Balance Bikes: The New Training Wheels?

Balance bikes (also known as walking, run, or push bikes) have become a regular sight at playgrounds and bike paths. After recent difficulty weening my nephew off training wheels I started to wonder if artificially propping up a bike was doing more harm than good. Could the balance bike be the key to unlocking every young child's cycling potential?

The idea behind the balance bike is simple. Create a bike that sits low enough to be propelled Fred Flintstones style. It does not take long before kids discover that lifting the feet results in coasting and balancing.

In contrast, training wheels work by stabilizing the bike and eliminating the need for balance. As the child improves, the wheels are intended to be incrementally raised. My experience is that balancing a bike is hindered by training wheels during any stage. The primary problem is when the bike corners or encounters a slope. The rider is unable to properly counter weight, or lean the bike.

Scooters and tricycles demonstrate the same dichotomy. Scooters, like balance bikes, require balance and steering. Trikes, like training wheels, need steering and pedaling. Both help to develop skills necessary for cycling.

So which is better: extra wheels or less pedals? Each approach focuses on different skills. In my book (or article as is the case) balancing is more important than pedaling. Advantage balance bikes.

I hit the playgrounds to see balance bikes in action. At the Corte Madera Town Park I met Jason Warne. He shared my opinion that balance bikes have a lot to offer. "They are a better way of learning how to balance a bike," Jason said looking over his 2-year-old's tiny orange bike.

There are a number of balance bikes on the market. The late Sheldon Brown (online bike guru) was clear in his opinion that these specialty bikes are "a waste of time and money" since pedals can be removed from a regular undersized bike to achieve the same effect. In defense of purpose-built balance bikes, they can be quite elegant and made for kids as young as 2.

Regardless of which wheeled contraption a child rides they will crash it several times. With a little preemptive padding they can crash without getting burned.

Although the helmet may be the most important protective equipment, it is not the most frequently used. With a bit of luck and coordination, the hands will land first. Gloves will keep the gravel out of their palms. The next body part that contacts the ground is often elbows or knees and these can also be padded.

It might seem overkill to wear a bunch of gear on a bike. Not every child will need pads, but the extra equipment may lend a needed sense of confidence when they realize crashing does not always have to mean getting hurt.

The bottom line is that some kids will easily learn how to ride. They probably do not need any devices to help them along. Other kids will need extra help with skills and confidence. For them a balance bike and some padding might just do the trick.

See you on the bike paths.