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Original poster

What kind of bike for a 3 year old?

27 replies

PumpkinWitch · 04/04/2021 19:21

My DS is very good on his balance bike. I would like to get him a new bike for his birthday I think he is ready to move on to a bike with pedals. Do I get him one with stabilisers or one without? I have dyspraxia and never learned to ride a bike he has such good physical skills and is going to be way ahead of me. I feel that I can’t help him so much.

OP posts:
Bryna · 04/04/2021 19:25

Riding a bike without stabilisers is a matter of confidence as well as good balance! I would get one with stabilisers, as you can remove them at a later date. This gives them the opportunity to learn to pedal, while maintaining balance, then later, they can put both skills together!

Mermaid2007 · 04/04/2021 19:26

I would say if he is good on a balance bike he will be ready for a two wheeled bike. My two children both had balance bikes and went straight to a two wheeler although I think most bikes suitable for that age will probably come with stabilisers anyway.

SoftSheen · 04/04/2021 19:30

Get him the smallest size of Frog or Islabike pedal bike - no stabilisers. These brands are lightweight and make it easier for a small child to start pedalling independently. You can pick them up secondhand and then sell them on once outgrown (expensive to buy new).

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Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 04/04/2021 19:33

Really the whole point of a balance bike is to NOT have stabilisers later on. They learn to balance and then move onto a two wheeler with pedals. I agree with buying a Frog or Isla bike, second hand ones are often available and better than buying a brand new cheap bike.

RandomUsernameHere · 04/04/2021 19:38

Both my DC went straight from balance bikes to normal bikes with no stabilisers. They picked it up straight away, as they had already mastered the balancing so it was just a case of adding the pedalling which was easy. Braking took a bit longer to get the hang of though!

idontevenknowanyonecalledblurb · 04/04/2021 19:39

Go for light weight so you don't need stabilisers. Isla or frog are best. If you go on Facebook there's a few pre loved sites for them so you don't have to pay full price as they are expensive.

Lazypuppy · 04/04/2021 19:40

No stabilisers! He is good on balance so doesn't need them, agree with Frog

EssentialHummus · 04/04/2021 19:41

What soft said. DD went from balancing to cycling on a Frog in weeks. The smallest pedal Frog can be used as a balance bike too.

Hoppythehippo · 04/04/2021 19:42

We skipped stabilisers with our second (and should have with our first), they tend to be attached to heavy steel “bike shaped objects”. Such objects are really hard work to ride - the difference in our child’s cycling ability when we bought a lightweight aluminium bike was amazing. And much easier for me to carry about too. Frog or Isla are well known, could also look at eg Wild Bikes or Halfords Carrera range. The “cycle sprog” website does really good reviews and write ups of different bike recommendations for the different ages and sizes.

There was a massive shortage of kids bikes last year and this winter - you may also be constrained by what you can actually find available!

Authenticcelestialmusic · 04/04/2021 19:47

All three of mine went from a balance bike to a frog 43. They were all very good on a balance bike when they tried the frog. Dd was just over 3 and couldn’t touch the floor properly as she was tiny (but very confident). Dd and ds were off within a few goes. Other dd was just turned 4 when she got riding properly on the frog it’s taken longer but that is definitely due to her personality and her fear of getting hurt.

The frog lasted really well. Very robust but light (which was the reason I bought it as the eldest was also tiny for 3).

coodawoodashooda · 04/04/2021 19:48

A plastic wide balance bike from amazon. About £30.00

Cyclingforcake · 04/04/2021 19:51

I’ve heard it said so many times that the purpose of a balance bike is to avoid stabilisers. So I felt like a complete failure when both my DC needed them for 2-3 weeks once we moved up to a real bike to get the hang of pedalling despite being very good on the balance bike. They’re all different and children rarely seem to have read the instruction manual!

Original poster
PumpkinWitch · 04/04/2021 19:56

Thank you. I thought that the point of balance bikes was to avoid stabilisers but I don’t know anything about cycling. The frog bikes are expensive. I will have to see if I can get one second hand. Are there cheaper brands that are good?

OP posts:
SkankingMopoke · 04/04/2021 20:11

DD1 was good on her balance bike and went straight onto two wheels with no stabilisers when she got a bike for her 4th birthday. We had tried with friends' bikes before this, but she just wasn't confident enough. Once that bit older, she got the hang of 'going' very quickly (starting and stopping was another matter...). It wasn't a Frog or Isla bike, just one we picked up very cheaply in the Toys'r'us closing down sale.
DD2 never got on with the balance bike, so she got a pedal bike with stabilisers around the time she turned 3. We went on holiday just after her 4th birthday and 'forgot' to pack the stabilisers. She was cycling within a few days as wanted to keep up with all the other kids on the campsite 😬

From my DCs experience and those of their friends, around 4 seems to be the usual age they master it regardless of what they were using before. If at the younger end of 3yo I would be buying the stabilisers. Try without them first and periodically thereafter obviously, but at least you can pop them on if needed. And don't underestimate the power of peer pressure/FOMO: my friend's DS also learnt during a (different) camping trip after seeing my DDs zipping around without stabilisers.

ThePricklySheep · 04/04/2021 20:13

We got Ridgeback, you can pick up a second hand one for £50-£80.

They’re in between Frog/Isla bike and crap Halfords Smile

Mumski45 · 04/04/2021 20:22

If you buy a second had frog or Islabike it may seem like a big outlay at first but you will gain in the long term as they hold their value well.

And a big No No No to stabilisers this is a backwards step from a balance bike.

NoKnit · 04/04/2021 22:33

No stabilisers

Agree with frog, islabikes but also check woom bikes and kubikes if buying secondhand they are German/Austrian brands might not be so well known so could lick up a good deal second hand

Coolhand2 · 04/04/2021 22:40

My ds was good on a balance bike, I thought he would move straight to a 2 wheeler but nope, he had a problem pedaling, that we had to get one with stabilisers. Some kids are just different.

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 04/04/2021 22:43

I couldn't really stretch to frog or isla but cube are very good too and well balanced and scaled for kids. My youngest was great on a balance bike, I picked up a cube 160 second hand for £60 and he just rode off no problem.

GinGella · 04/04/2021 22:49

Pedals and no stabilisers if you can help it. We have an early rider not cheap but picked it up second hand and it will hold its value. My youngest took three sessions then he was away. If the balance is there then it's only pedalling to worry about. Wild bikes from go outdoors have a good reputation. Weight is key at that age.

PowerslidePanda · 05/04/2021 19:36

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm also looking at buying a first pedal bike - Shock Shock Shock at the jump in cost from a balance bike to a decent pedal bike though!

JC12345 · 05/04/2021 19:58

There are some good Facebook groups for secondhand islabikes and frogs (and other lightweight bikes).

EcoCustard · 05/04/2021 20:16

Dd3 had a Decathlon bike after her balance bike. She started on it last year when 2 and had stabilisers for the first few weeks. Gets on well with it. Older siblings also had same bike but different design, brakes are good on them.

We had a look at Frog bikes for DC1 but I don’t get the love for them or the price.

All mine were good on balance bikes, had stabilisers and were riding without at aged 3.

Stabilisers depends on the child some manage it, some don’t, some take to it early some don’t.

Popfan · 05/04/2021 20:34

I dont think it matters in the long run if they have stabilisers or not, they all learn one way or another. You don't see teenagers with them still attached do you??!!!

Robostripes · 05/04/2021 20:51

I could be an an Islabike salesperson the amount I go on about how great they are to friends. Literally every single one of my DS’s nursery friends who had an Isla or frog, DS included, picked up cycling with no stabilisers so quickly. DS never got on with his balance bike but went from struggling with an old heavy bike with stabilisers to being away on his isla bike within 24 hours last summer. His friends who still can’t ride all have heavy bikes.