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Skuut/balance bike or regular bike with training wheels?

post #1 of 14
4/19/10 at 10:39am
Thread Starter 
My DS is turning 3 next month. He has two older brothers, 8 and 6, who know how to ride bikes.

The DS who will be 3 does not even know how to ride a tricycle yet, but we are working on that!

For his birthday, I was thinking about getting him one of those Skuut bikes (the ones without any pedals) thinking that would be a way for him to ride bikes with his big brothers.

However, we already have a very small pedal bike. I could just add training wheels, and he could use that once he learned to pedal.

Which would be better?
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post #2 of 14
4/19/10 at 10:48am
You could also take the pedals off the very small bike and use it as a balance bike. Really, the thing to do, imo, is whichever your ds would prefer. Mine liked the training wheels. He wanted to pedal, not scoot and coast. Some people think training wheels prevents kids from learning to balance but that wasn't our experience.

With regards to pedaling, tricycles are very hard to pedal compared to bikes. The pedals are in front of the child rather than under. The rotation is very small so the child has to do very small fluttery motions to pedal. The bike pedals have a bigger radius so the child can actually push with his whole leg in a more natural motion. My ds never pedaled on a tricycle but took right to it on a small bike.
post #3 of 14
4/19/10 at 10:52am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the advice! I never thought about pedaling that way. Maybe I'll let him try the "big boy" bike with pedals and training wheels and see how he does! My other boys seemed to learn how to ride tricycle and big boy bikes all by themselves!
post #4 of 14
4/19/10 at 11:01am
I think a balance bike is a fantastic gift for a three-year-old. Both of mine loved it because they can really fly on them in a way they couldn't on a small bike with training wheels. I swear, watching my kids on balance bikes made ME want one.

-e
post #5 of 14
4/19/10 at 11:25am
If you 3 yo is tall you might want to skip the skuut. It is a great concept, but my kids both outgrew it before they were ready for it.
post #6 of 14
4/19/10 at 11:30am
we gave a skuut to our 3 yo nephew and the relatives are amazed at how he can balance and coast while his 7 yo bro still has training wheels. they think it's his natural talent but we know it's the skuut.
post #7 of 14
4/19/10 at 8:14pm
I am a BIG balance bike fan. It is amazing to see my little guy weave in and out, back and forth, over and around obstacles. It might not be the right choice for every child, but it was for mine. I am so glad I didn't give into the pressure by family that it was a silly gift.
post #8 of 14
4/19/10 at 8:20pm
Another vote for taking off the pedals of the bike you already have if he's tall enough for it.
post #9 of 14
4/19/10 at 8:21pm
I just ordered a weebike from walmart for 30 bucks... my dd will be 3 at the end of July, she can pedal a tricycle(but its old and falling apart..)so I was in the same dilemma.. i figured for 30 bucks she can enjoy the balance bike, as well as the old tricycle, until her b-day, then i'll decide whats next..

I'm excited for the balance bike cuz it'll be new and different..
post #10 of 14
4/19/10 at 8:31pm
Many of the kids around here have been learning quickly on bikes with the pedals removed. It was passed along to us through the Bike NYC method: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Y_9cZLoyQ

Then you can put the pedals back on the bike and continue to use it regularly once they get the hang of it.
post #11 of 14
4/19/10 at 9:24pm
My son got a balance bike at three. He never had a tricycle or pedal bike. He actually doesn't know how to pedal, but he can ride this balance bike all the way down a hill - balancing! I love it. I think that pedaling will be easy for him, it's the balance part and confidence in biking that he is building right now. When he grows out of this bike in a year or two, we will move him right into a regular bike!

Go for the balance bike!
post #12 of 14
4/19/10 at 9:37pm
Take the pedals off the bike you have a crate your own balance bike. MY DS LOVES his balance bike & even at 4.5 has a lot of use with it. In fact, when I take him to the skate board park, the older kids (age 6-8) always ask to try it out. DS can pedal & balance on a regular bike, but he can go faster with his balance bike, so he still chooses to use it. DD is almost 7, never had balance bike & is still finding it tough to ride a bike w/o training wheels.
post #13 of 14
4/19/10 at 9:48pm
I bought a small bike at a garage sale this weekend for $3. It is kind of beat up! We took the pedals off and my ds is almost 4 will be ready for the pedals to be put back on in a week or two. He loves it!
post #14 of 14
4/19/10 at 10:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by meco View Post
Many of the kids around here have been learning quickly on bikes with the pedals removed. It was passed along to us through the Bike NYC method: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Y_9cZLoyQ

Then you can put the pedals back on the bike and continue to use it regularly once they get the hang of it.
That is great!
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