A Tesla self-starter: The Balance Bike is sold out immediately
Tesla fans have long wished for an e-bike. Now they get a futuristic balance bike for toddlers that sacrifices safety features for design - and immediately buy out the entire stock.
Ever since Elon Musk hinted at a possible e-bike in a podcast in 2018, his fan base has been waiting for it. Instead, a balance bike for children aged two to five has now appeared on Tesla's website. Priced at 225 dollars, it sold out within a few hours. However, the number of units offered is not known. Currently, interested parties can sign up for the waiting list and hope for a delivery in August. Or they can simply snap it up on the secondary market, as the first bargains are already available on eBay.
True fans don't care that the product information is quite sparse. Not even the weight of the balance bike is given on the website. It only mentions a lightweight magnesium frame that is suitable for children with an inseam length of 35 centimeters or more. Thanks to the saddle, which can be moved up and back in five stages, the balance bike grows with the child – so the offspring can ride around with the brand logo until they reach a height of approximately 1.20 meters or a weight of 35 kilograms.
What falls victim to design
Visually, the mini-bike, as is typical for Tesla, is clean. Despite high-quality materials, some features are missing that are usually found with manufacturers specializing in children's products such as Woom or Puky.
The handlebars, which appear quite bulky for small hands, lack the knobs known as impact protection caps at the ends, which protect fingers from painful scrapes on the nearest wall, prevent lateral slipping, and prevent impalement injuries in the event of a fall. A steering angle limiter, which prevents the handlebars from turning sideways or completely twisting, also appears to be absent – and there is no brake. To get on, children have to swing one leg comparatively high over the silver outer casing.
While most manufacturers opt for rounded shapes, Tesla sticks to the Cybertruck aesthetic: the angular seat surface transitions into an equally angular and wide rear, emblazoned with the brand logo. The black rims with a two-spoke design are minimalist and chic, but Tesla foregoes tires with reflective stripes, which are standard with Woom, for example.
With small 12-inch wheels, angled car valves are helpful to reach them with any pump. On Tesla's Balance Bike, they are straight, but seem to be at least somewhat accessible due to the special design. Also important for parents is the question of how easy such a vehicle is to carry. Other manufacturers come up with solutions, offering models with recessed grips at the center of gravity, carrying straps, or lockable handlebars so that they don't hit the shin when walking.
Tesla remains puristic and markets the balance bike more as a trunk-friendly accessory for the car – the first batch was exclusively unlocked for vehicle owners. The Balance Bike complements the fleet and joins the Cyberquad and Cybertruck for Kids. You can never start too early to bind children to the brand.
Autonomous driving for the little ones – soon with us too?
With the Balance Bike, the little ones can get on and ride autonomously, as far as their balance takes them. Parents are no longer needed as driving assistants. The words «Zero Emissions» are emblazoned on the housing of the balance bike – which is true, apart from perhaps some anxious sweat from the parents.
Whether and when Europeans will also be allowed to race after their Tesla-riding offspring is not yet known. After all, the instructions have already been translated into various languages, and attentive observers point to the existing CE mark. So there's nothing against it. Tesla doesn't have to revolutionize this market. Although Tesla's first bike lacks a motor, software, and innovations, it is still obvious: a self-starter.
Simple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
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