Kids Balance Bikes

[slippy]

After 3 years on balance bikes, I took my son out for his first pedal bike ride on the weekend. I put helmet, gloves, knee and elbow pads on him in the anticipation of a few stacks. We started on some closely mown lawn for safety's sake.

He wobbled a bit at first and then took off like he'd been doing it all his life. He fell on the grass eventually in a nice controlled way. He then ventured out onto a gravel path and flew down a hill, braking appropriately at the bottom (I got him used to brakes by installing one on his balance bikes). Then he went onto the junior dirt jump track and made it the whole way around. This is 10 minutes into his first ever ride!

No training wheels have ever been under this kid. He had only tried pedalling his new bike on my indoor trainer a couple of times before we went out. Bottom line - balance bikes work!

 

[Dales Cannon]

My two sons didn't have balance bikes, just went to training wheels and then two wheels. Mainly because if balance bikes existed I was ignorant of the fact! #1 spent almost no time on training wheels and I took them off the first weekend when I saw him cornering heavily on one training wheel on the concrete driveway with the main wheel spinning furiously leaving black marks when it actually made contact with the driveway! It's ok, he drives like that now. The only compromise was to leave a 4wd tyre in the yard for him to ride to and from. Otherwise he would just fall off, push the bike back to the tyre and set off again. Once he mastered the getting on and off (like a real person, leg over the seat) he was on the bike much of the time. #2 was more relaxed and it was a struggle to get the training wheels off. Not because he couldn't balance, he could do that just fine, but it was very convenient to ride for a while, stop, look around, ride a bit more etc. Finally I took them off and that was it.

I see these bikes as a great way to start younger and get the basic skills. Good job.

 

[Switch]

What age did everyone start with balance bikes? My little girl has just turned one and took her first steps on the weekend. I know I am being a bit eager as originally was going to wait until she turned 2, but seeing this thread has me keen to get her started.
She will be on skis this ski season even if only for a photo op :Banane49:

 

[No Skid Marks]

What age did everyone start with balance bikes? My little girl has just turned one and took her first steps on the weekend. I know I am being a bit eager as originally was going to wait until she turned 2, but seeing this thread has me keen to get her started.
She will be on skis this ski season even if only for a photo op :Banane49:

My girl was on one of the common plastic yellow and blue $15 trikes before she could walk from advice on here. She could motor on that. I can't get her on the balance bike for more than a meter or two but, and she's 2 and 3 months :-( Seems most others get theirs going before two.
She'll be skiing this year too. I'm going to be very careful to make her have fun and not hate it though.

 

[angrybadger]

What age did everyone start with balance bikes? My little girl has just turned one and took her first steps on the weekend. I know I am being a bit eager as originally was going to wait until she turned 2, but seeing this thread has me keen to get her started.
She will be on skis this ski season even if only for a photo op :Banane49:

My oldest is now 3.5yrs. He didn't have much interest in riding anything until he was about 2 1/4 when we took him to buy a Cruzee. He was speeding around the shop before we'd even paid for it. Could have bought one sooner...
My other son is 13 months. He's been on one of these without the stabilizer wheels since 10 months old: http://earlyrider.com/products/spherovelo. He can't go far, but he doesn't tip over all that often. I tried him on a cruzee last week, but he's still way too short. If he shows interest I'll buy him one when he can put both feet flat on the floor.

 

[slippy]

Playskool balance "trike" at 11 months. Kokua Jumper at around 1 3/4, upsize to Early Rider Alley Runner 14 at 3.

 

[Cyclingbear]

Care to weigh it to settle any disputes.

DK balance bike (hot pink) 3.8kg

 

[takai]

DK balance bike (hot pink) 3.8kg

So extra 500g for the pink colour. But double the Cruzee!

 

[tubby74]

What age did everyone start with balance bikes?

m boy got his cruzee for 2nd birthday present. the way he grabbed it and immediately started racing around in the house he could have been on it earlier if not waiting for birthday

 

[Switch]

My girl was on one of the common plastic yellow and blue $15 trikes before she could walk from advice on here. She could motor on that. I can't get her on the balance bike for more than a meter or two but, and she's 2 and 3 months :-( Seems most others get theirs going before two.
She'll be skiing this year too. I'm going to be very careful to make her have fun and not hate it though.

Thanks everyone for your insight. I am thinking I might have to get a Cruzee and just have it lying around ready for when she decides the time is right. There is no pushing things on kids at this age they will either take to it or not.
As you said Skids, with the skiing it is all about her having fun. I am lucky enough to be within an hours drive of the mountains so happy to take her up and do snow play and throw some skis on her for 10min. The cheapo plastic skis are great for the kids to wear around the house and get used to "big feet" on carpets before adding the challenge of snow.
Now to go find a cruzee and decide on the all important colour choice.

 

[No Skid Marks]

Thanks everyone for your insight. I am thinking I might have to get a Cruzee and just have it lying around ready for when she decides the time is right. There is no pushing things on kids at this age they will either take to it or not.
As you said Skids, with the skiing it is all about her having fun. I am lucky enough to be within an hours drive of the mountains so happy to take her up and do snow play and throw some skis on her for 10min. The cheapo plastic skis are great for the kids to wear around the house and get used to "big feet" on carpets before adding the challenge of snow.
Now to go find a cruzee and decide on the all important colour choice.

Yeah grab a Cruzee(or same thing other branded) for sure.
You got a source for those plastic skis cheap? Been meaning to get some. She could use them on the indoor slippery dip I have rigged up.
Off topic again, but get yourself one of these to.

 

[takai]

I got a Cruzee on floor special when my little man turned 14 months. Thought it would be a little while before he was on it, but later that day he was wobbling around on it. That was about a month after he took his first steps and about a month before he has started relatively confidently walking (now)

 

[No Skid Marks]

double dipped.

 

[Reece_STP2]

I've been sussing these out as well, I think the DK will be my choice. I'm probably a little too excited though as the little guy is just coming up to 12 months old.

Where did you source that bike seat N.S.M? It looks tops!

 

[foxpuppet]

Can't stress more how important the weight is a factor if your considering something "that heavy". My daughters cruzee weighed in at 1.89kg that's light enough to carry her and the bike when she gets bored of it if we are down the street, strips down and I can fit it in a backpack to ride further afield, like down to the local park etc with her on the big bike strapped in a yepp mîni. Also the missus doesn't mind carrying it as the weight is such a non issue.

Just something to consider on top of the ease of use for the kids riding it. The DK is 1/4 to 1/2 an 18 months olds body weight depending on the child.

 

[No Skid Marks]

I've been sussing these out as well, I think the DK will be my choice. I'm probably a little too excited though as the little guy is just coming up to 12 months old. Weight realy is the most important factor IMO too. and mates have told me from theire kids having the choice of heavy ones or light ones they chose the light every time, even if it was a crappier balance bike.

Where did you source that bike seat N.S.M? It looks tops!

Here you go. I think mines a dated one.
http://bobike.com/product/cat/frontseats/

 

[wombat]

I've been sussing these out as well, I think the DK will be my choice. I'm probably a little too excited though as the little guy is just coming up to 12 months old.

Where did you source that bike seat N.S.M? It looks tops!

As cool as the dk looks, its heavy as fuck, and doesn't have the same adjustment in height that you'll get from a strider/cruzee.

1-2y.o. kids aren't breaking wheels and destroying the headset bush things on a regular basis, but they are substantially affected by weight and size.

I think a lot of enthusiast parents get hung up looking at specs and end up buying something they think has a better build, rather than the most appropriate bike.

 

[angrybadger]

Agree with everyone else on the DK weight thing. The DK looks great, but I'd consider it for 3-5 years; littleuns will benefit massively from a lighter bike.

Here's a question for those with kids who have graduated to pedals: Did the balance bike still get used after your kid got the hang of pedaling, or was that the end of it?
There are a few great balance bikes for the 3-5 yr range (14" wheels, brakes, etc) , but a lot of balance bike kids seem to be on pedals from about 3 yrs. Is it worth upgrading a balance bike for a kid who can already ride with pedals to continue riding trails, bmx tracks, skate parks, etc?

 

[DJR]

Once I had mine on pedal bikes they didn't touch the balance bikes. That said they rip around the backyard on them sometimes for fun, I think my son likes the freedom. I wouldn't upgrade it unless they wanted to ride it more, I'm just glad the balance bike was a good steeping stone for mine rather than training wheels.

 

[NUMBER5]

Agree with everyone else on the DK weight thing. The DK looks great, but I'd consider it for 3-5 years; littleuns will benefit massively from a lighter bike.

Here's a question for those with kids who have graduated to pedals: Did the balance bike still get used after your kid got the hang of pedaling, or was that the end of it?
There are a few great balance bikes for the 3-5 yr range (14" wheels, brakes, etc) , but a lot of balance bike kids seem to be on pedals from about 3 yrs. Is it worth upgrading a balance bike for a kid who can already ride with pedals to continue riding trails, bmx tracks, skate parks, etc?

My 4yr old boy's been pedalling since just before 2 and still loves to have a rip on the runner. I think it's cause it's easier for him to do tricks on it, plus he can ride it in the house. He won't take it to the trail, park or BMX track mainly cause it's too slow. That's where the other bikes come in.... Personally, I wouldn't upgrade cause at any moment they could just drop it... My 5yr old daughter barely touches it anymore.