Balance bikes are suitable as a first bike and are ideal for kids from 3 years old. They’re also a great way for kids to find their feet before progressing to pedal bikes.
When your little one first gets their balance bike, they may ‘walk’ the bike – holding onto the handlebars and walking alongside it. Over time they will learn to sit on the saddle and scoot with their feet. Eventually, your child will start to glide along, picking their feet up off the floor and balancing. Once they’ve mastered gliding as well as the ability to steer around obstacles, they’re ready to make the transition to a pedal bike – one without stabilisers.
Recommended balance bike age
You will be pleased to know that a balance bike will broadly suit those toddlers and children aged 18 months to 5 years old. However, this is just an approximation, as actually, the main factor in determining whether a balance bike will be suitable for your child is the length of their leg, not their age.
This is because, as mentioned previously, in order to successfully use a balance bike and gain any confidence and use from it, your child’s legs need to be able to touch the ground whilst they are seated on the bike.
So once you’ve chosen a bike that fits your child’s leg size, then you can feel confident that they will feel confident too. But don’t worry, we offer a whole selection of balance bikes that range in sizes. As such, you should be able to find one to suit your child perfectly.
What ages are best for starting with a balance bike?
Children as young as 18-months to 3 years old are in the perfect age range to start their bicycle journey on a balance bike.
How does a child learn with a balance bike?
A child will learn to ride a balance bike in a way that is natural for them. That being said, there are some things you can encourage that will make learning easier:
Stand and Walk: Have your child stand and walk while holding on to the handlebars. At this point, the child will not be sitting on the seat.
Sit and Walk: Next, you can encourage them to sit and walk. This teaches a child how to maintain balance while in a position most similar to a “traditional” kids bike.
Glide: Soon your child will gain the confidence to sit, run, and then put their feet up so they can glide.
After your child has mastered the last step and is comfortable you will be able to transition them directly to a pedal bike and may be able to forego training wheels completely.
A balance bike is a pedal-less bike with two wheels. Kids ride them like regular bikes, but they are powered by a child’s running legs rather than pedals.
Balance bikes are perfect bikes for 2-year-olds (and up!) as they teach kids to balance on two wheels and ride independently. Balance bikes are also called strider bikes, glider bikes, running bikes, or toddler push bikes.
When selecting a balance bike, it is critical to remember that they are not one-size-fits-all. A toddler in 18-months clothes who are just getting started will fit on a different balance bike than a toddler or preschooler in 3T pants. And there are larger balance bikes for grade schoolers as well!
https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/sites/www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/files/vla-resource-bike-law.pdf
