Strider Balance Bike to Pedals - 2 Year Old

At 2 years and 4 months, he is riding without training wheels - here's how we did it. His Strider balance bike progress was the key piece in helping him build the confidence and skills needed to easily transition to a pedal bike.
Ready to see your 2 or 3 year old toddler ride confidently ?
Teaching a child to ride a pedal bike is an exciting milestone, and using a balance bike as a foundation makes the process smoother, safer and more enjoyable for both the child and parent. Children as young as 1.5 year old (18 months) can start riding balance bikes.
1. Why a Balance Bike is the Perfect Starting Point
Balance bikes teach coordination, balance, and steering, skills that make transitioning to pedals much easier.
2. Choosing the Right Balance Bike
The STRIDER is a popular and excellent choice for beginners. STRIDER played a key role in popularizing balance bikes. For more confident riders who enjoy speed, consider a balance bike with a handbrake.
3. Assessing Readiness
Key signs include strong balance skills, the ability to glide comfortably, and growing enthusiasm for biking.
4. Choosing the Right Pedal Bike
►► 12 inch (2 - 3.5 years old) - an uncommon size
Cleary Gecko 12 with freewheel
Big-brand bikes like the Specialized Hotrock / Riprock 12, Trek Precaliber 12, Cannondale Trail 12, and Giant Animator 12 are decent choices but feature a coaster brake, which slightly hinder the learning process.
None of the 12-inch bikes are truly exceptional even the Cleary Gecko 12; they all have some drawbacks.
►► 14 inch (3 - 4.5 years old)
Woom 2 with the freewheel kit
Prevelo Alpha 1 with the freewheel kit
At this stage, choosing the lightest bike possible is crucial to help your child gain confidence and control.
5. Introducing Pedals
As a prerequisite, remove the pedals to ensure your child is comfortable on the bike and can balance properly. Use the bike as a balance bike for a few outings. If all goes well, move on to the next step. The time has come.
Put the pedals back on.
Hold the bike steady while your child tries out pedaling for the first time.
Guide the foot to initiate the rotational movement if needed.
The biggest challenge is learning to balance, with pedaling being the simpler step.
6. Mastering Starting and Stopping
Provide a gentle push to help the child start from a standstill. The pedal bike is heavier than the balance bike so they may need some help to get started. With practice, they will use their legs to push off. Ensure your child learns how to brake and stop.
7. Gradual Progression
Slowly increase the difficulty as your child gets more comfortable, from longer rides to tackling gentle slopes and turns. With patience and practice, they'll soon be riding like a pro!
Remember to keep it fun, the main goal is to build confidence and make lifelong memories.
-----
Motivation Tips
The optimal moment is when they "buy into it." There's no need to push or force them. The last thing you want is tears, whining, and frustration.
Having an older sibling already riding makes a big difference.
Watching videos of other kids riding bikes, as well as professional riders across all disciplines (downhill, slopestyle, road, etc.), can significantly increase their interest. Children should be encouraged to dream big.
At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter when a child learns to ride: a child can start at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or even 7 years old. It makes no difference. It's what you do next that counts.
The video demonstrates that children can start riding at an early age when given the right guidance and proper gear.
Learning to ride a bike at an early age is often easier with a low center of gravity, which helps with balance and stability.
On top of the huge boost of confidence, cycling teaches lifelong skills:
spatial awareness
sense of direction
traffic laws
road safety
-----
The WOOM 2, an Incredible Bike
Even after learning to ride a pedal bike, my son still used a balance bike occasionally because it was lighter. As he gained more speed, we upgraded from his STRIDER to the Yedoo Too Too and the Ridgeback Scoot, both of which have handbrakes.
Then, getting the Woom 2 a few months later was a game changer: lightweight, with a freewheel (no coaster brake), and dual handbrakes.
Weight can take the fun out of riding for kids and limit the rides for parents.
The freewheel setup is a world of difference compared to a coaster brake.
He wasn't tall enough to use the Woom 2 (14-inch wheels) until he turned 2 years and 9 months old, but it was worth the wait.
-----
I hope this video encourages parents to help young children learn how to ride a bike and motivates kids to give it a try, showing them how fun and exciting it can be to zoom around on two wheels!
Don't miss my other video, which follows my son's cycling journey from age 2 to 7.
• 2 year old Riding a Pe...
Thanks for watching. Best of luck.
#kidsbikes #striderbike #woom