Balance bikes for toddlers

[Cynthia Mosher]

Mothering recently partnered with Strider bikes to have a few of our Mothering Mavens members test out their balance bikes. The feedback was very positive! You can read all the posts from your fellow Mothering members on our blog here.

With the holidays coming up and our Annual Toy Review ever popular this time of year, we wanted to see what the community thinks of balance bikes. Have you tried a balance bike with your toddler? If you haven't used one does it seem like something you'd be interested in? We'd love your feedback! 

[marsupial-mom]

We picked up a used balance bike for my son when he was about 18 months. He loved it. Now he's almost 3 and still loves it.

The brand we got was Strider. It is metal and red. I heard negative feedback about the wooden ones, but I think those look nicer.

[Erin77]

We have a Skuut but it's just a touch big for my son- he can only touch on tiptoe. He loves it though and asks us to push him around on it!

[fullofhope08]

we just ordered a skuut bike for our 2.5 year old son. It hasn't arrived yet, but he has been like a magnet to other kid's balance bikes when we have seen them. I love the concept of them and hope it's a hit!

[goldenwillow]

My Mom actually sells Strider Balance Bikes and gave one to DS when he was just under 18 months.  He loves it.  He immediately started balancing, totally amazing.  He is now on to a pedal bike (still learning), which is pretty heavy.  He tends to go back to the Strider when frustrated with the pedal bike.  

I really enjoyed him riding it so young.  It gave my back a break!  We use a guitar strap to carry when he is done riding it while on a hike or walk. 
 

[Cynthia Mosher]

The guitar strap is a really great idea, goldenwillow! 

I'm shopping for a gift for my cousin's little boy (who I've bought nothing for since he was born!) and would love to get him one of these. The Strider seems to have a better range of adjustability for the seat height. And whoa! 310 reviews on Amazon for the Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike! Is that the same one you got for your son, marsupial-mom?

[marsupial-mom]

Yup, that's the one. Ours is old and rusty. But my son just loves it!

[graycmama342]

We got a Strider bike for our 30 month old little boy and he loves it!  We take it everywhere that we go.  I would recommend it to anyone that has an active little person.... he still mostly uses his feet to push it, but he is getting the hang of letting it cruise once he gets going. 

[go_blue]

My daughter, now 4-1/2, used a balance bike -Raleigh sold at REI.  She learned how to ride it quickly at almost 3-1/2.  I think it's great and recommend a balance bike for these reasons: 1) kids will be able to go pretty fast on balance bike - faster than peddling, so it is easier for parent to bike with child at a slow speed (but not so slow you lose your balance); 2) 4 kids I know who used balance bikes learned to ride 2-wheelers at a young age (before 5) and with little frustration or help from parents.    I definitely plan for my son to learn by using a balance bike, probably let him ride it around next summer when he is 2.

She had struggled with pedaling on the bike with training wheels when she was younger.  At 4-1/2 she was determined to peddle, so she rode her bike with training wheels again for a short time.  About a month later, she asked my husband to take off the training wheels, and she was riding by herself right away, and a few days later she was even able to start from a stopped position by herself.

[richella]

My 2 used a skuut bike, loved it. They were nowhere close to balancing on it when it was their size, and by the time they got it, it was too small. But, they learned to balance well and when they started the pedal bike, esp. dd1 just picked it up right away, no struggling. dd2 took a bit longer, but still I'd highly recommend the system. I don't think they learned to pedal earlier, but much easier than if they'd tried to go from trike to bike. And training wheels imo have no benefits.
 

[edensmama]

A friend gave us a wooden balance bike her kids wouldn't ride.  My son LOVED it and rode it for the last 2 years.  This summer he was able to ride a two wheeler without a problem, no training wheels or help he just jumped on and rode!  

[BaMo]

Our son got a (wooden) balance bike (can't remember the brand name) when he was 2 1/2. He picked it up pretty quickly and by 3 1/2 went to a regular bike with no problems at all (and no training wheels). He loved his balancce bike and it was such an easy transition for him to go to a regular bike.

[lifeguard]

Ds has a balance bike & he LOVES it - lately he's been asking us to build him a jump! He goes to the top of our yard & flies down. We got it when he was 2 & he's now almost 4.

[puffingirl]

We got a Strider balance bike for DD when she was 2 and she loved it.  We moved up to a 2-wheel pedal bike this last year and she learned to ride it so quickly, having mastered balancing on the Strider already.  Never had to use training wheels.  I was very happy with our experience with the Strider!  

[azzeps]

Am I the only one whose kid doesn't like her balance bike? Maybe she got it too late? She got it for her 4th birthday, and she really doesn't enjoy riding it.  I keep telling her it will get easier and more fun the more she practices, but she still doesn't want to do it.  I guess we'll save it for my son.  I hope he doesn't mind that it's pink.
 

[lexapurple]

We borrowed a balance bike for DD when she was 4 and while she did not enjoy it at first, she soon realised what a fun it was. She learned to ride a bicycle in about 10 minutes after riding balance bike for 4 months.

[gabry]

I'm a big believer! Our ds2 got one when he was almost 2 and loved it, and learned to ride a regular bike without training wheels a month before his 3rd birthday in less than an hour! There was no way he would have done that if he had used a regular bike with training wheels like our ds1.

[taubel]

We got our son a balance bike when he was 4 (didn't know about it until then). At first he didn't have much interest, but by 4.5, he was a pro. A month before he turned 5, he asked to try a regular pedal bike without training wheels. We set out for a morning of teaching and learning, but instead he got on the pedal bike and just pedaled away! It was pretty amazing!

He had a Kazam, which was expensive but great quality. Even his older brothers loved riding it! They liked putting their feet on the footrest and seeing who could coast the furthest.

[onetrumpeter]

I LOVED our kids using their balance bikes and so did they!  We could go on brisk walks/jogs for me, and could just go so many places and so far.  They didn't get nearly as tired as they would walking the same places.  We have two Striders; I bought one from a dealer (that seemed to be the only way they were sold a few years ago) and the other off Craigslist.  DD definitely maxed out the height on the seat as we had it as high as it could go and from age 4.25 or so on she was too tall for it.  And she's not a tall kid.  But she was able to ride really well and it didn't matter too much.

My one complaint is the wheel bushings? bearings? are now completely shot.  Both the front and back wheels wobble like crazy.  Thankfully they're now both riding pedal bikes (a completely easy switch to those- the most difficult thing to learn was braking; they were accustomed to using their feet, of course!).  But I wouldn't be comfortable having our newborn use them come time she's ready because of the wheels :(

I wonder if others have had the bushings go bad and make the wheels wobbly?  I do know we got a LOT of use out of those bikes, but I feel like that part was cheaply made.  I wonder if they have replacements.

[cat13]

I've always heard good reviews about balance bikes, but when I look at one I just wonder what is the difference between a balance bike and a regular kids bike with the pedals taken off? Is it really worth having a special bike?