Options for balance bikes on our list are available to kids as small as 6 months. “As soon as a child can support themselves safely, with a minimum inseam that allows them to have their foot on the ground, a balance bike can be a welcomed experience,” Swegle says. “We typically see the 2-to-3-year-old range being the most effective, where children have strength and coordination to master generating speed, slowing themselves down, and turning.” Bike size is quoted in centimetres, inches or in T-shirt style (for example, from extra-small to extra-large). Unfortunately, there’s little consistency from one brand to another, but we’ve got guides to road bike sizing, mountain bike sizing and women’s bike sizing to help.

Because the scheme was set up with the intention of getting more people cycling to work, rather than leisure riding, your employer remains the owner of the bike once you finish the hire period. There are balance bike models on the market made from metal, plastic or wood so there really is something to suit all requirements and budgets. As with all kids bikes you do get what you pay for in terms of quality. More expensive balance bikes tend to have lightweight aluminium frames and come fitted with pneumatic tyres because these are more comfortable than solid plastic tyres, especially if your going over bumpy ground. However, the trade off is that you do run the risk of getting a puncture, although tyres and inner tubes are more robustly made these day, so this doesn’t tend to happen very often. Inspection of lug design: pantographs, cut-out, stampings, custom brazing/filing, chrome, fork crow n sweep, etc. That said it is a beautiful country that didn’t disappoint. Read this blog. It is also worth noting that we must be the only cycle tourists in history who have toured in Scotland for any length of time who did not see a drop of rain – how good was that!It may be tempting to go for the beefy looks of an enduro bike or downhill bike, but the extra weight and extreme geometry will be counterproductive if you’re only riding gentle off-road.

You want to make sure that they aren’t going to mark up your floors. Avoid plastic wheels that don’t have rubber, as they are too slippery on indoor floors. The Y Velo balance bike is one of our favorites for indoor riding. Our friends over at Cyclesprog also have an article by Juliet Kemp on how she started biking with her 5 week old baby in a Christiana cargo bike. Frame tubing type (e.g. Reynolds 531 tubing introduced around 1934, still used today; Reynolds 501 tubing introduced around 1983). So a frame with an original 501 decal can't be from the 70', 531 decal doesn't help as much because of the range of years produced. Also, see Decals.

4) Do you need brakes on a balance bike?

Als fietser ga je veel plezier beleven aan dit boek. Maar ook voor een aspirant- of niet-fietser zal het heel interessant en inspirerend zijn om te lezen. En zelfs als je niet van fietsen houdt kun je niet anders dan genieten van de foto's. Had ik al gezegd dat die mooi zijn? Get a helmet, slow tip overs like a kid would experience learning to ride a bicycle can definitely leads to head trauma without a helmet which still has its impact resistance. (After a crash or bang some helmets lose their ability to keep you safe. Keep a helmet on their head when around bikes if you don’t want the to have long term brain damage. The one thing to be aware of in this setup is that there can be a fair amount of jostling in a bakfiets style bike. You will need to ride extra carefully and slow way down for speedbumps and other hazards. A number of bikes are built in a Retro style, but with modern components. Dutch bikes, trendy coffee cruisers, and beach cruisers may be modern but appear to be 1950s styling. These tend to have modern rims and brakes as a giveaway. freehubs: In 2012, Shimano released its 11s Dura Ace group. This reverted to the old spline pattern, but had a slightly wider freehub. 11s freehubs can take 10s cassettes with a spacer. 10s freehubs cannot fit most 11s cassettes (note: they can fit MTB cassettes and HG700 or HG800 cassettes), and will be advertised as being specific to 10s. 11s compatibility means your freehub is made after about 2012.

The frame is lightweight and the whole bike weighs just 5.5 pounds so it’s easy for kids to maneuver. It’s also got a special feature for parents, an integrated carry handle built right into the frame, for those walks home after a long (or frustrating!) ride.Open frames – that is, frames without a top tube – can flex and shimmy alarmingly when you’re cycling with a heavier child on a rear seat, because the structure isn’t stiff enough. Look for fatter frame tubes and/or reinforcing tubes if you want to fit this kind of bike with a child seat. Front-fitting seats Balance bikes don’t all come with brakes, and Swegle says they are not necessary: “Your feet, flat to the ground, provide your forward and stopping power.” But as a child gets older, “learning how to coordinate the brake levers is important, so that they can master the coordination between their feet and hands,” he says. “Plus, it is important to learn how much pressure to apply adequately and safely stop.” The Cycle to Work scheme essentially lets you get your hands on any bike you like. Russell Burton / Immediate Media

If someone in passing were to ask me what kind of bike to get a toddler, I would automatically respond with “A balance bike!” The seat adjusts as low as 11 inches from the ground, and rises all the way up to 17 inches. The handlebars adjust from 20 to 24 inches. Just right for all genders and taste preferences, this solid overall balance bike comes in pink, blue, purple, or green options.

SRAM

We have CycleCare plans to suit every type of cyclist whether you’re an infrequent low mileage cyclist or a high mileage commuter:-​