bicycle options for 3.5 year old? - Page 2

[Doussou]

Another vote for a balance bike here! 100+% worth it! My DD used a balance bike the summer she was 3, and was riding a 2-wheeler the following summer. DS (3) is now using it and loves it as well. The pedaling will come naturally. I have a friend who's kid never "got" pedaling on a trike, but after one summer on a balance bike was riding a 2-wheeler at the age of 4.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

My DS had a balance bike and a trike.  He got the pedaling down on the trike and learned to ride the balance bike and when a friend let him borrow a little 2 wheeler with pedals, he hopped on and took off after about 5 minutes of trying.  I went out the next day and bought him a used Specialized Hot Rock 16 that I found used for under $25.  He loves that thing and can keep up with me on my adult bike easily.  He learned to ride 3 months after his 3rd birthday and was using the balance bike at 2, going down hills, picking his feet up for extended periods of time, etc.

I will say it can be hard to watch them learn to use a balance bike.  I have seen friend's kids try to use DS's balance bike and they tend to freak out a bit at first and get discouraged very quickly when they can't keep up with DS who is flying around on his pedal bike.  It does take practice, and it goes from very slow walking to faster walking to running and picking their feet up eventually. 

[Polliwog]

That wasn't my DD's experience at all. Or that of the kids at the park who've borrowed it. I've found that kids can go way faster than the kids on pedaled bikes. Really quickly. That's a big reason that my 6 1/2-year-old likes to ride DD's KaZAM.