Undergraduate
Dave Cleaver
The innovation
After graduating with a degree in Sports Technology from Loughborough University in 2004, Dave Cleaver went on to identify a gap in the market and launch his own venture with an inspired new bicycle design.
Dave has developed a new generation of bikes both for the niche extreme sport of trials biking, an offshoot of mountain biking that involves stunts and hurtling over obstacles, and for street mountain biking, where riders pit their skills against urban steps, ramps or walls.
Dave is developing innovative modular design products using carbon composite/aluminium, which offer enhanced strength and performance over products of welded construction
Support given
Funding was awarded by the Gatsby Foundation specifically to support the design and development of a novel bicycle trials frame. The appointment last summer of a Loughborough University PhD graduate to manage marketing, branding and logistics has enabled Dave to focus on further product innovation and manufacture.
Outcomes
An exceptional first year of activity saw a sales network established through North America, Asia, Australia and Europe. Innovative marketing campaigns (including the most watched YouTube sports video of all time featuring famous Trials Biker Danny MacAskill) has resulted in intense demand for Inspired Bicycles’ current product range. As a result of the supporting expertise of the Institute, complete bikes featuring Dave’s unique design have been on sale since December 2009.