Test: There are already children's mountain bikes for serious off-road use - but no model is as consistent as the Bulls Tokee Ultra Lite 24 carbon hardtail. The Cologne-based provider does not even use its unique selling proposition to cash in, rather the opposite.
One reason for giving children toys is probably the following: if you let them handle adult objects, they may break them or hurt themselves. Plastic keychains and smartphones are to be understood in this way, as well as one or the other children's bike: Like mum's or dad's mountain bike, it has suspension, disc brakes and a lot of gears - looks great, even if you don't really do much with it.
With the new "Tokee Ultra Lite" models, Bulls stands out from such models, which are already available for less than three-digit amounts, as much as the real car from the Matchbox car. Well, many serious children's mountain bikes do that, but the Cologne-based sports brand has gone one step further: The Tokee Ultra Lite 24 is an all-round top-equipped hardtail for serious off-road use that cannot be compared to anything in its price range - a There are no other carbon bikes for less than 1.000 euros, neither for children nor for adults. They just have to add 700 euros to the price of the Tokee Ultra Lite to be able to ride the cheapest carbon hardtail from Bulls.
This suggests that the innovative children's bike is extremely tightly calculated and is used more for customer acquisition than for sales. Those who have good experiences with a brand early on are more likely to remain loyal to it. And vice versa, bikers who are successful with Bulls will be happy to be able to treat their children to a high-quality bike from their favorite brand.
Equipped like a full-grown mountain bike
So far, so unusual - but what distinguishes the Tokee Ultra Lite 24 from a technical point of view? The frame is not only made of carbon fibers, it also impresses in every detail: The gear cable and brake line are routed completely inside the frame and only emerge at the back of the chainstays; Threaded eyelets for a mudguard are also available, as is a plate in the bottom bracket area, which protects against damage should the chain fall off. The frame geometry with a seat tube that is only 31 cm short is also exemplary – so even smaller children can ride the Bulls easily, and even when the seat post is extended further, the upper body posture is child-friendly.
The set is also tailored to its young users. 1x derailleur gears are now common on MTBs for both adults and children – just one chainring at the front, currently up to twelve sprockets at the back. At the Bulls it's ten; 11-46 teeth and the 29 sprocket result in a rather short gear ratio range that doesn't let the kids down even on steep sections. Disc brakes are of course obligatory, with the hydraulic Tektro HD-M282 with the special brake handles being specially optimized for children's hands. A very good choice is the Suntour air suspension fork with 80 mm travel and locking lever, because it can be sensitively adjusted to the child's body weight, so that it also responds sensitively to light riders. It is also lighter than a steel spring fork, and the complete bike weighs less than twelve kilos for a children's MTB.
Great driving characteristics – thanks to the low weight
When asked about the driving characteristics, children of early primary school age are of course not yet able to express themselves in a differentiated and competent manner; Of course, it can be observed how well they get along with the Bulls: On everyday journeys, the upright sitting position ensures a good overview in traffic; Gears and brakes are easy and safe to use and the low weight ensures easy handling overall. Of course, the actual purpose of the Tokee is sporty off-road use, where riding ability and skill are of course important - if you have that, the light, softly sprung hardtail supports its user optimally on the trail. It's not uncommon for adults to refer to the tools needed to pursue their passion as "toys" - but the Bulls Tokee Ultra Lite 24 definitely doesn't do that.
