A balance bike has no pedals and no stabilisers. Children push along with their feet, lift them up, and glide; learning to balance and steer naturally, at their own pace. With no pedals to worry about, it's a skill much easier learnt on a balance bike.
Compare balance bikes on these five points and you won't go far wrong.
The single biggest factor, and the main reason to look for a genuinely lightweight balance bike. A child should be able to pick their own bike up, right it after a tumble and carry it up over a hill or a kerb. Check the actual kg in the spec sheet, not just the word "lightweight". Plenty of bikes are marketed as light but weigh in at 4–5kg or more (For a 12" balance bike). Remember, lighter bikes will get ridden more!
Go by inside leg, not age or height. Children of the same age vary hugely, and what matters is whether they can plant both feet flat on the ground while seated. A stable rider means a confident rider.
See our size guide →
Pneumatic (air-filled) tyres give better grip and a smoother ride over grass, gravel and roots, especially important for when you take them to the park. Foam and plastic tyres never puncture but feel harder and offer less cushioning and comfort. Most children notice the difference.
A balance bike should last two or three years, not one season. Look for a seat post with genuine adjustment range, and check the lowest seat height rather than the quoted age range. A footrest is worth having too as once a child is confidently gliding, it gives them somewhere to put their feet.
Check for EN71 or CE certification as a baseline. Beyond that, the warranty tells you what the brand really thinks of its own frame and whether the bike will survive being handed down or resold.
The right size comes down to one measurement: your child's inside leg. With the seat at its lowest, they should be able to sit and place both feet flat on the ground. Measure from the floor to the top of their inner thigh, with shoes on.
| Inside leg (cm) | 30 – 46 cm |
| Inside leg (inches) | 11.8 – 18.1" |
| Approx. age | 18 months – 5 years |
| Weight | 2.95 kg |
| Inside leg (cm) | 40 – 53 cm |
| Inside leg (inches) | 15.7" - 20.8” |
| Approx. age | 3.5+ years |
| Weight | 4.18 kg |
Stabilisers keep a bike upright, so children can learn to pedal without first having to balance on two wheels. Take them off and you're starting them from the beginning with a heavier bike which they will find harder to control. With a balance bike, balance and steering come first, before pedals are introduced. Balance bikes teach the hard part first, so pedalling then becomes second nature once they've mastered staying stable on two wheels.
There's no fixed age but most children make the jump somewhere between four and six years, and how ready they are shows up in how they ride rather than how old they are.
The good news: children who've ridden a balance bike usually pick up pedalling in an afternoon. No stabilisers required, no long unlearning, just a bigger bike with pedals.
FAQS
Most 2 year olds have an inside leg of roughly 31–37cm, which puts them on a 12" balance bike. Measure their inside leg rather than assume as children of the same age and height vary by several centimetres.
Often, yes. If they can walk confidently and sit on the seat with both feet flat on the ground, they're ready to start pushing along. Expect walking and scooting before any real gliding; that usually comes several months later.
Still a balance bike for most children. A 3 year old typically has an inside leg of around 38–45cm, so either a 12" or 14" balance bike can work depending on their height and whether you want the bike to last into their fourth or fifth year.
Most children are ready between 18 months and 2.5 years, but inside leg matters more than age. If they can sit on the seat with both feet flat on the floor, they're ready to start.
Wheel size, and therefore the seat height range. 12" suits smaller children starting out; 14" gives a longer usable life for taller children or later starters. Check the inside leg ranges in the size guide above.
Children stop with their feet at first as they won't understand the concept of a brake, but by the time a child is 3-4 years old it gets increasingly likely that they will want to use a brake to slow down.
We built the AIRO around everything on this page. At 2.95kg for the 12" and 4.18kg for the 14" with brake, it's one of the lightest balance bikes available. Light enough for a child to pick up, right and carry entirely on their own. Air-filled tyres, a genuinely wide seat adjustment range, and a free lifetime warranty on the frame and forks when registered.
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