Balance Bike
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Balance Bike for toddler
Postby crog » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:22 pm
http://www.bbikes.com.au/
Anybody tried them.
I have seen plastic ones for up to $300 in Carence Street Cycles. These are $120 and wooden
Thoughts or experiences
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby lemmiwinks » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:26 pm
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby Mulger bill » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:33 pm
I woulda gone the balancebike trail if they'd been around at the right time.
Shaun
London Boy 29/12/2011
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby lemmiwinks » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:37 pm
That's a relief, my reputation's riding on thisMulger bill wrote:I went down the crankless route for the lad, worked a treat.
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby Mulger bill » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:43 pm
Takin' a huge risk staking yer rep on my backuplemmiwinks wrote:That's a relief, my reputation's riding on thisMulger bill wrote:I went down the crankless route for the lad, worked a treat.
London Boy 29/12/2011
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby lemmiwinks » Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:14 pm
Mulger bill wrote:Takin' a huge risk staking yer rep on my backup
It's that kind of a rep.
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby DionM » Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:35 pm
Personally I am trying to weigh up the benefits of having a brake (like Firstbike) or not (like the one you posted).
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby sharktamin » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:13 am
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby Zynster » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:10 am
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=13917
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby JustinD » Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:26 am
------------
Trek 5.2
Specialized Rockhopper '93 vintage & commuter
early 80s Gitane 531 road bike (work in progress to flat bar )
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby gclark8 » Thu Apr 16, 2009 11:54 am
Best results: small frame, feet for go, hands for stop, no training wheels,
yes, two hand brakes, pedals/cranks optional, but not for too long
NO Coaster Brakes!!!! Use a Freewheel on the rear once the prdals/cranks are set up.
I do lots of single speed freewheel conversions on 16-20" kids bikes,
about $10 for the hub, $13 for the 17tooth 3/32 freewheel , $20 for the rear brake kit.
Many of you will have the bits in the junk box so the cost will be lower.
George.
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby mikedufty » Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:20 pm
They have been far more than a "trainer" bike for us. They are primary means of transport. A two year old on one of these can easily keep up with an adult walking. By the time they are three you have to be prepared to run to keep up. The pnuematic tyres combined with the low weight means they work really well off road on any surface short of really deep soft sand.
Ours have a rear band brake which is really effective. In most cases feet for stopping is OK, two year olds need help on steep hills. As they get older they get the strength to use the rear brake and the problem is persuading them not to leave big black skid marks everywhere the brake is definitely fun, and really helps for steep off road hills. Also good for them to learn how to use brakes.
They seem really tough to me, my kids have not been able to break them in several years of intensive abuse including 5 year olds riding them down stairs.
Modifications we have made are adding plastic front baskets from K-mart (kids love bringing things with them), adding an old motorcycle swithblock to the bars (buttons to press) and adding a bit of grip tape to the back of the seat stay above the rear axle so they are less prone to falling off when standing up with their feet on there.
My five year old transitioned very easily from this to a pedal bike once he could be persuaded to try, but its hard to convince him the pedal bike is better. The only advantage really is the 16" bike can potentially be a bit faster, but he's usually riding in company with his little brother so that means stopping more. I think the 12.5 pedal bikes are inferior in every way to the balance bikes, they can't even go faster with such tiny wheels and pedals.
Link is a little video of my kids playing on them on gravel a year or so ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou9Txa5cNeo
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby mikedufty » Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:25 pm
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby munga » Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:21 am
i've seen the same jack and jill branded bikes on ebay for over a hungee dorra
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby crog » Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:29 pm
Well I bought the balance bike from http://www.bbikes.com.au/ for $120 and whilst I have not recieved it correspondance from website has been good and suposably shipped day after paying.
Will post feedback after boy gets his hands on it.
Che
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby DionM » Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:36 pm
They even come in alloy with rear suspension!
http://www.likeabikeaus.com/models/jumper.htm
Seat goes a bit higher than most others too, which may suit my tall critter (2.5 years old, but already 1m!).
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby AUbicycles » Wed Apr 29, 2009 6:58 am
I saw one on the weekend though stopped myself from asking the mummy if I could test it with the rear suspension. The kid was spec'ed out with the optional matching helmet plus has the optional brake. That is around $370 (Aussie - direct conversion from 200 Euro - not including customs, transport or markup). I bet he was the one who let the air out of my sons balance bike tyres - that would have been after noticing the radical downhills my son was doing.
Cheers
Christopher
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby black4tress » Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:21 am
tc
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby mikedufty » Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:54 pm
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby mikedufty » Fri Jul 03, 2009 6:16 pm
I thought they were great value at $100. Hopefully they will catch on more now they are more visibly available. Or maybe no-one will want them now because they are Kmart bikes?
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby AUbicycles » Sun Jul 05, 2009 7:52 am
--
From a practical point of view - Balance bikes are better than pedal bikes with training wheels in that the kids can start earlier as the motoric required for a balance bike is developed earlier than the motoric for pedalling. The children can learn balance and steering. With training wheels, there is an unnatural reliance on the extra wheels - progression from a balance bike to pedal bike is easier as the additional task of pedal is can be learnt while balance and steering is already under control.
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby sven » Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:13 am
From a childhood development veiwpoint, allows the introduction of the balance concept at a eariler age as opposed to a pedal bike.
The flat pack wodden ones - like the Netti product - are very popular in Europe, esp Germany and Holland. Saw 1000's of them with parents either walking or slowly riding.
They also seem over engineered, so will last for ages or multiple kids
Sven
09 Malvern Star Oppy Bolo'dor
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby Starfesh » Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:40 pm
http://www.hasbrohosting.com/glide2ride/
The pedals are screwed in when they have learnt to balance
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby DavidH » Sun Jul 05, 2009 4:23 pm
Balance bikes definitely get the seal of approval from me as a fantastic learning tool.
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Re: Balance Bike for toddler
Postby mikedufty » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:40 am
Yeah, a major feature of the jdbug ones is the light weight, they are about 3kg, about half the weight of a similar size kids bicycle, much better for little kids to handle, and light enough for an adult to easily carry when the kids decide they don't want to ride anymore for some reason. Also good for air travel.Starfesh wrote:My wife went and purchased a glide 2 ride bicycle... my daughter does not really like it as it is so heavy... I think my bike is lighter!
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