Benji Miller found it tricky to use his smartphone while riding his bike. The 15-year-old just wanted to listen to music on his way to school.

The Santa Monica teen noticed other cyclists struggling to steer with one hand and hold their smartphones with the other. So he created a bike mount with a speaker attached into that can hold an iPhone. Bikers wouldn’t have to carry their phones to listen to them while riding.

That was two years ago. Since then, he made a prototype and is now fundraising on Kickstarter. He launched his company, Allo, this month. He’s also getting help from his dad – a partner at an L.A. accelerator.

“I wanted to create something that would allow people to easily and safely use all the functions of their smartphone on their handlebars,” Miller said.

He has raised more than $13,000 of the $24,500 he needs to produce the Allo bike speaker. A small group of private investors paid for the prototype, Miller said, but he declined to state how much.

The company was founded two years ago and has a staff of two that includes his father, Ron, chief executive at West L.A. law firm Disability Group Inc. and a partner at Westwood tech accelerator StartEngine.

The Allo is made to hold the latest iPhone model, which slides into the case from the top. It clips onto the handlebars and is powered by two AA batteries. Benji Miller plans a retail price of $49.99.

– Subrina Hudson