Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 21:45     Subject: So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
Your kid learned to ride with training wheels.
Mine didn't do the whole training wheel thing. Balance bike only.

Should i start a thread how I don't understand training wheels? How I am far superior of a parent b/c my kids didn't need training wheels to know how to ride a bike?
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 21:43     Subject: So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Oh wow! This must be proof your kids will get into an ivy, they are amazing!


+1


Wow. Nasty unnecessary replies.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 21:41     Subject: So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
I think they serve a purpose but both my kids hated them. My overly cautious kid learn how to ride a 2 wheeler the summer after K and his sister learned how at 4.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 21:38     Subject: Re:So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Balance bikes themselves are stupid - they are just regular bikes with the pedals removed but someone involved in selling bikes figured out parents are stupid and will buy anything so started selling bikes without pedals.

But tooling around on a bike with no pedals is actually a great way to get a sense of balance and learn how to ride a bike - my first kid figured out how to ride a bike in an afternoon of tooling around on his bike with the pedals removed after struggling with it for more than 2 years with training wheels. Kid #2 (who is more athletic) figured out how to ride a bike in about 10 minutes without a "balance" bike.


What you are describing is a balance bike.

Right. You can use a pedal wrench to remove the pedals from a regular bike, then put them back on once child has learned to balance. A pedal wrench is cheaper than a balance bike. It makes no sense to buy a balance bike.


You buy a balance bike for a 2 year old because if you bought tiny regular bike the kid would need a bigger one by the time they have the motor skills to pedal. There’s no reason to get a balance bike for a 4 year old or even an older 3 year old.


Exactly. A balance bike is for a kid who wants to be like the big kids but can't handle a pedal bike yet.

And to the OP, 4 and 6 are not impressively young ages to be using a regular bike. Strangers are asking if your children used a balance bike as a means of making small talk.


I didn't say they were impressively young to be riding a bike without training wheels. In fact my six year old was late in my opinion. My point was that I don't think having a balance bike would have made any difference. They seem pointless.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 21:36     Subject: So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
Anonymous wrote:The balance bike was invented as a way to separate money from overly earnest and self-righteous parents.

Kids, mine included, learned how to ride bikes without any issue for generations before balance bikes.

I put balance bikes in the broad category of "wipe heater" and toddler beds - useless crap that people buy because they think they should, but really have no value add.

+1


Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 21:36     Subject: So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
Anonymous wrote:Balance bikes are for 2-3 year olds, not 4/6 year olds. It’s a scooter/tricycle substitute.


This.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 21:28     Subject: Re:So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Balance bikes themselves are stupid - they are just regular bikes with the pedals removed but someone involved in selling bikes figured out parents are stupid and will buy anything so started selling bikes without pedals.

But tooling around on a bike with no pedals is actually a great way to get a sense of balance and learn how to ride a bike - my first kid figured out how to ride a bike in an afternoon of tooling around on his bike with the pedals removed after struggling with it for more than 2 years with training wheels. Kid #2 (who is more athletic) figured out how to ride a bike in about 10 minutes without a "balance" bike.


What you are describing is a balance bike.

Right. You can use a pedal wrench to remove the pedals from a regular bike, then put them back on once child has learned to balance. A pedal wrench is cheaper than a balance bike. It makes no sense to buy a balance bike.


You buy a balance bike for a 2 year old because if you bought tiny regular bike the kid would need a bigger one by the time they have the motor skills to pedal. There’s no reason to get a balance bike for a 4 year old or even an older 3 year old.


Exactly. A balance bike is for a kid who wants to be like the big kids but can't handle a pedal bike yet.

And to the OP, 4 and 6 are not impressively young ages to be using a regular bike. Strangers are asking if your children used a balance bike as a means of making small talk.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 21:14     Subject: Re:So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
This thread is great. I’m not from this country and I too wonder about the point of a balance bike.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 20:42     Subject: Re:So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Balance bikes themselves are stupid - they are just regular bikes with the pedals removed but someone involved in selling bikes figured out parents are stupid and will buy anything so started selling bikes without pedals.

But tooling around on a bike with no pedals is actually a great way to get a sense of balance and learn how to ride a bike - my first kid figured out how to ride a bike in an afternoon of tooling around on his bike with the pedals removed after struggling with it for more than 2 years with training wheels. Kid #2 (who is more athletic) figured out how to ride a bike in about 10 minutes without a "balance" bike.


What you are describing is a balance bike.

Right. You can use a pedal wrench to remove the pedals from a regular bike, then put them back on once child has learned to balance. A pedal wrench is cheaper than a balance bike. It makes no sense to buy a balance bike.


You buy a balance bike for a 2 year old because if you bought tiny regular bike the kid would need a bigger one by the time they have the motor skills to pedal. There’s no reason to get a balance bike for a 4 year old or even an older 3 year old.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 20:40     Subject: So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
Dumb gimmick for parents too lazy to run alongside their kid. It takes like three tries and you let go. They’re off!
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 20:33     Subject: So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
My son has been keeping up with the rest of the family and older neighborhood kids on his balance bike since he was 2.5. He balances on it, feet up and flys around the neighborhood. Then he puts his feet down and runs up the hills. We were able to ride about 3ish miles together.

Then around 4.5 he transitioned to a pedal bike no training wheels and picked it up within a day. Because he knew how to balance.

I mean if you use a balance bike and never balance then sure it serves no purpose. But if you use it properly, it takes the place of training wheels and goes faster and is more fun so most kids prefer it.

Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 19:29     Subject: So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
They are awesome! No idea if it helps ride a bike or not. I didn't get them for my older two. I can tell they are 100x more efficient than a tricycle or bike with training wheels at a very young age. My 3 yr old can independently ride and keep up with the big kids on their bikes on her balance bike. She speeds up and down hills, around corners, like a pro. Makes going out as a family WAY easier and she loves it
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 19:23     Subject: Re:So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Balance bikes themselves are stupid - they are just regular bikes with the pedals removed but someone involved in selling bikes figured out parents are stupid and will buy anything so started selling bikes without pedals.

But tooling around on a bike with no pedals is actually a great way to get a sense of balance and learn how to ride a bike - my first kid figured out how to ride a bike in an afternoon of tooling around on his bike with the pedals removed after struggling with it for more than 2 years with training wheels. Kid #2 (who is more athletic) figured out how to ride a bike in about 10 minutes without a "balance" bike.


What you are describing is a balance bike.

Right. You can use a pedal wrench to remove the pedals from a regular bike, then put them back on once child has learned to balance. A pedal wrench is cheaper than a balance bike. It makes no sense to buy a balance bike.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 19:21     Subject: So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
Balance bikes are for 2-3 year olds, not 4/6 year olds. It’s a scooter/tricycle substitute.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2020 19:21     Subject: Re:So honest question-what exactly is the point of a balance bike?
They are silly. My kids were riding two wheelers without training wheels in preschool...so by about 3 or 4 years old. There is nothing special about my kids. Back then, almost all kids could ride well before kindergarten. The thing that really amazes me is that parents will pay money for someone else to teach their kid to ride a bike.