To just sell DC's balance bike?

[Meowstro]

My DC is nearly 3, we're getting fed up with DC wanting to take the balance bike out, sitting on it for one minute and finding it hard to do then leaving is trailing it around the whole park. The scooter can be just as bad but nowhere near an issue as the balance bike. I want to bloody give up and just buy a normal bike with stablisers. No amount of positive reinforcement or enthusiasm is helping.

DH thinks I'm giving up too easily and we're not putting enough effort in to help but there's no interest in it apart from if DC sees another child riding their bike. However, I know she can ride the bikes they have at her daycare.

Surely I'm not awful for suggesting that there's nothing wrong with getting a normal bike?!

3 is definitely not too young. Mine started at 2.5 and now at 3.4 is really confident on his. I agree with others, maybe put it away for some time and then let your son play with it with no pressure

This is the balance bike she has www.halfords.com/bikes/kids-bikes/indi-balance-bike---10in-wheel-412232.html Looking at reviews now, some people said they got rid of it as it was too small even for a child at the lower end of the height range, so perhaps that is it?

However, as she's been zooming around peddling at daycare, I'd assume she'd she could ride a bike with stabilisers and us just take them off when she feels ready, like how me and DH learned at children. She asks to ride her bike all the time and gets frustrated, I believe it's because she's been riding one already and doesn't 'get' the balance bike. There is absolutely no pressure from us to use it, we leave it in the same place and every time we go out, she's asking for it.

And for PPs worried about safety, we live near lots of forests and places with cycle lanes so we'd go to those places as a day out for a bike ride and it wouldn't be on the road with cars. She's also aware of how she should stop, wait and get to the side if needed when on her scooter.

How can the child be too young for a balance bike? All 3 of my DC were riding them at age 2 and riding proper bikes without stabilizers between 3-4, DC2 even before he was 3. The balance bike was the reason they rode bikes so young because it prepares then so well. The child might not like the balance bike or not fancy it yet but they're definitely not too young- there's a difference. My niece was 7 before she fancied a bike, some kids just don't feel like it ever.

Just read she's on bikes with stabilizers at daycare- that's the way to go, as you say it's a different skill and she's comfortable with that. Sell the balance bike and put it towards a new bike with stabilizers.

I would say one thing, keep an eye on the weight, so many kids' bikes are ridiculously heavy and cause all sorts of issues. You can get great, affordable bikes that are super light- it makes all the difference to learning. There's also great schemes for Frog bikes (£££) where you hire them every month and can swap for the bigger/ different one at any time.

I brought a balance bike thinking all that energy and leg movement would be a huge hit
He really wanted a pedal bike so lucky I brought one from Xmas and he loves the fast pedalling, pretending it's a racing bike.
You could keep both for friends when they visit or family.
Now it's trying to prevent him from taking off down the steel street, he loves his bike it even came inside he wanted to see it at night.
My nerves can't cope yet!

I always thought balance bike me were a fad and tbh a bit unnecessary. Just another thing to encourage people to spend money on. They look like hard work to push along and no fun at all!

I’d scrap it and just buy a normal bike with stabilisers.

Both my dds had bikes with stabilisers from 2 and could ride properly without stabilisers at 3. Neither had ever been anywhere near a balance bike. I could also ride a bike without stabilisers at 3 and there was no such thing as a balance bike when I was that age.

They’re just something that we’ve been sold as a necessary first step to riding a bike, when really there’s no need for them at all.

My daughter used her balance bike but never really glided with her feet up. More walked while on the bike. My two year old son though is a champ on it. I think it depends on personality. My daughter has a pedal bike now but isn’t keen to take the trainer wheels off

Just go for a bike with stabilisers. Is DC your last because otherwise there doesn't seem any reason to get rid of balance bike

I have 3. My first hated balance bikes so we got him one with stabilisers at 3 and he rode it without stabilisers by reception. My middle one liked the balance bike and never needed stabilisers. She was riding without before she was 4. My last one is only 2 but can ride her balance bike albeit very slowly! So I think balance bikes help them to ride earlier but aren't necessary.

They’re just something that we’ve been sold as a necessary first step to riding a bike, when really there’s no need for them at all

There’s no need for many things. However balance bikes do have their place.

We loved ours. Mine didn’t have the patience to sit and pedal slowly with stabilisers, they wanted to be off. And balance bikes allowed them to do that. It also taught them great bike handling and balance at speed, dc do triathlon and the coach says he can always tell those who learned on a balance bike.

It was far easier for mine to ride the BB and they had loads of fun with it.

I also preferred the BB as it was much lighter and smaller than the bike with stabilisers (we had both). If they wanted to walk for a bit or play on the swings I could hook it on the pram handlebar or carry it, rather than having to manage a pram and a stabilised bike.

Just because something doesn’t work for you doesn’t mean it’s a waste for everyone...

My DS was on his balance bike before he could walk and riding a pedal bike at 3. 3 is definitely not too young. He was going round corners on two wheels on his three wheeler trike before that!

We did spend a LOT of time though walking then running along beside him holding onto his hood to keep him upright. He used to tow his teddy in a trailer behind his balance bike - the trailer came with the trike - maybe try something like that? We also put the teddy in a small backpack so he was taking teddy out for a ride.

I would persevere with the balance bike - this bit

"It's also easier for me to carry around when he cannot be arsed anymore"

is very true

Dd3 exactly the same. She couldn't work out how to use the balance bike. We got her a 10inch bike with stabilisers, and she is loving it. Mastered it within a few days

Some children are not that keen at biking and have natural poorer aptitude for it or only get into it later on. DS was bombing around on his balance bike from 2.5.

I've got a few nieces & nephews and theres a real mix. Some got balance biking around age 2.5. A couple of the kids have just not been very good at it, the oldest of them has only recently cracked riding a bike without stabilizers at age 6.

Getting a bike with stabilizers isn't really the answer. Stabilizers slow the bike down and lots of kids bikes are heavy and hard work.

Your best bet is no bike at all then try again in a year or so. If she is a taller 4 year old by then a 12 inch balance bike might be getting cramped, so at that stage I would buy/borrow a light weight pedal bike like a frog or Isla, remove pedals to teach her to balance, then add pedals back.

Please don't give up just yet. DD got her balance bike for her 2and birthday, but didn't show an interest for ages, probably will she was 3.5. Then she really got into it but was still fairly cautious, to the point where I thought we should get her a bike with stabilisers for her 4th birthday. But my DH and DF (both cyclists) pushed for her to get an Isla bike and just remove the pedals at first. I'm so glad I listened to them, because just after her 4th birthday we added the pedals at her insistence and she hasn't looked back since! She's now almost 5, utterly fearless and goes way too fast for my liking...

So I am very pro balance bike. What did help was her doing lots of cycling with her friend who was also on a balance bike. Keeling up with him was very important to her and they learnt to ride a bike together. I don't know if you can do this (haven't read the full thread sorry).

I'd personally avoid stabilisers, they do seem to add delay to it, although then again, if she's happy enough with them then at least she's pedalling and will get the hang of it. They all do it in their own time.

Sorry about the typos in my above post! I'd recommend Isla balance bikes for anyone looking, they cost more but the balance bike we have is very light and now DS is loving it (and if he refuses to ride it then it's easy enough to carry home!)

They’re just something that we’ve been sold as a necessary first step to riding a bike, when really there’s no need for them at all.

DS can't pedal (certainly couldn't at 2.5) but could balance. His balance bike is great - we can go on long walks and he will pootle along happily. A stabilised bike would have been useless since he cant pedal.

I'm fairly sure he will switch easily to pedals/no stabilizers next year.

A 10 inch is almost certainly too small for 3 year old. My 3.5 year old is the right size on his cousins 14 inch bike (he is about 103cm tall so above average).

Take her to a proper bike shop and try a 14 inch pedal bike and remove the pedals.

Remember the saddle on a balance bike should be really quite low , lower than they would be on a pedal bike.

What exactly is the point of a balance bike versus a trike or a bike with stabilisers, can someone explain to me? I hear people go on about them a lot but I don't really understand why they're such a thing?

It does look a pain in the arse to me tbh but agree to put it away for a few months and try again.

You’re ridiculous. A two year old doesn’t have the tenacity to keep on trying, who would have guessed?

I wouldn’t sell it..she’ll get used to it. Give it time.

My ds was on a balance bike at 2 and went on it a lot (after some perseverance). He got a proper bike for his 3rd birthday. As advised, we took the stabilizers off and he just started riding...no issues.

Dd, however didn’t take to the balance bike (stubborn and I was pregnant at the time so couldn’t take the stress) until she was 4 and then only rode a bike at 5. Dd2 was earlier and started riding a proper bike (no stabilizers) at 3.5...

They are all different but I do think a balance bike is very beneficial and, once they “get it”, riding a bike is easy. If you stick them on a bike with stabilizers and no balance, it could well take a long time for them to actually ride a bike...

Can you not go for a short time often outside your house so they get used to it and then you don’t need to carry the balance bike around? That’s what we did..

Good luck!

pandarific for me, the advantages of a balance bike over a trike or stabilisers is to do with speed. The two year old I look after loves hers - she can keep up with her older brothers in the park, she can easily do the two mile trip there and back to school at a normal adult walking speed, which makes my life a lot easier! I don't think she would be able to do that on a trike or stabiliser/bike.
When she gets tired it's light enough for me to carry. It's also a lot more fun, she loves coasting down hills in the park.
If she's like her brothers she will be able to transition to a normal pedal bike at three.

The bike you have is too small for her and it's also a bit heavy at 3.2kg although not too bad.

Perhaps you could get her a bigger bike with pedals and stabilisers, personally I would remove both the stabilisers and the pedals to begin with, see how she gets on.

Try a specialist bike shop rather than Halfords.

I'd put it away if I could - 3 is quite young for a balance bike. May be in a year's time it would go better.
Three isn't young for a balance bike, many are small enough for children from two or even younger. DS started on his at two and a half, he had one that was too big for him to reach the ground until then. He was riding a pedal bike without stabilisers at a couple of months past three.

I'd say she's too young, and not ready for a pedal bike yet if she hasn't mastered the balance bike.

Every kid doesn't get on with every toy. This is why I try to pick up this type of thing second hand, if it's not liked I can sell it for the same price, no harm done.

@pandarific I gave a brief description of the advantages of learning via a balance bike upthread, at 17.20 yesterday.
I don't claim to be a world expert or anything but I have been taught to teach children to cycle, and once you start looking at the theory behind it it all makes a lot of sense. There is a system to how British Cycling trained coaches work, right from the tiny tots which is my field, up to the higher levels - a syllabus of sorts if you like - and the skills that are learned on a balance bike feed into the next stages very well. Obviously it is perfectly possible to learn the skills later without using a balance bike, but it is easier if they are established from the start. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, but we definitely notice that in the primary aged children at our club, those who have learned on balance bikes tend to be more confident, be better bike handlers and pick up new skills more quickly. Obviously there are other factors - children from families who cycle a lot tend to get balance bikes,start younger and get more parental input with their riding for instance - it isn't as simple as balance bike =good, stabilisers = bad but riding a trike is very different to riding a bike. If you go that route, the required learning doesn't really start until the stabilisers come off, whereas with a balance bike you are getting the most fundamental skill - balance- established right from the beginning, if that makes sense?

If you are in no hurry just store it for 3-6 months and have another go. If you do, and have the patience for it, I'm sure LO will come around as soon as they get the hang of it. Defo make sure the saddle height is ok as that can make things tricky. Then maybe go somewhere open, flat and smooth with your own bike too that you can both play around a little? The right surface makes a big difference. Could even let them choose a colourful little bike accessory of some kind to get them excited.