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by Katja Fischer
The Austrian children's bike specialist Woom is pushing into the living room. Children as young as nine months can roll around and train their balance on the Wow balance bike.
At nappy age, children learn at lightning speed. Sealing, crawling, pulling up, standing up. Why not sit in the saddle right away, says Woom - and presents the Wow balance bike, a vehicle for babies from nine months and 70 centimetres tall.
The mini bike stands on extra-wide wheels, is designed like a stand-up bike and the handlebars always bounce back to the starting position.
This should not only get the little ones used to rolling, but also to the «wobbly» riding experience and develop their sense of balance before they switch to a classic balance bike or bicycle. Hence the name Wow, which stands for «World of Wobble».
In addition to a handy abbreviation and three colours called pop peach, soft sprout and dreamy sky, Woom has come up with even more features for the 2.4-kilogram vehicle. Turned through 90 degrees, the handlebars can be locked into place and the vehicle can be stowed away to save space or transported safely without it swinging into the next best shin.
The ends of the handlebars are padded and not only protect the little ones' hands, but also the parents' oiled oak flooring in the event of a fall. The seat is not height-adjustable, so children have to find the right position by sliding forwards or backwards.
The Wow rolls out of the packaging fully assembled and comes with a plush creature that can be attached to the handlebars for support and protection. This friendly red «Buddy» with four horns (or bumps?) on its head will be a favourite playmate for youngsters and comes with a small adventure book. Parents will probably see the premium price justified by the fact that the Wow is not produced in Asia, but in Portugal.
In addition to the aluminium frame, the Wow is made of up to 98 per cent recycled plastic and, according to the manufacturer, is completely repairable as no glue or other permanent connections have been used. However, repairs shouldn't be necessary any time soon, as the bike has only just gone on sale. At Galaxus, a few examples are currently (= this may change) available via a marketplace supplier.
Although Woom emphasises that it has brought the first self-balancing balance bike for babies and toddlers onto the market, the Austrians are not the only trendy brand to have discovered the little ones as a target group.
Both Woom and Early Rider endeavour to combine quality with lifestyle, which is naturally more important to parents than their toddlers. Anyone who doesn't enjoy premium features and design will probably just shake their head at some of the playful details. The underside of the Woom Wow, for example, reads «Falling is not failing». Funny. But it doesn't help if the child does hit the brakes with its nose.
Simple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
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Show allAlmost 200 francs for a baby vehicle is a sporty price, considering that the offspring won't be travelling with it for long. Woom specifies the maximum age as 36 months and many toddlers prefer to ride with momentum against the furniture. They can also do this with slide mobiles, which only cost a fraction of the price. For parents, the calculation may work out because bikes from luxury brands for children are generally easy to resell. And manufacturers are competing to pick up customers as early as possible.
The English luxury brand Early Rider has made its mark in the same price range with the Velio models: Futuristic fat bikes, chrome-plated or woodsy-pretty, with which the children almost roll on balls and which have a resistance-adjustable «Active Balance Control System». By das Hinterrad the rear ball making a, shall we say ... wobbly evasive movement, the child should stay safely on the little speedsters.