What makes the components on our woom ORIGINAL bikes so special Part 2: The Steering Limiter
The specially developed steering limiter is there to prevent crashes caused by over-steering, which can be a common occurrence when kids are getting used to bike handling. In part two of this series, we take a closer look at this often-overlooked component.
The steering limiter on this woom ORIGINAL 3 is designed to prevent crashes.
Designed with a predetermined breaking point but no hard stop
We know the term ‘steering limiter’ may baffle some parents when talking about bikes, so we're going to go back the basics: what is it, what's its purpose, and how's it going to change the experience for your child.
Our steering limiter is one of the top safety features on our woom ORIGINAL bikes.
It's designed with a stretchy rubber band, which creates gentle, flexible resistance leading to a progressive stop when turning the bars to their limit. There are two main benefits to its design:
- If your child crashes and falls onto the bars, the force of their body weight will cause the bars to lay flat on the ground, rather than sticking upright where they could potentially cause injury.
- There's no hard limit. It simply adds some mild resistance that won't put the brakes on your child's sense of freedom. Whether turning left or right, the resistance intensifies gradually to prevent over-turning.
In the event of a significant crash, the elastic band is designed to snap. This is known as its predetermined breaking point. If it does break, then it has done its job and reduced the risk of injury.
The steering limiter is a great asset while your child is learning to ride. Once their steering has been slowed down by the limiter a few times, they'll intuitively begin to steer more moderately and will be less susceptible to over-steering.
“Safety is a really important topic, especially during the learning-to-ride stage. Throughout the development phase of our bikes, we're single-mindedly focused on what kids need to keep them safe.”
What makes up the steering limiter
The steering limiter on our woom ORIGINAL bikes is made up of five pieces:
- At the heart of it is a rubber band sewn into a webbing strap.
- It's attached with bolts onto the fork and frame.
- The washer creates a larger surface area at the frame's fixing point.
The five ingredients of the woom steering limiter: webbing strap, rubber band, washer, two bolts.
The rubber band is attached to the fork with the fork bolt. The webbing strap attaches to the frame with the frame bolt and washer.
Once in place, the steering limiter is effectively a stretchy connecting piece between the immovable frame and the freely moving fork. It can be (dis-)mounted at your discretion.
Which bikes have the steering limiter?
Developed especially for young riders, the smaller-sized woom ORIGINAL bikes come with the steering limiter:
There's no steering limiter on our bigger bikes as we're confident that kids riding the woom ORIGINAL 4 and up will have the necessary handling skills and stability to ride safely without over-turning the handlebars.
Back in action after a crash
It's easy to replace the steering limiter if it gets broken. You'll find substitute bands in our online shop.
Please note the model year of your ORIGINAL bike when purchasing a replacement band.
We made some minor updates to the design of the steering limiter, so any models that have been released post-November 2020 will have a modified version, which is not compatible with earlier bike models.
The latest woom ORIGINAL models are not compatible with this earlier version of our steering limiter.
If you purchased your woom bike from a woom dealer, they will be able to replace the steering limiter providing they have the appropriate piece in stock.
Please contact our customer service team if you're in doubt about which version will be compatible with your child's bike.
