Test: The first children's bike is simple: It has to be safe and stable and nothing else, and also available spontaneously. With ZEG's large dealer network, Bulls has an advantage here - but the Bulls Tokee Lite 16 is good in other respects as well.
Anyone who is already looking forward to teaching their offspring how to ride a bike while pushing the pram will unfortunately be disappointed: Nowadays, the little ones do it all by themselves. At least if the parents do everything right, let their child ride a balance bike from around the second birthday and don't get the idea that anything can be accelerated with training wheels. So it goes to daycare on a balance bike in the morning, and if everything goes according to plan, around the age of four, the child will grab an older friend’s little bike that’s parked in front of daycare, and think about everything that has happened so far about riding it learned from vehicles (balancing on a balance bike, pedaling on tricycles and kettcars) - and just starts cycling.
Now a bike has to be found very quickly. You buy your first bike based on the situation and not for an occasion - i.e. when it is needed, not for your next birthday. It's a good thing that ZEG has such a dense dealer network, because it's usually not far to the next Bulls Tokee Lite 16. At just under 300 euros, the entry-level bike is not exactly a bargain, but given the long service life in the family and the high resale value, the purchase is still worthwhile. Above all, it offers everything that is needed for the first kilometers and years on the bike.
First of all, this is a suitable frame geometry. With a short 21 cm seat tube, the Tokee is tailored to small pilots; the saddle can be set so low that the child can place both feet flat on the ground. At the same time, there is enough leeway so that a new bike is not immediately necessary in the event of a growth spurt. The little Bulls is also available in two frame shapes - both with a low standover height, although the diamond frame version shown here is suitable for slightly larger children. Of course, it is also important to have a child-friendly posture – upright so that the little cyclists can see as much as possible of what is happening around them. This is implemented in an exemplary manner on the Tokee Lite.
Safety is also a top priority on the small bike. Pinch protectors on the handlebar grips prevent injuries if the child falls or rides too close to a wall; however, an impact protector on the stem is missing. The cover of the chain strand is very well solved - a floating chain case prevents children from getting their fingers between the chain and chain wheel or pinion when examining the bike.
The question of the coaster brake repeatedly leads to discussions and was answered with "No" by the Bulls product planners. If you consider that larger balance bikes are equipped with a handbrake, this is the right decision - the little ones have already learned this way of stopping. Of course, Bulls installs compact children's brake handles that are easy to grip and, together with the V-brakes, offer safe operation. Add to that grippy tires and a bell (which still needs to be retrofitted to the test bike), and the useful bike for first-time cyclists is ready. A circuit is just as unnecessary as a lighting system, after all, it’s all about the basics of bike control, which you should practice with as few distractions as possible. For this reason, mudguards and luggage racks are not allowed; the practical parking stand, on the other hand, makes sense, as it teaches careful handling of the bicycle.
So the Bulls Tokee Lite 16 is a safe bet for the first few months and years on the bike, maybe followed at some point by the larger 18-inch model or the 20-inch model, which looks much more mature with derailleur gears. But first of all, the joy of having learned to ride a bike - for the child as well as for the parents, even if they were not necessarily actively involved...
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