looking at balance bikes for a friends kid, he's 2 and a bit.

we kinda know what we are looking for but the main question is whether we should get one with a brake or not. they live in Horwich at eh bottom of rivvy pike so it's pretty hilly.

assuming brake can be set up for tiny hands and it should be able to – go for a brake, thats my opinion – teaching kids to brake seems nearly as hard as teaching balance – youngest seem to get it straight away, oldest forever picking her up at bottom of slopes plus other panics and out with other kids seen the same

I'd say brake too. Didn't buy my oldest a balance bike (which I regret and will rectify with the youngest in the new year) but did have brakes on her little Hot Rock which she learned to use. Only problem was she got very used to using the coaster brake (pedal backwards), the bar mounted lever was too much for her little hands.

i put a brake onto my 1st lads isla bike rothan, he never used it as shoes are much more fun to ruin.
my 2nd lad doesnt use it either so i took it off.

mind you i've got friends whose youngest lad is very down to earth

"i'm not riding that its got no pedals"

unlike mum/dads/big sisters/big boys bikes = lots of bikes all with pedals

you have been warned

If you want a brake get the Islabike. They redesigned the brake for smaller hands, so it's not just a smaller brake or cranked in closer to the bar. Others may have done the same but some certainly haven't.

That said my son's Rothan was pre-brake fitting era (if that makes sense) so he didn't get one and it hasn't stopped him. My god daughter has a brake on her Rothan and while it's a lovely bit of engineering, I have no idea if it gets used.

My son has no problems with the same brakes on his Cnoc at 3 and a half.

started my 3 year-old off on a Kokua, without a brake.

then after about six months, when she'd got the hang of the balancing thing, I fitted one (deep drop roadie caliper, old cantilever lever adjusted for small hands). She then learnt the braking thing.

Now she's four and pedalling away 8) (on a Cnoc 14)

do you want mail me as I live in chorley [5 miles away] and have [NOT FOR SALE] a balance bike with a brake and one without.Happy for them to come round /meet at rivvy to see? My eldest claims he uses the brake but he does not.

http://www.steadyeddiebikes.co.uk

J

our rothan came without a brake (but with the mount)…within a month of E getting the scooting thing properly a call to Islabikes had the brake ordered. E uses his brake when he needs to stop, it's cool to watch. He also holds his bike on hills with it on.

The islabike brake lever is a lovely bit of kit, small and light with a great action, easy to adjust…and use by all accounts!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZR0w2cvl9k – pre brake! 🙂

Definitely yes if you have hills. It's scary waching them on the hills without brakes!

We had a cheapo (brilliant) Lidl bike when our girl was small. I added a rear brake off an ancient kids bike. I had to make a new lightweight spring, and use a gear cable to keep the friction down. It worked brilliantly, and she was soon skidding to a halt down the steepest hills.

Braking is not at all hard for them to lean, easy, and essential where it's hilly. Don't let any naysayers put you off!

Daughter started off with a pre-brake Rothan at 2 and had no probs. Moved up to the next model at 3 and got the hang of "feathering" the brake in no time. She is now 4 and can go hell for leather, up and down hill