Balance Bikes

[Unfit Fifer]

Hi,

Thinking about getting first bike for 3 YO daughter.

Options seem to be traditional with stabilisers or a balance bike. The idea being that she would then progress from the BB straight to a "normal" two wheeled bike and thus no need for stabilisers!

Anyone have any real word experience of either?

 

[Nozzer]

My boy loves his, he is 2.5 and zooms everywhere on it. Well worth it

 

[pshore]

Get the balance bike. You don't have to do a thing to teach them and they love them.

For my first, I tried to teach the traditional way by holding the seat. A huge amount of wasted effort and then she taught herself in one hour on a bike with no pedals and feet flat to the floor (just like a balance bike).

I got my second a balance bike at 2.5 years. He taught himself how to ride and is an excellent rider as a result. The transition to a pedal bike was instant once he was big enough. He still uses the balance bike even though he can ride a pedal bike.

Looking back, stabilisers are a waste of time and are the cause of many a toppling-over accident at dropped kerbs and you spend your whole time worrying if they are going to topple over. Plus, when they get tired, balance bikes are a lot lighter for you to carry.

 

[mark barker]

Another fan of balance bikes here... My youngest 2 took to the bb straight away and were riding with pedals within a couple of days.

 

[PpPete]

Wish I'd hears of balance bikes when mine were young...
Stabilisers are pants

 

[summerdays]

Skip the stabilizers ... I was watching a small kid on his balance bike on my way to pick up mine he was whizzing along on his ... it seemed to have large scooter sized wheels rather than bike wheels ... I wish I had known about it when mine were little.

 

[martynjc1977]

I do wish i had used a balance bike with my lad, I'm sure he would have been cycling far sooner had he used one instead of a small bike and stabilizers.

 

[Muddy Ground]

Balance bike every time - both of our children were riding proper bikes by the time they were three. Now [7 and 5] they tut when they see children with stabilisers fitted.... Just be prepared to run a lot. The wooden ones are tougher than they look.

Stabilisers are for losers!

www.muddyground.blogspot.com

 

[ttcycle]

+1 for balance bikes- A friend's son had one and has progressed onto a standard bike now that he's tall enough. The fun of watching him zoom off when he goes to the park - it's that leg walking motion that is actually quite cute!

Stabilizers are the worst thing in the world for getting a kid to cycle as all the knack of it is learning how to balance and distribute weight on the bike

 

[native son]

My son had like a bike balance bike at 2.5 , bought islabike cnoc 16 at Christmas now he is 4 . Amazed , he was pedaling and using brakes in under 10 minutes. Still take him on the balance bikes too as its so much fun, so they get lots of use from them.

 

[Raistlin]

Couldn't agree more with all the comments above, my lad loved his and when he changed to a "proper" bike he really seemed to be in control from day one - none of that wobbling all over the place you usually see when they start off!

 

[alecstilleyedye]

yep, my 4 year old is on a proper bike after six months on a balance bike. in fairness to him, he would have taken less time had i got the little bike ready for him earlier.

stabilisers have recently gone to the tip (legacy from frustration at trying to teach the two older ones how to ride).

 

[PoweredByVeg]

When our daughter was 3 she started with stabilisers.
Then I took off the stabilisers, removed the cranks/chain so it was in effect a balance bike.
When she got the hang of that then it went bacl together for a normal bike.

 

[lostscot]

another vote for balance bikes here too,our 2yr old has proper one, his sister just had a old bike a friend was bining and we took pedals etc off. They have had so much fun scaring me as they fly down hills! Now just getting eldest a pedal bike and have no worries about her getting the hang of it, unlike her uncle who still strugles to balance on a bike!

 

[Fnaar]

Balance bike every time - both of our children were riding proper bikes by the time they were three. Now [7 and 5] they tut when they see children with stabilisers fitted.... Just be prepared to run a lot. The wooden ones are tougher than they look.

Stabilisers are for losers!

www.muddyground.blogspot.com

Totally different sidetrack: your 'surrey hills' t shirt is excellent! I have friends who live round those parts... they don't cycle, but if they did, I'd get them one. Top stuff!