The Best Balance Bikes: Getting Your Mini-Bikers Started Early

by Colin · June 23, 2014

Balance Bike Series Index

Introduction
Why Buy a Balance Bike?
What are the Good Brands?
The Best Balance Bikes

Ok, I’ll start this post with a qualification – I’m lining up a series of articles, and they’ll not be for everyone.

You see, I’m afraid I’m just not as cool as I once was (or thought I was…). Something happened to me two years ago which suddenly stripped me of my coolness (that’s definitely not cool) and turned me into that epitome of un-cool. I became a Dad.

So, today is a watershed. Today is the day that I write my first post on Mountain Bikes Apart about being a parent, and about balance bikes in particular. Knowing how I felt only 5 years ago, that will, to some, be the biggest turn-off since the queen stepped out of her carriage and accidentally showed an inch of thigh.

But… if you are a parent, then come on in. You’ll realise, as well as I, that we’ve still got a chance. These wee squalling mini-humans, while annoying, are also pretty adorable some of the time. And the best thing about them is that they’re ours to mold as we please. Cue, “The Best Balance Bikes”.

So, how do we mold them. Polite? Of course. Well behaved? Naturally. Patient, loving, generous? Check, check and check. We can all agree on the standards. But, if you’re reading this, I’m thinking your vice might be similar to mine. Something along the lines of… dirty, mud-soaked, berm ridden, jump riddled singletrack. So, to our list of personality traits we add, of course, trail addict.

Now, I’ve met a few people so far who are waiting. Waiting, I tells you! They have children just knocking around in their house, wasting time playing with toys and not…. <gasp> NOT surrounded by bikes. They utter such nonsense as, “Well, once he hits maybe 4 or 5 I suppose I’ll get him a bike.” Or, “Hmm… isn’t 6 months a bit young?”

Well, I’m here to tell you, the answer is no: 6 months is NOT too early. Well, it might be, to be honest… Regardless, my equally bike-loving brother bought my little tyke his first balance bike at just that age – a great wee stabilised, ball-wheeled starter thing that he could sit on before he could walk. And now, at 2, the balance bike work has started. I’m telling you – he’ll have ridden a red run before he’s 3.

So, the upshot? Well, I’ve carried out a bunch of Balance Bike research in the past 6 months, and written up a few balance bike reviews, so I thought I might as well share it here.

If you’re looking to get your kid into mountain biking, then a balance bike should be the first stop. “Why?” I hear you ask. Well, sit awhile and let me tell you. Here starts the molding – give us 10 years and we’ll have our own mini Gee/Rachel Atherton. The work starts here!

Why Buy a Balance Bike?

Section, Coming Soon…

What are the Best Balance Bike Brands?

Section, Coming Soon…