Customers who have ordered tests at the Ludwigsburg company in 2012 and want the respective seals for their products, obtain these customized with their brand name and type. Why do we talk about the test seals in the plural? In this respect the "bicycle torture Team" around managing director Dirk Zedler has come up with some good ideas...
Because the new test seal is virtually subdivided in a ranking comprising four categories. According to Zedler, these categories are subdivided as to the requirements of the different safety tests.
A successfully passed EN or basic test is awarded with the seal in grey.
Bronze is issued to customers for fulfilment of the "advanced requirements".
Silver is awarded for "advanced plus tests". This category was introduced to meet higher loads acting on some bicycle types, such as mountain bikes and pedelecs.
Gold is awarded to products which have successfully passed the "multiload test requirements". Referring to this test Zedler states: "Multiload stands for block program tests reflecting reality much clearer than common single-step tests do, e.g. the EN standard." Multiload is already available for handlebars-stems and for seat posts, as both the research and the wealth of experience make such a requirement possible. Zedler continues: "In consideration of the latest research results we are currently working on offering multiload also for forks and frames in the near future".
Text: Jo Beckendorff