolved from his backyard garage in South Dakota to 75+ countries worldwide with sales upwards of 16 million in 2019.

Ryan has taken the initiative to see that every child in America learns how to ride a bike and has created the Strider Education Foundation to develop a kindergarten PE program to help kids learn how to ride bikes in schools. The program has been very successful since its conception in 2017, and Ryan hopes to see it implemented in every school in the United States. 

“Riding a bike is a skill that can serve you your whole life. It provides exercise, and it serves as transportation. It’s really fundamental in life,” stated Ryan as he talked about the focus his organization has had to reach the most kids at the youngest age possible, with the goal to create positive change. 

To learn more about Ryan McFarland, you can visit his Legacy page on our website, here. Watch his full Legacy interview below.