should I get Ds a helmet with balance bike?

[mumteedum]

Sorry if this is a totally stupid question, but did you get your LOs a helmet when they got their first balance bike? (reading other balance bike thread with interest. was thinking of puky LRM cos he's got short legs at 2y4m!)Do they go fast enough to actually hurt themselves if they come off?

[CMOTDibbler]

Yes, they can take a good tumble over the handlebars and you want getting on a bike to immediatly mean helmet for them.

[LemonEmmaP]

I would say you should, yes. Partly because they can get up quite a speed if they get any good, but also because it will make your life much easier when you move them up to a 'proper' bike and they're already used to wearing a helmet. We had a Puky for DS2 at the same age, and he wore a helmet from the start.

[mumteedum]

Wow, you were quick off the mark. Thanks! I can see a battle with DH over this. He'll think I'm mollycoddling :(

[youmakemydreams]

Oh god yes scarily fast once they get the hang of it.
Ds2 got one for his 3rd birthday and I really want to chase him around with a mattress. He's very fast and very confident. He had a helmet. Looks like a storm trooper in it but definitely a must.

[mistlethrush]

Yes. Definitely. I was SO glad when he hurtled down hill rather fast and fell off with his head perhaps an inch from the hard rectangular edge of a large post. DS managed to crash his first (wooden) bike so often and fast that he broke it when he was about 2.5 - when they get going they can go really fast (best option is to find someone else for him to copy)

[bundaberg]

yes! they go extremely fast, esp downhill!

[mumteedum]

That's a good point about getting them used to it though, thank you.

[hoppingmad]

Mine are getting balance bikes next year (they're 18 months just now) and they'll be getting helmets. Given their penchant for head butting things I am quite confident that their rock hard skulls are pretty resilient but I still wouldn't want to risk it.

[mumteedum]

Ok, do I need to measure his head ? Or do they just do age related ones? any recommendations?

[JollySeriousGiant]

Yes. I can't keep up with 2.6 yo DS. Look up videos on YouTube of children on balance bikes and you will see how fast they go.

[mumteedum]

Ha Ha... think that might scare me Jolly :) (Though I did see a feature on one of those bbc breakfast features on a saturday ages ago and they were whizzing around the track. I guess I just can't picture ds as yet as he's been a bit of a late developer physically)

[CuriosityCola]

Can you link to the other thread? I'm thinking of getting one for ds for Christmas. He is 2.5, but really tall for his age. Was worried he would be too big for one? Sorry for thread high jack.

I will be purchasing a helmet. If his scooter use is anything to go by it will be money well spent.

[JollySeriousGiant]

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004747526/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_details_o05_s00_i00&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

That's the one we have

[mistlethrush]

They theoretically do helmets by age - but DS at 2 had to have an adult one.

[nextphase]

Yep, we did helmets with balance bikes. Made the transition to proper bike much easier.

Cola you can always buy a normal bike, and remove the pedals if you need something bigger than you can readily buy, but we struggled to find anything cheeper than the Puky to go small enough for DS1.

IIRC, helmets come in sizes, but they suggest the age on them - most have a good degree of adjustment available.

[mumteedum]

Cola Linky

Thanks Jolly like those ! :)

[CuriosityCola]

Thanks for the link.

Phase, that seems very obvious, but I would never of thought of that.

[mrsgboring]

DS2 fell off balance bike and cut his head on a stone on the ground. He also took an enormous chunk out of the front of his bike helmet. Without the helmet that chunk would have come out of his face/nose/skull something

[mumteedum]

Thanks mrsgboring - think I was sold on the first reply saying do it though! :) Glad your child had one on, that sounds awful.