Strider Bike: The Best Birthday Gift for Toddlers
There’s just something magical about a kid’s birthday. The themes, the party favors, the excitement they feel in the week leading up to their birthday. It’s not often that you get to see your child interacting with all of his or her friends. Though stressful sometimes, you have to admit it’s pretty cute.
You only get so many of these before the kid is telling you she wants to spend her birthday with her friends, that she doesn’t even want you to make her a cake because she’s gluten-free anyway. Now is the time to truly savor your kid’s birthday, to make it special. We still remember a few of our first birthdays, and these memories are some of the best we have. The beloved strider bike is a fantastic option for the kiddos. They’ll always remember their first bike (especially if you don’t get around to selling it until they’re in college). Buying online is a great way to ensure that the item ships within a certain amount of business days. Just be sure to check the shipping rates.
Birthdays are a great occasion for buying your child a bike. You’re celebrating a stage in their life, and a new bike is a wonderful way to show them that they’re growing older and ready to take on new challenges. Biking is such a good way to stay health, to commute without using fossil fuels, to have fun, and to break out of your comfort zone. Providing a way for your kids to start biking young helps build muscle memory and technical skill, creating a foundation that they’ll use their whole lives. A bike can be a great source of independence for middle and high schoolers, as it’s the first way they start getting around by themselves. You could even make a bicycle-themed cake!
What is a strider bike, exactly? Well, these are small bikes that help your child develop the skills she needs to move toward a pedal bike. They help improve balance and steering, without the added complexity of pedaling. The bikes are often quite adjustable, so that the bike can, in a sense, grow with your child. And they’re usually pretty lightweight and simple to toss in the car for day at your favorite park or at grandma’s house. You can walk your bike while standing, or you can sit down and push your feet on the ground. After your child gets used to this feeling, he or she will begin to cruise while lifting their feet in the air. People love how these bikes teach kids to do something called counter steering, which is when, to turn sharply, you quickly steer for a moment in the opposite direction (like if you’re trying to make a sharp turn in a large truck). These people think that training wheels often can slow kids’ learning by giving them bad habits that are hard to get rid of later.
This kind of training bike has been around since 1817. It was first made by a man named Karl Draise. He called it the Dandy Horse. Over the years, a large variety of these bikes were made. Some were fairly simple, crafted from wood. Others look much like a normal bike, except of course that they don’t have pedals.
We recommend buying a bike when your children are around the 18-month mark. Then, when they’re four or even five, you can get them on a pedal bike.
Strider bikes are popular in other countries, especially in Europe. Some parents prefer them to training wheels and use them in place of the training wheels, as they teach the balance your kids need. Other parents use a strider bike and then also use training wheels. It all depends on the kid. For many children, it’s great to grow more and more confident and comfortable on this bike before trying to pedal. Plus, you can learn how to ride on the road, how to move around or over obstacles like cracks in the sidewalk, how to steer and stop, and how to balance, without worrying about falling and getting hurt.
Another great benefit of strider bikes is that it helps bring you closer to your child in a way that creates much less stress than when they’re learning to balance on a pedal bike. If any of you have tried to teach someone to ride a bike by running alongside the bike, helping balance, and then letting go, you know what we’re talking about. Because they’ll already be able to balance somewhat, they’ll be able to focus on pedaling when the time is right.
A few factors people like to consider when doing their homework about these bikes:
- Weight: Is it too heavy for your child to carry? Will it be awkward for you to carry a mile across the park if your child tires of riding around?
- Fit: Is it comfortable for your child to ride, and appropriate for her age? Can you adjust the bike so it grows with her as she gets taller?
- Color and Overall Style: Does your kid like the look of it? Does it come in her favorite color?
- Ease of Assembly: How many parts does it come with? Is it simple to put together? (It’s great if you involve your child in putting the bike together.)
Based on these factors, here are just a few of our favorite strider bikes to get you started. Whether you opt to buy a bike online or want to go to a store and check them out first is up to you. We like the ease of ordering online. Check out the comments to see what other users thought of these bikes.
Balance Running Bike
Great for a wide variety of ages, from 12 months to 5 years.
Too-Too Balance Bike
Only weighs 8 pounds, and comes in some cute colors!
Ace of Play Balance Bike
Affordable and durable
And, our favorite, the Cruzee Balance Bike: This bike is incredibly light (4.4 pounds), comes in a ton of colors, and is comfortable to ride. Users love the high quality of the tires and how sturdy this one is. Plus, it’s light enough for your toddler to put it back in the garage all by herself! Easy to assemble, as well. Does your toddler or your friend's toddler already have a strider bike? There are plenty of graphic tees, water bottles, or kids style "workout clothes" that your little sports fan can wear while cycling.
