Balance bike for second birthday: buy new or second-hand?

[ThatArtfulCat]

Balance bike for second birthday new or used? I have found a Islabell balance bike local in good condition for £45 or i can get a Hornit Airo new for £140.

Conflicted what to do as it is for my sons birthday if to buy new as it is for birthday or buy used. What do others think? Is it nice to buy new for a birthday?

No way does a balance bike need to be £140. My DS’s was £25 from Smyths!

He's two, even £45 seems expensive. Honestly buy second hand and don't spend a fortune.

They’re used for such a short time that second hand seems like a good idea

I'd buy secondhand. It's new to him and that's all that matters when you are two.

Secondhand. He is only two so will just be delighted to get a new to him bike

I’d buy second hand. We have the decathlon one it’s great. Definitely don’t get an expensive one it’s not like a pedal bike were premium is better all balance bikes are relatively lightweight.

Second hand will be fine; they don’t take a lot of punishment so it’s likely to be perfect.

Save the money for something else!

I googled your preference!!
jesus wept!!!

They are on them for such a short time..... this is clearly a stealth post.

Bike with stabilisers is much more effective.
My eldest had stabilisers and they came off so easy over one week half term.

Youngest had one of these but struggled with coordination of pedals and breaks at same time. However she is now my no fear child.

Second hand islabike, or frog bike. They tend to hold their value so once hes outgrown it, just sell it on

I got my granddaughter a Frog balance bike for £60 on Marketplace, in ‘as new’ condition. I often see them on there for similar prices. It looked new, Frog make good bikes for children, and my DGD’s parents (my son and his partner) didn’t give 2 hoots that it was secondhand.

Hard disagree on stabilisers! Definitely go for a balance bike - they’re brilliant! But as others have said go cheap - balance is the tough thing to master, but once done you can get them a pedal bike and they’ll be off! Good luck 😀

Thank you everyone for your help, has helped bring perspective to it! Will grab the used one, it is new to him which is a great way to look at it.

Hopefully not spending too much for used but they looked to be £200 when released so hopefully very good quality compared to the new ones which are around £30-50 in toy shops

What’s an Islabelle balance bike? Is that a typo for an Isla bike?

If so snap that one up 100%. We got ours second hand and it’s been an incredible bit of kit.

I actually disagree with a lot of PPs as well. Our Isla bike is just so much better then my nephew’s none branded balance bike. It’s a lot lighter, manoeuvres better and the wheels cope much better with rough terrain. £45 is a steal for something as good as an Isla balance bike. But we are a heavy bike using family - if it’s just for pottering around the local area anything would probably be fine.

I know it is very dependent but what age might he be ready for pedals? I have seen a 14inch bike in excellent condtion for £85. Wondering if to buy and store it to save looking in the future but might be jumping the gun a bit 😂

Yea made a typo there.

I will grab it :-)

What one did you go to next? I have seen a Isla 14inch pedal version for £85 which also looks amazing condition. Not sure if to get that now and store it but jumping the gun a bit 😂Might be on the balance bike longer than I think and then need a different size?

I’d wait unless you have cash to burn and lots of storage space. Kids bikes are not hard to find second hand. If your DC was older I’d say just buy the 14” bike and take the peddles off to make it into a balance bike, but it’ll be too big at just turned 2.

My eldest took a while to master the balance bike but was cycling by just over 4. My youngest probably could have been cycling a proper bike by 2.5 but for safety (he would have sped off without a backwards glance) we kept him on the balance bike for longer.

That is great to hear, excited tto get him it now!

Did you get the Isla Cnoc 14 as the next one out of interest? Seen a local one of those for £85 in great condition, wondering if it is a good idea to get that now and put in storage but might be jumping ahead too much

Second hand

The amount of time these are actually in use before they’re grown out of is really quite small. There’s practically nothing that can go wrong on them.

We did indeed get a second hand Isla bike for the first 14” pedal bike! Has also been a fantastic piece of kit although I have less to compare it to.

Isla bikes are great, agree with pp that they're so light and beautifully made that they are easier for kids to use. And people who buy them new tend to look after them (don't leave them out in the rain etc)
We had a Specialized stabiliser bike for our older daughter, and it took her ages to get off the stabilisers, whereas younger daughter got a isla balance bike at 2 and 'inherited' the specialised at 3 and a half and was pedalling away like a pro!

Second hand all the way

Kids will learn to ride on anything, only buy the expensive ones if it isn’t a stretch.
My kids were riding a 12“ pedal bike (without stabilisers) aged two, you don’t need to wait very long. It was an awful heavy old hand-me-down bike but they both rode it the first day of trying. It’s very convenient for the premium bike manufacturers that people are so convinced that the expensive bikes are significantly better but it hasn’t been the case in my experience at all. They also had the cheapest decathlon balance bike as a hand-me-down too.

We’ve gone up through the Woom bike range, buying new and selling for a good price secondhand. If you can find one used you are unlikely to lose much when you come to sell it on.

Isla bikes are definitely the best! If he picks it up quickly he could be on a pedal bike by 3, but agree with PP that this can be hard to manage depending on where you’re cycling! Balance bikes definitely mean kids pick up cycling way quicker than stabilisers!