Balance bikes are suitable as a first bike and are ideal for kids from 3 years old. They’re also a great way for kids to find their feet before progressing to pedal bikes. When your little one first gets their balance bike, they may ‘walk’ the bike – holding onto the handlebars and walking alongside it. Over time they will learn to sit on the saddle and scoot with their feet. Eventually, your child will start to glide along, picking their feet up off the floor and balancing. Once they’ve mastered gliding as well as the ability to steer around obstacles, they’re ready to make the transition to ..read more

BMX bikes are recognisable due to their smaller wheels and frames. Their simplistic design makes it as easy as possible to ride them in intense riding environments such as skate parks or pump tracks. What is a BMX bike? Find more information here. Other features that define a BMX bike include its lightweight structure and thick and steady tyres for durability and stability whilst riding. As with all models of bike there are several different styles of BMX available. Each style of BMX is slightly different and has been optimised for a certain BMX event or style of riding.   If you’ve been ..read more

Balance bikes are suitable as a first bike and are ideal for kids from 3 years old. They’re also a great way for kids to find their feet before progressing to pedal bikes. When your little one first gets their balance bike, they may ‘walk’ the bike – holding onto the handlebars and walking alongside it. Over time they will learn to sit on the saddle and scoot with their feet. Eventually, your child will start to glide along, picking their feet up off the floor and balancing. Once they’ve mastered gliding as well as the ability to steer around obstacles, they’re ready to make the transition to ..read more

Taking off the stabilisers in teacher development will yield results, says this assistant headteacher, giving us more confident and effective teachers So far, I’ve successfully taught two of my three daughters to ride a two-wheeled pedal bike. While I learned to cycle the traditional way, by using stabilisers and then ditching them once I was a bit more confident, I’ve eschewed that for my own children and instead followed the current trend for balance bikes.    It really does work, reducing the complexity of the learning process. And it made me think: when we develop teachers’ skill ..read more

Balance bikes are more popular than ever. With so many styles, sizes and materials available, how do you know which one is the best for your child? To help you make the right choice, here is a quick guide to the main things to consider when buying a balance bike. Size   When it comes to balance bikes, size should be your number one consideration. When standing over the bike, your child needs to be able to put both feet flat on the ground and have at least 2 to 3 cm clearance above the seat.   Another way to measure this is by using your child’s inseam measurement. The inseam measurem ..read more

One of the biggest challenges for parents when it comes to buying a bike for their children is balancing the desire to buy a good bike with the reality that your child will soon outgrow whatever bicycle you pick. In this post, we share several options. This includes 2 bikes that convert from a trike to a balance bike, and another 2 that convert from a balance bike to a pedal bike. These convertible balance bikes offer an attractive option to parents who want to buy a bike that can grow with their child for a while. The convertible LittleBig balance bike transforms from a small to large balance ..read more

Bike theft is a deterrent against riding for some potential cyclists—especially those who’ve lost bicycles in the past—but attention to bike locking can help secure your bicycle against would-be thieves. Our illustrated guide starts with one of our recently arrived commercial bike racks, new enough that it is not yet anchored. Our first tip: make sure your bike rack is secure! Since our rack is not yet installed, these locking scenarios are for demonstration only.   The Simple-U A black U-lock is filled by wheel, bike frame, and commercial bike rack Bike locks are most secure when they ar ..read more

Look at that face! Oh the joy of mastering a balance bike! Your child can soon be balancing with the best of them – all that’s required of you is to provide time, a safe place to ride, and plenty of positive encouragement. Little or no instruction is needed because for the most part, kids instinctively figure it out how to use a balance bike by themselves. The advice below provides an outline of the natural process your child will go through in learning to ride a balance bike on their own. What are the Stages of Mastering a Balance Bike? There are 4 steps most riders go through in learning to ..read more

A balance bike is a bike without pedals. While it has a frame, fork, handlebars, wheels etc, it has no drivetrain. To move forwards, kids push off the ground with their feet, like Fred Flintstone. Another thing balance bikes don’t have is stabilisers (A.K.A. training wheels). Since kids have their feet on the ground, they can develop their balance and coordination as they are not supported by stabilisers. This allows kids to develop their balance first, before progressing to pedals. What age are balance bikes for? Balance bikes are normally for kids from 18 months to 7 years old. If your child ..read more

Starting a toddler on a balance bike is a great way to give children independence and encourage outdoor movement. But, for parents, sometimes the task can be daunting! While it sounds and looks impressive (especially when said kids are petite riding those pedals), they certainly aren’t unique. With the introduction of the balance bike as more mainstream over the past 10 or so years, kids are finding newfound freedom on wheels at a much younger age. Need to know more about size and balance? But first check out our other posts: The best balance bikes and Balance bike Size chart.   So if you ..read more