Puky balance bike for 4yo AND 2yo?

[sailingby]

DS is 4yo and we gave him a 16" wheel "normal" bike with stabilisers for his birthday - as a surprise - we were assured he would be OK on it (14" wheels were for 3-5 year olds - so we thought he would grow out of it before he started) - however he can only just touch the ground. He's also very cautious and really not enjoying it.
So do we "go backwards" and get him a balance bike? If so, would the PUKY LR1 be too small for him? I don't understand what the website says about different frame sizes.

The other challenge is that DD (2yo in a month) is kamikaze and will soon be wanting her own bike. I was wondering whether we could get the LR1 and use it for DS until late summer, and then let DD have it (when she has some sense of safety/obedience!!).

Check out the playskool ride to glide balance bike which has pedals and a braking system in it. We bot our on a mazon for about £40. Bloomin marvellous it is...and after pottering about on it for about three weeks without pedals, we put them on and he was OFF!!!

PS I also have a tatty teddy bike (it is a step through - no crossbar 12") and both of my boys used that from 2 yo happily again about £40 from amazom.

Thanks - the playskool bike says it's for 3-4 years olds tho, and is 11kg!
If I'm going to get a balance bike I def want one that can be used for DD later in the summer - and it needs to be lighter so I can hook it on the buggy.

The tatty teddy bike seems to be a girls bike (not sure DS 4yo would be happy with it)? And has peddles and stabilisers?

Sorry, I meant tatty teddy bike for your 2 yo! The one I got was a very light blue and I must admit I diched the handle bar tassles. But the step through is great because with stabilisers on child cannot lean bike over to get over crossbar - crossbars seemed to be a problem for my 2 yo boys. They do like the teddy chair on the back though - they fill it with all sorts of collected stuff and use it for their fave soft toy.

Our playskool bike is currently doing our 4 yo who is 5 in sept,... it will not last him after this year but will then do his brother who is now almost 3,... thought that may be an idea for yours (similar ages)

It is heavy but it does not really stop my LO - he as got he hang of the braking really well - if you pedal backwards it slows the bike down which is helpful to know if freewheeling at speed down a hill

We got a balance bike(for 2 year old) and a normal bike with 12" wheels (for 3 year old).
Hedging our bets a bit.
I would get the balance bike and use it till your DD is tall enough to ride it.

Thanks very much - will look again at the playskool bike.
I definitely want to avoid having multiple bikes - we live in London with a tiny shed.
Irritating that the bike we bought is too big - but it's lovely otherwise so we're not going to ditch it.

We've got the Puky LR1 with the brake. My now 4yr old learnt to ride a bike last year so does not use it but I think at the highest setting it would probably still fit him. My DS is about average height.

My 2nd DS is nearly 2 but quite short (about 79-80cm tall!) he can sit on the saddle and his toes just touch the floor so needs to grow a bit before he can use it properly. He does sit on the middle frame section though and is pretty good at scooting along like this!

I would recommend the bike with a brake otherwise once they get good at using the bike they start to ruin shoes. Also it prepares them for when riding a bike.

Thanks mum2JRC. So do I understand that there aren't different frame sizes of the LR1, it's just height settings of the same frame? That's good. Useful point about getting the one with brakes - they are the only thing about his current bike that DS enjoys! I don't want to go any further backwards than necessary.
I need to try to keep DD off it until the summer - by which time she'll be tall enough to use it - she's a bit taller than ave (for a girl).