My New Travel Essential: A Balance Bike

LIKEaBIKE Mountain - German Walking Bike

My son has a balance-bike, which is a small bike with no pedals or chain so it is propelled by pushing off the ground.  These bikes teach children the balance needed to ride a bike, which is the most difficult skill to acquire vs training wheels that though they give children the confidence to ride, they do not teach them how to steer and balance, as the training wheels stabilize the bike.  Thus when they are removed, the child steers into a turn, which they could safely do with their training wheels, and they fall....and erase all the confidence acquired by the training wheels.


Balance bikes are also safer for children than tricycles, another option for the younger set, as tricycles have a high center of gravity and no brakes, so once they start to roll down a hill, not only does the child have no way of stopping, but they are on an object that is easily tipped, making a fall not just more likely, but also a longer distance.  Parents frequently do not help the safety of tricycles because they do not require helmets, which should always be worn by children on ride-ons, if only to ingrain the life-saving habit.


Enough with the safety lecture.  I knew that I wanted a balance bike for my son, but as they are expensive, I did copious research, and came to a far-more expensive conclusion.  I had only notice the Skuut brand of balance bikes prior to my research and initially found that they received four stars from Amazon buyers, but further research scared me, as I found multiple comments that the front fork, which is made of wood, had broken while being ridden, which would create an ugly face-plant, not to mention a scared and possibly scarred child. Granted, this appeared rare, but as there were several concerns about the wood de-laminating, I looked to another brand.


Next, I considered the Smart Gear bike, but found that not only were there issues with the tubes arriving slashed, but that the bolts easily came lose and reviewers suggested that you tighten them before each ride.  Um, even the most attentive parent will not do this, if for no other reason than by the time you track down your wrench and tighten bolts, your child has lost interest, so if the bike would not be ridden, it was not worth paying any amount.  Also, when I was shopping, my son was two, and this bike is tall for even the above-average two-year-old.


It was in the Smart Gear reviews that I learned that most wooden balance bikes are a knock-off of the Like-a-Bike, which I learned is a horribly expensive bike made in Germany of quality materials.  It got great marks for safety, in part due to the fact that it limits the turning range of the bike, and reviewers loved it because the bikes held up through multiple children. 

Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike
With an average of 4.5 stars from 138
reviews and at only $99, the Strider
may be worth considering.

But at $315 (no tax or shipping over $100 from the Like-a-bike website), I was not convinced.  I began to search for Like-a-bikes on ebay, but could not find one.  Finally, one appeared; it sold for $169 plus shipping, which made the Like-a-bike my choice, as resale brought it down to the price range of other bikes.  Although, I will say that after having seen our neighbor's child on the Strider balance bike, I might have considered it, as his two-year-old is very fast and confident on it, but I am concerned that as it is a considerably smaller bike, he may out-grow it quickly, even with the adjustable seat.


Fast-forward to vacation: the bike quickly and neatly (no greasy chain) fit in the foot well of the back seat with a helmet stashed in a corner.  Now, on a quiet island with little traffic and flat roads (see our Facebook page for details and tips on great rates), my son is riding all over the place, and sleeping like a baby for both nights and naps.  I have found no other travel gadget that could deliver that impossible feat, so from here out, our vacation packing list will start with "Like-a-Bike."