Balance Bikes - Teaching Toddlers & Preschoolers to Ride Safely
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Balance Bikes Help Toddlers Learn to Ride Without Training Wheels or a Tricycle
A balance bike (also called a pre-bike, glide bike, running bike, push bike, walking bike or pedal-free bike) can help children as young as 18 months learn steering and balance -- the toughest skills to develop when learning to ride a bike. Conversely, tricycles and training wheels teach locomotion (pedaling), a simple skill that can be learned in less than an hour. Instead of a child pedaling a trike or regular bike with training wheels and learning a false dependence on the extra wheels which can be hard to break, balance bikes intrinsically teach a child to balance while they're having a great time zooming around. With glide bikes, children learn how to ride a bike and develop a joyful confidence while they're developing their motor skills.
On this website, you'll learn about other benefits that these slightly unusual bikes provide, discover how children use them and read parent reviews. You'll also learn what types of pedal-free bikes are available and see kids enjoying themselves immensely on their 'big kid' bikes.
photo credit: BunnyFabulous
Contents at a Glance
How a Toddler Starts to Ride a Push Bike
A 21 month-old's first ride on a balance bike demonstrates how most kids first react to their new glide bike
22-Month Old on a Glide Bike
My daughter's had the balance bike for a month, and has the confidence run while sitting on the seat. As you can tell, curbs and grass are no problem to ride right over. NOTE: Child was well-supervised at the end of a no outlet street.
A Parent's Review of the Strider PreBike
photo credit: BunnyFabulous
What's Best for Little Riders?
Do toddlers need to be riding bikes? Is there any real benefit to balance bikes? What do you think?
What do you think about toddlers riding balance bikes?

Balance bikes are a great idea.
Mickie_G says:
From what I have seen, these are wonderful first bikes
eristrider says:
The balance bike is a brilliant way for toddlers to learn confidence and balance on two wheels! The Strider balance bike makes the learning process easy and natural... and of course fun, it's lighter making it easier to start and stop, no pedals, no training wheels... so much less to think about!
ohcaroline says:
Wow, what I wouldn't have loved to had one of these. Great learning skills on these things.
Karen Wood says:
I bought two Strider balance bikes for my children, and I was amazed at how quickly as toddlers they took to them. Both my children are now keen cyclists, and its such a great family activity that I started a business introducing them into the UK, due to constantly been asked in the playground where I bought them. These bikes are beginning to change the way people think about methods to teach their children to ride a bike. Its by far the safest way to teach your child to ride a bike and by far the easiest way to ensure they love the outdoors!
SquidooMBA says:
This is a much better way to teach children how to ride. Helps with balance, confidence and looks really fun as well.
Toddlers should stick with training wheels or a tricycle.
Steel/Aluminum Frame Balance Bikes
Metal frame bikes tend to be a bit lighter and some brands have varying types of footrests for when kids lift up their feet to glide.
Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike (Blue)
Amazon Price: $74.98 (as of 05/29/2012)![]()
My husband and I did a lot of research when my parents asked which balance bike they could get our daughter for Christmas, and this model was the hands-down winner. There's so much to love about this bike in my opinion. It's got the lowest seat-height adjustment available in a balance bike, which was perfect for our petite daughter, yet the seat and handlebars can adjust for kids up to 5 years old. How's that for a toy that lasts? The construction is very durable and lives up to what small kids can dish out. Now that our li'l girlie has ridden it for a year and a half over all kinds of terrain, it's still looking great. It's really light..just over 7 pounds. You may not think that's a big deal until your child decides that he or she has had enough of riding and you're 6 blocks from home. The tires look like they're inflatable, but they're actually a spongy but very durable plastic. They give a good ride, but there's no maintenance. Gotta love the footrest; it gives a comfortable and natural place for a child to put their feet while gliding, and the seat is much more ergonomically designed than most of the other balance bikes.
While we got the blue one (our daughter's favorite color), the Strider also comes in orange, green, yellow, red and pink.
As an added bonus, enter coupon code STRIDER1FLWI01
at checkout to get free shipping -- an additional savings of $12 or more
Wooden Balance Bikes
Wooden glide bikes are more eco-friendly, and most have spoke-less wheels which keep little feet and shoelaces from getting caught by accident.
Smart Gear Smart Balance Bike - Classic Style
Amazon Price: $62.47 (as of 05/30/2012)![]()
The smart gear training bike is a mixture of most of the best qualities of wooden balance bikes. While it's heavier than the metal frame bikes, it has a great carrying handle for when kids get tired of riding...much easier for mom and dad to pick it up. Like most wooden bikes, it has a limited steering range which helps prevent jackknifing, and it has a rear fender to keep debris from 'rooster-tailing' on your child's back. The tires have a knobby tread for better traction on uneven surfaces...carpet, grass or gravel for example. The lowest seat height is 13 inches, which is taller than some other bikes, and it has a sturdy build. With its price point, this wooden bike is much more affordable than the top-of-the-line Like A Bike, which runs over $300.
If I had to choose a wooden balance bike for my daughter, this one would be it. The Smart Gear also comes in a girls' model and has a pink version too.
Advantages of a Balance Bike / Run Bike
Strider bike inventor and dad Ryan McFarland shows how this balance bike helps kids have a safer, more enjoyable experience learning to ride a bike.
Which Running Bike Rules the Sidewalk?
Which one of these would you get (or have you gotten) for your child?
If there's another bike you like but you don't see here, please add it to the list.
Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike, Green
If your toddler can walk, your toddler can ride a more...2 points
Red Mini Glider
The Mini Glider from Glide Bikes allows children t more...2 points
Kazam Balance Bike (Red)
Kazam balance bike uses the "Balance first, P more...0 points
Prince Lionheart Balance Bike
7600 -Designed for comfort and ease of portability more...0 points
Like A Bike Forest Walking Bike
Built for kids ages 2-5, LIKEaBIKE is a pedal-less, more...0 points
Smart Gear Smart Balance Bike - Classic Style
Smart Gear wooden Balance bikes (often referred to more...0 points
Lots of Fun with Running Bikes
Watch a number of kids show their stuff on their balance bikes just speeding along, on family walks, on family bike rides, at the skate park, etc.
Feedback About Balance Bikes
How was this website helpful? What do you think about balance bikes? Anything else you'd like to see included?
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biznardi
May 10, 2012 @ 11:50 pm | delete
- I was just looking at these in the store the other day. They appear to be great bikes. I like the videos.
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HorseAndPony
May 6, 2012 @ 7:45 am | delete
- They seem like the perfect first bike. Great info!
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KarenTBTEN
Feb 7, 2012 @ 8:57 pm | delete
- Well, that was interesting.. from the perspective of someone who did not learn to ride a bike until age thirteen. Good point about peddling being the quick skill to pick up.
I watched the toddler in the video. At first I couldn't picture how it could be ridden, but the video cleared it up.
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hotnewsandviews
Feb 4, 2012 @ 6:27 am | delete
- This is very perfect cycle for the kids riding. I bought that few days ago for my son. It is very helpful for riding, without training.
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Mickie_G
Oct 3, 2011 @ 7:47 am | delete
- When my grandson wanted an "orange bike" (wrote a lens about it!), I did not know about the strider bikes. Of course, he was too old to begin on one of these bikes -- being 4 -- but now I wish he had had one as a toddler.
You have created a really good source for information about this excellent beginning bike.
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by BunnyFabulous
I'm a stay-at-home-mom who loves to connect people with helpful resources and information to enrich their lives, especially in the areas of
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