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lhafer
06-16-2011, 02:37 PM
Ok, so I have been reading on here a lot about balance bikes. My dd1 is 5 and has a regular bike with training wheels. She's outgrowing and ready for a new bike.

I understand the concept of balance bikes, and know it works. But I'm confused - are you able to put pedals on them later (once they are confidentally balancing)?? If not, why would I spend $$$ on a bike I can't add pedals to at a later date?

What's the difference between a balance bike and a "normal" bike where I just take off the pedals until they can confidentally balance on it??

I guess I always thought you could add pedals to a balance bike - but after looking at some website, they never say anything about adding pedals later.

Sorry for the stupid questions - just trying to figure out what to get next.

geochick
06-16-2011, 02:39 PM
You can either buy a designated balance bike, or have the pedals removed from your regular bike. The concept is the same. We bought my ds a Trek bike (Float?) that can convert from one to the other easily. Easy peasy. Just remember, some balance bikes are simply that, balance bikes. No pedal option.

sidmand
06-16-2011, 02:43 PM
I think at this point you want a "regular" bike for her. I generally think of a balance bike as a first bike for kids and sO they get used to the idea of balancing on it right away. I could be wrong though. I didn't know of any you could add pedals to.

niccig
06-16-2011, 02:45 PM
We did the balance bike (no option to put on training wheels) and then a regular bike. Why do two bikes? Because it's easier to learn. DS never had training wheels. He got the balance bike at 3yo and was on a 12" bike no training wheels before he was 4yo. Now at 6yo he's a mad bike rider, and we've been riding for miles every other weekend since he was about 4yo.

The balance bikes that you can put pedals on are usually bigger bikes too, and DS wouldn't have fit them until closer to 5 (he's short).

Some people try to take pedals off regular bike, but I've heard that this isn't always possible.

We passed the balance bike on to his cousins. All the kids we know that had balance bikes rode without training wheels quite young and it was an easy transition to regular bike. Some kids can make that transition from training wheels, but I couldn't I was 7 or 8 and still had training wheels. I remember how difficult it was and how embarrassing that younger kids didn't have training wheels.

We also did the balance bike instead of a big wheel or other ride on toy. He had a trike and a balance bike, then regular bike and regular razor scooter. He has great balance too - according to our gymnastics coach. Don't know if the balance bike helped with that or not.

WatchingThemGrow
06-16-2011, 02:47 PM
I think you missed the window for using a dedicated balance bike. Ours is a Hotwalk and fits a 3-4 year old. My 5 yo is too big for it. I think you can use what you have.

If you have a bike with training wheels and want to teach independent riding w/o them, you could buy a tool to remove the pedals or let a bike shop do it. (ours charges $25 for labor.) Lower the seat so the child's feet are flat on the ground. (Training wheels and pedaling usually means they are much higher up on the bike.) Let her walk, run, coast with the bike until she's really confident and swinging her legs up in the air while riding it. Then put the pedals back on and hold the back of the shirt for an hour or so. This is basically the method we've used to teach 2 DC to ride.

lhafer
06-16-2011, 03:00 PM
She needs a bigger bike because the one she has is a 12". She needs a 16". But I think I can remove the pedals on the current one and let her practice on that one like a balance bike.

MommyAllison
06-16-2011, 03:18 PM
The balance bike we have does come with pedals that you can add later, but it's a discontinued model (we bought on CL). We gave it to DS for his birthday this year, but he is still just a touch too short to use it easily, so DD rode it around on the grass for a few weeks. We took her training wheels off her bike and she pedaled away! DH and I are definitely balance bike believers after seeing how easy it was for her, esp as we remember learning to ride without training wheels and falling over and over! That said, I don't know if we'd have bought the balance bike if she would be the only one to use it - though we could easily resell on CL for what we paid, so maybe we would have. I'm glad we'll have at least 2 more kids to use it. If you can remove the pedals from her 12" bike, I'd do that. Good luck!

Penny's Pappa
06-16-2011, 03:55 PM
She needs a bigger bike because the one she has is a 12". She needs a 16". But I think I can remove the pedals on the current one and let her practice on that one like a balance bike.

Just remember that the left pedal is reverse-threaded -- it loosens by turning clockwise.

vonfirmath
06-16-2011, 04:04 PM
I think you missed the window for using a dedicated balance bike. Ours is a Hotwalk and fits a 3-4 year old. My 5 yo is too big for it. I think you can use what you have.

We have a Hotwalk, and my son is just about to outgrow it -- but can not handle the pedal bike (too heavy) so we got a bike shop to custom make a higher seat so he can use it for another year.

Also, a good height for a balance bike would be too low for a pedal bike.
For the balance bike, you want the kid able to sit on the seat and flex his knees a bit so he can "push" with his feet

For a pedal bike, you want him able to pick his feet up entirely off the ground (so he can pedal comfortably) and just touch the ground for getting on/off the ground.

lhafer
06-16-2011, 07:06 PM
Well, after talking to DH about it...he says he wants to get a balance bike!

We have a 5 year old (she's rather petite) and a 15mo old. He wants one we can hand down to the baby when she's ready.

So now I need some suggestions for some decent balance bikes!! I put in an email to a post on CL, but I haven't heard back yet. Is this one a decent model: http://houston.craigslist.org/bik/2408120777.html

stefani
06-18-2011, 11:46 PM
Think you will be in Dallas soon? :) I have a Kinderbike.

If you can remove the pedals easily I would say go that route.

DS had the Kinderbike, and then he got a 12" Huffy (so about the same size as the Kinderbike), and it took him 5 minutes to ride it without training wheels. He was 6 years old, but he is petite.

Good luck!

lhafer
06-19-2011, 12:21 AM
Think you will be in Dallas soon? :) I have a Kinderbike.

If you can remove the pedals easily I would say go that route.

DS had the Kinderbike, and then he got a 12" Huffy (so about the same size as the Kinderbike), and it took him 5 minutes to ride it without training wheels. He was 6 years old, but he is petite.

Good luck!

Actually I will be in that area a couple of times in July. I will PM you.

WatchingThemGrow
06-19-2011, 07:25 AM
I'd watch some of these pedal removal videos (http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1_____enUS418US418&aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=how+to+remove+bike+pedals) and just use the one you have. If you learn to do it on your own, you can reuse the bike for your younger child w/o having to buy/store another. We have a 12" with pedals off that worked well as a bigger balance bike also.

lhafer
06-19-2011, 08:18 AM
I'd watch some of these pedal removal videos (http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1_____enUS418US418&aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=how+to+remove+bike+pedals) and just use the one you have. If you learn to do it on your own, you can reuse the bike for your younger child w/o having to buy/store another. We have a 12" with pedals off that worked well as a bigger balance bike also.

We'll see if we can. It's just a cheap big box store bike that was like $50 or something. Not sure IF the wheels can come off.

WatchingThemGrow
06-19-2011, 08:24 AM
We'll see if we can. It's just a cheap big box store bike that was like $50 or something. Not sure IF the wheels can come off.
Oh. I bet they will come off and not go back on! That is what we did with a CL freebie 12", and we passed it on to a friend who is using it as a balance bike as well.

Dr C
06-19-2011, 08:57 AM
We had a Skuut and loved it. But it might be a bit small even for a petite 5 y.o. You can try one IRL if you live near an REI.
You might consider the Trek Float. It has removeable pedals, which then go back on. She would probably fit the 16 inch pretty well. We don't have the Float but DS has a 16" Trek Jet (found a good deal on a secondhand one) which we love. The Trek bikes are great quality and they grow with kids better than other bikes, so even though they are more expensive, they seem to last longer.
When I look online it looks like the float may be being discontinued but that could be a good thing because you may be able to find a good deal.

knaidel
06-19-2011, 10:00 AM
I just posted a similar question in around the house. Someone posted a site: bikesthatteach.com-- if you send them your child's measurements, they'll help you choose an appropriate size balance bike, and it seems there are ones for bigger kids. I am going to get one for my 6.5 y.o.