Iron Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design · 2022
Choppy Wooden Balance Bike for Kids
- A' Design Award 2022 Iron Winner in Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design
- Awarded April 15, 2022
- CLIENT: STUM Inc.
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 21,783
- Verification code 42178E7344 · Verify this award
About Choppy Wooden Balance Bike for Kids
Made for kids up to 4 years of age, Choppy has an innovative and handsome design. The pedal-less bike can be assembled as a construction game or building blocks without using any tools. Seat and handlebars can be easily adjusted to the height of the young rider. The springy seat is specially designed to protect the child's back. The ultra-light bike doesn't have the standard metal bearings nor even a single screw. The bike can be dismantled, packed neatly in the compact box, and stored in the car's trunk or even the back seat.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Choppy has an innovative and handsome design and is made for kids up to 4 years of age. It can be assembled as a construction game or building blocks without using any tools. Seat and handlebars can be easily adjusted to the height of the young rider. The springy bike seat protects the child’s back. The bike doesn’t have the standard metal bearings and not even a single screw, making it ultra-light. The inside of the box can be removed and used as a board game.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Choppy: 750 mm x 350 mm x 460-470 mm
Choppy box: 590 mm x 40 mm x 490 mm - Tags
- Choppy, bike, Choppybike, lightweight, children, wooden, balance, plywood, Latvia, sustainability, toddlers
- Production Technology
- Balance bike Choppy is the second product of an enthusiastic and friendly design and engineering team. After the success of our first balance bike - the award-winning Brum Brum Bike - we took up the challenge to make our next bike lighter, more nature-friendly, comfortable, and better suited for kids up to 4 years of age.
We worked on the Choppy design for several years. We involved the RTU Design Factory innovation workshop in creating several prototypes until we found the ideal design and functionality. Several experienced Latvian manufacturers participated in finding the best materials, developing technical solutions, and creating the perfect packaging.
Choppy is awesome, from the tops of its handle-bars down to the rubber on its wheels. In other words - from design to materials and even up to its packaging!
The balance bike is made out of Latvian-produced veneered birch plywood. In Latvia, ancient woodworking traditions intertwine with modern and innovative solutions. The country also produces premium quality birch plywood that is used in most of Choppy’s components. The bike doesn’t have the standard metal bearings and not even a single screw.
We were striving to make the kid’s balance bike as nature-friendly and sustainable as possible. That’s why the primary material of Choppy is wood — veneered birch plywood. Choppy is 100% manufactured in Latvia to avoid unsustainable long-distance transportation of materials. In addition to wood, the bike’s construction features different polymer composites and very little metal.
The packaging box is made out of FSC certified cardboard and put together without glue. It’s durable and designed for long-term storage and transportation of the Choppy bike. The box can be used together or separately with its inlet with an adventure track printed on it. - Design Challenge
- We were striving to make the kid’s balance bike as nature-friendly and sustainable as possible. That’s why the primary material of Choppy is wood — veneered birch plywood. Choppy is 100% manufactured in Latvia (one of the greenest countries in Europe) to avoid unsustainable long-distance transportation of materials. Premium quality Latvian birch plywood makes up two-thirds of Choppy’s components. In addition to wood, the bike’s construction features different polymer composites and very little metal.
Choppy’s packaging deserves a special mention - the box doubles as a board game having an inlet with an adventure track printed on it. It’s made out of FSC-certified cardboard and put together without glue. The packaging is durable and designed for long-term storage and transportation of the Choppy bike. - Project Duration
- The project started in May 2016 and finished in September 2021 in Riga, Latvia.
- Operation Flow
- The balance bike features an innovative design without a single screw. Any adult can assemble the Choppy bike and adjust its height without using any tools. Moms will enjoy how easy it is to put the bike together, while dads or big brothers will find the assembly simpler than putting together Ikea furniture.
Choppy is a great travel buddy, too, because it’s so handy to bring along on any family trip. The bike can be dismantled, packed neatly in the compact box, and stored in the car’s trunk or even the back seat. When you arrive at your destination, you can quickly assemble it and ride into new adventures. - Research
- For Choppy’s designer and engineer team, this balance bike was the logical next step after their previous project - the Brum Brum Bike that received several awards for its appealing design and original packaging.
After Brum Brum Bike’s success, designers continued experimenting with different technical aspects, e.g., making the bike lighter. They wanted to create an innovative balance bike that could be adjusted to the height of very young children. Finally, they wondered if it was possible to create a sustainable product and one that could be assembled without tools. So, Choppy was born, embodying all these ideas and so much more.
We worked on the Choppy design for several years. We involved the RTU Design Factory innovation workshop in creating several prototypes until we found the ideal design and functionality. Several experienced Latvian manufacturers participated in finding the best materials, developing technical solutions, and creating the perfect packaging. - Inspiration
- For Choppy’s designer and engineer team, this balance bike was the logical next step after their previous project - the Brum Brum Bike that received several awards for its appealing design and original packaging. Finally, they wondered if it was possible to create a sustainable product and one that could be assembled without tools. The packaging box is made out of FSC certified cardboard and put together without glue.
- Patents
- EUPIO No 003703305-0001
Colors of Choppy Wooden Balance Bike for Kids
Design Interview about Choppy Wooden Balance Bike for Kids
Balance bike Choppy is the second product of an enthusiastic and friendly design and engineering team. After the success of our first balance bike - the award-winning Brum Brum Bike - we took up the challenge of making our next bike lighter, more nature-friendly, comfortable, and better suited for kids up to 4 years of age.
To build this bike as eco-friendly as possible. Less metal (no metal screws or bearings), tool-less assembling and 2nd life for packaging.
We are now approaching the point when Choppy will begin commercial production and set off to conquer the world.
First sketches came out in 2017. Industrial prototyping ended just in 2021.
We just had an idea to create a balance bike for kids without any screws and it all began by itself.
All parts are produced, packed and sent out by outsource companies. We have a back office to manage it.
We have huge knowledge of how to design and produce a wooden balance bike for kids and this was the next step with better solutions.
Predecessor wooden balance bikes for kids and some unrealistic design concepts from several designers.
Choppy is the perfect first bike for 1-4 year-olds. Main customers are parents who care about sustainability and are eco-friendly minded.
Choppy is probably the lightest wooden balance bike for kids in the world. It can be assembled as a construction game or building blocks without using any tools. Its packaging box has a board game printed on it, making Choppy even more fun.
It looks like chopper motorcycle on lowest position of assembly for the smallest drivers. We made the word "Chopper" more playful.
Everything happens in my head and I use paper or software just to understand, if it works or not.
The balance bike features an innovative design without a single screw. Any adult can assemble the Choppy bike and adjust its height without using any tools.
We worked together with Riga Technical University Science and Innovation Center on prototyping and best material research. Industrial prototyping happened in factories where we are producing the bike - Daiļrade koks (wood), Rumba-V (plastic) and Stora Enso (packaging).
Knowledge about plywood bending techologies and possibility of machines being able to cut out very precise details had a big role. Special type of polymers helped use plastic bearings instead of metal and made tubeless tires of wheels.
We collected all the measurements and weights of our friends toddlers to calculate the correct shape of bike.
Industrial prototyping. Every single change took months. There are big machines with big forms that you need disassemble, change shape of the form and then assemble. Then try again.
We had many awards with our first product - Brum Brum bike. Submission of Choppy bike to the competition was logical.
Design studio STUM was born during this process. Now we have a place to design, prototype and have fun.