Why Make Your Childs First Bike a Balance Bike?
As parents, there are certain milestones we look forward to watching our children achieve as they grow up, and riding a bike is one of the most emotional. The image of our little ones riding away, independent and confident, is one that fills us with a mixture of pride tinged with sorrow, but we want to help them reach that milestone by buying the best bike available. Balance bikes are becoming a popular choice among parents because of their novel design that enables younger and older children alike to learn to ride safely while gaining confidence.
The pedal-free design of balance bikes imbue them with a number of safety measures that are less prominent or missing in traditional bikes. Pedals can cause injuries to the legs and feet when a child is still trying to learn all the aspects of riding a bike at once. Without the pedals, a balance bike encourages kids to focus on only the most important aspects of riding, balance and steering, while using their feet for propulsion and for braking.
As they use the feet for stopping, they also negate the complex braking mechanisms of traditional bikes, which can be difficult for younger kids to use, especially if they are frightened or nervous while trying to learn a new skill. And, if they do fall, balance bikes are much lighter and do not have as many projecting parts, making injury less likely and making it easier for your child to move the bike and set it back up.
Children often feel more confident when riding a balance bike for the first time, rather than a traditional bike. The reason for this is that balance bikes are propelled by walking and running, something your child already knows how to do. When they start to wobble, it is a simple matter of planting their feet to stabilize themselves, and they feel safe and able to control the bike better. Training wheels give this security, but they slow the process of learning to balance, which can make it more difficult in the long run.
Balance bikes are suitable for children as young as 18 months up through grade school, making them an ideal long-term purchase, and they come in many colors, designs, and with different themed features so you can customize the perfect bike for each individual child. They are easy to adjust and require minimal maintenance, making life easier on you, as well as making learning to ride easier for your child.
