The Best Balance Bikes for Toddlers (Review) in 2023

Where to Buy a Balance Bike

Amazon – Although we sometimes receive a commission for advertising items from Amazon, we would still recommend you buy from them. They are quick to deliver and offer great customer service. You can’t go wrong.

Argos – Argos offer a range of different balance bikes and can be great if you are looking for something you can pick up on the same day. Although if you are able to wait a day or two, Amazon will work out a little cheaper.

Halfords – You can find a huge range of balance bikes at Halfords and youll be sure to find whatever you are looking for. They stock the Peppa Pig and the Frozen one in stock too.

Smyths – Smyths have a large range of balance bikes, starting from my first bikes for babies and leading up to some larger ones for big kids.

Decathlon – Decathlon have a small range of balance bikes available on their website and being outdoor specialists, they are a great option

Asda – Occasionally you can buy a balance bike from Asda and they usually work out cheaper.

What to Consider When Buying a Balance Bike

What to consider when buying a balance bike:

Weight – Having a heavy balance bike can be awkward and difficult for you to sort out. Even the slightest kilogram can make a huge difference.

As a general rule of thumb, you want to make sure that the bike doesn’t weigh more than 30 percent of the toddler’s total weight.

You can of course get heavier ones, but it can cause the child to have to work harder to use it and therefore cause injury.

Size – You want to make sure that your child when sitting on the bike, has flat feet on the floor with a slight bend in the knee.

The size of the wheels usually changes the base height, this is because the handlebars and the seat can be changed on most models. You want to ensure that you aren’t buying your 2 year old a 16inch one and likewise your 4 year old a 12inch one.

Wheels – Generally there are two different types of tires used on a balance bike. EVA polymer or air-filled rubber tires.

For children sticking to concrete or something similar, then EVA wheels are better. For grass or uneven ground, the air-filled ones are better suited.

Steering – Lots of units come with a safety turning which help with not allowing the steering to be jerked and cause injury. Make sure to look for this.

Brake – Handbrakes aren’t very common on balance bikes, but you can find ones with them on them.

Instinctively your child will use your feet to stop at first and might take them a while to get used to using a handbrake.

Kids love to speed around and soon learn to pick up lots of speed so having a brake might be better if you have a little boy racer.

Quality of Build – Read the reviews and make sure people aren’t saying that it feels cheap and flimsy. Sometimes the novelty style bikes are cheaper in build quality so going for a less fun one might be a better option.

Cost – You can get a balance bike for just a little over £20 and can spend upwards of £150. In most of these budgets, you’ll be able to find a decent quality bike but obviously, the lower you go the higher the chance of having a lower quality bike.

Be sure to read the reviews and think about how your child will be using the bike, how long you think they will be using it, and whether you will be using it for a second or third sibling or not.

Benefits of a Balance Bike

Balance – As you can gather from the name, the number one benefit of a balance bike is balance. This is a critical skill for a child and can help in many other things in life, including getting dressed.

Confidence – Learning to ride a bike hugely boosts your child’s confidence and helps them to interact with other children too.

Exercise – Riding a bike is great exercise and very helpful in keeping your child active. This is turn helps build their immune system.

What Size Bike Should You Go For?

There are generally three different size balance bikes that are available on the market which are 10-inch, 12 inch, or 16 inches.

Now, you can of course get another size, but these are the most popular and ones you are likely to see the most off from a general search.

You can also find that some companies offer their bikes in age ground rather than size.

As a general rule of thumb, you will be looking at 10 inch for 18 months – 24 months, 12 inch for 24 months – 30 months and 14 inches at 30 months plus.

Best Age For A Balance Bike

The most popular ages for balance bikes are 2-5 years of age. You can also find bikes that are suitable from 18 months of age.

Personally, we would say that the best age is 24 months onwards as, by this point, they will have mastered walking.

If you think that your baby is ready to try a balance bike at 18 months make sure that you find one that is suitable from 18 months, such as the Hornit balance bike.

Should you Buy One with a Brake?

There are some balance bikes that come fitted with a rear brake. These are great if your toddler is slightly older and confident with going at a little higher speed

If they don’t have a break, the way to stop is to put their feet on the ground. This can result in injury to their ankles or wear and tear to the bottom of their shoes so having a brake will save some money and/or tears.

Having and using a brake is also a great way to prepare them for when they have their first proper pedal bike, as these will have hand-operated brakes fitted to both the front and rear.

Can You Add Pedals to a Balance Bike?

In short, no.

There are some, 2-in-1 bikes that start off as training bikes and then get converted to a balance bike.

There are a few convertible balance bikes that are available on the market such as the SmatTrike Xtend Mg+ which can be converted from a balance bike into a pedal bike.

These types of bikes are normally heavier so shouldn’t be used until the child is at least 3 years of age.

What Type of Tire is Best For a Balance Bike?

There are two different styles of tire that is used on a balance bike, they are EVA polymer foam and air-filled.

Air-filled tires are much like their larger old brothers’ tires that would be used by an adult. They have an inner tube and can be more easily punctured. If there wear it can be easier to find a replacement though.

The EVA foam tires are better for the ground where there could be loose rubble or items that could easily pierce a tire. They don’t require pumping up and wear less than air-filled ones.

Air-filled tires are also better when it comes to traction and cushioning impact. The only real benefit of EVA tires is that they are puncture-proof with all other benefits leaning towards air-filled.

What is Balance Bike Geometry?

The geometry of a balance bike will determine how easy it is for your child to control. A bike with good geometry will work with the child and poor geometry will work against them.

An example of a good geometry:

Wheelbase: The distance between the edge of the two wheels play a part in the geometry of the bike. With a longer wheelbase, the bike is generally more stable and easier to balance.

Cockpit: This is the space between the handlebars and the tip of the seat. You want to have adequate room in order for them to lean into the handlebars. This helps with their equilibrium and therefore balance.

Fork Angle: A more upright front fork is harder to steer and reduces the geometry of the bike as well as decreases the wheelbase size.

It also increases the weight over the front wheel which can increase the difficulty of riding the bike for the child.

Seat Position: Having the seat lower down will decrease the overall center of gravity, therefore helping the child stay upright easier.

Even after all this, you still might be wondering, What is a balance bike?  we have put together a handy post for you to better understand!