One of the main drivers for really trying to get by back in shape and get riding again (outside of really missing it) was my son. He is turning 5 in October so we are getting into the years where he is really going to get more into riding his bike…and I want to be there.
The Strider Bike
We started D off with a Strider Bike a couple of years ago. Looking back on it now, that was the best move we could have possibly made. The idea with balance bikes is that they learn how to control the bike without training wheels before they ever have to worry about pedaling. This made it so that Daniel was already racing down the driveway with this feet up and turning before he got his first pedal bike. We did this almost 3 years ago for his 2nd birthday.
So he has been riding this for the past couple of years and doing great with it. He has been asking for a pedal bike for a while now and we decided this past weekend that we couldn’t wait until October for his birthday.
The Specialized Hotrock
I have always been a huge fan of Specialized kids bikes. Their construction is great…they look like adult bikes which D loves…and the pricing isn’t too bad. We got D the Specialized Hotrock as the 20″ wheel size was what fits him the best right now. When he went up to 24’s, it really was too long.
Since he had been on the Strider for so long, we went ahead and just skipped the training wheels and went straight to teaching him how to ride without them. After two passes in the grass…he was riding his new bike!
We had a little frustration learning the pedaling as it was the first time he had ever riding something with a coaster brake but after a little practice he had that down pat as well. The issue wasn’t actually learning how to pedal or brake…it was getting started on flat land. He had to learn to push down on the forward pedal and then push off with his opposite foot.
The next trick was going to try to get him to stop riding! He loved it and by the end of the day he was turning so fast that we had to start talking about pedal position so he wouldn’t scrape them against the ground! He even managed to skid out a couple of times. It wasn’t too long after that when he started challenging me to a race!
That really is the beauty of the balance bike. He already knew 85% of riding before he ever had to worry about pedaling. I highly recommend going this route if you are looking at getting your kids riding. Life without training wheels is awesome and they get the concept of handling a bike at a much earlier age.
It was an awesome day
It really was an awesome day overall. As parent I don’t think you ever forget the day that your kid rides their bike by themselves for the first time. It is just one of those moments that sticks with you forever. This also happened on the same day that I got back on a trail again for the first time since the back issues started 4 years ago. It was a big biking day for the entire family and one I will never forget. I am really looking forward to the 3 of us enjoying riding. Now that D can pedal himself around…we are just going to have to tell him to slow down and wait for Mommy and Dadddy. Now it is time to get him out on the trails!!
Products in this Article
Strider Balance Bike
Specialized Hotrock
Kids Sized CamelBak