What is a balance bike?
A balance bike is a bike without pedals, which helps the child to learn a sense of balance and to develop the skills to ride a bike. In a short period of time the child acquires a skill to keep a balance, to steer, to turn, to control the bike and to use it independently without parental assistance. Balance bike, just like kids bike with pedals, rolls well on different road surfaces. A balance bike is intended for children aged 1.5-5 years, but it is most often used by 2-3 years old children, then afterward they receive as a gift to the 4-year birthday a bicycle with pedals. With the skills acquired in driving a balance bike, it will be easier for the child to start to ride with a bigger bicycle with pedals, without using additional training wheels.
Why tricycle is not such a good choice?
Balance bikes are much safer and more practical than tricycles. Tricycles with three tires are slow, difficult to make maneuvers and easy to knock over on an uneven surface. On the balance bike, the child holds his/her focus on keeping the balance instead of pedaling. As a result, the child rarely loses balance and falls. With a balance bike the little child can ride up to several kilometers, but he/she usually quickly grows tired of sitting on a tricycle. A very big advantage for a balance bike is also the fact that older children do not need to be pushed, unlike the tricycle where the child should be constantly pushed by a special handle.
Why it is important for a child to acquire the skill to ride without additional training wheels when switching to the bike with pedals as soon as possible?
Additional training wheels significantly impede a child’s ability and desire to ride a bike. Balance bike teaches the child how to ride a bicycle while holding the balance, but the bike with additional training wheels, on the contrary, teaches to ride a bike without balancing. With the additional wheels the child usually tilts to one side, thus creating a false sense of balance. If the child one or two summers has ridden with a balance bike, you should try to teach the child to ride without the help of training wheels straight away. As soon as the child will be able “to perceive” how to the pedal, in a couple of days time you will be able to teach the child to ride independently with the new ‘big’ bike with pedals. Another thing to take into consideration is that for a child it is a lot more fun and easier to ride a balance bike than the bike with pedals fitted with additional training wheels.
What is the best age to ride a balance bike?
Balance bikes are available in various sizes. The smallest ones are intended for children from 18 months of age, but the biggest ones are designed to even for adults. Usually, balance bikes are used in a period from 18 months to 5 years of age, but most often by 2-3 years old children. Unlike pushable tricycles and quadricycles, the little child can control the balance bike and move it himself/herself without parental assistance. Children gain true joy from riding these small bikes. Let’s remember that a balance bike does not fit all children. They have different sizes, different tire sizes as well as the adjustable height of the seat and handlebar.
Where children put the legs when the bike rolls?
For a balance bike, leg support is not necessary. The child naturally raises the legs when accelerated and allows the bicycle to roll. Some models have special places at the back of the bike where to put the legs when the bike rolls, but it is not a mandatory requirement.
How many years a does child ride a balance bike?
The faster the child will start to ride the bike, the longer he/she will use it. Most frequently the balance bike is used by 2-3 years old children, who then afterward receive as a gift to the 4-year birthday a new 16” bicycle with pedals.
How much does a balance bike cost?
In our stores these bikes cost from 39.95 to 149.95 euros, depending on the material, equipment and manufacturer. Milly Mally bicycles cost from 39.95 to 69.95 euros, but Strider balance bikes – from 94.95 to 149.95 euros.
The price depends on the bike’s frame material and geometry, components, running gear and tires. The higher the price, the easier the bike will roll, and it will be more controllable.
How to choose a balance bike?
Balance bikes are very simple, but it is not a simple task to choose the most suitable one for your child. In order to learn cycling with the balance bike as good as possible, the size and equipment should be taken into account.
Size
Size is the most important factor to consider when choosing a balance bike. Usually, the balance bike has one size and it is said to be suitable for all children, but it is not true. There is a big difference between a bicycle with 10” tire size, which is intended for an 18-month-old child, and 16” tires, which will be suitable for a 6-year-old child.
The most popular balance bikes have size 10” and 12” tires. 10” tire size will be suitable for very small children (they may start to use it starting from 18 months of age), but the child will outgrow this bicycle relatively quickly. Balance bikes with 12” tire size are also suitable for children from 18 months of age, but they will be usable for a longer period.
The height of the seat is just as important as the size of tires because it shows how high the child will sit and whether he will be able to sit on the seat while holding feet on the ground. It is important for a child to be able to touch the ground flat when sitting on the seat, but the legs should be slightly bent at the knees. This will ensure that the child can control the bike and feels stable. The seat should be slightly below (approximately) 2-4 cm lower than the child’s inseam height. The children use balance bikes mostly for 2-3 years.
Weight
The weight of a balance bike should not be more than 30 % of the weight of the child. 5 kg heavy bike for a child who weighs 11 kg weight is heavy. It does not affect driving and maneuvering much, but it is more difficult for the child to lift and carry the bike over obstacles. All balance bikes available at our MySport stores weigh less than 5kg.
Frame geometry
When riding a balance bike, it is important that it is easy for the child to push against the ground and that the bike rolls easily. The simplest bikes usually have a shorter wheel base and a minimal space between the seat and the steering wheel. It is important that the child has enough space for free and spacious movements so that he/she is able to make a natural push against the ground.
A bike with a good geometry distance between the seat (when it is at the lowest position) and the rear tire is very small. If this distance is too large, then the center of gravity is too high and it is difficult for the child to ride and balance the bike.
Tires
The tires show how easy the balance bike will roll, how it will reduce vibration and how it will glide in curves of the road.
Rubber tires with a pumped camera will roll very easily, reduce vibrations, glide less and they are suitable for most types of surfaces. The only disadvantage of rubber tires is their extra weight.
Plastic tires are cheaper, lighter and cannot be pricked. They roll on a road surface just as good as the rubber tires, but they are louder and harder controllable in curves of the road. One should be careful when driving with rubber tires one tiles and similar surfaces, care should be taken when driving on the tiles and similar surfaces as they glide.
Foot support
Most of the balance bikes do not have foot support since they are not mandatory. Children usually lift the legs up.
Bearings
The bearings ensure how easy the bike will roll. Bearings with closed end have rubber protector that prevents dust and dirt from entering the bearings. As a result, a bicycle with closed-end bearings roll with lower resistance and it rolls better. As the bicycle rolls easier, it will be easier for your child to push against the ground, to accelerate in order to enjoy balancing.
Frame material
For balance bikes, the frame materials are made of metal, aluminum and wood. The most popular bikes are made of light metal and aluminum. The metal frame is durable and is usually used for cheaper bikes. Aluminum (6061) frame is very light and is commonly used in higher-quality bikes. Wooden frames are environmentally friendlier, but they are not as durable and do not serve for so long. Top quality wooden frames serve up to 4 years in case of being taken good care of.
Handles
It is very important for a balance bike to have the right handles because they guarantee a child’s safety when driving. It is important that on the ends of the handles have an additional material that prevents the hands from slipping from wheel. Preferably, the should be more material with a shock absorbing layer on the ends of the handles, so that the child cannot injure himself/herself with a steer when falling.
If you want to learn more and find the perfect balance for your child bike, visit any of our stores in Riga. We will help the most suitable one!
Our MySport stores in Riga offer a very wide selection of balance bikes. We have Strider, Ghost and Milly Mally balance bikes. Our knowledgeable specialists will help to choose the most suitable balance bike for your child, as well as tell you how high should the seat and the steering wheel be set so that the child on the small bike would feel as comfortable as possible.
When your child will have outgrown a balance bike, in our stores you will be able to buy the next children’s bikes till the moment when the child is already ready to use an adult bicycle. We have bicycles for all ages and tastes, knowledgeable specialists and bicycle service of high quality.
