Thule Chariot Cab 2
Bike trailers tested: not a recommendation from Stiftung Warentest
25/7/2024
Translation: machine translated
Parents driving their child around in a bike trailer is now commonplace. But how safe are children in such trailers anyway? Stiftung Warentest presents sobering results in this regard.
Product tests for consumers usually contain purchase recommendations based on objective criteria. The current bike trailer test by Stiftung Warentest is a completely different story. The sad conclusion:
We cannot recommend any of the bike trailers tested. All of them are inadequate - due to safety defects, harmful substances or both.
Oops, what's going on? Let's take a closer look.
The test
Stiftung Warentest scrutinised ten bike trailers - seven two-seaters and three single-seaters. The test criteria were divided into five categories: Driving and pushing, handling, child-friendly design, safety and durability and harmful substances. The latter category in particular was a big hit for the trailers tested. According to Stiftung Warentest, nine models are defective because they contain harmful substances, some of which exceed the permitted limit.
The pollutants
The majority of the harmful substances found in the bike trailers are perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS), a group of chemicals that are difficult to break down. If PFAS are released into the environment, they pose a potential risk to human health, as the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office states
There is no direct health risk for children in the bike trailers due to the PFAS, but:
... the substances accumulate in the environment and can return to humans via food.
In addition to PFAS, Stiftung Warentest also detected other problematic substances in the bicycle trailers in the laboratory: Naphthalene, which is suspected to be carcinogenic. Benzo(ghi)perylene, which has a mutagenic effect, at least in animal tests. Pthalates, which also damage the thyroid gland in animal tests. Or chlorinated paraffins, which are believed to cause cancer.
The safety
Apart from the fact that all parents want a bike trailer that is free of harmful substances for their child, it has to be at least one thing: safe. Stiftung Warentest doesn't have good news here either, as four of the ten models tested failed the safety test. In the event of a 180-degree rollover, they offer too little space between the child's head and the surface on which they are travelling. This can lead to serious head injuries in the event of an accident.
These models fail in terms of both safety and pollutants
One of the four models that failed is aggravated by the fact that the drawbar broke during the endurance test. In the endurance test, loads are simulated that act on the connecting parts to the bike, for example when starting off and braking or when riding on cobblestones.
Safety defects and drawbar breakage - this bike trailer also receives an "unsatisfactory"
The reactions
Stiftung Warentest has confronted the suppliers of bike trailers with the test results. The reactions were mixed. Croozer, for example, wants to fundamentally revise the two trailers and replace them with successor models for the coming season. Hamax, on the other hand, cannot comprehend the results of Stiftung Warentest, as its own tests have not revealed any abnormalities. Hamax assumes that its trailers comply with the legal requirements and will therefore continue to offer them.
The disillusionment
Stiftung Warentest is disappointed with the results of its bike trailer test. A terrible result, they say. And it's also a shame:
Our test results also confirm that the trailers are usually quickly coupled to the bike and are also easy to drive and can be used as a buggy without any problems. However, this is not enough for a good overall rating.
An alternative to the bike trailer is the child seat for the bike. ADAC and TCS recently tested 16 models. Spoiler: The test results are much better than for bike trailers.
Header image: Stiftung Warentest
I'm a full-blooded dad and husband, part-time nerd and chicken farmer, cat tamer and animal lover. I would like to know everything and yet I know nothing. I know even less, but I learn something new every day. What I am good at is dealing with words, spoken and written. And I get to prove that here.