"Likeabike" Wooden Walking Toddler Bike?

[newbelly2002]

(double post with the Toddler Boards)

Does anyone know what I'm talking about? They're relatively popular in Germany, but I know little about them. They are small bikes made for kids ages 2-6 without pedals, out of wood, with spokeless tires. Quality? interest? Duration? Quality of the knock-offs? Which brands are better than others?

I'd be really curious to hear everyone's experiences before making any sort of investment.

Thanks!
Paula
Mama to Dante, 8/02

[peterreuther]

Paula,

it sounds like you already know quite a bit about LIKEaBIKEs.

Well here is some more:

six or seven years ago the LIKEaBIKE was invented by young German designer Rolf Mertens. He invented a little wooden walking bike for his children with no commercial application in mind. Sonn relatives and friends asked him to make such a cute and useful little bike for therir children too. Thus a new business was born.

The LIKEaBIKE is a bit of a revolution in the ride-ons industry.

No other ride-on can offer to little kids what a LIKEaBIKE can. LIKEaBIKEs don't have pedals or chains or breaks. Children use their feet to move forward or to break. It perfectly meets a young kid ned to move around. The LIKEaBIKE trains a child's motor skills and sense of balance at a very early age. Instead of first buying a tricycle and later on a 12 inch bike with trainig wheels all kids need is a LIKEaBIKE. It is because kids learn to keep the balance they can go to a "proper" chain driven bike later without the use of training wheels.

Well Paula, I'm sure you already guessed it, whoever is writing to you cannot just be another parent. Yes my wife and I are importing the LIKEaBIKE to the US. We have lived in this country for sevebn years now. But before we started selling the LIKEaBIKE (March 2004) we were happy customers ourselves that is our son was. We gave a LIKEaBIKE to our son Christmas 2002. HE is now four and he is still riding his LaB almost every day. There is no other present he ever got that has been used more by him over such a long period of time.
In fact if you divided the amount of time he has used the LaB by the price (and as you probably already know it is not cheap)you will come up with a result that will most likely beat all other toys and if you than add the benefits like the development of the motor skills and sense of balance... well here's the salesman again...

One more thought since it is the travel season. The handle bar of the LaB can easily be removed by unscrewing two screws. It than fits into a larger duffle bag or suitcase and it only weights 8 pounds. You throw all the other things on top and if you get to your travel destination your child has her/his LIKEaBIKE right there. That's how we do it.

Well if you would like to find out more about the LIKEaBIKE you can go to www.likeabikeusa.com

Of course I'm also happy to answer your questions directly through this forum.

Ride on

Peter

Dad of Ella and Josef

[newbelly2002]

Thanks for the history. I hadn't realized they were so new of a product. I know there are some other brands "velo walker" for one, that also offer a laufrad. What are the advantages to each? What about the airfilled vs. the wooden wheels? What about the metal vs. the wooden frame?

If you haven't guessed, I'm in Germany so my options are many. Although I can't give you my business, I would appreicate any answers you can give me about the bikes as a parent and product owner.

Thanks!
Paula
Mama to Dante, 8/02

[peterreuther]

The LIKEaBIKE is the original "Laufrad" (running bike). Everything else is a copy of it for the better or the worse.

All LIKEaBIKE models have wooden wheels. However they came in two different tire versions. The race model has hard rubber tires and the mountain model has inflatable tires. We would defintely recommend the mountain since it seems to us a lot more versatile (indoor and outdoor use) plus the air in the tires provides some cushioning as well.

I don't want so say anything bad about all the "me too" brands that are now around in Germany. But none of those from what I now have a representation over here in the US. So in case you ever need a spare part you would have to get it from Germany. Whereas the LIKEaBIKE, as you now know, does have a representation in the US. www.likeabikeusa.com

As usuall, I hope I was able to be of some help.

Peter

Dad of Ella and Josef