warning
Wheels at Warentest – a concentrated chemical attack on the little ones
Balance bikes are fun for children, but the manufacturers cannot get the chemical problem under control (symbol picture)
© Romrodinka / Getty Images
Balance bikes help children approach traffic in a playful way. And they are a lot of fun for the little ones. But unfortunately, harmful chemicals spoil the joy of exercise.
Ten out of 13 wheels are defective. Such a bad test result is rare. The reason for the disaster lies in the toxic chemicals that manufacturers mix into the components. An absurdity with balance bikes. They are used by children and are often also in the home. Some bikes also combined the toxic substances with mechanical errors.
There were flame retardants or phthalate plasticizers in the saddle and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the tires. The product testers apply the strict limit values for small children. Rightly so, such chemicals should not be used at all, because they can damage the organism in the long term. There were also problems in the endurance test. Handlebars and forks broke. In short: you should keep your hands off the inadequate candidates.
Little useful on offer
Only two wheels did well in the current test. That PUKY LR Light and the Early Rider Superply Bonsai 12“. Both cost around 170 euros. The Puky LR Light can be used from the age of 2.5 years. The testers judged: “Excellent driving behavior thanks to the large air-filled tires. With a step. Getting on and off is very easy with him.” The assembly is easy, it is the only impeller with a stand in the test. The Early Rider Superply Bonsai 12 “is also good. Here the child has to be a little bigger. The evaluation says: “Rather large balance bike with a curved wooden frame, for many children only usable from 3 years. Really large pneumatic tires, can be ridden very well.”
Old test winners are also recommended
That Bandits & Angels starters came on a satisfactory grade, but costs only 56 euros. There are also good bikes from the previous test from 2018. Parents have a certain selection of models that have been found to be good. Even if the test categories have changed slightly, they are Puky LR 1 for 80 euros, Kettler Speedy 10 “ (64 euros) and BTwin Runride 100 still a recommendation for only 35 euros. Especially since the price gap to the two test winners in 2021 is enormous for at least 170 euros.
Balance bikes are a well-known learning tool for the little ones and playfully promote movement coordination and balance. They also introduce the little ones to the challenge of road traffic a little. In addition to the pure test, the magazine also gives tips for parents.
You can take the whole test for a fee here see.
This article contains so-called affiliate links. Further information are available here.