As of: March 13, 2024, 1:05 p.m
By: Nina Dudek
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Opinions differ when it comes to children's e-bikes.
What some people find practical and motivating, others demonize as “laziness”.
What do experts say?
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The most important thing in
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Are e-bikes
allowed for children?
- That's what the legislator says
Assessment of the
ADFC expert
- Interview with Laura Ganswind from the General German Bicycle Club
Modern children's bikes as an
e-bike alternative
- really cool even without a drive
Questions to ask before buying
a children's e-bike - How to make the right decision
Why should you
buy
a children's e-bike?
- Good arguments for electric drives
Which e-bikes for children are
recommended
?
- These Pedelecs for children perform well
All chapters
For several years now, a question of faith has been dividing many families: Should we buy our child an e-bike or not?
Does it motivate my child to go on bike rides together or does it make the kids lazy?
We investigated this fundamental question, spoke to an expert and considered various opinions on it.
Are e-bikes
allowed for children?
E-bikes (more precisely Pedelecs) with pedal assistance up to a maximum of 25 km/h are legally considered bicycles.
These models are approved for children aged six and over.
E-bikes with speeds of up to 45 km/h are only permitted from the age of 16, as a driving license is required.
Young people can only do this from the age of 15 or 16.
How fast do children ride e-bikes?
Most children's e-bikes have a maximum speed limit of 20 km/h.
This is particularly useful for younger children.
If the children's pedelec has a starting aid, it should be deactivable so that the e-bike does not shoot off uncontrollably.
Assessment by the
ADFC expert
Expert Laura Ganswind told us in an interview how the General German Bicycle Club ADFC feels about e-bikes for children.
What does the ADFC think about the question of whether children should ride an e-bike?
Here a distinction should be made between children and young people.
If we are talking about children, they have to gradually develop their skills on the bike.
The fast acceleration, the completely different driving behavior and the higher weight as well as the technical possibilities of e-bikes can be completely overwhelming, especially for children without much riding experience.
I believe that cycling is fascinating enough for children.
Even without an electric drive.
The ADFC is of the opinion that children should not adapt to their parents, but should take the pace of their offspring into account.
We expressly do not recommend that children simply buy an e-bike so that they can keep up with the pace of their grown-ups.
Nevertheless, you can see more and more children with e-bikes.
How do you explain that?
That's right, you see this more and more often, especially in the mountains.
The ADFC is critical of this development, because the point of a family trip is actually that the parents should adapt to their abilities - and not the other way around.
Of course, the argument that parents don't want to overwhelm is understandable.
But parents should ask carefully whether their child is ready for an e-bike.
Do e-bikes overwhelm children?
The question is actually what age the children are.
If you have young children who can already ride a normal bike safely and the family is planning a real cycling holiday, perhaps even on a mountain bike in the mountains, then there is of course nothing wrong with an e-bike.
What is the recommendation of the General German Bicycle Club?
Buy your child a really good children's bike without a motor and don't skimp on quality.
There are now many sensible children's bikes that, unlike before, are truly lightweight.
The lighter the bike, the easier it is for the children to ride it - and the more fun they have.
And the longer and faster they want to travel.
My son initially had a super heavy bike from his much older cousin.
Even with help, he couldn't drive it.
When we went to the bike shop for advice and he had a modern lightweight bike under his saddle, he took off on the spot.
That totally convinced me at the time.
There are now so many really cool children's bikes, for example with suspension for pump tracks, that a motor is no longer necessary to be well received by young children.
Are there any cases in which you would recommend an e-bike for children?
Yes, if the child has mobility restrictions.
In some cases, a motor-assisted bike can be of great help.
Even if older children and young people are really good at cycling and accompany their parents often and for long periods in the mountains, an electric drive can make such a bike tour more relaxed for everyone.
safety first
Regardless of whether you decide for or against an e-bike, you should always pay attention to safety.
Helmet requirements and roadworthy equipment also apply to e-bikes.
Educate your children about traffic rules and practice safe driving together.
Tip
: One of the best-known manufacturers of protectors and safety equipment is the Endura brand.
The range offers a surprisingly large selection of special safety equipment for children that meets high standards and also looks “really cool”.
Modern children's bikes as an
e-bike alternative
According to the ADFC, it is often not so important whether a bike has a motor, but rather whether the child likes it.
Our editorial team has put together some models with a cool factor for you.
These bikes are lightweight, easy to handle and tailored to the needs of little bikers.
The test winning children's bike from Stiftung Warentest
Puky Skyride 20-3 © Amazon
To the Puky Skyride
The affordable Puky Skyride 20-3 Alu Light is the favorite of Stiftung Warentest.
With a “Very Good” rating for safety and durability, it impressed with the top grade of 2.2 in the test.
ADAC recommendation – Cube Kid 200 Street
Cube Acid 200 Street 2023 © Cube
To the Cube Kid 200
The Cube Kid 200 Street landed just behind the test winner from Puky.
With an overall grade of 2.3 and also “very good” ratings for safety and durability.
It also performs well in terms of price.
Price breaker with test rating “good”
City Bike children's bike D4 Rock © Decathlon;
peshkova/PantherMedia
Surprising: The city bike D4 Rock from the sports discounter Decathlon received the same test rating from Stiftung Warentest as the branded bike from CUBE, a “good” with 2.3.
Price: under €350
To the D4 Rock City Bike
Questions to ask before buying
a children's e-bike
Before you buy an e-bike for your child, ask yourself the following questions:
Do I want to adapt to my child's performance or does my child have to be able to keep up with me?
Would a modern, lightweight children's bike without a motor be a more child-friendly option?
Is my child already safe enough on the road to cope with the demands of an e-bike?
What activities do we plan to do with the e-bike?
Do we often go up steep hills for long periods of time, or do we prefer to ride leisurely, short laps on the flat?
Remember that a children's e-bike is an investment.
Weigh up, advise and decide together – this is how you find the best thing for your child.
Why should you
buy
a children's e-bike?
Parents with an e-bike:
Probably the most important argument in favor of a children's e-bike is that the parents already have one themselves.
Because nothing is more frustrating than seeing mom and dad pedaling away while you have to pedal hard yourself.
More flexible tour planning:
If everything doesn't have to be coordinated with the children, parents and children have much more planning flexibility and ultimately more fun.
Greater range:
In technical jargon, an e-bike for children is known as a so-called range extender.
So a way to expand the radius of the tour.
With support, children can go on longer tours with their parents, significantly extending the time they spend together on the bike.
More personal responsibility:
An e-bike requires more maintenance than a normal children's bike.
The kids learn early on how to take care of the sports equipment and, for example, charge the battery themselves.
Which e-bikes for children are
recommended
?
As soon as parents decide on an e-bike for their child, they come across a wealth of models.
The developers have very different approaches.
On the one hand, there are brands like Ben-E-Bike, Vpace and Orbea that value particularly light bikes.
One example is the Twentyfour-Six from Ben-E-Bike, which, weighing just eleven kilograms, can be handled by even six-year-olds.
On the other hand, large manufacturers such as Bulls, Scott, Bergamont and Giant often rely on adult technology in smaller frames that are not specifically designed for children.
The result is bicycles that weigh around 20 kilograms or more and are too heavy for children.
Especially when it comes to pushing or carrying.
Woom Up 6 – recommendation from Familie.de
Woom Up 5 - 24 inches © Woom
To Whoom Up 5
The magazine familie.de has a clear favorite: the Woom Up 5 with 24 inches and the Woom Up 6 with 26 inches from the well-known Austrian children's bike label Woom.
Both are extremely light e-mountain bikes, equipped with a child-friendly drive system.
Cube Acid 240 Hyprid Rookie – recommended by Focus Mobility
Cube Acid 240 Hybrid Rookie Pro © Cube
To the Cube Acid
This bike integrates a high-quality Bosch drive system from an adult bike into a perfectly proportioned frame for children.
This e-bike chassis for youngsters hits the trails with the same design and technologies as an adult e-mountain bike.
This guarantees a lot of driving fun and a high level of safety at the same time.
Children's e-bike under €2,000 – S'Cool e-troX race 26
S'cool e-troX race 26 9-S children's e-bike © S'cool
Brand new on eBay
This 26 inch e-bike with 9-speed gears is a price-performance winner.
The latest model of S'Cool Hybrid e-bikes is an off-roader with extra wide handlebars and a flat steering angle for more control off-road.
A sensitive Spinner Air suspension fork and the hydraulic Tektro disc brakes ensure driving comfort.
The e-troX hybrid e-bike is a good choice for e-bike oriented families.
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at his own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here