Child's 1st bike advice
Discussion
My lad is 4 next month and we're looking to get him a bike.
The question is balance bike or traditional bike and stabilisers?
He's a bit of a clumsy bugger, so I'm leaning more towards stabilisers. I also feel there's more development potential in a traditional bike. However I understand a balance bike is seen as the better way to learn?
Ahy advice gratefully received!
The question is balance bike or traditional bike and stabilisers?
He's a bit of a clumsy bugger, so I'm leaning more towards stabilisers. I also feel there's more development potential in a traditional bike. However I understand a balance bike is seen as the better way to learn?
Ahy advice gratefully received!
From what I've seen and read a bike with stabilisers is going to do nothing for your lad's clumsiness, it will just teach him to lean on one stabiliser at a time and when you take them off he'll wobble and fall off, which could put him off riding.
A balance bike is exactly that. He can go just as fast but will learn to balance (or wear his knees out, but basic pain avoidance should facilitate the first option!) When he can balance and control the balance bike, get him a good quality, light, 'proper' bike. Also, good quality balance bikes hold their value so that will offset the cost of the 'proper' bike.
A balance bike is exactly that. He can go just as fast but will learn to balance (or wear his knees out, but basic pain avoidance should facilitate the first option!) When he can balance and control the balance bike, get him a good quality, light, 'proper' bike. Also, good quality balance bikes hold their value so that will offset the cost of the 'proper' bike.
At 4 he might be a bit big for most balance bikes, it which case a decent lightweight child's bike and remove the cranks & chain for a couple of months while he learns to balance. Then you can add them back on and he can learn to pedal too.
Avoid stabilisers, they will just make things harder for him.
Avoid stabilisers, they will just make things harder for him.
Having watched kids on balance bikes in the park, the fundamental problem seems to be the fact that the rider needs to put their feet down every few seconds to propel themselves along. When the child does move along, there is nowhere to put their feet other than back on the floor when they eventually run out of momentum. There is no prolonged period whereby they "balance" so to speak, they just go from pushing with their left foot to pushing with their right foot in a curious waddling fashion and so on.
A regular bike even with stabilisers gets them used to the pedalling motion which they learn becomes their method of propulsion and removes the reliance on having their feet in contact with the floor.
A regular bike even with stabilisers gets them used to the pedalling motion which they learn becomes their method of propulsion and removes the reliance on having their feet in contact with the floor.
pablo said:
Having watched kids on balance bikes in the park, the fundamental problem seems to be the fact that the rider needs to put their feet down every few seconds to propel themselves along. When the child does move along, there is nowhere to put their feet other than back on the floor when they eventually run out of momentum. There is no prolonged period whereby they "balance" so to speak, they just go from pushing with their left foot to pushing with their right foot in a curious waddling fashion and so on.
A regular bike even with stabilisers gets them used to the pedalling motion which they learn becomes their method of propulsion and removes the reliance on having their feet in contact with the floor.
The benefits of balance bikes have been proven time and time again. They might not keep their feet up for long but they do teach children the correct balancing skills and muscle memory to ride a proper bike. Pedalling is a simple enough skill to add on afterwards.A regular bike even with stabilisers gets them used to the pedalling motion which they learn becomes their method of propulsion and removes the reliance on having their feet in contact with the floor.
The same cannot be said of a bike with stabilisers. Stabilisers are actually counter productive as they teach the child to steer with the handlebars, which will just cause repeated falls when they are eventually removed. You might as well buy them a tricycle.
pablo said:
Having watched kids on balance bikes in the park, the fundamental problem seems to be the fact that the rider needs to put their feet down every few seconds to propel themselves along. When the child does move along, there is nowhere to put their feet other than back on the floor when they eventually run out of momentum. There is no prolonged period whereby they "balance" so to speak, they just go from pushing with their left foot to pushing with their right foot in a curious waddling fashion and so on.
A regular bike even with stabilisers gets them used to the pedalling motion which they learn becomes their method of propulsion and removes the reliance on having their feet in contact with the floor.
Likeabike Jumper addresses that problem and offers rear suspension that actually works without a weight penalty.A regular bike even with stabilisers gets them used to the pedalling motion which they learn becomes their method of propulsion and removes the reliance on having their feet in contact with the floor.
The thing with stabs is that balance is harder to learn than pedalling. Most kids who go from BB to pedal bike do so within about 10mins. Taking off the stabs takes much longer to master normally.
Andy,
Search youtube for 'Islabike Rothan' balance bike. Worth every penny I think!
Rory had one at 3 and loved it. At 4 he jumped straight onto a slightly bigger Islabike cnoc 14" pedal bike, and was riding around competently within 5 minutes. No surprise, his 6th birthday present was an Islabike Beinn 20.
Isla is happy charging around on the Rothan now, and is ready to to go up to pedals this summer.
All the bikes have proved to be super well made, and have great resale value too for when both the kids outgrow them.
http://www.islabikes.co.uk/index-eu.html
Search youtube for 'Islabike Rothan' balance bike. Worth every penny I think!
Rory had one at 3 and loved it. At 4 he jumped straight onto a slightly bigger Islabike cnoc 14" pedal bike, and was riding around competently within 5 minutes. No surprise, his 6th birthday present was an Islabike Beinn 20.
Isla is happy charging around on the Rothan now, and is ready to to go up to pedals this summer.
All the bikes have proved to be super well made, and have great resale value too for when both the kids outgrow them.
http://www.islabikes.co.uk/index-eu.html
Edited by kiwifraser on Thursday 9th May 23:03
on a balance bike, exactly like a normal bike, you can only turn when moving by getting the bike to lean first, either by almost subconcious countersteering, or simply leaning
a bike with stabilisers leans the wrong way in a turn and the kid uses much more steering input
it's essentially teaching them the exact wrong way to ride a bike, so they learn to pedal, then have to re-learn riding
a bike with stabilisers leans the wrong way in a turn and the kid uses much more steering input
it's essentially teaching them the exact wrong way to ride a bike, so they learn to pedal, then have to re-learn riding
Hi all,
Thanks for all the advice!
Just to let you know that we've gone for the likeabike jumper. I think going for something a little smaller and easier to manoeuvre will be the best option right now. His little sister will get use from it too, once he outgrows it. So it doesn't matter if that happens quicker than planned.
The islabikes look great, and will likely be looking at one for his 5th b-day!
Thanks for all the advice!
Just to let you know that we've gone for the likeabike jumper. I think going for something a little smaller and easier to manoeuvre will be the best option right now. His little sister will get use from it too, once he outgrows it. So it doesn't matter if that happens quicker than planned.
The islabikes look great, and will likely be looking at one for his 5th b-day!
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