We find it common to see kids start somewhere between 18-months and 2-years for their first balance bike. We recommend the best age for a balance bike is around 2-years-old.
At 2-years-old, children have adequate coordination and mental capacity to be able to learn how to hold the bike upright, push forward with their feet and control the steering and gliding forward.
If your child is older, don’t worry though as there are amazing balance bikes for all ages from babies and toddlers, through to pre-schoolers and right through to teenagers and even adult balance bikes. You’re never too old to enjoy a balance bike.
Really rather than ask what age are balance bikes good for, it would be better to ask what is the best balance bike for my child’s current age. We’ve covered this in our age-related articles which you can find below.
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How Old Do You Need to Be for a Balance Bike?
Really if they can walk, they can balance bike so we’ve seen children as young as 12 months use a balance bike. Lots of kids around 18 months can start to use a balance bike, especially if you look for helpful features that will assist them like dual front or rear wheels to help keep the bike in an upright riding position.
If you’re considering a tricycle or training wheels then you should definitely be considering a balance bike for your child. We actually find them easier from day one for young children as they don’t need to learn coordination of things like pedals etc, just pick up the bike and start walking. They’ll be striding along before you know it.
The earlier you can start your child on a balance bike, the easier bike riding will be for them, especially when they get older and transition to a pedal bike.
Are Balance Bikes Good for 2-Year-Olds?
As we mentioned above, we definitely believe balance bikes are good for 2-year-olds. Learning on a balance bike early will allow your child to learn the balance and coordination needed to ride independently from the start right through to a normal bike.
Features we recommend looking for if getting your first balance bike for a 2-year-old are a long wheelbase to give added stability, lightweight so they can easily hold the bike in an upright position, low step over height and a low minimum seat height (this will really depend on your child’s inseam though and we show you how to measure that here).
Starting at around 2 usually allows children to be able to move to a pedal bike by about age 4. Having said that, balance bikes are so much fun that your 2-year-old is likely to use it for a number of years even if they do start on a pedal bike as well.
There is absolutely no rush to move to a pedal bike, especially if you don’t think your child is ready for the complexity of adding pedals. We often find it best to wait until your child is expressing interest in a pedal bike before you make the transition.
What Age Are Balance Bikes Suitable For?
Whenever we’re asked the question of how old are balance bikes for, we have to say they are really suitable for all ages. We’ve seen babies and young toddlers on dual wheel balance bikes, pre-schoolers zooming around on their Strider and school age kids enjoying the ease and freedom of gliding along on a bigger balance bike, feet in the air.
When it comes to what age do you get a balance bike, the younger the better, but they can be enjoyed by kids (an even adults) of all ages due to their ease to manoeuvre and lightweight frames. Plus, its fun to push off and glide away without having to think about pedals.
Each age will have its own set of skills that can be learnt. The youngest of children can learn to stand and walk on their balance bike. By about age 2-3 (which we recommend as the best age for a balance bike), they can start to learn to sit and walk. Pre-schoolers will quickly move onto being able to sit, run and balance for a few seconds. And finally, kids will master being able to sit, stride and glide along for longer and longer.
FAQ’s for Best Age for Balance Bike
What Age Do You Need to Have a Hand Brake on a Balance Bike?
We recommend that you should be looking for a hand brake option by about age 4-5. Prior to this, riders are usually not going to fast to be able to stop with their feet. As they get more confident and build up speed and skills, you will find a hand brake is not only great for stopping and saving countless pairs of shoes but is a good skill to be learning for the transition to a pedal bike.
At What Age Do You Need to Consider Air Tires Over Foam?
Air tires are generally always a better option if your little rider is going to be using their balance bike on numerous surfaces. Younger riders from about 18 months – 3 are usually fine with foam as they aren’t as rowdy when riding as their pre-school counterparts. They are also maintenance free. By about 4-5 years old, air tires will provide superior grip, especially on surfaces like skate parks.
Is a 5-Year-Old Too Old for a Balance Bike?
Definitely not. Introducing a balance bike to your 5-year-old is actually the perfect way to introduce bike riding and eventually transition to a pedal bike without the need for training wheels. Balance bikes are actually great at any age from 10” options for 18 months right through to larger balance bikes for older kids and adults.
What Age is Best to Transition from a Balance Bike to Pedal Bike?
This really depends on when your child starts to ride their balance bike. Generally, though we find children who start early on a strider bike (18 months – 2.5 years old) are ready to transition by about 4-years-old.
Is There a Balance Bike That is One-Size-Fits Most Ages?
Ideally you want to choose a balance bike that is appropriate for your child’s age and inseam height. If you want to invest in a quality bike that is one-size-fits-all, we would recommend a 12” balance bike with a good seat height range and adjustable height handlebars. This size is best fit for the main balance bike target market which is 2-4-year-olds but with an adjustable seat can be suitable for beginner riders aged 18-months right through to a 5,6, or 7-year-old.
What Age is a 12” Balance Bike for?
A 12” Balance Bike is the most popular size on the market and is usually aimed at the 2–4-year segment. Unlike pedal bikes though whose size is based off wheel size, a balance bike is best measured by seat height which will relate to your child’s inseam measurement. So a wheel size should only be used a general guide and balance bikes with the same 12” wheel can have vastly different other measurements and therefore be appropriate for very different age group
