Which balance bike for 2 year old

Balance bikes are also called strider bikes, glider bikes, running bikes, or toddler push bikes. Looking for the best balance bike for your toddler , pre-schooler, or really a kid of any age? When selecting a balance bike, it is critical to remember that they are not one-size-fits-all.

A toddler in months clothes who are just getting started will fit on a different balance bike than a toddler or preschooler in 3T pants. And there are larger balance bikes for grade schoolers as well! Visual learner? See all of our favorite balance bikes put to the test in our video review below. Introducing a balance bike early will allow your toddler to learn to ride independently from the very start.

With little ones, a lightweight bike is especially key! Perfection from top to bottom, the woom 1 creates a smooth, easy ride for young or small toddlers getting an early start on their balance bike journey. This helps toddlers feel less hesitant about balancing. This, combined with a lightweight, extremely low step-through frame, a low minimum seat height, extra-cushioned air tires, and an easy-to-use handbrake, allows the woom 1 to effortlessly take your child from walking along the sidewalk to ripping down trails.

As an added bonus, the woom 1 is available in 5 colors! Built on a well-designed frame, the Strider is easily adaptable to fit a wide range of age groups. The primary difference between the Strider Classic and the Strider Sport is maximum seat height.

Adding that extra seat post is more expensive, but handy for older toddlers as they grow. Honorable Mention — Best for Adventurous Riders. No bright and busy graphics or literal bells and whistles, just a perfectly proportioned and precision-built balance bike. From its high-end components, to a long wheelbase for added stability on jumps, hills, or trail riding, the Alpha Zero provides a smooth and effortless ride that is sure to instill a love of biking in your child at a young age.

These bikes are a little bigger that our smallest choices, and are sized to fit toddlers in at least 24 months pants. The Frog Tadpole provides a unique combination of top-notch performance, rugged durability, fun playful colors, and design options.

With a long wheelbase for added stability, Kenda air tires for added traction, and a Tektro handbrake for faster stopping power, the Frog is a great choice for aggressive kids who will one day want to hit the pump tracks and dirt trails.

The Tadpole also rides smooth and steady over paved surfaces, and is confidence inspiring for beginning riders as well. The Frog wins the day in the design department, offering 8 different colors and patterns to appeal to a wide range of preferences. A well-designed frame for the price, the Swagtron K3 has a longer wheelbase, making it more stable than other budget balance bikes.

It also has solid-quality air tires, a sleek matte aluminum frame, a true headset, and weighs under 7 lbs.! For a budget balance bike, this is a pretty impressive resume. The FirstBIKE is also waterproof and rust-proof for endless summertime fun riding through sprinklers or puddles.

Quality air tires and a handbrake provide solid performance power. As kids get older and heavier, the downside to the FirstBIKE is that the frame can flex when the seat post is set at its highest position. Most kids who start on the FirstBIKE around age 2 can typically move up to a pedal bike before they experience any issues with flexing.

A handbrake is also highly recommended at this age, as older kids can reach much higher speeds. This is plenty of room for growth! Honorable Mention — Lots of room for growth.

The Ridgeback Scoot is a top-quality balance bike featuring all the upgraded components you could ask for: air tires, handbrake, quick release seat post, and kid-shaped saddle. While not cheap, its durable quality is a solid investment and can easily be passed down to other siblings. A little heavier than other options on our list, the Scoot is less ideal for petite or timid kids, but is a dynamite bike for confident, athletic, or eager little ones.

Is a four year old too old for a balance bike? No way! Is a 6 year old too old for a balance bike? Also no way! Balance bikes are so much fun to ride, and are a far better experience than a pedal bike with training wheels. These two bikes are almost identical, except for their size. The larger, taller frame of the Scoot XL better compensates for taller kids.

The adjustable handlebar height is also a bonus for kids who need to ride the Scoot XL until they are 6 or 7 years old. Budget Pick — Ages 4 to 5 years old. The Strider 14x has gained fame for being a larger balance bike that converts to a pedal bike. Budget Pick — Ages 5 to 6 years old. The Bixe 16 serves a fantastic purpose for kids who are too old or big for a traditional balance bike.

If your child is already in kindergarten or 1st grade but is still struggling to learn to ride a bike… Bixe 16 to the rescue! With larger wheels and a larger frame, the Bixe 16 is designed to help ease the transition to a pedal bike for timid kids. A versatile little workhorse with best-in-class components, the Ripple comes complete with wide air tires, a Cane Creek headset, a caliper hand brake, and an extended seat post.

Its unique design is centered around rotating handlebars that allow you to dial in the perfect fit as your toddler grows. Honorable Mention — Best Designs and Colors. Beyond offering a lot of super cute colors and designs, the Too Too is a nimble, lightweight bike that is an exceptional buy. Mid-range in price, but not in features, the Too Too comes with cushioning air tires, a true headset for increased maneuverability, a handbrake, and angled tire valves that make pumping those small tires up much easier.

Here are the answers to what we believe are the most important questions for those just starting on their balance bike journey. To get the most use out of a balance bike, the best age to start a child is between 18 months and 2. Starting them young will not only allow them to happily ride their bike independently for all of their toddlers years, it will also allow them to move up to a pedal bike by age 3 or 4.

Remember… a balance bike will almost always be a better option than a tricycle or training wheels. If your child is at an age when you would consider either of these options, consider a balance bike instead!

The bike comes in an array of beautiful color schemes and has a pleasing aesthetic. The Yedoo TooToo also performs. It includes pneumatic air tires, a rear v-brake, and reflective dots on the tires. Read Review: Yedoo TooToo. These include Kenda tires, a Cane Creek headset, and a rear Tektro v-brake. Both the seat height and handlebar height are adjustable, and the seatpost can be adjusted tool-free thanks to the quick-release seatpost collar.

If you have a seriously mini rider, consider the Frog Tadpole Mini which will fit the very smallest toddlers. It also has pneumatic air Kenda tires and a rear handbrake which quite frankly is a bit unnecessary considering your child will likely outgrow it before they are old enough to learn how to use a handbrake. We only recommend this bike if you are super antsy to get your child riding since you will probably have to buy a larger balance bike before your kiddo is ready for a pedal bike.

If your child is a bit bigger, opt for the regular Frog Tadpole instead—also a great bike. So how do all these bikes stack up? Use this handy chart to compare price, weight, seat height, etc. These are balance bikes that are also worthy of your consideration. Last updated: at — More Info. The Strider Sport will last from 18 months to 5 years and comes with an extended seatpost and a quick-release to make seat adjustments easy.

It also gives you access to Strider races , which wins it a place on our list. Read Review: Strider. The Belsize 12 , while not a budget balance bike, offers a lot of bang for your buck.

It is lightweight, has high quality components, and offers extras like a removable steering limiter. We also like the pneumatic air tires and higher volume tires that offer get traction in all kinds of terrain.

Because of the higher traditional top tube, and consequent higher stand over height this bike is a better fit for older or taller toddlers. Buy at BelsizeBike. This makes for an enjoyable rider experience as well as making it easier for mom and dad to carry.

The sleek design is made to minimize opportunity for injury to little riders, and the bike comes in a wide variety of bright beautiful colors. Read Our Review : Hornit Airo. My son was 14 months old when he got this bike for Christmas, and we recently handed it down to another little boy who was too small for a Strider. Read Review: Haro PreWheelz Price: Price not available Last updated: at — More Info. First off, the bike is crazy lightweight 4.

This makes it ideal for more petite riders. Second of all, we found that the tires were non-marking and had good traction on our hardwood floors, which made it the toy of choice during one particularly long winter at our house. Read Review: Eastern Pusher. With the growing popularity of balance bikes, the market has been flooded with new brands in the last few years. Even with all these new entrants, the FirstBike is the one balance bike that still stands out for its uniqueness.

The composite frame is safe, soft, and durable. No balance bike list would be complete without an eco-friendly wooden frame. Made of marine-grade birch, the Early Rider Lite is just a beautiful as a nursery decoration as it is fun to ride.

With high-quality parts and a pound weight limit, this bike is sure to last for years in your garage, not a landfill! If your family likes to ride off-road, the Early Rider Charger 12 is the bike you want. We also love the brushed aluminum frame and faux leather saddle. This is one beautiful bike. This REI brand balance bike offers lots of bang for your buck.

We like that it has a durable steel frame that will last thru plenty of kids. Unlike cheaper balance bikes, the MyKick also sports ball bearing hubs and headset, and quality steel spoked wheels. Thanks to the beefy, knobby tires, quick-release seatpost collar, and Tektro rear v-brake this thing is ready to head off road. Just make sure you can keep up! Like Spawn above, Norco makes some great mountain bikes for kids. It also has a hand brake and a low standover, which means it is a good bike to start on small and grow with.

It also looks crazy snazzy and fast. A handle is also nice for carrying the bike when your toddler moves on to the next activity. Like the Trek Kickster, above, the Specialized Hotwalk is a high-quality balance bike you can find at your local bike shop.

While we usually prefer pneumatic air tires, these ones actually do a great job of providing plenty of traction and comfort without ever going flat.

Aside from that, it has a nice low standover height and footrest for cruising. If you have a Cannondale, you might be tempted to get the Cannondale Trail Like the older grown-up Cannondale mountain bikes, the Trail 12 has a lefty fork which I think is hilarious. Humor aside, this is a good quality bike. Easy to ride and easy to carry—even for the youngest riders—Bixe weighs only 4 pounds thanks to its aluminum frame and foam tires, making it the lightest balance bike on our list by far.

This makes the bike a big hit with little riders, especially the toddler set who are just beginning to ride and may be intimidated by a big, bulky ride. The Bixe also boasts an adjustable seat and comes partially assembled. Looking for a balance bike for older, bigger riders? Best Balance Bikes. Best Balance Bikes Balance bikes build confidence, independence and coordination—an awesome trifecta. Babylist editors love baby gear and independently curate their favorite products to share with you.

If you buy something through links on our site, Babylist may earn a commission. Photo by londonducklings. The seat should be low and close to the rear tire for easier balancing. Some balance bikes have hand brakes that preschoolers are coordinated enough to use, but most riders just rely on their feet to stop.

Sorry, shoes. The heavier the bike, the harder it will be for little ones to maneuver. Add to Babylist Buy Now. Why We Love It At just around a hundred bucks, the Strider Sport is a popular, well-made balance bike for riders as young as 18 months.