Balance or pedal bike for 3.5 year old?

[Prawncat]

Hello, I want to get a bike for 3.5 year old DS, but confused as to whether to get a pedal bike with stabilisers or a balance bike. Is a balance bike just for smaller kids? If I get a pedal bike, how many inches and how long can I expect it I last him for?? The problems of motherhood!

It depends how tall he is. We bought one for DS at the same age but he was too big for it really. He is tall for his age though.

Now at 4yo DS is too tall for the balance bike, he's too tall for a bike with stabilisers and too small really for the next size up bike without stabilisers.

He now has a two wheeled scooter that he's learning to balance on which hopefully will give him the step up to a pedal bike.

Sorry, that wasn't much help was it?

My youngest DC is 6 in January, she's a bit small for her age at 104cm tall and still uses her balance bike. They do different sizes for different ages and hers is from 18 months to 5 years.

I've got three other DC's and I taught DS1 and DS2 the "traditional" way, ie stabilisers on for ages, then taken off with me running huffing and puffing alongside while they tried to pedal. To be honest the whole experience was like pulling teeth - not a fun at all and it took a long time for them to master it.

With my third DS, he was struggling just like his elder brothers once the stabilisers came off. However, I'd already bought the balance bike for his younger sister so I took him out on it (under cover of darkness as the bike was bright pink!) and he learned how to balance in 48 hours (he was 6). I then got him to go on his traditional bicycle the next day and whoosh, he was off.

Buy a traditional bike and remove the pedals. After he learns to balance, put the pedals back on.

I would recommend a balance bike, my daughter learned to balance on her balance bike within two days. I heard similar stories from other parents too!

At that age I would get a traditional bike, paying attention to getting a lightweight one with child size components, and take the pedals off so she can use it as a balance bike initially. Islabikes are fantastic and a 14 or 16 inch Cnoc would be suitable. They are expensive but have a good resale value on eBay etc.
My boys had a balance bike from 2 yrs old and were ready for a proper bike at 3.5. Older one took 10 mins to learn, little one will soon be ready to follow. At seven, quite a lot of DS's peers still rely on stabilisers. Avoid them like the plague!

agree balance as long as he's not tall for age.
I thought using a balance bike made DS ride much later then he would have if had had: fantastic as far as I'm concerned, so definitely recommended.

...*learnt to ride much later without stabs because of balance bike, I meant, oops.