Bike/trike for a 3 year old?

[hophophippidtyhop]

Hoping to buy something like this for dd's 3rd birthday,she's about 90cm tall. She already has a little plastic tricycle with the pedals on the front wheel that she can pedal, but wondered what the next stage is? Is it a bike with stabilisers, or some other kind of trike? Thought about getting a balance bike, but would like something that may start her off and be ok to use for 2-3 years - think that a balance bike might only have a years use then she'd need something with pedals. Any advice? It must not be pink, and up to £60 ish pounds, is that possible?

I think this is not want you want to hear but my ds used a balance bike, a regular bike with stabilizers and a micro scooter from the time he was 2 1/2 till he was riding his bike properly at 5. Would not have done without any of them tbh.

You see, there's too much to choose from, I know she'd quite like a scooter! If anyone has any good sites to look at so I can dither for the next month that would be great!

i would have said a bike with stabilisers would be better. my ds had one from about 2ish it was only a cheapish one from tesco and lasted till his 5th birthday! althought the stabilisers were not needed for as long!

Martini, that's what I was thinking. 2 for the price of one, so to speak!

I'm notsuch a fan of stabilisers as some of the others here.

I think I have described them as the devil's work elsewhere .

They actually worked to delay balance in my DC - they could still ride a bike even though they were leaning heavily to one side. THen they could NOT master a real bike.I really regret that now - stabilisers are not a stage to riding.

Would strongly recommend a balance bike, then a real bike., or if you don't want to splash out , there's a few posters who have bought a real bike, taken off the pedals to allow it to be a balance bike.

They go like the clappers on a balance bike once they have worked it out, and pedals are a mere detail after that.

I'd second the no stabilisers thing. I know loads of children who have gone from a balance bike to normal bike just fine. DD didn't have a balance bike - she went straight onto a normal bike (maybe age 5?) without stabilisers and had the pedalling thing in a few sessions.
I would have thought you'd get a 2nd hand balance bike easily enough, they're so popular these days (looking on ebay they seem to sell for around £25-£30 for nice ones).

Thanks for the advice, I think I had a trike then just a bike without stabilisers when I was about five myself. Those that had a balance bike - how long did they use it before requiring a normal bike?

ds 3.6 has his balance bike for one year now. we plan to get him a proper bike without stabilisers for his 4. birthday.

our neighbours son also had a balance bike from about age 2 and went on to a normal bike without stabilisers from age 4. no wobbles, just got on and rode without hesitation using pedals and balance.

We tried the traditional stabilisers method with ds1, gave up.

We lowered the seat so he could put both feet flat on the floor, took the stabilisers off & took the pedals off.

He learnt to balance in 2 x 20 minute sessions at the park. They first walk with the bike, then scoot using both legs at the same time, when he was comfortable he started off on a little hill to get up some speed then lifted his legs and balanced for quite some distance. We put the pedals back on (brought them with us and the spanner) and he was off. He was 6 (yes it took that long) as he freaked every time we took the stabilisers off.

They go from being able to pedal with stabilisers to having no idea of how to balance and how to start moving off!

Ds2 was 3, we bought him a balance bike, can scoot along like he is running but sat down, and he has learnt to balance. It took a bit longer with him, maybe 5 sessions. We have just transferred him to a normal, heavier, bike, again with no pedals on. Once he can handle that we will put the pedals on.

Scooters are good but they tire easily with them and with the bike they can sit down.

Pedalling is easy, balancing is hard.

Can I add another vote for no stabilisers. DD1 had a balance bike for an early birthday pressie last July, she got her first proper bike, without stabilisers, at easter and could ride within a couple of hour sessions. (I know this makes me snug but she'll be 3 in september.)

Stabilisers really can delay riding properly, so if you don't want to payout for a balance bike do look at taking the pedals off a standard bike, though to be fair DD1 would still ride her balance too id we hadn't put it in the attic due to lack of space.