| It's the biking phenomenon that's taking the world by storm right now. Parents love them, kids love them and they're a whole lot of fun. We're talking about balance bikes, a whole new approach to biking. What Are Balance Bikes? Balance bikes are geared toward children attempting to learn how to ride a bike. They almost look like a regular bicycle but have no pedals or brakes. Kids basically ride the bike as they would a regular bike, except the only way to move forward is by pushing the ground with their feet and balancing themselves on their own. How Are Balance Bikes Better? The fundamental idea behind balance bikes is to separate the concepts of balance and steering from the skills of braking and pedalling. When kids don't have to worry about pedalling and braking, they can really focus on learning how to balance themselves. So, when it's finally time to ride a regular pedal bike, your child has already mastered the art of balance. Plus, your child develops stronger legs from pushing themselves forward on the balance bikes. |  |
 | It has been found that children who ride balance bikes are ready for standard pedal bikes at a younger age than children who used a kiddie bike with training wheels. On average, a child who started with balance bikes can start riding regular bikes at the age of three. In comparison, kids who used training wheels typically start riding pedal bikes around the time they are five or six years old. Balance bikes make for a much smoother transition to standard bikes. Advantages of Balance Bikes Not only are balance bikes great for your child in terms of preparing them early for regular pedal bikes, they also come with additional advantages: They save you money: Balance bikes replace not just a tricycle but also a 12" inch bike with training wheels. Basically, your child can move directly to a standard bike once s/he has mastered the balance bike. They're safer: Balance bikes are much safer than tricycles or bikes with training wheels. On a balance bike, kids have much more control over their movement. As a result, they don't fall down as often as they would on a regular kiddie bike. Kids love it: Children love the simplicity of the balance bike. There are no pedals, no brakes, no greasy chains, and no complicated instructions, just them and their ability to propel themselves forward. Balance bikes make your children more confident about their biking abilities. And, since they fall down less from balance bikes, they'll be spared a lot of the drama, fears and tears that are inevitable when the training wheels come off. |
