Balance bicycle facts for kids
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A balance bicycle is a special kind of bike for kids. It's also called a run bike or no pedal bike. These bikes help children learn how to balance and steer before they even use pedals. They don't have pedals, chains, gears, or any of the usual bike parts that make it go.
Instead, kids push off the ground with their feet. This helps them get used to riding a bike. It makes learning to ride a regular bicycle much easier later on.
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Balance Bike Designs
Balance bikes can be made from different materials. You can find them made of strong metal or natural wood. Some balance bikes are regular bicycles that have had their pedals and other parts removed. Others are built just for balance training. These are often perfect for very young children.
Some balance bikes have brakes, just like regular bikes. They might also have air-filled tires or solid foam tires. Most designs you see in stores have flat handlebars.
How to Use a Balance Bike
For a balance bike to work well, it needs to be the right size. The rider must be able to sit comfortably on the seat. Both of their feet should be flat on the ground.
First, a child walks the bike while standing over the seat. Then, they sit on the seat and continue walking. Soon, they feel confident enough to run and "scoot" along. After that, they learn to lift both feet off the ground. This lets them glide and balance on the two wheels.
Learning to Ride a Bicycle
Many companies that make balance bikes say they help kids learn faster. This is because children first learn to balance and steer. They can then learn to pedal later.
Why Balance Bikes Are Helpful
Some experts believe that training wheels can slow down learning. This is because kids might depend too much on them. Training wheels can also stop the bike from leaning. Leaning is important for steering a bike correctly. With training wheels, kids might learn to turn the handlebars the wrong way. This bad habit then needs to be unlearned.
Sheldon Brown, a famous bicycle mechanic, wrote about training wheels. He said they can cause problems if they are set too low. If too low, they stop the bike from leaning. They can also make braking harder. This happens if too much weight is taken off the back wheel. He suggested raising training wheels higher as a child gets better at riding.
Some balance bikes don't have hand brakes. Kids stop by using their feet. Very young children might not use hand brakes well anyway. Brown also suggested removing the pedals from a regular kid's bike. This can be a cheaper way to get a balance bike. Many parents have found this method works well.
Derek Bouchard-Hall is the president of USA Cycling. He said that balance bikes have made training wheels "obsolete." This means balance bikes are now seen as the best way to teach kids to ride.
Images for kids
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A dandy horse (built c. 1820)
See also
In Spanish: Bicicleta de entrenamiento sin pedales para niños
