You’ve seen them tearing down sidewalks and swerving around mailboxes on two wheels. And you’ve correctly deduced that for toddlers are a child development staple. They let young kids build up their body strength while also honing their.

This led me to the general criteria for the best balance bike for most kids: Geometry. The best balance bikes are built anatomically correctly for kids, and a good balance bike should put a kid in an upright to very slightly forward leaning position. This means the fixed elements of the bike are mini-me versions of adult bikes with appropriate. Balance bikes allow children as young as 18 months to be prepared for cycling for life before stepping up to a pedal bike by three or four years old - without ever using training wheels. Seat height can be adjusted from 11-14.17 inches, ensuring the best fit for kids height range from 27.5 to 37.5 inches.

Plus, they’re just hella fun. A kids’ balance bike is much more than a prelude to a two-wheel with pedals, although it is that. It’s a great way for children to learn the basics of cycling, while also having a sense of control because their feet stay on the ground.When choosing a balance bike, keep a few things in mind.

Pay attention to tire size and seat height: Your kid should be able to touch the ground and comfortably push off when seated. As for tires, 12 inch tires are most common, followed by 14 inch tires for larger kids. The bike should weigh no more than one-third of what your child weighs, so they can maneuver it easily. If you can, opt for air tires, which provide much more cushioning and traction than cheaper foam tires.

Here are the top models to get your kid up to speed at their own pace. Before you know it, they’ll be hooked and asking for a.

What is a balance bike?Imagine a small, with no cranks or pedals – and you’ve pretty much got a balance bike. Before you ask if you can scrimp on buying one, and just take the pedals of a sibling’s machine – the best balance bikes are generally lighter than small wheeled children’s bikes, and carefully adapted to suit very small hands and bodies.Children push the bike along with their feet.

Once they feel more confident, the next step is to teach your child to push and then glide – lifting their legs up to make the most of the momentum gained.Balance bikes and age rangesChildren can start riding balance bikes when they’re around 18-months to two years old, and little ones up to around the age of five enjoy them. In most cases, children will move on to a bike with pedals at around the age of four. There isn’t a top end restriction on age, though, and you can even get.It’s important to remember that balance bikes need to be the correct size for their rider: is just as important for kids as it is for adults. Of course, children grow quickly between the ages of two and five, so ideally you’ll want to select a bike that is adjustable. Benefits of balance bikes. A balance bike teaches your child a very crucial skill: balance. Learned early, this can have a notable impact upon their confidence when it comes to cycling unsupported.

Not only this, a balance bike will to control the movement of the bike with their body weight and steering.Whilst a child learning to pedal using stabilisers might find the transition to balancing, steering, and pedalling all at once a little overwhelming, a child who has graduated from a balance bike will mainly just be adding pedalling to their existing skill set. What’s wrong with stabilisers?Stabilisers have been used for decades – and they worked for most of us in our early years (as far as we can remember).However, they’ve got their shortcomings.

When we caught up with she summed it up pretty nicely: “Stabilisers are not actually a great way to learn to ride. A bicycle steers by leaning, you lean it to the right and the handlebars fall to the right, you lean it to the left and they fall to the left. Stabilisers hold the bike in a rigid, upright position – so when a child learns to steer with stabilisers on the bike, they’re actually learning to steer a tricycle.”.

She went on to say: “Instead of learning to steer by leaning, they learn to steer by turning the handlebars, and pushing their bodyweight away from the bike, to stop it toppling over. When they come to ride without the stabilisers, they’ve then got to un-learn what they’ve been doing and learn something different.” Balance bikes: eight of the best Islabikes Rothan balance bikeRead more:No children’s bike list would be complete without a nod to Islabikes. The Rothan features small diameter handlebars, a micro reach brake lever, a scoop saddle for comfort in the balance position, and it comes in at just 3.2kg. We gave this bike a ‘perfect 10’ when we reviewed it and called it a ‘marker of how to build a kid’s first bike’ – can’t say fairer than that!Buy now: Strider Bikes Sport 12 inch balance bike. Strider Bikes Sport 12 inch balance bikeStrider Bikes manufacture balance bikes for everyone: from children aged 18 months to adults.

They also host and create bikes for The brand’s top selling model is the Strider Bikes Sport. With 12 inch wheels, it’s designed to fit children aged up to five years, and comes in seven colours. The tyres are made from EVA polymer – that means they’re light and puncture proof, but won’t maintain traction quite like rubber. This said, Strider provide the option to move on to pneumatic tyres as your child develops. Quick release clamps adjust the seat post and handlebars, and no tools are required in assembly.Buy now: Frog Bikes Tadpole and Tadpole Plus balance bikes. Read more:Available in a range of colours, Union Jack and the USA stars and stripes paint jobs, the Frog Bikes Tadpole also comes in three sizes.

The 24cm Tadpole Mini is ideal for those aged one to three, 32cm Tadpole suits riders from two to three and the 38cm Tadpole Blue for those three to four. Of course, suitability will vary, but size guides are provided. The bikes weigh from 3.46kg to 4.18kg, have an easy-grip Tektro rear brake with an adjustable leaver, and a quick release seat-post adjustment.Buy now: HOY Bikes Napier balance bike. Having had a bit of a rethink, the original rather pricy Earlyrider doesn’t make the 2020 line up, but the Charger 12 does, and we think it’s a much better option all round. The brand still keeps its lightweight focus with the aluminium frame, fork, steerer and seat post as well as hubs as well as clincher tyres.

The total weight isn’t listed, but it will certainly be one of the lighter options. The custom Ritchy riser bars are designed specifically to fit mini V short reach brake leavers, and the low slung frame with a minimum seat hight of just 31cm allows even the littlest of legs the earliest starts to bike riding.Buy now: Bobbin Gingersnap balance bike.

Bobbin Gingersnap Balance BikeAdults choose their bikes based on frame, specification, and aesthetics – and children have every right to be just as picky. The Bobbin Gingersnap is designed for children aged between one and five, and follows the conventions of the iconic brand – basket and all. Twelve inch wheels are fitted with study tyres and both saddle height and the handlebars are adjustable. With the extra accessories it comes in at 5kg.Buy now: Kiddimoto Kurve Balance bikeKiddimoto’s Kurve balance bikes are made from Birch Plywood sourced from managed forests – they tip the scales at 4.5kg and have three available saddle heights. The brand has used pneumatic tyres with inner tubes and grips with stoppers provide an ergonomic fit for little hands.

Designed to suit toddlers from 3 to 5 years old, there’s a wide range of colour and design options – from butterflies and dots to police cars and fire engines.Buy now:How to teach your child to ride a bike in just 45 minutes (video). Balance bikes for 2 year olds and upIf you’re worrying about what size bike to get, don’t worry as many companies will offer bikes based on age giving a rough range of ages that the bike will fit. Brands like Kiddimoto offer balance bikes for 0-2 years, 2-3 years, 3-5 years and finally 5+ years ensuring there should be something available for every age.

How much do people spend on balance bikes?Just like adult bikes, children’s balance bikes vary dramatically in cost. The good news is we’re talking hundreds, and not thousands.

The cheapest balance bikes will be around £20, but you can spend up to £200.The temptation to spend less rather than more is understandable if you’re worried about splashing out on an item that could end up gathering dust. However, it’s really worth remembering that the likelihood of this happening is slashed if the bike is fun to ride.At the pricier end of the scale, bikes will be lighter, more durable, and will have components (grips and saddles, for example) that are better designed for little bodies.

We’re not suggesting that you have to buy a model with all the bells and whistles, but spending around £100 is a good idea. What should you look for in the best balance bikes?

Balance bikes can be cool, as these kids on Strider bikes demonstrateThere are some amazing looking balance bikes out there – some come with plastic add-ons that turn them into everything from motorbikes to shopper bikes (no prizes for guessing the gender suggestions coming up on shopping filters, there).Colours and graphics that your child likes are undeniably important, but there are other features to consider first: Weight of balance bikesWhen it comes to children’s bikes, weight is incredibly important. Heavier models might come in at around 5kg, whilst those designed with an eye on the scales sit closer to 3kg. Though that might not sound like a huge difference to an adult, it’s a huge percentage of a child’s weight.The lighter the bike, the easier it will be for your learning toddler to get it moving, and to handle it around the twists and turns in the park – especially if there’s the odd little incline. Fit on balance bikesAbove all else, the bike needs to fit to be comfortable. Balance bikes at the smallest end of the scale can have 10 inch wheels, and at the largest end you’re usually looking at 20 inch wheels.At its lowest point, the saddle should measure one inch lower than your child’s inseam measurement. When sat on the saddle, your child should be able to put both feet flat on the ground, with a slight bend at the knee. The banner saga. The bend in the knee might look odd at first, but it means that when they get going and extend their legs in front of them, they’ll still be able to comfortably reach the ground and take big, swooping and effective strides.

Adjustability of balance bikesIt’s understandable that you want your child’s balance bike to last as long as they want to enjoy it – typically two to three years. Look for a bike with an adjustable saddle height that offers a good range. Some versions also have adjustable handlebar heights, offering an even more tailored fit. Should balance bikes have brakes?A balance bike doesn’t have to have a brake – little feet will suffice. However, having one (usually at the rear) can add confidence. Not only that, it also gives your child one more skill which they can apply when they start to pedal. A quality balance bike will have a brake lever that’s easy for a small hand to operate.

The tyres on balance bikesThere are two common options here: EVA foam or rubber tyres with an inner tube, just like those on adult bikes. EVA foam tyres are usually lighter and puncture proof – but they don’t provide quite the same traction as a rubber tyre which will feel nicer and allow for use on different surfaces such as grass. It’s generally considered that EVA foam tyres will suit smaller riders who will stick to paved surfaces, but they’ll eventually grow out of them. Saddle comfort on balance bikes.

It’s ok: we’re not going to start advocating chamois shorts for five year olds. But it’s worth knowing that the ideal balance bike saddle isn’t necessarily the same as a pedal bike saddle. The body resting on it will be putting quite a lot of weight through the centre of the saddle, so these are ideally shaped in a ‘scoop’ shape – a bit like the one fitted to the Isla Rothan.

However, your child probably won’t be out for three hour jaunts like many parents – so don’t panic too much about this. Check if you’re going to need to build the balance bike!Not all balance bikes are created equal when it comes to build quality. Ideally, you want one that is easy to assemble and comes with clear instructions. Some might require specific tools, so enquire if it’s not obvious or stated that they’re provided.