The preparation for this year’s Svajerløb - Danish Cargo Bike Championships on 17 September, 2011 at Carlsberg is well underway. We’re bustling about at Copenhagenize Consulting to get things up and running together with our collaborators. The races will feature the usual Two Wheeler, Three Wheeler and Team Relay races but we’re adding a Vintage Cargo Bike race, a VIP Race for political parties as well as a Mini Svajerløb for small kids. We’ll be getting the info about the day out shortly.
However, in relation to the last event, the Mini Svajerløb, we have arranged for five mini cargo bikes from the Danish bike brand Winther. They'll be sponsoring the chariots of fire for the kids. You may have seen our earlier post about Early Learning in a Cargo Bike Culture about the many mini bikes and trikes and toys at most Danish schools and daycares.
Winther is a family-owned company founded in 1932 and is a tradition-rich brand in Denmark. They are no strangers to cargo bikes, being the producers of the Winther Kangaroo. We knew they produced the mini bikes for schools and daycares but we were amazed at the vast selection of products they have. We'll be using these Viking Truck models (above) for the Mini Svajerløb. Just like the grown-ups, the kids will do a lap with an empty cargo bay and they load it up - in their case, with a scooter tire and a bundle of Donald Duck magazines - before doing the final lap. The grown-ups don't get off that easy.
They have many lines of products, among them is the Mini Viking range, of which they write:"Mini Viking. For day care facilities and crèches as well as private use. The Mini Viking range is a comprehensive selection of products designed for use in day care facilities and crèches as well as for private use. This range take into particular consideration the kinds of motor skills children have at this age, and are designed to aid their development. The play value is high, and they are ideally suited for children in this age group. Suitable for ages 1-4.
The many different vehicles in this range help develop children’s motor skills at an age when they are busy experimenting with using their own bodies, and finding new ways to move using their bodies. This is why it is important that this range is particularly comprehensive.
"Our goal is to develop trikes and cycles which help to stimulate children's imagination and motor development through games and physical activities. Our purpose is to create the best conditions for healthy, happy and active children. We call our concept "Learning by moving" It begins with the feet – and ends with social intelligence".
Brilliant.
Just one look at their website for this product line is amazing. Not just cargo trikes but a vast selection of bicycle-related vehicles to trigger the imagination of the kids who use them.
- See more Winther products on their website here.
- You can read more about the history of the 'svajere' - the original bike messengers in this post.
- You can read more about the 2009 Svajerløb here.
- You can read more about the 2010 Svajerløb here.
