All about bicycles, electric-assisted bikes, technology and safety in the press

In our daily work as we deal with bicycle safety, technology and user manuals we come across lots of safety risks. The most frequent ones are published in articles of the leading German special-interest magazines TOUR – Europas Rennrad-Magazin Nr. 1, BIKE – Das Mountainbike Magazin Europas Nr. 1 and E-Bike – Das Pedelec-Magazin to make this information important for the sector accessible to a wider public.

For many years now the Eurobike Show Daily accompanying the annual international Eurobike Show has given us the opportunity to publish our perspective on major developments in the cycle industry in full-page articles.

We also speak regularly in independent lectures about all topics relating to bicycle technology and bicycle market. In addition, we are regularly cited by further special-interest magazines or trade journals as well as more and more by radio and television and in their media reports, which shows us that we are completely right with our information. The section NEWS informs you about the latest news from our specialist fields. The reports and publications of this section are listed chronologically or according to topics of interest.

MYBIKE 2020/04
Reading time 1:00 minute

SITTING SAFELY

The bike taxi is a trend. But how safe are the child carriers and what makes the systems fit for road traffic?

Kids love cycling as passengers – also as passengers in a child seat. But are the little ones safely placed on and in the seats of the cargo bikes?

Dirk Zedler, bicycle expert and managing director of Zedler-Institut für Fahrradtechnik und -Sicherheit, points out that bicycle safety lies above all in the responsibility of the manufacturers. According to Zedler, the manufacturers are not completely free in their actions: “They have to comply with the specifications of relevant DIN standards.” However, the standards do not provide specific provisions on the design of child transport systems. They only set out protection scenarios and minimum requirements, i.e. the vehicle must not pose a risk for children. The parts have to withstand a strength test and the seat systems must be designed in a way that no limbs can be trapped. Body parts must not get into the spokes and a contact with sharp edges must be avoided. The technical expert refers to one specific requirement: “Child seats must have appropriate restraint systems, at least a three-point belt.”
In any case, the expert recommends to take a close look at the safety aspects: “When purchasing a child seat – preferably from a specialist dealer – make sure that the seat or the transport system complies at least with the DIN standard, or better still, has a test seal, e.g. from the German Association for Technical Inspection (TUEV). Pedelecs, including e-cargo bikes, must have a CE-mark in general.

Graduate engineer Dirk Zedler, bicycle expert
„Serious accidents often happen when loading cargo bikes. Therefore, kids’ transporters need sturdy kickstands.”

Author: Uli Frieß

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