My boys are turning three soon, and I guess it is time for balance bikes. I know Strider is the bike brand, but surely there are other alternatives.
Thoughts?
You can buy a bike the same size as the striders with hand brakes and either remove the cranks or remove the pedals and zip-tie the cranks to the chainstay so they can move to pedalling when they are ready.
You can buy a bike the same size as the striders with hand brakes and either remove the cranks or remove the pedals and zip-tie the cranks to the chainstay so they can move to pedalling when they are ready.
This
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http://islabikes.com/us/index.html
Isla bikes are fantastic. We have a strider, and it worked, but we found this on amazon when our guy was 2ish and were very happy with it.
http://www.amazon.com/...els/sim/B0041RQGVU/2
The above Isla bikes are amazing little bikes for kids. A friend has their Rothan and their child loves it. When our eldest guy was ready for a pedal bike, we bought a 12 inch specialized. It was a mistake, as it was pretty heavy and he probably would have fit on a isla cnoc 16", which we purchased within a couple months of the specialized. The isla bike is amazing, when your guys are ready to pedal. It has allowed my son to climb hills, get used to a hand or foot brake and he loves it! Resale value is very high, too. Also, a 12 inch bike goes really slow, even at high cadence. A 16 inch is much better for learning, I feel. He’s done many 4 to 8 mike bike rides, often divided in half by a playground or park somewhere.
http://www.twowheelingtots.com/...d-hotrock-12-review/ This article is a fantastic read!!
My boys are turning three soon, and I guess it is time for balance bikes. I know Strider is the bike brand, but surely there are other alternatives.
Thoughts?
https://www.canyon.com/...gory=Z10&id=7693
Based on the Bikes Below.
http://store.likeabikeusa.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=main&Store_Code=L&Category_Code=BIKES
We got a Strider and no complaints. If I were to do it again, I’d definitely get the Isla. My sons first pedal bike is an Isla and we love it. Totally a brand that deserves cyclists’ support.
My boys are turning three soon, and I guess it is time for balance bikes. I know Strider is the bike brand, but surely there are other alternatives.
Thoughts?
Bought my daughter a strider bike for her 3rd birthday and she used it the whole summer and loved it. She got really good at it too. Early the next summer she was coasting down our whole street and doing tight turns in the driveway. Later that summer she got on a pedal bike for the first time. Her 6 year old cousin held the seat, took two steps and she rode off, never to use the strider again. That is ok because it went to the next kiddo. There is no way she would have had the ability to just ride off on her first try without first being so good on her strider. I think all kids should start on a pedal-less bike. Our strider has held up pretty well considering it gets dropped all the time when they are done riding. Striders work, just as I am sure other pedal-less bikes do too. I bought a strider because it was way cheaper than the Specialized version.
Started with a Chillafish when the little one was sub 1. We migrated to Strider (super light one) which he likes a lot. We tried the specialized with pedals off but it is just so heavy so hasn’t had much use.
This is ST, don’t make a decision without seeing some tunnel data on the bikes.
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Has anyone done any wind tunnel testing? Is the Strider or the Isla faster to the mailbox and back?
Over here in the UK we have a brand called B’Twin who produce a balance bike called the Run Ride. It’s almost a quarter the price of a Strider/Isla. We have friends with these and I honestly can’t tell the difference. They come from a chain of stores called Decathlon. I don’t know if these are available outside the UK, but I’d heartily recommend.
A QR clamp on the seat post is a feature I would recommend, I’m always tweaking the saddle height to account for my daughter’s growing legs!
Balance bikes are one of those things that I just don’t understand. It’s a product that was designed to take your money when there is a perfectly good option already available, i.e. a regular bike. Just remove the pedals and your good to go. It’s how I taught all three of my kids to ride without any issues. Let them mess around on it for a few days in the driveway. Once they are having fun take them to a small hill (driveway works if it’s steep) and let them start getting some speed rolling down. Once they’ve got that down throw the pedals on and let tell them to coast down but not pedal. Once they do that a few times tell them to try pedaling. Two of my kids were riding in just one session, the other took 2 sessions. So simple.
Balance bikes are one of those things that I just don’t understand. It’s a product that was designed to take your money when there is a perfectly good option already available, i.e. a regular bike. Just remove the pedals and your good to go. It’s how I taught all three of my kids to ride without any issues. Let them mess around on it for a few days in the driveway. Once they are having fun take them to a small hill (driveway works if it’s steep) and let them start getting some speed rolling down. Once they’ve got that down throw the pedals on and let tell them to coast down but not pedal. Once they do that a few times tell them to try pedaling. Two of my kids were riding in just one session, the other took 2 sessions. So simple.
Balance bikes are a fraction of the weight, many 7 or 8 pounds and the step over height is exceptionally low, much lower than any 12 inch bike. If you have a toddler that wants to start very young, such as age 2, it’s the only real option.
This is ST, don’t make a decision without seeing some tunnel data on the bikes.
LMAO. Right. you need a white-paper
On the subject, would appreciate advice from any parents of kids who have already got them up and riding
Our eldest daughter has just turned 4. She’s pretty tall and strong for her age, but not that adventurous and is quite slow to learn new physical skills. She’s got a 3 wheel scooter which she is now very confident on and which is great for family walks as she can go pretty fast. She’s also got a bike with stabilizers but it’s been pretty slow going - she’s fine with brakes and steering, only just got the hang of pedalling full circles in the last few months, but is still pretty slow (slower than the scooter) and heavily reliant on the stabilizers, doesn’t seem anywhere near ready to take them off. Was thinking the best plan was to just leave it until the spring when she’s a bit older, and then try taking off the cranks and doing some freewheeling on a gentle grassy slope or something. Any tips? Don’t want to push her before she’s ready.
Younger daughter is complete opposite. Doesn’t turn 2 until January, is also very tall for her age, but completely gung ho and fearless with it. Already tries going on her sister’s scooter and can push herself along and steer on smooth surfaces. Climbs up everything, leaps off things, goes on her sisters bike (she can’t reach the pedals), gets on my rowing machine and tries to row (can do it well enough to register a split, but definitely needs work…), throws herself into swimming pools regardless of whether anyone is there to catch her, etc. Was thinking she is already ready to try a balance bike out? Looked at the Islas but was concerned about whether she would grow out of it too fast - minimum height for their 2 year old bike is 88cm, she’s already 100cm which is big enough for their 3 year old bikes.
Bought a Specialized Hotwalk for my son. LBS has a trade up program for kids bikes, so when he’s ready to move up we get credit for the balance bike toward a pedal bike.
I started my boy on a balance bike when he was 2. I am hoping it translates well to a real bike.
Kickster
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Just be sure their seat is not too high.
(poor things they just fall over if you do)
We went with the Kazam, been very happy with it. LBS has a trade up program.
We started him when he was two. He’s almost four now. Rough going for a while, but he’s crazy good on it now. Can do circles around other kids. And is possibly THE least coordinated kid in the world.
He has always refused to use anything with pedals. Even before he got going on the balance bike. He just sits there. Laziness or defiance, or both.