Balance Bikes - Teaching Toddlers & Preschoolers to Ride Safely

Ranked #2,979 in Hobbies, Games & Toys, #33,628 overall

Balance Bikes Help Toddlers Learn to Ride Without Training Wheels or a Tricycle

Take a close look at the toddler in the photo and her bike. See anything unusual? The bike has no pedals, and there are no training wheels in sight. What's even more amazing is seeing that same toddler (my daughter) zooming around on a two wheeled bike faster than any kid with training wheels. She's even been known to go over curbs on her cute little blue balance bike.

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

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

Most children will straddle a push bike at first, hold onto the handlebars and walk with the crossbar between their legs; kind of like riding a hobby horse. Depending on the child's age and adventurousness, they'll do that for awhile, or quickly figure out that they can sit on the seat and walk. It's fun to catch your toddler starting to trust the seat to hold their weight so they can go a little faster. My husband's keeping an extra-close watch on our little girl since she didn't have a helmet on. (we got one the next day)
powered by Youtube

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.

After kids figure out that they can sit on the seat and walk, the next step is starting to run while sitting on the bike. Many also figure out, to their delight, that a pre-bike will go over most any type of surface; grass, curbs, gravel, etc. that a tricycle or bike with training wheels can't handle. As their confidence starts to grow, they'll start going faster and steer more effectively. By this time, my little girl was pretty addicted to her bike and asked to ride it almost daily.
powered by Youtube

A Parent's Review of the Strider PreBike

When my daughter got her Strider balance bike at 21 months old, she immediately grabbed the handlebars, threw her leg over (as best a toddler can do), and started walking with it. She was so excited to have a 'real bike' and soon learned that she could sit on the seat and walk -- and then run. Within a month, she could go pretty fast while sitting and running....woo hoo! Huge smiles of enjoyment! Gaining the skill to put her feet up and glide took another month or so, but when she did, the result was a huge burst of confidence. She wanted to ride her bike everywhere. With training wheels, it took me until 3rd grade to ride a bike, and now that my daughter is 2 1/2, I know she could ride a properly-sized pedal bike with no problem. This is the best toy purchase we could have made. It's one of her favorite things to play with.

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?

Loading

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)Buy Now

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.

Important!

Purchase a Strider bike directly from StriderSports.com and get 10% off list price.

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)Buy Now

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.

powered by Youtube

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

Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike, Green

If your toddler can walk, your toddler can ride a more...2 points

Red Mini Glider

Red Mini Glider

The Mini Glider from Glide Bikes allows children t more...2 points

Kazam Balance Bike (Red)

Kazam Balance Bike (Red)

Kazam balance bike uses the "Balance first, P more...0 points

Prince Lionheart Balance Bike

Prince Lionheart Balance Bike

7600 -Designed for comfort and ease of portability more...0 points

Like A Bike Forest Walking Bike

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 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.

Strider - Fun Family Walks
by ryanvideo1508 | video info

0 ratings | 16,849 views
curated content from YouTube

Feedback About Balance Bikes

How was this website helpful? What do you think about balance bikes? Anything else you'd like to see included?

  • 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.
  • HorseAndPony May 6, 2012 @ 7:45 am | delete
    They seem like the perfect first bike. Great info!
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Load More

Like this bike site? Please share!

Add this to your lens »

Bookmark and Share

A Mom Who Digs Walking Bikes

...with a daughter who likes them too

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

Baby and...
more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Top Toddler Toys 

Best-reviewed toys for toddlers 18-24 months

Loading