In case you hadn’t heard, training wheels are out and balance bikes are in (you can read more about this on our previous blog here.) 

In short, training wheels do not actually prepare your child for riding a bicycle on two wheels. The most important part about riding a bicycle is learning how to balance, and that is not something that can easily be taught to your child when they are leaning on the training wheels (literally) to keep them from tipping over. 

Because we didn’t want to point out this problem without providing a solution, our engineers have been hard at work the past few months on a special project that can help your child get ready for the transition to riding a regular two-wheeled bicycle.

If you haven’t guessed by this point, we’re thrilled to announce that we have added 12-inch balance bike to our lineup of Belsize kid’s bikes!

A balance bike is similar to a regular bicycle, but with one main difference: it doesn’t have any pedals.

You may be wondering how this works, so let us explain. 

How Does A Balance Bike Work?

If you know how to ride a bicycle already you may not remember all the individual steps you had to learn before you could start riding:

• How to go forward
• How to go faster
• How to turn
• How to apply the brakes
• How to ride safely

And, most importantly, how to keep yourself from tipping over.

By using a balance bike without pedals, your child must use their feet to push off the ground in order to drive them forward. 

As they are doing this at slow speeds, they get to train their ability to balance. Once they have balancing and steering under control they can move on to more advanced skills like pedaling and braking. 

What Makes Our Balance Bike Different?

Most balance bikes on the market come with a hard plastic or rubber wheel. This makes the bike cheaper, but if you have ever ridden the old “big wheels” back in the day, you know how different of a riding experience this is compared to a bicycle with inflatable tires. 

Belsize balance bikes come with inflatable air tires just like you have on your own bicycle to make the transition from balance bike to big kids bike even easier. 

In addition, the lightweight aluminum frame of our balance bikes weighs in at less than 7 pounds so your child can have more control. This lighter weight is also a benefit for you in case your child gets tired of riding and you have to carry the bike back home for them. 

The best thing about balance bikes is that they usually do not take much coaching for your child to figure out. Kids typically figure out how to push off the ground and balance intuitively when they are just starting out.  Before you know it they will be zooming down the sidewalk as you run after them telling them to slow down! 

Overall, balance bike will be a great option when it comes to develop toddlers' balance skills and prepare them for big bikes with pedals. It can also inspire toddlers' to think up interesting adventures while they ride through the world around them, making it an ideal complement of creative toys they play at home.