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With the Pre rCarbon children's balance bike made from recycled carbon material, Giant wants to both promote young talent and show that lightweight bikes made from carbon fibre do not have to be an environmental sin. The service life of small balance bikes for children in particular is only a few years. The Giant Pre rCarbon is made from recycled materials to ensure that the lightweight high-tech material is not destined for the bin from a sustainability perspective. The small 12-inch bike is 2.5 kilos light and 599 euros expensive. But does it work in practice? We had the chance to test the Giant children's balance bike in detail.
Giant Pre rCarbon in detail
- Area of application: Children's balance bike
- Wheel size: 12"
- Weight: 2.5 kg
- Frame material: Carbon
- Price: 599 Euro >> available here
- Age recommendation: 1.5-5 years
- Special features: high proportion of recycled materials
50 per cent less CO2 emissions
The Giant Pre rCarbon consists almost entirely of the patented rCarbon material. Giant has developed a process in which carbon fibres can be recycled in longer strands. A new type of resin formula and a 3D melting mixture enable high pressure with low void formation. According to Giant, the material achieves the same strength and weight as virgin fibre carbon, but reduces CO2 emissions by more than 50 percent. The frame, fork, seat post and wheels of the Pre rCarbon are made from this recycled carbon. The three-spoke construction of the wheels contributes to a low weight. The 1.75 inch wide pneumatic tyres are designed to work on different surfaces. Low-resistance hubs promise little energy loss with sufficient stability for bumpy paths. In addition to carbon, other recycled materials are used on the Giant Pre rCarbon. The grips are made from rTPR, a recycled thermoplastic rubber. This is obtained from waste and is said to offer comparable elasticity, wear resistance and chemical resistance to the original material. According to Giant, rTPR saves over 11 per cent of carbon emissions.
The saddle of the Giant Pre rCarbon uses so-called rPP, recycled polypropylene. Giant obtains this thermoplastic from everyday products and industrial products. The material promises high strength and heat resistance with over 20 per cent less CO2 emissions. Protective pads on the handlebars and stem are made from rEVA, recycled ethylene vinyl acetate. This flexible plastic normally ends up in landfill. Giant washes, shreds and heats the waste to produce rEVA. The process is said to save 20 per cent of carbon emissions. Even the tyre carcass uses recycled material. Seawastex nylon is made from plastics salvaged from the sea. According to the manufacturer, the material undercuts the CO2 footprint of virgin fibres by more than 11 per cent. At the same time, it is said to contribute to the reduction of plastic waste in the oceans without compromising on weather resistance and strength.
How the children's balance bike made of carbon fibre rides
Recycled materials and reduced CO2 emissions in production are all well and good, but does the Giant Pre rCarbon children's balance bike give families more than just a clear conscience? The use of carbon and a high degree of system integration saves weight. The handlebars and stem, saddle and seatpost as well as the wheels are made from one-piece constructions. At 2.5 kilos, the children's bike undoubtedly weighs very little. However, there are even lighter aluminium wheels of the same size weighing less than two kilos, although these usually use solid rubber tyres instead of pneumatic tyres. An average two-year-old weighs 11.5 kilos. In terms of weight, the 2.5-kilo Giant is equivalent to a 17.4-kilo bike for an 80-kilo adult. In other words, the Giant Pre rCarbon is light (other bikes can weigh just under four kilos), but it is by no means the lightest children's bike on the market.
Exemplary handling
The light weight and the steep steering position of the Giant Pre rCarbon make handling easier, especially for small children, for example when cornering. The Taiwanese have paid attention to child-friendly geometry during development. A low centre of gravity makes handling easier and the frame shape puts children in a forward-oriented pushing position. The young BIKE tester coped well with the thin grips and the small saddle. Overall, the handling of the Giant Pre rCarbon was convincing in the test. The only limitation: the seat post is quite long ex works. Our two-year-old tester sometimes got stuck on stones or the kerb with the tube sticking out at the bottom. Parents may therefore have to reach for a saw and shorten it.
Good durability
The Giant Pre rCarbon was not spared in the BIKE test. It was a reliable companion for our little test rider in everyday life and on various camping trips. Whether it was the footpath to the nearest playground or the trail to the swimming area: the carbon wheel always had to go with us. As we all know, children are not always gentle with their equipment and the Giant Pre rCarbon had to be used as a toy every day, even in the depths of winter. Nevertheless, there were no complaints about its durability during the test period. Although recycled carbon is not considered to be equally resilient, there were no problems thanks to the many one-piece components and robust design. It seems that children's bikes are a logical area of application for recycled carbon material. However, families have to reckon with visual signs of wear on the matt black surface.
Do children need carbon fibre?
The Giant Pre rCarbon was hotly debated on the playground and among family friends. At 599 euros, the carbon bike is not necessarily cheap. Parents can find comparably lightweight aluminium bikes on the second-hand market from around 50 euros. However, a look at the direct competition puts the price into perspective: the Specialized Hotwalk Carbon once cost 950 euros, but has since been withdrawn from the German market. The Van Nicholas Ventus Jr. with its elegant titanium frame and carbon rims costs 999 euros. In the end, such bikes remain a gimmick. They delight children and adults alike, introduce the next generation to high-quality materials and can be passed down from generation to generation. For most families, the price cannot be justified rationally - sustainability or not.
Conclusion
It's impressive how much development work Giant has put into a children's balance bike. The Pre rCarbon* proves that children's bikes can be the right place for recycled carbon and keeps the ecological footprint comparatively small. The balance bike provides kids with a great basis for cycling socialisation. Unfortunately, the still high price is likely to put many families off. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
Jan Timmermann
Editor
