Thinking of getting one for xmas.
Sat him on a frog bike when he was 16months and he couldn't reach the bars, so hopefully in a couple of months he will have grown a bit.
What age did you get your little ones using a balance bike?
Any recommendations?
Mine started at 2, they wouldn't have managed at 18 months I don't think. Clearly all kids are different, so he might be ready, but don't push it if he's not.
Our little boy is 16 months and about 2cm too short to be able to balance.
So am expecting him to be fine shortly. Would think that at 18 months there should be no issue
We had a Islabike Rothan that we got our wee boy for his 2nd birthday but had to wait until he could touch the ground as he was quite short! He's now just shy of 4 and has just learnt to ride his Islabike Bein 14 unaided 🙂 Never went near stabilisers. Key is not to rush, especially during the winter. It's the best feeling ever when they enjoy it though.
Mine started at 2 but he got his balance bike (hand-me-down) at about 18 months. He's quite shy and timid so for the first 6 or so months he liked to play with the bike and clean it, but wouldn't sit on it.
We bought an islabike for him when he was 3 and again he took about 6 months to ride it properly. He liked to have it around and would show everyone the pedals and then about 2 weeks ago he rode properly for the first time. Now he's brilliant and all his friends can't believe he's riding without stabilisers at 3.5 years old.
I'd say buy...
Nope, mine was off stabilisers before 2 and on a full pedal bike
Stryder bike at 2 here . Stryders are excellent if your starting early as the seats go really low . Making the jump to pedals at christmas at 3 and a half
*sigh* my little 'un isn't remotely interested at nearly 3. 😥
My nephews got theirs for their 1st birthday. Of course they could barely walk then but always had them and were on them pretty much as soon as they could walk. By 2 they were little rippers, doing skinnies and hucks*
All kids develop different and this was in a bike crazy house but still v impressive to see!
*No exaggeration ??
he liked to play with the bike and clean it,
Send him round!
Another option is something like the pukylino which is a4 wheel bike so they get used to steering but don't fall over so much. Zach has had one for ages and rides around on it happily now. So should be ok for a balance bike when he is big enough
so for the first 6 or so months he liked to play with the bike and clean it, but wouldn't sit on it.
So which forum user is he? 😉
There seem to be quite a few that fit that description...
*sigh* my little 'un isn't remotely interested at nearly 3.
Sell him to the gypsies! 😡
Both of mine were on a toddlebike before that age. Sadly neither particularly took to the strider balance bike we got. (Interested in a scuffed but barely used orange one???) I'd agree that the strider has the lowest seat of the ones we could find.
My 3 year old daughter is a massive fan of her scooter now, so that'll do - spent an hour or 2 at the skatepark with her on my bmx on Monday and loved it.
At 18 months they probably have very little concept of what Christmas is so buy them a bike when you think they are ready.
My lad was interested in bikes no where near birthday or Christmas but I wasn't going to wait 6 months to buy him one. Also he wasn't walking properly till 14 months so at 18 it was more important for him to continue walking development
My mate's lad was walking at 9 months and had a bike at 12 months.
My 3 all used strider balance bikes (seats go down very low for short kids).. Somewhere around 2- 2 1/2
All were pedalling an islabike cnoc 14 by 3 1/2.
Our oldest was about 21 months. More about height and being able to reach the floor than anything else. If they can put their feet on the floor they will be fine. Then went straight to a Frog 43 on her 3rd birthday. Riding within 5 minutes.
My eldest started on the strider (the one that also comes with the extra low seat and that's what he started on) at about 18 months too. He didn't really get it for a couple of weeks (but was pleased to have a bike) and then one day just set off on it and was unstoppable. He's now very comfortable balancing and whizzing around but the lack of brakes on the strider is starting to be an issue. Others have said it but don't be too taken aback if he doesn't really get it, or shows frustration or lack of interest. To them it's a toy like another and if he doesn't want to play with it, just let it sit for a while. One day curiosity will get the better and he'll take to it. Or, if it doesn't, as others have said, give it a few months and sell him to the gypsies 😈
Mine's getting a CNOC 14 small for his 3rd birthday in December (he sizes up too short still for the proper CNOC 14, especially inside leg. I think he has stumpy legs like his dad 😕 )
Another option is something like the pukylino which is a4 wheel bike so they get used to steering but don't fall over so much. Zach has had one for ages and rides around on it happily now. So should be ok for a balance bike when he is big enough
Pukylino at 10 months for both ours, taught them to sit and hold the handlebars.
Then the smallest puky at 18 months ish (it's height dependent) took 10 minutes to transfer to pedalling just before 3 on a 12" bike.
I'd seriously consider a pukylino 4 wheeler, they're a lot of fun.
Depends on the child but this video was taken when he was about 18 months:
Loves his Strider bike 😀
Mine were on Zooms at about 2 - 2.5. My eldest boy transitioned to a proper bike really easily, the younger one isn't quite there yet. Hoping it won't be long though - Grizedale Forest pretty much runs to my house and I want to get them in there 😉
Mine was keen from about 15 months when we were at a party and some older kids were razzing about on theirs. He was too small though, despite being tall for his age. I already had a wooden balance bike in the garage for him, so took out the seat and made once from scratch which was slightly narrower, and lower by about 2". He was away on it from about 16/17 months. He moved to a pedal bike by about 2.5, and just after his third birthday he pedalled a loop round the local estuary, which is just shy of 10km 8)
Back on topic... I recommend just having a bike which fits (may require some adjusting, which is where wooden balance bikes come in handy) being available to him, but not pressuring him to ride it. He'll take to it as and when he's ready.
Highly recommend Strider.
They come with two seats and you can get it super low. He got the bike for his 1st birthday and almost straight away was walking around while straddling it which is possible due to the very low standover.
It's also extremely light which meant straight away he could pick it up and drag it around.
Mine's 21 months and not ready yet IMO.
She was given a Fisher Price rocking horse like this:
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I figure once she's comfortable getting on and off it by herself (and she's not there yet) then we can think about it.
18 months for minilugz. Initially he walked with it between his legs, wouldnt sit down.
When he eventually got the hang of it he was off!
Transition to a 12" wheel bike with pedals was seamless. He got on it and rode it.
Never had stabilisers.
Mine loved their toddle bike at that age 😀
wayniac - Member
Depends on the child but this video was taken when he was about 18 months:
Loves his Strider bike
Great video, love the little wheelie he pops at the end of the zig-zag beams!
That video is awesome, I'd be a proper proud dad if he could do that!
Sounds like a strider is winning the consensus. He has been walking since about 1 and has a rocking horse he has been good with for quite some time.
I really hope he takes to it....
Yes I was very proud
Made a little vid of it with some music :
Although he had an over the bars a few weeks ago which seems to have really dented his confidence or taught him that there are limits!
We gave my boy a balance bike for his 2nd birthday (a Rothan) and he was on it straight away.
He then got a Cnoc 14 for his 3rd birthday. He had a couple of months of using either the balance bike or pedal bike depending on his mood but is now favouring the pedal bike (bikes about a mile to and from nursery on it every day).
Proud Dad vid from 2nd go on the pedal bike;
We got ours one at around that age (16) and it was handed down to #2 when they were a similar age.
I was a little disappointed at how little use it got for the first few !in the but I think it being around was great. They would sit on it, spin the wheels, hold the bars and generally get used to being on a bike even if held on to amd pushed around. By the time they were 2 they were both scooting around at adult jogging pace.
I think they're worth getting as early as possible simply because they won't depreciate and cam only have a positive effect.
We saw an amazing toy: two bouncy balls under a seat. A cross between a space hipper and balance bike. It looked fantastic but very expensive.
We had / have a Hard bike. The smallest in the range. I was amazed by the balance bikes (value and quality) in Halfords.
Sweajnr is 2.5 and still not striding despite lots of his friends doing it. He keeps telling me that the bike is broken as it doesn't have pedals.... so he's getting a bike for his 3rd birthday and we'll see how that goes.
Rothan at 18months and she could use it indoors and by 2 was zooming around town! the brake was worth the extra money but it think one with foot rest opens up a different world for mini pump trackers
My eldest had a frog tadpole for his 2nd birthday (April) got a 14" wheeled bike for his 3rd birthday, nailed that in 8 weeks and was racing cx in the NWCCA under 8's in September of that year. He's got a 16" frog now and is just about to get a 20" one for crimbo, he'll be 4yrs 8 months when he gets it.
If your little'un takes to it they'll be fine, don't worry if they don't though.
y eldest had a frog tadpole for his 2nd birthday (A
This is the bike i'm after but mine is 23 months and his inside leg isn't yet at 31cm (it's currently 28cm) so he's got a bit of growing yet
Don't worry, mine was (is) a right short arse. He measures up as being just ready for a frog 48, but it's too short in the top tube now hence the Frog 52 on its way.
His school shorts (age 4 sizing) a just clear of his socks and he can happily wear age 3 trousers.
The measurements are a rough guide to say the least.
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There's only about a centimetre or so of post left in his 48 now
[quote=thepodge ]At 18 months they probably have very little concept of what Christmas is so buy them a bike when you think they are ready.
Good ongoing advice IMHO. Balance bike and first pedal bike were birthday and xmas pressies because those kind of came at the right time anyway, but then when you're buying quality bikes and passing them on to a second child that isn't sustainable. So I wanted to get away from the idea that bikes were in any way presents and from the 2nd pedal bike on (oldest is now onto his 4th pedal bike) they've just been bought when needed.
18 months. I give you 5 years or even 6.
As this thread seems to be a STW 'toddler top trumps' I'll chip in with the winning card and claim my lad who is nearly 2 has already done all the black runs at every welsh trail centres and is getting his first proper DH bike for his birthday, and we are off to the Alps next summer.
To be fair you win hands down, how far off Rachel Atherton is he on run times?
My youngest was on a Rohan at 18 months until it was stolen from my doorstep, he started riding a Cnoc at about 2 and half. The other one was about five depends on the kid I suppose.
Eldest son has worked his way from an early rider spherovelo at about 14 months to a toddle bike at 18 months and then onto a IB Rothan at 22 months. He was straight onto the balance bike and hasn't stopped and is now scarily proficient at 26 months.
I would highly recommend the toddle bike for those that aren't quite ready for a Balance bike, our son loved his and still uses it in the house.
Certainly didn't intend my reply as a one-up, apologies if it came across that way
Not my boys, can't take credit for the fact they're more rad than the average STW'er 😉
I thought I'd be providing an alternative view as I felt most posters were suggesting that 18 months was too early.
I got my boy a Puky Lino for his first birthday, he didn't really get the knack of it till he was about 18months. I do believe that this is what gave him the skill of steering and using his feet to gain momentum, it also taught him to coast.
I then got him a Frog Tadpole at 18months but he was to small for it till about 22months. Hes now just turned 2 and he's really good at it, to the point he scares me, especially as he doesn't understand "go left" or "slow down". He's had a good few tank slappers now which normally ends up with him lying on top of it.
Get a Puky Lino, my son still flys round on his round the house. We have wooden floor downstairs, the speed he navigates round furniture is impressive to watch imo, his mother doesn't think the same.
[quote=NW Alps Jeyer aka Boz ]As this thread seems to be a STW 'toddler top trumps' I'll chip in with the winning card and claim my lad who is nearly 2 has already done all the black runs at every welsh trail centres and is getting his first proper DH bike for his birthday, and we are off to the Alps next summer.
Pah, my youngest daughter, who hasn't even been conceived yet, let alone born will probably be teaching your lad how to ride, as she's currently out in the Alps working towards being an instructor.