Austin Babies

Rec your kiddo's balance bike

I think we're going to get Will a balance bike for Christmas. Right now I'm looking at the Strider bikes. I like the look of them and DH has requested that we get a non-wooden bike for him. Are there any others in the $100 or cheaper range that we should be considering?

Re: Rec your kiddo's balance bike

  • we have the specialized hotwalk (like michelle&russ) and it has been great, my oldest went right from the hotwalk to a regular pedal bike with no problem. my 3 yo is now loving on the hotwalk and I have no doubt it will be solidly used by #3 too (who's almost 2). We started w/a wooden like-a-bike for DS1 when he was 2 but he would never get on the thing, i don't think he liked the look of it (or the steering) and wanted a more regular-looking bike (like his dad's :)), once we got the hotwalk he was in love.

    we have a cousin w/ a strider and she loved it, also went right from that to regular biking :) 

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  • Ditto jakbtx, We love our hotwalk too!  It retails for $140 but its great quality and ours has held up great! (even with all the older neighborhood kids riding it around the culdesac!)
    https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=32773

    There is also Kinderbike
    https://www.amazon.com/KinderBike-Laufrad-Balance-Run-Bike/dp/B0040B1I74/ref=cm_rdp_product

    I was just looking at the Strider because we're thinking about getting a second bike for Ryan and he has such little legs I don't think he'll be able to use the hotwalk for awhile. But I saw in one of the reivews that the Strider has plastic wheels, is that true?  Libby, not sure if that matters to you but thought I'd mention it.

  • we were in CO two summers ago and there were Striders everywhere (that's when our cousin got hers, to keep up w/my oldest on his hotwalk :)) if the wheels were plastic I would have never noticed, they looked similar to the specialized wheels. I looked it up, EVA polymer? according to wikipedia, expanded rubber or foam rubber. hmm. 
  • From what I've read, they're a foam rubber. I think they used to be plastic (at least that's what I gathered from reading reviews), but they've upgraded those and the handlebars.

    Thanks for all the recommendations!

  • Thanks jakbtx and libby for the clarification!
  • L has a strider bike.  He is just learning how to use it!  It's great quality - the tires are just fine.  They don't feel plastic to me... more of a heavy duty material than plastic and they have held up well.
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  • We bought the $27.99 chicco bike from costco and I think it only has one main difference that I can see from the stryder and that is the little grips for your feet on the back bars. We have a glide (EZ) bike in a box that I ordered from zulily for like $80 that has air tires and hand brake. Unopened so far, but I thought these were good features to have when I compared all the bikes. Chicco we bought impulsively on vacation in California because it was so cheap and we had not received the Glide yet at home.

    In just a few days of using the bike they really advance fast, so make sure you have a helmet!!

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