Pros And Cons For Going With A Balance Bike

Last updated 28. April 2019

 

There is a growing trend of using a balance bike with toddlers to teach them how to ride. Balance bikes certainly have their advantages over traditional bikes. With that being said, it is also important to understand their limitations. In this article, we will be going over the pros and cons of going with a balance bike to teach your child how to ride.

Add; a toddler bike helmet.

Pros

1. Increase Confidence.

One of the main pros associated with going with a balance bike is their ability to help boost the confidence that your toddler has with riding a bike. The more confidence your child has, the faster they are going to end up learning how to ride a bike because fear is typically what sets kids back. This will allow them to reduce their fear to the point where they will be able to be fully confident when they begin using a regular bike.

2. It’s Safer.

Another big advantage of balance bikes for toddlers is the ability to provide a much safer environment for your kids to learn how to ride a bike. Safety can be a real concern with kids that don’t know how to balance well. Along with this, any accidents that might happen can regularly deter the kids from continuing to learn. Therefore, it can cause major setbacks as a result. With a balance bike, that is not something that you have to worry about.

3. Versatility.

Another good thing about balance bikes is that they can be used by a range of kids regardless of the age. Balance bikes can be effective for a wide variety of ages ranging from 18 months to 6 years of age.

4. Options For Every Budget.

Another great thing about balance bikes is the fact that you should be able to find a viable option for every budget. If you are working with a limited budget, you will be able to find a viable bike to purchase. Whereas, if you are willing and able to spend a lot, you will be able to find even more feature-rich options typically tailored to more experienced riders.

5. Styles.

Another good thing about balance bikes is the fact that they happen to come in a variety of styles that you can choose from. Because of this, you are not going to be stuck with a single style to choose from. Your kids will be able to get a bike they feel represents them and one that they are going to be happy and proud to use on a daily basis. This will increase the value of the balance bike to your kids because they can be very picky when it comes to finding a style they enjoy.

purple balance bike in the grass field

 

Cons:

1. Easy To Outgrow.

The biggest issue that a lot of people have with balance bikes comes from their success rate. The fact is, balance bikes are so effective at teaching kids how to ride a bike that they are very easy to outgrow within mere months. Because of this, many find it to be a wasted investment because they are typically only used for a couple of months.

2. Can Be Expensive.

While you should be able to find balance bikes in just about every price range, they can get much more expensive than their traditional counterparts with a less long-term appeal. Because of this, they can be deemed much more expensive when you factor in the overall lifetime usage that you are likely to get out of the balance bike.

3. Not Completely Necessary.

These bikes might make learning how to ride a bike easier, but they are not currently nor will they ever be truly necessary. Kids have long learned how to ride a bike without the use of them. Therefore, some might view it as a complete waste.

Overall, there is a lot that you are going to want to consider when it comes to figuring out whether or not a balance bike is something that you want to invest in for your kid(s). While many find that it can be considered a waste of money due to the short-term use of it, that would be short-sighted thinking. The truth is, the balance bike is so effective at teaching kids how to properly ride a bike that they quickly grow out of it. As a result, it should be considered excellent value due to the speediness which it is able to deliver results. Whether or not it is worth purchasing comes down to how much you are looking to spend on your child and their bike learning activities. If you are going to be unwilling or unable to purchase both a balance bike and a traditional pedal bike, then you are likely going to want to stick with just a pedal bike.

 

However, if you can find a way to fit it in your budget, it would be wise to invest in a balance bike given its effectiveness and the ability to shorten the learning curve of riding a bike. Some kids never recover from accidents or falling while they are learning and completely give up on the idea of riding a bike altogether. By starting them off with a balance bike, you can minimize the chances of this happening and increase the chances they are able to successfully learn how to ride a bike which is a skill that can help them throughout their entire life.

 

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