Balance Bike Information
Make an Important Milestone in you Child's life easy and rewarding! Start them off on a balance Bike!
Learning to ride a pedal bike doesn't have to be scary and intimidating! But for many kids it is... and can take weeks or months to talk kids into giving up the security of their training wheels and start riding like the big kids.
This can all be avoided by starting your child out on a balance bike, also known as a running bike, prebike, or push bike.
These bikes that now come in a variety of sizes have no pedals, sprockets or chains and are propelled by your child walking, running, then gliding on their own with their feet off the ground.
Within a matter of months, a child as young as 2 can master the skills of balance, steering, and coordination, and glide several hundred feet down hill with their feet off the ground.
While children thrive off their new found independence, parents enjoy the convenience of an ultra light bike that is easy to bring to the park or tote around, weighing less than half that of a tricycle and a third of a bike with training wheels.
Buying a balance bike for a child who will learn all the skills they will need to ride a pedal bike will take away the need to ever expose them to training wheels. They will simply not need them.
Most kids who practice on a running bike are capable of riding a pedal bike without training wheels by age 4, and sometimes even sooner.
Learning to ride a pedal free bike gives your child the freedom to learn at their own pace without pressure to learn to balance immediately like on a pedal bike.
Children first start off by walking the bike forward, then when they are ready they transition to sitting and walking, sitting and running, and finally gliding and picking their feet off the ground.
This process can take a day or two or a few months depending on the age and readiness of the child.
However, it is a FUN and EASY process and at the same time teaching your child the skills to seamlessly transition to a pedal bike.
There are now many different models of balance bikes to choose from and it can become confusing to figure out which one would be best for your child.
We plan to provide enough information on this site for you to learn the basics of a balance bike as well as learn about the different models and sizes available. We aim to offer bikes that will fit kids ages 18 months up to adults who never learned to ride or older youth with learning or physical disabilities.
Parents and kids alike have different styles and preferences and that is why you will find metal bikes, wooden bikes, bikes with brakes, footrests, and an assortment of colors and accessories. Which one is perfect for you will depend on the age and ability of your child and what will fit your lifestyle!
You won't go wrong if you follow the general rule of making sure the bike fits your child when it arrives at your door.
Make sure the starting seat height is correct, and if the child is under 3 years old, that the bike is not too heavy or complex. Each review page will go over the specs and recommended age range for that model.
There is a bike out there for each child whether they have just learned to walk, or cruising around after school with their friends!
18 month old on Strider 7 - 9 year old girls on Go Gliders
The joy you will feel when you see your own child in action on a balance bike will ease any questions you may have had about the extra expense of this transitional bike.
Give your child the chance to "ride and shine" and start their biking experience out at a young age on a balance bike!
