What is a balance bike?
Balance bikes are a revolutionary way to teach toddlers and young children to ride a bike without the use of bulky training wheels or tricycles. The goal of the balance bike is to teach balance and steering, the most important and most difficult to learn aspects of riding a two-wheeled bike, without the distraction of pedals. Children use their feet to walk and push themselves into a glide on the bike, lifting their feet during the glide and putting them down when they need to stop.
Advantages of Riding a Balance Bike
Balance and coordination are important skills that all children need to learn, and the earlier they can do that, the better. Because of their lighter, more kid-friendly design, balance bikes make it easy for children to master these skills as early as 12 months, depending on the bike. Essentially, if they can walk, they can ride a balance bike. The removal of the pedals and brakes also serves to eliminate the fear of falling, because children can put their feet on the ground to stop or regain their balance, increasing their confidence. Pedalling is the easiest part of riding a bike, and starting with a balance bike ensures an easier transition to a pedal bike by teaching the hardest parts, balance and steering, first.