Header: Courtesy of Edan Barzasi
Trysled is a children’s winter balance bike designed by student Edan Barzasi to be used on flat ground, but there’s more to it. When the wheels are turned and the axles are removed, it can be used as a sled. The shape of the wheels, inspired by skis, allows them to glide across snow, making it possible to use the same object in two different ways during a mountain trip.
Inspo and execution
The project’s idea is to keep things simple, especially for families travelling with young children. Instead of needing both a bike and a sled, this single product does the work of both, which saves space and avoids buying extra gear. The wooden frame, made mostly from beech plywood, was chosen not only for its strength but also to reduce the amount of plastic usually found in outdoor toys and winter sports equipment.
The parts were selected to be tough enough for outdoor use, especially in cold weather. The wheels use a plastic that handles low temperatures well, and the tyres are made from a type of rubber known for being weather-resistant. The rest of the frame is a mix of simple and solid wood and metal parts with joints and fasteners designed to last without much maintenance.
Weighing around four and a half kilos, the Trysled is easy to carry and stable enough for young children to use safely. It has three wheels for better balance and can be used on several types of ground, whether it’s a snowy slope, a paved road, or a mountain path. Families are given three colours to choose from, orange, green, and lavender, selected mainly to be easy to spot but also to suit all users.
About the young designer
Edan Barzasi is currently in his third year at L’École de design Nantes Atlantique, France, where he worked on the Trysled with fellow student Apollinaire Viacroze. Their focus was on designing something playful and useful while also thinking about reducing waste and making better use of materials, especially as these kinds of products are often only used for part of the year.
