Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To consider spending £60 on a balance bike for a 2nd birthday?

72 replies

u32ng · 15/01/2015 21:38

DS is going to be 2 shortly and me & DH quite like the idea of a balance bike. The puky one gets good reviews and looks good but as much as I think DS would get on well with it, part of me is thinking "£60 for a 2nd birthday?!"Shock

AIBU to be considering spending this amount??

OP posts:
GoogleyEyes · 16/01/2015 08:00

Do it! When I did my research (a few years ago now) Puky was the smallest and so the only one the right size for my dinky dd. She used it every day for about two years, then straight on to a bike with pedals and no stabilisers. Her little sister now uses it every day to go to nursery. It's been worth double what up paid!

SomewhereIBelong · 16/01/2015 08:03

I am a voice of dissent on this one - 2 is too young to be in charge of a balance bike - especially if they can only just about reach the floor - my 76 year old mother has a broken collar bone because a 2 year old was hurtling down the path in the park behind her and unable to steer past her.

Mum is deaf and uses a stick to walk. The parents response was to shout at her - whilst she was on the ground "Why on earth didn't you get out of the way - he's only 2!" Sad

So please make sure they can control them before you let them loose..

SoupDragon · 16/01/2015 08:05

DD had one for her 2nd birthday.

I have a virtually unused Islabike in my garage.

JuniperTisane · 16/01/2015 08:13

We got DS2 a balance bike for christmas, 2 weeks before his 2nd birthday, mainly because DS1 was getting a bike too and I wanted no jealousy issues. We got a Cruzee which seems to be a nice quality bike.

This is important though: Measure his inseam. He needs to be able to stand in shoes, with feet flat on the ground and clear the saddle with about a centimetre to spare at least. If he can't do this he won't be able to use the bike at all until he grows.

DS2 measured at 29cm which meant anything with a saddle height over 28cm at its lowest would have been too high.

My shortlist included
Strider
Cruzee
Puky LRM (which was too big)
Traxx

I think that was it. We went for the Cruzee because we saw one in the flesh and liked it. I've seen the Strider around and that looks good too.

Kab13 · 16/01/2015 08:14

I would say go for it. I want to get one for my dd who's 2 in feb but not sure she's tall enough!

SisterMoonshine · 16/01/2015 08:18

Is there one you can put pedals on, or would that have to be a normal one and you take the pedals off temporarily?

Whooshtheyweregone · 16/01/2015 08:19

If you can afford it I would spend more and get a Rothan Islabike. They're small, light and much easier for little ones to use than some of the other makes of balance bike. The best bit is that they hold their value really well so you will be able to recoup a lot of your money.

Cockadoodledooo · 16/01/2015 08:21

YANBU. We bought ds2 an early rider for his 2nd birthday. He loved it and wanted to use it daily! By the time he was 4 he was expertly pedalling a normal bike and now at 5 we can have family cycle outings. They weren't as well known when ds1 was small, and he couldn't ride without stabilisers (and hating every minute!) until he was 7.5.

The metal or quality wooden ones are built to last so ideal for passing down to siblings, and most have great resale value too if well looked after.

Somewhere I'm sorry to hear about your mum. A situation not helped by that parent's crap attitude I feel. Ds2 has only ever injured himself.

Deliaskis · 16/01/2015 08:23

YANBU, DD had her balance bike for her 2nd birthday, was scooting along on it pretty fast within the first 2 weeks, and she's loved it ever since, probably ridden it 5 out of every 7 days, and she has a scooter as well. For Christmas she got her first pedal bike (at 3.10 months), and it took her about 5 minutes to get going on it, no stabilisers, no panics or wobblers at all, she's off now. We're planning family bike rides and picnics this summer Smile

Really glad we did it this way.

FWIW, cost wise, I wouldn't spend that much money on a plastic princess castle or something (I'm looking at you Disney Frozen Ice Palace), but on a bike that they're going to ride most days, and that will form such a big part of their development, I wouldn't think twice.

D

applejacksauntie · 16/01/2015 08:27

If you can afford it YANBU Smile

MissWimpyDimple · 16/01/2015 08:29

Brilliant things. Best thing I ever bought (oh and the scooter too)

BUT 2 is too young. It's amazing how fast they go on them and you won't be able to control him at all. I think 3 is a better age. A little more sensible and able to understand danger.

DD was 3.5 when I got ours which was a little late, but she loved it and moved on to a pedal bike with no stabilisers and no problems by the time she was 4.5.

Altinkum · 16/01/2015 08:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

addictedtosugar · 16/01/2015 08:37

If you can afford it, a balance bike is amazing.
If you go for the Puky or Isla, they also have fab resale value.
Our balance bike is just about to be outgrown by DS2, and it will be passed on to a very good friend - so at least 3 kids out of it.

notfromstepford · 16/01/2015 09:17

Best money we've ever spent. We paid £28 for a Chicco Red Bullet balance bike (from amazon, but sell them in argos, tesco and kiddicare among others). We were looking at them all and a lady recommended it to us, but all the shops were out of stock hence buying online.
It is without a doubt his most favourite thing in the world (second to teddy of course)

SomewhereIBelong · 16/01/2015 09:30

both my dd's were riding bikes without stabilisers age 4 too - they just learned to do it on a bike in the park with dad pushing them the first 5 or 6 goes.

Difference I guess was that we started at that age so they were ready.

People would not dream of letting their 2yo kids run along the pavement without holding hands - yet they put them on a balance bike to do the school run with siblings round here. It is scary.

Skylander1 · 16/01/2015 11:40

Get an Isla bike a second hand one off eBay then sell it for roughly the same price that's what I did.

ReindeersAreBetterThanPeople · 16/01/2015 11:56

If you are going to get one, it is worth paying for a good one imo.

Having said that, we waited until the 3rd birthday. I don't think DD would have managed one at all for her second birthday, and I would have worried that she wasn't in complete control of it. At 3, we were able to get a bigger one that should last longer too.

Of course, all children are different, some are definitely physically ready for that sort of thing, but mine definitely wasn't.

PesoPenguin · 16/01/2015 17:57

I think a balance bike is the best thing you can buy at that age!

Leeds2 · 16/01/2015 18:13

As long as you can afford it, go for it! Although as a PP suggested, I would check the size first.

oobedobe · 16/01/2015 18:25

YANBU - we spent a similar amount on a Strider balance bike for DD1's second birthday - she rode it non-stop for 3 years, we even took her to mini bike parks on it. Much better for winter/spring riding than a scooter (which should really only be used in dry weather/on pavement) - they can go through puddles or off-road.
Now it will be used by DD2 so v good value for money overall. Try to get a light one because there will be lots of times when you end up carrying it when they have had enough!

www.striderbike.co.uk

MeanwhileHighAboveTheField · 19/01/2015 18:51

Taking pedals off a normal bike is great for an older child but far too big for a 2 year old.

Buying a Puky LRM was the best thing I ever bought for ds - he got it at 13 months for Christmas - was big enough to ride it at 19 months, and learnt to ride a pedal bike only 3 months later when he was still only ONE!

He is 4 now and still rides his Puky occasionally so worth every penny. And £60 is probably the cheapest bike you will ever buy him....

bbrisotto · 19/01/2015 19:31

I bought the small puky bike (the one with the rubber rather than the inflatable wheels)for my daughter's 2nd birthday, she hasn't used it that much, she's three now and I think it's too small now. I think it'll be great if they have the chance to use it lots though, it is a Lovely looking bike too.

ShakesBootyFlabWobbles · 19/01/2015 20:27

If you are in a position to afford it, it is your money to do with as you see fit. Buy him what you like.

queenofthemountains · 19/01/2015 20:42

We had the puky, much better than the wooden ones as there is a plate to put your feet on when they are balancing. I think 2 is very young though to let them free on it though.

Fandan · 19/01/2015 20:47

YANBU we bought DS a ridgeback when he was a similar age and it was closer to £100. Worth every penny. He went straight to a 2wheel pedal bike with ease. Have kept the balance bike for his wee sister to use. There is 4 1/2 yrs between them, so it has lasted great.