These weren't even s thing when my kids were small, but such a good way to teach balance before all the pedals and brakes stuff.
My granddaughter is 16 months and toddling about now. She's got a sit on plastic wheeled dinosaur which she scoots around on, but no steering. Question for STW'ers with kiddie experience - would she be ready for a proper 2 wheel balance bike yet? When did yours start on them?
And finally - any recommendations for balance bikes please. The Spesh carbon one is probably a bit OTT 🤔
Think my daughter was 2ish when we first tried balance bike.
All I can say is go for a decent quality light one. Vitus or cube etc were reasonably priced. We used a cube cubie with 12inch tyres and now she's one a woom 2 bike.
If you want a cheap cube cubie I can maybe send it your way if you're anywhere near east mids.
My youngest is 15months and we've got a loan of a mini indoor bike. He keeps reaching for the eldest bike and tries to get on.
Eldest was handed down an old Isla rothan and he loved it. He's just turned 4 and not fussed for pedals yet so cruises around on an early rider seeker.
I can't remember when he started riding it but we spent a month pushing it around the estate. He throws it into corners with muchos enthusiasm and likes his trails bumpy.
Sorry I've not really answered your question.
Both mine started around 18months. Just left the bike lying around the house and watched what unfolded
Strider were a great start for us as they barely weigh anything. OTOH no brake and solid tyres meant we didn’t eventually move to an Islabike before pedals (well, the wee one is still on the Islabike now) but it is a lot heavier
Our twins got Frog Tadpole Minis for their first birthday and then the following year got an Islabike and Frog Tadpole. Sold them
For about the same as we paid each time (yay free bikes).
They loved racing them around the local bmx track
@anderzz thanks for the offer but I'm a bit distant - south coast.
I like mashr's idea of leaving it around for her to explore/discover.
The first time they fold the front end going around the kitchen table at warp speed is to die for #makingmemories
I bought a stryder from eBay and left it lying around. She wasn't really interested for quite a long time, then all of a sudden she just cracked on with it.
When the time came, got a 14" wheel bike and took the pedals off, let her use that like a balance bike for a bit, alongside the stryder.
We had a likeabike mini (that's effectively carbonfibre isn't it?), and it was fanbloodytastic. I got fit running trying to keep up with him. light and with restricted steering angle so can't jack-knife the thing. Went everywhere on it, Brighton prom, pier, southdowns way, stanmer, local park, pub garden, tescos
seamless graduation to Islabikes Cnoc when he outgrew it
Likeabike was snapped up last year, but have a Cnoc 14 looking for a new home when you're ready
Did the same as others for my youngest 2 (didn't know about them for my first) and left the bike out all the time and allowed their own natural curiosity to figure it out.
Cheap decathlon jobbie, had a brake and looked smart. Was perfect. Looks like prices have gone through the roof though.
We were lucky and got a hand me down Islabike Rothan from some friends. Both of the kids loved it and the transition to pedal bike was seamless.
I think you’ve got to at least give her a go on one if you think she’s ready. I think both of ours were between 2-3 years old before they were on the Rothan and it got a well hammered before being passed on again.
Great memories now looking back.
Get the lightest one you can - you'll be carrying it a lot.
And one with a rear brake is good as well, teaches them to slow down without spannering their ankles.
I say both of these things as my son's was heavy, and had no brakes!
We got a banana bike, you can get the lighter LT or the GT with real tyres & spokes for a slight weight penalty. The LT was fine for us.
Great for little ones, no brakes or foot rests but I don't think they're needed at a younger age.
This thing looks amazing haha and I'd love to get it but not at that price! The stated weight is actually a bit heavier than the Banana LT, so it's just bling.
Both my kids had a Puky and absolutely loved it. Great little bike.
Straight off it onto pedal Frog bikes
On the subject of carrying - buy a carry strap
Started with a scuttle bug from around a year in the house. Eldest had decathlon which was good, but the second hand Isla rothans the twins had were rough cosmetically but completely serviceable and they flew, youngest has inherited the least crashed one and is scooting freely and trying to keep up with her sisters on pedals.
As per mashr, just left them lying around in the kitchen until they started coasting then took them to the empty car park over the road.
We didn’t bother with balance bikes, just removed the crankset from their first bike and off they went. Once they could balance, crank back on and job done!
Our eldest had a toddle bike from age 1 (basically a bike shaped scuttlebug, but has the advantage of being a bit more portable).
Getting onto a balance bike was a matter of leg length - he's a bit short so it took a while til he could get his legs over. We started with a v cheap second hand one but quickly moved to a Kokua Like-a-bike which opened up some gravel paths around the village a bit. Having real tyres and a bit of elastomer rear squish is by no means a necesity but it does give a few more options surface-wise.
As others have said, resisting the urge to be too pushy with it probably made the whole experience much better.
We started with a Puky and now on a Frog tadpole.
The Puky has the brilliant benefit of being step through so when he drops it,it falls between his legs painlessly.
Also the Puky has a good space for his legs to rest in the middle when I pushed him around. We started at 18 months.
Seeing older kids on bikes helps massively.
My youngest grandson is 15 months and I made him a balance bike out of a monstrosity of an Iggle Piggle bike. Like the previous 3 grandkids I haven't pushed him into doing it "properly", that will come naturally, usually after watching another kid doing it. He just strolls around, straddling it.
Much like his grandad does, I guess.
We had a Toddlebike from about 10 months, Frog Tadpole Mini from 14 months, and Isla Rothan from 18 months.
If they show an interest, then I'd definitely recommend the tadpole Mini, as it is a proper little bike that is much smaller than the Rothan and made the step up in size easier.
He's now just turned 2, and I'm thinking of replacing the Isla Rothan with a Commencal Ramones 12, but can't decide if it is worth it to fill the gap between now and when he can pedal.
I'd quite like the Commencal as it seems to be one of the only decent balance bikes with both a back brake and also a foot platform. He's mastered the brake on the Isla Rothan, and got his balance fully sorted, but when travelling over rough ground I think that it would be good for him to have his feet up out of the way, so that they don't get caught on things and also so that he can stand on the platform to absorb bumps etc in the same way that we do on our pedals. He's already doing this on the pegs on my shotgun seat by standing up over bumpy bits.
Only things stopping me swapping the Isla Rothan for the Commencal are cost (Commencal £200ish, plus need to source a suitable disc brake), and the thought that as he is progressing so well on the balance bike, he might be ready to try pedaling soon enough to make another balance bike not worthwhile.
Agree with the comment about a rear brake - they won't have a clue at first but as they gain confidence and their tiny hands are able to reach the lever they'll need it. Until then you're going to have cases where a small child are uncontrollably gaining speed towards walls/trees - all a good learning experience!
We bought ours a Scoot (think its a Ridgeback). Both kids used it and then it got passed down to their cousins - great little thing. Quite a long wheelbase so stable and can be had for just over £100 new if you shop around. It'll be dropped, crashed, thrown in a car boot etc so there is (IMHO) absolutely no need in spending more.
We had a Vitus, which was impressively light. Only downside was the 'headset'. No bearings, and there'd often be a lot of play in it. It was about £30 when we bought it mind, I think they've gone up a bit since then.
The weight is great for carrying. Kids jump from one thing to another in an instant, so outings would generally be ride, walk, ride, play, walk, play, ride... Just strap it to a backpack when they're not riding and you hardly notice its there.
We bought our son an islabike rothan aged 18 months. I think it was £80 second hand. It was red (v important) and has a rear brake which I initially removed. After his first proper crash I put it back on but I still don't think he ever used the brake. He had absolutely no interest in it (despite my increasingly desperate attempts) until suddenly at about age 3 1/2 he loved it. Then he rode around everywhere on it for about 3 or 4 months until we got him a pedal bike then he never looked back.
A common story I hear from parents is that they're not interested until they are, and that just depends on the child. Once they're into it they usually pick it up very quickly. I always thought our son would be into it because he loved going on my bike and he was a quick developer physically, but I think at first he wasn't interested because he could run faster than he could go on the balance bike. It's really unpredictable and you just have to get one and see how they go.
After that we bought him the smallest islabike with pedals (Cnoc 14s, second hand £120 iirc) and literally the next day he was riding by himself on the pedal bike. Within a week he was doing 5 mile rides with us (on segregated cyclepath). He's still no idea what a stabiliser is.
we got our daughter a Specialized Hotwalk for her 2nd birthday.
Took a little while to get used to it, but once she did, she was like a speed demon!
The hot walk has a little platform for feet as well, which seemed to help.
https://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/bikes/model/hotwalk/
She then progressed to a pedal bike on her 3rd birthday. Not a stabilizer in sight... thank goodness.
Both my boys had an Islabike Rothan for their second birthdays. They're 11 and 12 now so there wasn't a whole lot of choice then but the Islabikes were great - nice and light, and a brake lever designed for small hands. They used to tear about all over the place, I still watch some of the videos every now and then and have a little happy cry 🙂
As soon as they were ready I got them Islabike Cnoc 14s, it took them about 15 minutes to start riding (no stabilisers).
Agree with the comments about carrying them a lot! I used an old climbing sling.
We couldn't find a 'proper' balance bike with a low enough saddle height for my daughter when she was ready for one.
The only one that she fitted onto was a£25 one from Halfords - the Indi balance bike with 10" wheels, which actually turned out to be a great balance bike - light, nimble & fitted her well.
Indi Balance Bike
We moved on from that to a Banana Bike GT as mentioned by ossify above.
It's a great quality balance bike. We paid £45 for it from Amazon - it's currently been lent to the younger sister of one of her classmates.
My son couldnt have been more then 14months when I picked up a second hand frog tadpole mini, left around the house with occasional interest shown before he started kinda using it. His kinda using it was walking with his bum on the seat not striding like you see kids who have cracked it.
He then outgrew the tadpole mini around his second birthday, so picked up a second hand frog tadpole and hes now getting it.
As a semi bike snob, I really like the button head bolts on the wheels, knock block style interface and proper stem and headseat (inch/eight not inch). Since getting the frog tadpole mini I think its actually appreciated by £20 so when it comes around to selling it, I wont have lost money on either bike.
My vote would be for Earlyrider - really nicely made light and proper bikes. My son is on his 3rd, while his sister is now riding his 1st.
I would say lower your expectations.
I really wanted my son to get into bikes.
He's now 3 had all the scooters, bikes and anything in between and he just loves hoovers.
Take him to the garage to get his bike, he just wants to play with Henry
Take him to a little kids bike training session at the local trials/dirt jump spot with a great pump track to learn on, he finds a hoover in the hut and obsesses about that.
His mate next door, loves his bike and kicks off if he's not allowed on it.
I dunno
Got a Islabike one and the child loved it, did 6 miles up and down the side on Windermere once. light enough to carry and good quality. Progressed straight to peddling in about 10 mins when the time was right, at her pace.
Its sat in the corner in good condition if you are interested. Green, couple of usual scrapes but nothing major
toddlebike and strider here. onto the smallest pedal frog at 3.5 and rode first time. chuffed dad.
I should probably move the bikes on now he is 5! toddlebike I'd the red one. stryder is an alloy pro (lighter version) and also has 2 sets of wheels, original and spoked wheels with proper air tyres. so when they progress a bit faster or try offroad you can swap them.
if you are close to Southampton and interested let me know
My lad had a second hand Puky and it was brilliant. Used to wheel himself to nursery on it from the age of two. The nursery shed would be full of buggies that mums left for the day, and his bike!
He climbed straight off that and onto a pedal bike - a couple of wobbly attempts and got the hang straight away. I think they are a great way to prepare for proper riding.