Balance bikes on MTB trails?

[macbikes]

Was browsing another forum and saw some people mention that kids on balance bikes on trails are an annoying hazard. Is this a commonly held view?

I take my littlest lad on his balance bike to the local trail centre, and I run behind him (I think he's ready for me to cycle behind him now but I usually end up carrying him and the bike up the hill first so don't really want to have to push my bike too...)

Is he an annoying obstacle? We stick to the green trail when it is busy (no blue where we go) and do the orange too when it is quiet. And when I say I run behind him, I mean pretty much full speed on some bits.

Actually thinking about it, there never has been anyone come up behind us, but if there was we would get off the track pretty quickly.

 

[gaz]

As long as usual trail etiquette is followed then I don't see the problem.

 

[Sara_H]

Was browsing another forum and saw some people mention that kids on balance bikes on trails are an annoying hazard. Is this a commonly held view?

Those people are miserable gets and best ignored.

 

[lukesdad]

Those people are miserable gets and best ignored.

Horses for courses and a balance bike on a mtb route is not the right course.

 

[HovR]

Depends on your local trails. The green trails in my area are pretty much all fire road or 'family' oriented trails where young children on all kinds of bikes are encouraged to ride.


On some of my local blue trails however, which tend to be fast flowing single-track, a slow moving user (such as a kid on a balance bike) could possibly be a danger to themselves or other trail users (for example if they were around a fast blind corner).

If there's plenty of visibility and riders can see well ahead on the trails I don't see an issue, as riders will be able to slow down in plenty of time.

 

[macbikes]

Thanks, so a slight mix of opinions. Our green trail is fairly fast flowing singletrack, but with good visibility. I'd say we are probably travelling easily as fast as a (slightly nervous) small child on a pedal bike.

 

[al-fresco]

I think kids on balance bikes are really dangerous - the way they come flying past me on berms - slipstreaming me on the boardwalks - they have no respect! is it too much to expect a warning? Or would that entail taking their lollipops out of their nasty little mouths?

Sorry. Had to get that out of my system.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Was browsing another forum and saw some people mention that kids on balance bikes on trails are an annoying hazard. Is this a commonly held view?

some people regard any other people on any sort of bikes on their trails as an annoying hazard

 

[Sara_H]

some people regard any other people on any sort of bikes on their trails as an annoying hazard

Indeed, some people expect any person, animal or object that delays or inconveniences their day in any way whatsoever to be a major problem.

I'm afraid we're becoming an increasingly intolerant society.

 

[macbikes]

Thank you

Al - I know what you mean. Maybe that's the real reason I don't take my bike too....

 

[Canrider]

Thanks, so a slight mix of opinions. Our green trail is fairly fast flowing singletrack, but with good visibility. I'd say we are probably travelling easily as fast as a (slightly nervous) small child on a pedal bike.

If there are already 'small children on pedal bikes' on your green trail, a balance bike (especially at those speeds) shouldn't make any difference.

 

[macbikes]

The trail centre's website says the green trail "has been built with the very young and the more inexperienced in mind"

 

[Tango]

I would want to do as much as possible to get the young uns out on the trails

If I was out on my local blue route, a kid on a balance bike with dad running behind would slow me down, but I can honestly say that my first thought would be "good on you" and I would make a point of saying hi to the kid to make him feel welcome on the trail

If dad was daft enough to try to drag him round the red route I would not be impressed

Get them kids on the trails is what I say

 

[macbikes]

Thanks that's great to hear. We will stay off the red for now - black would be fine though, right?

 

[Tango]

Maybe a few years from now before the black runs