DailyBicycle.com
by Oliver Carbonell
Should you start those kids off on a balance bike or a regular bike? As more consumers find out about balance bikes through news articles or at bike shops, I’ve been getting more questions from parents about whether or not they should be starting their kids riding on this style of bike. The other option, typically the obvious choice, is to get a child started on a traditional pedal bike. Let’s talk about the advantages of both and in the process hopefully clear-up any confusion about the choice itself.
Before we go further, let’s define the two types of bikes we’ll be discussing here.
Pedal bike – Refers to the traditional bicycle that most people today learned to ride as kids. It generally consists of a frame, 2 wheels, handlebar, seat, brakes, cranks, pedals, chain and gears. They are propelled by a pedaling motion.
Balance bike – These bikes look like a pedal bike, however, the key differences are they don’t have cranks, pedals, chain and gears. Some have a foot rest that provides the rider a place to rest their feet as they coast. They are propelled by a walking or running motion as the rider is seated on the saddle. As the young rider becomes more comfortable on the balance bike, they often begin to ‘run’ or even coast down hills on them. The are typically for children between the ages of 2 and 5.
Based on my own research and observations, a balance bike is an excellent precursor to a pedal bike. In fact, it’s the way many people are taught to ride a bicycle these days. The popular New York City cycling organization, Bike New York, uses the ‘balance first’ method to teach people of all ages to ride a bike. This method instructs the student to learn to balance a bike first before learning to pedal it. To do so, instructors remove the bike’s pedals and training wheels (if a student’s bike has them) and adjusts the saddle height just enough so the rider can place their feet flat on the ground while seated. What the rider ends up with is something that resembles a balance bike. It’s not exactly a balance bike (as defined above) because the bike will still have its cranks, chain and gears installed. But a student will be able to sit on the bike and just walk with it underneath them, like on a balance bike.
Back to the balance bike. After a child has learned to balance him or herself on a balance bike, learning to ride a pedal bike becomes much easier. Actually, much of the learning can be done on a balance bike because as the rider learns to balance, he or she will also learn to brake and steer the bike too. All the while, the rider will develop the balance, coordination, stamina and confidence necessary to learn to pedal a bike.
There’s another way to think about balance bikes. While they are an excellent start to eventually pedaling a bike, they can also be seen as another type of self-propelled vehicle that can live side by side with any other type of ride-on vehicle. Think of them in terms of bicycles versus tricycles versus pogo sticks versus skateboards versus balance bikes. Each vehicle is different than the others and are appreciated for their own unique traits. Without the cranks, pedals and gears of a pedal bike, there is no pressure on the child to learn to pedal it. The student propels forward by walking and running while seated on the bike. These differences make the experience different than if they were on a pedal bike. Children enjoy the balance bike for what it is. I’ve seen kids on city streets, playgrounds and campsites who looked completely happy and content just getting around on their balance bikes. Some even seek out small hills just for the thrill of the speed they gain while coasting down them. More advanced riders do tricks on them… and these are kids typically under the age of 5! Kids can easily stop or slow the balance bike by placing their feet on the ground or applying brakes (some models include hand brakes).
Now let’s shift our focus to the traditional pedal bike. It’s a beautiful and higly efficient vehicle and most people desire to know how to ride one. While learning to pedal a bike can be a challenging endeavor, once learned, a child can self-propel themselves very efficiently and have a great time while doing it. Riding a bike gives them a sense of freedom and exhiliration that is unmatched by any other type of self-propelled vehicle. Yet they are versatile too. As mentioned earlier, a pedal bike can also be made to function like a balance bike by removing the pedals, training wheels and adjusting the saddle height. While doing this doesn’t turn a pedal bike into an ideal balance bike, it can transform the bike just enough to make it a viable ‘learning tool’ for balance, coordination, stamina and confidence.
This article would be incomplete without considering costs. A balance bike is typically much more expensive than a pedal bike, therefore, the economical route is to go with a pedal bike. If cost is an issue, then the decision is easier as the pedal bike is the likely candidate. However, if cost isn’t an issue, there are a couple of factors to consider. The first is what experience do you want to provide to the child? Remember, a balance bike isn’t necessarily a precursor to a pedal bike, but a vehicle that can stand on its own merits. A child can have as much fun on a balance bike as on a pedal bike. If the intent is to provide the child with the experiences inherent in balance bikes, then this type of bike makes sense. An added benefit is it’s a natural segue to eventually pedaling a bike. Another consideration is how you want your child to learn to ride a bike. If you want them to learn in a no-pressure, gradual yet fun way that builds their balance, coordination, endurance and confidence, then a balance bike again makes sense. But if you want them to learn to ride a pedal bike quickly without the balance bike as a precursor, then a pedal bike might be your choice.
Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle
