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Original poster

4 year old has never used balance bike - where do I start?

37 replies

Twothirtyam · 07/09/2021 08:46

My daughter turns four vv soon and I really want to get her a bike and get her cycling. She’s never had a balance bike but it seems pointless to buy one when she’ll likely grow out of it really quickly. I’ve been doing lots of research but am overwhelmed by how expensive some of the bikes are. I feel like I’m going round in circles and need some solid advice on what to buy her and how to approach it! Please help!

OP posts:

Fluffypastelslippers · 07/09/2021 08:47

Buy a real bike and take the pedals off

Original poster

Twothirtyam · 07/09/2021 08:50

Thanks @Fluffypastelslippers that’s one of the approaches I’d read about.
Does anyone use the Bike Club?

OP posts:

EatSprayGlove · 07/09/2021 08:54

mine didn't have balance bikes. We had normal bikes with stabilizers. My oldest had a lesson at school when he was 4 where they took pedals off and used the bike as a balance bike then moved onto pedals and he just learned within that hour, it was amazing! Younger son watched him cycling and when he was bigger we did the same thing at home with him, again he learned almost straight away. It took me much longer! So my suggestion is start with stabilisers then take him to A field and just give it a go with some support. I think sometimes it depends on how confident they feel and how much they want to learn because we have friends who were much later to learning to ride but mine are on their bikes every day so were quite motivated.

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EatSprayGlove · 07/09/2021 08:54

*her

Kfjsjdbd · 07/09/2021 08:55

Agree with buying a bike and taking the pedals off.

In my experience the more expensive bikes are worth it. We bought our DD a cheap bike, and it was both heavy and didn’t work properly. When we took it to Halfords for servicing (it was a Halfords bike) they said that it would never work properly. The mechanism kept sticking.

We then bought her an Islabike (second hand) and she picked up cycling straight away.

Whinginadeville · 07/09/2021 08:56

At 4 both mine and all my grandchildren so far mastered proper bikes so I think the time has past get her a proper bike with stabilisers

LazySundayPlease · 07/09/2021 08:57

Definitely normal bike with wheels off or even leave them on like we did but let them use it with the wheels there. 7 year old learnt in 8 weeks (indoors as it was winter!), 5 year old took 4 months.

We got Frog bikes which are a bit pricey but can be sold on when they grow out of them!

AnUnlikelyCombination · 07/09/2021 08:58

Cheap, small for her bike and take pedals off (or second hand, largeish balance bike). Encourage her to walk with it. Then to sit down on it and push. Then to push hard and see if she can have both feet off the ground. Huge enthusiasm, lots of praise, and doing it in tiny (5 min) chunks will help a lot.

Once she’s got to the whizzing along on the balance bike / bike with no pedals going wheeee with her feet off the ground, then get her a bike with pedals. That is where type of bike will matter - if it’s too heavy many kids struggle to pedal and fall off. So aim to go for the lightest you can afford that fits her - maybe a secondhand Frog bike.

For learning to ride a bike technique, the Islabike website has a brilliant video, which I followed. Basically, hold the child (armpits) not the bike.

CottonSock · 07/09/2021 08:59

Really recommend an Isla bike if it's in your budget. She will need a cnoc 14, they come in small and large. I buy second hand and get back what I paid, or more. Also a bikey bikey harness was a saviour. My kids didn't ride their balance bike. Now I'm trying to sell it they claim they do and even my 8 yo folds herself onto it.
The advantage of islabikes is how well made they are, lightweight, last well and second hand market means they don't cost much over a year or two of use.

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 07/09/2021 09:00

Definitely buy a good bike second hand and then you'll be able to resell it. Stabilisers won't encourage her to balance so just take off the pedals.

CottonSock · 07/09/2021 09:01

Oh, and forgot to say - they are made and designed for kids in terms of ergonomics and size and positioning, but with quality parts.

Once you get an isla bike and move onto another brand you see it *just got a frog and daughter struggling initially

CottonSock · 07/09/2021 09:05

(Frog are also excellent bikes, just seen the recommendations for them upthread, also cheaper and made in Wales. We are just struggling with a longer frame compared to isla and different years. That won't notice in the small sizes).

CottonSock · 07/09/2021 09:05

argh. Gears not years...

scrivette · 07/09/2021 09:08

We use Bike Club, are only on the first (balance) bike at the moment but were impressed with it when we read up on it and delivery etc was very easy.

We used it as DD's balance bike broke and she will only need it for a few months before progressing to the next stage.

The good thing with Bike Club is the bikes are very decent, they are very lightweight so the child is able to handle them by themselves easily.

bruffin · 07/09/2021 09:11

Millions of children learnt to ride bikes with stabilisers before balance bikes became a fad.

@eatsprayglove. Agree, both mine learnt around 4/5 from other children teaching them.

Original poster

Twothirtyam · 07/09/2021 09:29

Thanks all so much this is excellent advice. The fog seems to be starting to clear somewhat! I’ll see if we can stretch to an Isla bike (hopefully find one second hand!) I can justify it if it holds a good resale value!

OP posts:

IrishMamaMia · 07/09/2021 09:50

We've had good success at four with a puky balance bike as a starter and then onto cycling :)

Fluffypastelslippers · 07/09/2021 09:54

@Whinginadeville

At 4 both mine and all my grandchildren so far mastered proper bikes so I think the time has past get her a proper bike with stabilisers

Don't be so ridiculous.

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 08/09/2021 13:19

My DD has just sold an Isla bike that she bought 2nd hand, her 3 DC have learned on it and sold it for £50 less than she paid for it. No brainer...

loveisanopensore · 08/09/2021 13:25

My eldest never had a balance bike.
We got her a second hand Islabike that she used as a balance bike for a few weeks but it didn't take long for her to start using the pedals.

The youngest had an Islabike balance that she used from 2-4 years and now she's on her sister's first bike.
The balance bike was easy to sell.They are expensive but hold their value.

Pissinthepottyplease · 08/09/2021 14:08

@Whinginadeville

At 4 both mine and all my grandchildren so far mastered proper bikes so I think the time has past get her a proper bike with stabilisers

A balance bike or a normal bike with the peddles taken off is a much easier way to learn to ride a bike.

Frogs and Isla bikes are book great and there are specialist second Facebook pages for them.

Original poster

Twothirtyam · 08/09/2021 15:25

Thanks everyone! I’ve got my eye in second hand Isla bike nearby and we’re going to take a look at a shop that has a new Frog bike tomorrow so will make a decision then! I would prefer an Isla really but also kind of want to get a new bike as it’s a birthday present.

OP posts:

3womeninaboat · 08/09/2021 15:33

My two could ride a pedal bike without stabilisers aged two. Balance bikes made the process so much easier than the old-fashioned way with stabilisers. You can take the pedals off a normal bike but unless you have some skills it’s not guaranteed you will get them back on properly. In your situation I’d by her a cheap second hand balance bike and the other one as an incentive to practice. At her age she won’t need long to master the balance bike and you can then sell it on without risking a bike shop bill for reattaching the pedals of the nice one.

Notcontent · 08/09/2021 16:37

Just get a normal bike but I would not recommend stabilisers - I don’t think they help. Just take her to a park and practice on a grassy area.

bruffin · 08/09/2021 17:42

Just get a normal bike but I would not recommend stabilisers - I don’t think they help.
HOw do you think children used to ride a bikes before balance bikes. I learned to ride a bike with stabilisers back in the 70s, my kids are 25 and 23 learnt by themselves using stabilisers, it was the normal way of riding bike and we all learned that way and it wasnt a problem

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