The Best Balance Bike
Jul 28, 2011 | By Frank Whittemore for Livestrong.com
A balance bike consists of a frame, steering, two wheels and a seat, but the bike does not have either pedals or a drive train. Your child uses her feet to make the bike go, which helps her learn to first balance and maneuver the bike. One model of balance bike, the Kinderbike, received high praise from an article at NYTimes.com, and was selected as the top choice by The Perfect Playroom.

Design

Kinderbikes are designed to closely resemble traditional children’s bikes. With welded, tubular aluminum and steel frames the bikes are light yet durable, making them easy to handle and tough enough for kid play. Large and cushy handlebar grips and a fully adjustable stearing stem and seat make the bike comfortable enough to accommodate a child up to 5 or 6 years of age. Heavy-duty pneumatic tires provide good traction and a comfortable ride. Kinderbikes come in red, green or blue.

 

Function

From the time your child begins to walk well, she can use the Kinderbike. The bike comes in three models, each designed the accommodate the stature of children at different ages, from 18 months to more than 5 years of age. When your child sits astride the bike, she uses her feet to make the bike move. This teaches balance, steering and control, all at the same time, without having to coordinate pedaling and maintaining a certain speed to balance. As your child becomes more proficient at these skills, you can more easily transition her to a pedaled two-wheeler.

Price

Compared with other comparable balance bikes on the market, all bikes within the Kinderbike line are reasonably and competitively priced. The manufacturer suggested retail price for a Kinderbike, depending on the model is $99 as of December 2012, which is actually a drop in price since 2010. With these balance bikes being durable enough to hand down to younger children, the Kinderbike makes a good investment as a plaything for your child.

Company Support

From the factory, the Kinderbike already comes 95 percent assembled. All you need to do is install the handlebars. The bike also comes with a limited lifetime warranty compared to the typical one-year warranty of other manufacturers.

Safety

The Kinderbike design provides a low center of gravity, making the bike inherently easier to balance and control. The deep slop of the frame makes mounting the Kinderbike easy. The hand-grip linear-pull V-brake makes stopping both quick and controllable. Steering on the Kinderbike provides a full range of motion for easy and safe maneuvering. Also, Kinderbikes do not use foot pegs or rests or steering limiters. This requires your child to use her feet to stabilize the bike, which is much safer.
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