The Local’s series “Made in Germany” presents the best the country has to offer, including the innovative toddler training bikes by Kokua.
From luxury cars to precision machinery, “Made in Germany” still means quality craftsmanship around the world. But the Teutonic attention to detail goes far beyond engineering. This series will feature a diverse array of products from both well-known German brands and less famous firms. But no matter big or small, all of them are focused on being the best at what they do.
When their son Niklas was two years old, Rolf Mertens and his wife Beatewanted to encourage his love of movement but knew he wasn’t old enough to ride a bicycle. So Mr. Mertens, a trained product designer, set about creating a special wooden vehicle back in 1997. A bicycle without pedals, little Niklas could sit and push with his feet to ride around. “We wanted to test and see if he could keep his balance,” said Mrs. Mertens. “He loved to move all the time, running around, climbing, and we wanted to give him a toy that let him live out this love of movement”.
The test proved more successful than they could have anticipated. “We were absolutely surprised he could manage the balance nearly right away,” said Mrs. Mertens. “He loved it! After a while he only put it down to eat and sleep”.
