# Are balance bikes safe for the very young?



## mrstovar (Feb 25, 2010)

My son will be two in July of this year. I'm thinking he might enjoy a balance bike, but I watched some videos of little ones zipping around in those things and now I'm wondering how safe they are for the very young. Seems to me that at three his bones would be stronger for the inevitable spills, and he'd be starting to develop some common sense as far as safety around other bikes, behind vehicles, by the road, by water, etc. I would feel so bad if I bought him a balance bike at two and then he zipped away from me, faster than I could run, to serious injury or death. How safe are they for two year olds? A quick search on the internet has not turned up any good answer. Thanks for an help you can give.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

I think the bike may be too big for him at 2yo. We got my son one when he was 2 1/2 and it barely fit him. He didn't really figure out how to ride it until a year later. By last summer (4) he was getting really good on it.


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## katt (Nov 29, 2001)

My son got his on his 2nd. Birthday. He was SOOO excited!!

OMG his face when he saw the box. unforgettable.

I looked around and found that, at the time, the Strider had the shortest 'inseam' at 10" i think. he barely fit. He's a smaller kid, so i had to find the shortest one or it just wouldn't work.

He had it down pat in a few weeks (granted his birthday was in December so we had to find good indoor places where he could ride it, like a gym etc...) but, if I had been able to find a pedal bike that 1. fit him and 2. was light enough for him to maneuver he'd have been zooming around on that around 3. He was riding the pedal bike at 4 and he's 5 now.

One of the kids I watch got a balance bike at 3 and within a week was keeping up with her brother and my son on their pedal bikes. She's got a pedal bike now (still 3) but is not used to the brakes so she doesn't ride it very much.

I say go for it.


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## Karen Wood (May 21, 2012)

The Strider balance bike is great for little ones, it can be ridden from 18mths up, and as the child will only go as fast as their feet allows they are in control. They can't run away on it without learning some balance skills first as their feet will be flat on the floor. Both my kids learnt to ride on them safely. Watch the weight of some balance bikes - some way over 6kg! Ideal is half that weight


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## mrstovar (Feb 25, 2010)

Thanks, everyone! My son measures 12 inches at the inseam so a strider should work

I'm glad to realize he can't go faster than his legs can carry him until he figures out how to balance. At his age that will likely take a little while.


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## brigala (Apr 26, 2010)

My daughter is almost two and I plan to get her a balance bike soon. Of course she also has a bicycle helmet.  And I'm not going to let her take it anywhere near a street or something like that.

I'm sure there are some dangers involved, just like on any other bicycle, but if you take precautions I think the benefits outweigh the risks.


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## AmberMish (May 29, 2012)

Assist him, if he can handle it then go ahead. Make sure that he has the proper gears.


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