A Safer Sedan Chair, Not an Ejector Seat
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Why shouldn't transporting children in a cargo bike be possible at the same level of safety as in a car? This is exactly what the designers of our Ca Go FS200 Life Family asked themselves – and, in developing it, they created a dedicated child seat for the EPP safety passenger cell.
Ergonomic child seat
In the Ca Go safety concept, the developers placed particular emphasis on raising occupant protection for the smallest passengers to a new level. To this end, Ca Go has developed an ergonomic child seat based on the requirements of child seats in the automotive sector. It offers the best possible protection along with plenty of comfort.
This integrated child seat is fitted with a five-point safety harness system and height-adjustable headrests. The well-padded harness and headrest can be individually adjusted to the child's size – growing with the child, so to speak, as the little passengers get bigger. The headrests are made from a comfortable mesh material, which further enhances comfort. They also work effectively against recoil forces and prevent hyperextension of the sensitive cervical spine. This means they fulfil the same function as headrests in a car, albeit for lower speeds.
Patented child seat mounting
For maximum stability, the child seats are firmly attached to the frame of the FS200, with the option of one or two seats side by side. This special child seat mounting is unique within the bicycle segment and has since even been patented. And when the seat isn't needed, the seat surface can simply be folded up – creating more space in the cargo box for shopping or other items.
The padded seat surface features progressive suspension via several spring elements, so that even long journeys remain comfortable for the little passengers. Uneven ground and vibrations are efficiently filtered out, road shocks are absorbed, and the back is protected – which is particularly important for passengers who are still growing. A patent has also already been filed for this new development.
Another safety feature is the box's particularly high shoulder line, ensuring that children's arms or other limbs cannot protrude outward. Inside the box, there are also integrated armrests, allowing for comfortable seating in the child seat. An optional safety collar (Ortho-Safety-Collar) not only provides added comfort but also protects against potential lateral forces. This applies equally in situations where the bike simply tips over, or comes to rest on its side following an accident – which is, in fact, usually the case!
Outstanding crash test results
Just how safe the Ca Go FS200 really is, is demonstrated by a 2022 crash test carried out by Basler Versicherung, which Ca Go had the independent expert firm Steinacker recreate through the CTS crash test service (Münster). This test simulated a rear-end collision at 25 km/h.
Child seats are of particular importance in this context, as they must both provide secure support and absorb impact energy. Here, Ca Go is so far the only manufacturer to have created, with its five-point harness system and height-adjustable headrests, conditions based on the requirements of child seats in the automotive sector. Combined with the Ortho-Safety-Collar, the forces acting on children's bodies in the event of a crash can be significantly reduced.
The test series found that a rear-end collision with a stationary vehicle at 25 km/h, involving a Ca Go FS200, results in only minimal acceleration of the head, meaning children are exposed to only a low risk of injury.
Side impact was tested too
The developers at Ca Go also carried out tests at CTS for side impacts, as well as for the bike tipping over from a standstill. Both of these everyday-relevant scenarios again showed low acceleration values for both the head and the body. Across all test setups, the child seat's restraint systems held reliably, and the headrests together with the Ortho-Safety-Collar successfully prevented hyperextension of the neck.
Independent expert Dr Ing. Tobias Steinacker, a recognised authority who serves as a publicly appointed and sworn expert for road traffic accidents, explained the good results as follows: he stated that the safety concept of the Ca Go FS200 had thoroughly convinced him following the crash tests carried out, with the Ortho-Safety-Collar – reminiscent of motorsport design – standing out in particular as an excellently implemented idea for enhancing the passive safety of the children being transported.
Emergency braking with fatal consequences
As a general rule, children in cargo bikes should always be strapped in, as even emergency braking can have fatal consequences. This is clearly illustrated by a further crash test carried out by the Landesverkehrswacht NRW (State Road Safety Council of North Rhine-Westphalia) in 2023. In this test, a dummy was placed in a cargo bike once strapped in and once unstrapped, and subjected to emergency braking from 25 km/h.
"The result is unambiguous," explains Jörg Weinrich of the Landesverkehrswacht NRW. With a proper harness system in place, he notes, the child only moves forward slightly. As soon as the dummy was left unstrapped, however, it was thrown clear of the transport box – and, according to Weinrich, every single time it landed directly on its head.
Conclusion
In summary, transporting children in a cargo bike can indeed be achieved at a similar level of safety to a car, provided the bike is designed accordingly. Of course, it must be taken into account that considerably higher speeds are reached in a car. With the FS Life's EPP passenger cell and its sophisticated child seats, Ca Go has taken the right approach here. However, the developers have no intention of resting on these favourable comparative results, and will continue working on both passive and active safety concepts…
Here, once again, are the key features of the Ca Go child seat
- EPP volume components with aluminium substructure
- 5-point safety harness firmly mounted to the frame
- height-adjustable headrest for optimal fit
- safety harness adjustable to the size of the child
- padded cushioning
- shock-sprung, foldable seat surface
- padded covers removable and washable
- polyester rain cover
- two child seats can be fitted side by side
- set includes: 1 child seat, mounting accessories
- dimensions (L x W x H): 32 x 26 x 61 cm
- weight: 2.55 kg
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