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Balance Bikes

  1. #1
    Bizarro Zoolander Petorius's Avatar
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    Balance Bikes

    Does your kid love their balance bike? What kind is it?

    On a related note, can anyone attest to the off-road capabilities of Strider bikes with the plastic tires?

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  2. #2
    Lifer
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    My wife bought her daughter a Scoot balance bike. I am pretty sure it is from the UK. It has a real rear rim brake and it is on the wrong side.
    It's awesome. Built like a real bike. Wish the kid used it more.
    This one has pneumatic tires and will go anywhere. Anxious to throw #2 on it.

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  3. #3
    Lifer Chippertheripper's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    R had a giant pre or something.
    She did great on it, and only regressed when my mother in law refused to take her on her first pedal bike without training wheels. Don’t let that happen to you.

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  4. #4
    Jamnuts jhawley's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    My one year old just a couple as a gift. How soon can I put him on this thing?

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  5. #5
    Lifer
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Soon as he doesn't hurt himself?!

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  6. #6
    Lifer Chippertheripper's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Can he walk?
    Quote Originally Posted by jhawley View Post
    My one year old just a couple as a gift. How soon can I put him on this thing?

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  7. #7
    Jamnuts jhawley's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    he just starting to walk if we hold him, but his crawling speed has increased dramatically in the last week. if he pulls him self up he will stand.

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  8. #8
    Kosher Assassin Stoneman's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    We got my boy a Strider at age 3. He pummeled that thing for a couple years, and we were still able to pay it forward. By age 5 he was on both a mountain bike AND a freestyle bike. Although he favored the free style because well, at five what kid wants a mountain bike?

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  9. #9
    Lifer
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Quote Originally Posted by jhawley View Post
    he just starting to walk if we hold him, but his crawling speed has increased dramatically in the last week. if he pulls him self up he will stand.
    My wife is the parental expert in the house. But I'm going to say.. not yet.

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  10. #10
    Kosher Assassin Stoneman's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Quote Originally Posted by jhawley View Post
    My one year old just a couple as a gift. How soon can I put him on this thing?
    Quote Originally Posted by jhawley View Post
    he just starting to walk if we hold him, but his crawling speed has increased dramatically in the last week. if he pulls him self up he will stand.
    I've always been a solid believer in - if they can get on it and ride it MOSTLY safely, let them have at it. Be aware though. They find a whole new streak of independence and take risk to a new level once they master them! LOL!

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    Did you grit your teeth and try to look like Clint Fuckin' Eastwood?
    Or did you lisp it all hangfisted like a fuckin' flower?

  11. #11
    Wizard loudbeard's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    I can't remember the brand of ours, got it at the LBS when we got wifey a bike. It has the plastic tires, does perfectly fine out in the grass. Last summer my son was only mildly interested it it, he was 2 1/2 around the end of the summer. This year he is showing much more interest, turned 3 at the end of February.

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    I went to MMI I know what Im doing here chief

  12. #12
    Lifer OneCheekRider's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    I have no kids and have nothing to add other than I know the guys at Stacyc. It's a strider bike with an electric motor. Harley actually just acquired them.

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  13. #13
    Lifer Chippertheripper's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Oof, that’s the kiss of death.

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  14. #14
    Bizarro Zoolander Petorius's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Went with a Frog Tadpole Mini. It was the only "real" bike I could find with a minimum seat height under 11" for my vertically challenged Nugget.

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  15. #15
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    We have a Strider that my oldest used and loved until he outgrew it. The foam tires are fine, when they are off road they are walking the thing anyway. I found him a used Islabikes 14" pedal bike that he just decided that he wants to use and once he made up his mind he was riding it in minutes. The Strider was passed down to his younger brother and now I'm hunting for a 16". I've got three boys so I figure that even though a 12" balance, 14", 16", 20" are a lot of bikes they'll get enough use to justify it.

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  16. #16
    Fast is contagious JettaJayGLS's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    I'm assuming there is an S-works version of one of these I can try to get you all to buy.

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    A man of many names...Jay, Gennaro, Gerry, etc.

  17. #17
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Joe. you have the perfect stepping stones to riding a bike after this weekend.

    the one i got you is a tricycle (does not require balance but trains the legs and hands on the bars) and it converts to an almost traditional bike, bringing the 2 rear wheels right next to each other, introducing the balance portion. then on the the one Chris hot that is a traditional stryder.

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  18. #18
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Quote Originally Posted by JettaJayGLS View Post
    I'm assuming there is an S-works version of one of these I can try to get you all to buy.
    This is my favorite of what I've seen:
    16" Early Rider Disc - Hope Academy
    20" Academy - Hope Academy

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  19. #19
    Lifer
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Quote Originally Posted by iTGbuDeeV View Post
    the one i got you is a tricycle (does not require balance but trains the legs and hands on the bars) and it converts to an almost traditional bike, bringing the 2 rear wheels right next to each other, introducing the balance portion.
    What is this please?

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  20. #20
    Lifer union's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Picked up one last fall for my daughter. She has yet to really try it out but I'm hoping this is the year. She turns three the end of May. Maybe I should see if I can pick up a cheap bmx style bike to play around with so she gets the idea better.

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    James

  21. #21
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    I got him this:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    its cheap and plastic, but i got it because i knew his kid wasn't walking yet, so the whole balance thing would be a challenge with a standard balance bike. Handley got him a real strider, so between those 2 things, he'll be on the right path.

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  22. #22
    Lifer typeone's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Quote Originally Posted by iTGbuDeeV View Post
    I got him this:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    its cheap and plastic, but i got it because i knew his kid wasn't walking yet, so the whole balance thing would be a challenge with a standard balance bike. Handley got him a real strider, so between those 2 things, he'll be on the right path.
    we started with one that's a similar idea but more two-wheel focused ... the Y Velo Jr ... introduced indoors at around 1 year old in the single wheel setup. as they grew into walking, they had the bike always around.

    after that moved to a Kundo EVO at age 2. lightweight aluminum frame, no sharp edges, real tires, etc. both my boys took to it quickly. that's when the sensation of freedom + speed really kicked in.

    Quote Originally Posted by Crimedog View Post
    This is my favorite of what I've seen:
    16" Early Rider Disc - Hope Academy
    after the boys learned pedals on a Specialized Hotrock 12" at age 3, they moved to an Early Rider Belter 16" at age 4 ... awesome bike !! highly recommend.

    ...

    general comment: as far as training wheels go, never introduce them, just throw them away.

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    Beta 200RR

  23. #23
    Kosher Assassin Stoneman's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Quote Originally Posted by typeone View Post
    general comment: as far as training wheels go, never introduce them, just throw them away.
    Yup! I made the mistake with my two oldest. My youngest has never seen them on anything: bicycles, mountain bike, dirtbike, etc.

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    Did you grit your teeth and try to look like Clint Fuckin' Eastwood?
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  24. #24
    Development Rider scottieducati's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Had a Strider bike donated to me, Calvin was obsessed with it from about 14 months old but couldn't quite ride it. When he could, he started wailing and crying when we went near it. Turns out he was scared. Crouched down with him and said he could just stand and hold it. Then started with itsy bitsy baby steps... before I knew it he was off. That was last year, and he couldn't really get farther than a block or two down the sidewalk. Been back out since spring and he's usually on it 2-4x / week, can now make full loops of our neighborhood and get himself up and down hills. Not much for offloading since they have to be walked, but he loves to drive on the lawn with it and "crash" every once in a while. He's starting to really pick up speed and play with holding his feet up, balancing and leaning a bit. He's turning 3 in July for reference.

    Huge success and he loves it, will be interesting to see how he progresses to pedals and/or a throttle. They now have e-Bike strider-bikes with throttles in the UK. Pretty dope.

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    CCS/LRRS #83

  25. #25
    Lifer typeone's Avatar
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    Re: Balance Bikes

    Quote Originally Posted by scottieducati View Post
    Huge success and he loves it, will be interesting to see how he progresses to pedals and/or a throttle. They now have e-Bike strider-bikes with throttles in the UK. Pretty dope.
    awesome!

    keep at it. told both of mine as soon as they learned to pedal, they get a dirt bike. both checked that box asap + began riding an Oset 12.5R at 3 years. that thing was perfect to teach throttle control and standing. PW50 is an easy transition after that although not nearly as cool.

    when teaching pedals, try to get a bike with a small grab handle so you can be sorta invisible as you help them balance while pumping the cranks. they have the balance down, it's just adding it all up.

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