Author: Little Nation

[fusion_text]There are so many mobility milestones in early childhood that it’s hard to remember that most of them are controlled by the same area in the brain. Crawling, climbing, walking, running, and swimming are all gross-motor skills that kids use to explore their environment as they learn what they need to know about their bodies and the world they live in. These milestones are a product of watching other people and imitating their actions, and the earlier the skills are learned, the better your child will be at using them later.

The same goes for riding a bike. It is a major milestone in childhood and with the advent of new methods of teaching the skills needed, it is coming sooner and sooner. Balance bikes have given children as young as eighteen months the ability to ride because they are teaching the fundamental skills of riding in a way that toddlers can grasp. To explore this further, we decided to grade the most popular traditional methods of teaching children to ride, from ride-on toys to balance bikes, on their ability to teach the core skills kids learn from riding a bike. These skills are coordination, balance, object manipulation/steering, and propulsion adaptation, as well as how well they enhance mobility (different terrain, different speeds, etc.). The average of these scores is listed as their ability to ease the transition onto a pedal bike.

Tricycles: D+

Tricycles are very popular, but they teach neither the proper steering technique nor the balance required to ride a two-wheeled pedal bike. They are not very customizable, resulting in a poor fit that makes pedaling more difficult, making coordination more difficult. They can go over most terrain, and moderately enhance mobility.

Training Wheels: C

Training wheels have the same drawbacks as training wheels, with the exception of pedaling and coordination being impeded by the seat-to-pedal ratio. Coordination is still impeded by the inability to learn and implement proper steering techniques, such as leaning into turns. Training wheels impede mobility and the amount of terrain that can be covered, but not to as great a degree as training wheels.

Ride On Toys: D

Ride on toys are propelled by someone else or by a motor that only requires a push of a button, making them a terrible option for learning propulsion. They also do not teach proper steering technique, complex coordination, or balance. They are small and lightweight, so they are a popular choice for very young riders, but they ultimately make for a difficult transition

Balance Bikes: A

Balance bikes do not have pedals, but do teach propulsion adaptation as children learn to push the bike with their feet to glide. They can go over any terrain and reach speeds equal to two-wheeled pedal bikes. They do teach balance and proper steering techniques, thus teaching coordination. They are also small, lightweight, and cater to very young riders.

All of these skills benefit children later in life in other physical and athletic activities, such as sports, as well as more complex life and work skills, such as driving, playing an instrument, and keyboarding. Much like language is best learned and the language center of the brain developed during the first five years of life, the earlier these skills are learned and the motor-skill areas developed, the better. Balance bikes make it easier for kids to transition onto a pedal bike and master all of these skills than any other method of teaching.[/fusion_text]

[fusion_text]Balance bikes are quickly becoming the go-to method for teaching children to ride a bike, and for good reason. All balance bikes share some core qualities that make them the hands-down best way to teach children to ride in such a way that it makes a transition to a pedal bike as smooth as silk. The most important of these unifying features is the lack of pedals, meaning that the rider uses his or her feet to propel themselves into a glide while balancing on two wheels, hence the term “balance bike.”

As with any new and rising toy trend, a whole host of companies have been creating their own brand of balance bike, and Little Nation bikes have found competition in a somewhat unexpected form: wooden balance bikes. Because of the recent resurgence of nostalgic wooden toys, a market has been created for these wooden bikes from such recognizable names as Red Ryder. But how do these wooden bikes compare to the steel-framed bikes produced by Little Nation and other manufacturers?

The short answer is that they don’t. Wooden bikes, while sharing the same functionality traits as metal balance bikes fall short in other areas that really matter. For instance, wooden bike frames are significantly less adjustable than steel or aluminum frames due to the inherent rigidity of their design. This makes them less than ideal for children in the earliest or latest ages in the market for balance bikes. This extra rigidity doesn’t lend increased durability, either. Wooden frames are more easily damaged, warping in the sun or with exposure to water.

Despite the low ticket prices of many of these wooden models, the price differences between metal and wooden balance bikes is negligible. Many high quality, durable metal bikes, including those from Little Nation, are available at competitive prices. In short, wooden bikes are great talking pieces and good for a bit of nostalgia for a simpler time, but they just aren’t the quality of toy we want for our kids.[/fusion_text]

[fusion_text]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.[/fusion_text]