Reinventing the children’s bike

By Sibylle Dorndorf

The bicycle was a revolutionary product even back in the days of its inventor. He happened to be Karl Freiherr von Drais, Grand Duke of Baden, who renounced his aristocratic title in a newspaper advert in 1849 during the Baden Revolution and henceforth called himself Citizen Karl Drais. In 1817, he invented the first climate-neutral means of transport as an alternative to the horse: the bicycle. In the 19th century, his invention spurred on women’s emancipation and offered all social classes an affordable form of transport. What’s more, the bicycle proved to be a ground-breaking piece of new technology – comparable to the conquest of the now ubiquitous smartphone. Almost anyone could learn to ride a bicycle – and almost everyone did. The possibilities offered by this new means of transport did not just blur the boundaries between the social classes.

75 years of PUKY

The bicycle was seen as symbolising progress, mobility, freedom and the delight of getting out and about. Then as now, it is a beacon of hope, since it’s ideally suited to a future with challenges such as climate change, an obesity epidemic and an ever-growing population that wants to be on the move. The demand for bicycles is increasing across all age groups. Urban planners are prioritising the mobility of cyclists and pedestrians – yet another revolution triggered by the bicycle.

Speaking of revolutions… This year, the town of Wülfrath is looking back on a success story that has defined the company and its products for over seven decades. In 1949, the firm’s founders – Heinz Kuchenbecker, Hermann Schlessmann and Sebastian Neef – came up with the idea for a product that became the epitome of playful locomotion for many children after the war, in the midst of reconstruction: the “balloon scooter”, which has a balloon tyre at the front. This revolutionary invention was just the start. Many classic and innovative products as well as numerous awards bear witness to PUKY’s expertise in manufacturing high-quality and child-friendly vehicles over the last 75 years.

Reinventing the wheel

In PUKY’s view, one has to keep reinventing the wheel if one wishes to keep the company and its products moving forward. For the firm, this means continuously revitalising children’s mobility, as well as the credibility of the brand and the brand promise. This is achieved not only with child-friendly ergonomics and modern product design. It also involves looking at the reality of children’s lives, which has changed radically in recent years. There are many aspects that help to ensure that the children of today can travel in safety.

Tradition meets innovation

PUKY’s anniversary year marks the start of a new brand communication – a milestone for the German family firm. As one of the leading manufacturers of vehicles for children and young people, PUKY has specialised in children’s mobility since its foundation and is now focusing all its energy on this with a new advertising slogan: Puky – Ready for Life. Children should be able to enjoy freedom of movement, in ways that are climate friendly and allow them to be active. To do this, they need the right environment and products that encourage them to move under their own steam – and in keeping with the idea that children should arrive safely wherever they go: to school, to their friends’ place and to the sports field. From an early age, they should learn that it’s fun to get around on foot, by bike or by scooter.

Safety takes top priority

Taking the worry away from parents and giving children more freedom – that’s the aim of the firm’s new approach. The company reflects the challenges faced by young families with children. Both the pleasant and the tempestuous situations of everyday family life are taken into consideration when thinking about what features vehicles for children should have today and in the future and what role PUKY products in particular can play in this context. PUKY – Ready for Life means that the products are designed with real life in mind.

Thanks to PUKY’s wealth of expertise, the products are designed not only to be contemporary, but also to be ergonomically well thought-out. This is evident in the high-contrast new colour combinations and the particularly lightweight aluminium components, to name but a few features. The company’s own test centre guarantees quality standards that go far beyond the minimum legal requirements. The test concept includes tests for the expected service life as well as the impact of improper use. 

Taking the pressure off parents to be perfect

Giving children everything they need to cope with what an eventful life has in store for them is a tall order. It means designing products in such a way that they foster both physical skills and emotional stability and provide children and their parents with proactive support in their everyday lives. This fine balancing act can only be achieved by analysing the genuine moments of everyday family life and incorporating the findings into product development and communication. The aim of taking this approach is to spread and channel the social pressure to be perfect that today’s parents are under onto several shoulders. The success of PUKY’s team proves that the firm is on the right track.

Award-winning performance

In 2023, PUKY was honoured by the European Union for a particularly safe and first-rate children‘s mountain bike. The EU Product Safety Award in Gold for the Eightshot “X-Coady 27-5 MTB” model in the mountain bike category for children aged ten and over received international recognition. 

PUKY was also one of the EUROBIKE AWARD 2024 winners thanks to its new “LS-Pro Flowmatic”. This year, an independent jury at the Eurobike trade fair honoured a total of 45 winners from over 300 submissions. The products underwent a multi-stage selection process that took into account and assessed criteria such as design, degree of innovation, manufacturing quality, sustainability and value for money.

About the author:

Sibylle Dorndorf has been covering the toy industry for almost 30 years. Most recently, the trade journalist was editor-in-chief of the TOYS magazine family at the Göller Verlag publishing house, Baden-Baden, Germany. Her passion: companies that reinvent themselves, brands that position themselves credibly, people who have something to say and products with a future.