The Best Balance Bikes for Kids of All Ages

Looking for the perfect balance bike for your little one? We’ve got you covered! Over the last decade, we’ve tested over 100 balance bikes with dozens of kids, and our experience is unmatched.

Through this testing, we’ve gained key insights into what really matters when choosing the best bike for your child. Whether your little one is just learning to walk or an anxious preschooler, we’ve found a great bike for them.

Balance bikes come in various sizes, so they’re not one-size-fits-all. To find the best fit, consider both your child’s age and the bike’s seat height (details provided in the Mini Reviews of each bike below or in our Kids Bike Finder Tool). Also be aware that balance bikes are NOT required to meet standard bike safety regulations, so be cautious with no-name budget bikes.

What is a balance bike?

Never heard of a balance bike? Let us introduce you! A balance bike, also known as a strider bike, glider bike, running bike, or toddler push bike, is a pedal-less bicycle with two wheels. Balance bikes are designed to teach children the art of balancing on two wheels, setting them on the path to independent riding.

Can I get a cheap balance bike?

Due to their simple design, there are a larger range of cheap balance bikes on the market. While some offer great value, many come with significant drawbacks. Since balance bikes are NOT required to meet standard bike safety regulations, be very cautious with no-name budget bikes. To help you make a safe and smart choice, we’ve included reliable budget-friendly picks in our recommendations.

Balance Bike Buying Tips

1. Balance bikes are NOT one-size-fits-all. Measure your child’s inseam and compare it to the seat height of the bike. Look for a bike with a minimum seat height that is equal to, or slightly less than, your child’s inseam.

2. Air tires are better than foam tires. Opt for air tires over foam tires for better cushioning and traction, especially if riding on surfaces other than pavement.

3. Hand brakes are not required, but highly recommended. Kids naturally learn to stop a balance bike with their feet. As they get older they can learn to use a hand brake, which helps them stop faster and saves money on buying new shoes! For older and more aggressive riders, a hand brake becomes more essential.

4. Stick to two wheels! A “baby balance bike” is not a true balance bike as it has four wheels and can’t teach a child to balance. For young toddlers, they can be benefical as they introduce the idea of sitting and propelling yourself forward with your feet at an even younger age.

5. Jump down to our FAQ section at the end of the page to get answers to more frequently asked questions about balance bikes.

“Balance” Bikes for Babies (1 Year Old)

With four wheels, these baby bikes aren’t true balance bikes (with exception to the Early Rider Velio), but they are ideal for littles ones ages 9 to 18 months. Young 1-year-olds need extra help with stability and don’t yet have the motor skills to take on a true balance bike with just two wheels.

We love these baby bikes because they teach kids to sit and push with their feet, just like a balance bike. We recommend transitioning to a two-wheel balance bike no later than at age 24 months.

What We Love About the YBIKE Pewi

After months of watching our toddler and her friends ride various baby bikes, the Pewi emerged as our surprise favorite. It’s sooooo easy for a toddler to maneuver and the pure joy on their faces as they scoot around the house is easy proof that young ones love it!

The most unique among the bunch, the Pewi features small, caster-style wheels that allow a little rider to easily move in any direction. No super wide turns from twisting handlebars, or picking the bike up to turn it around, the caster wheels move in any direction like an office chair.

What We Love About the Hape Scoot Around

The Hape Scoot Around is one of those “just right” bikes for little babes still gaining confidence. It’s cute, functional, super stable, and moves easily for little legs – but not too fast to make them (and you!) nervous. Its steering function is smooth and easy, but also limited in range to prevent tight-turn tip-overs.

With two wheels in front and two wide-set wheels in back, it’s one of the most stable bikes we tested. With higher handlebars than many baby balance bikes, it feels like a much bigger bike and will allow your little one to ride it longer as they grow.

Balance Bikes for Young Toddlers

18 months or 2 years old is a perfect time to start a toddler on their balance bike journey. Introducing a balance bike early will allow your toddler to learn to ride independently from the very start. With little ones, a lightweight bike is especially key!

What We Love About the woom 1

Perfection from top to bottom, the woom 1 creates a smooth, easy ride for young or small toddlers getting an early start on their balance bike journey.  To keep young ones at ease, the woom’s handlebars place the rider in a natural, upright position with their weight centered over their hips. This helps toddlers feel less hesitant about balancing.

This, combined with a lightweight, extremely low step-through frame, a low minimum seat height, extra-cushioned air tires, and an easy-to-use handbrake, allows the woom 1 to effortlessly take your child from walking along the sidewalk to ripping down trails.  As an added bonus, the woom 1 is available in 5 colors!

What We Love About the Retrospec Cub

With a low minimum seat height of 11.5″, the Retrospec Cub model are fantastic balance bikes for young toddlers eager to start their riding journey, even before turning two. Designed with room for growth, including height-adjustable handlebars, the Cubs allows your little one to quickly and comfortably get the hang of balance biking while cruising around the neighborhood.

Both the Cub and Cub Plus share the same frame design and fit the same size rider, but the Cub Plus offers some upgraded features. The Plus model has an aluminum frame, air-filled tires, and a hand brake, while the standard Cub comes with a steel frame, foam tires, and no hand brake.

If style is important to your little rider, the Cub is a standout with its selection of eight trendy and modern color options, compared to just two colors available for the Cub Plus.

Balance Bikes for Toddlers – 2 to 3 years

These bikes are a little bigger that our smallest choices, and are sized to fit toddlers in at least 24 months pants. While toddlers won’t be able to use the handbrake until they are about 2.5, that feature is hugely beneficial as they get older and ride more aggressively.

What We Love About the Guardian Balance Bike

With several fun, colorful designs to choose from as well as air tires, a handbrake, and a lightweight aluminum frame, there is a lot to love about the Guardian Balance bike. With a taller minimum and maximum seat height than the woom 1, the Guardian provides exceptional quality, but more room for growth for tall or older toddlers.

The Guardian balance bike features Guardian’s proprietary SureStop braking system, which allows the rear and front rim brakes to be activated by pulling just one brake lever. During our tests, the Guardian provided plenty of top-notch stopping power to keep our little testers safe, but not offer significantly more than other high-end balance bikes with quality hand brakes.

As a result, while the Guardian balance bike is a stand-out option, the SureStop brakes shouldn’t play a major role in your purchasing decision if you’re comparing it to a balance bike with a high-quality single handbrake. (But the cute designs, top-notch customer service, and high-quality build should!)

Why We Love the Strider

Built on a well-designed frame, the Strider balance bike is easily adaptable to fit a wide range of ages. With an extended seat post and adjustable-height handlebars, we’ve had the best luck with Strider at accommodating kids of various sizes. For a decent price point, the Strider is a quality bike that fits light kids, heavy kids, tall kids, short kids – you generally can’t go wrong with a Strider.

The primary difference between the Strider Classic and the Strider Sport is maximum seat height. The Strider Classic has a seat height range of 11″ to 16″. The Strider Sport comes with a longer seat post to extend the seat range to 11″ to 17″. The Sport also has smaller handlebar grips and a padded seat.

Why We Love the Radio Flyer Ultra Lite

The Radio Flyer Ultra Lite stands out with its sleek, modern design that draws in kids and parents alike. Its eye-catching frame features iridescent paint and larger-volume air tires, making it a bike your child will be excited to ride.

But it’s not just about looks—the Ultra Lite delivers where it matters. With a smooth ride, a longer wheelbase for added stability, and a true headset to keep the handlebars properly aligned, this balance bike combines style and functionality seamlessly.

Balance Bikes for Preschoolers – 3 to 4 years

For riders who are starting their balance bike journey a little later, you’re looking for a longer wheelbase to give them more room to stretch out on the bike, as well as wider handlebars for more stable maneuvering. A handbrake is also highly recommended at this age, as older kids can reach much higher speeds.

Why We Love the woom 1 PLUS

One of our favorite balance bikes made bigger, the woom 1 Plus has all the benefits of the popular woom 1, but for kids ages 3 to 5. It’s the perfect bike for timid kids starting off their balance bike journey as preschoolers versus toddlers.

With comfortable, upright body positioning, large 14″ air tires, a removable “surfboard” footrest and turning limiter, and DUAL hand brakes (a rare find in balance bikes), the woom 1 Plus is the ultimate confidence-building, larger balance bike.

Keep in mind that with its taller handlebars, the woom 1 Plus is best for timid and casual neighborhood riders. Kids who will likely be tackling pump tracks won’t be able to lean in far enough to get aggressive.

Why We Love the Banana Bike GT

The Banana Bike GT is an excellent choice for preschoolers or taller toddlers, thanks to its longer wheelbase, thoughtful geometry, and ample room for growth. Its adjustable handlebars and higher maximum seat height make it especially comfortable for taller riders.

Unlike the cheaper Banana Bike LT, which has foam tires, the GT is equipped with air-filled tires that offer better cushioning and traction—ideal for more active or experienced young riders who need extra comfort and control.

Why We Love the Ridgeback Scoot

The Ridgeback Scoot is a top-quality balance bike featuring all the upgraded components you could ask for: air tires, handbrake, quick release seat post, and kid-shaped saddle. While not cheap, its durable quality is a solid investment and can easily be passed down to other siblings.

A little heavier than other options on our list, the Scoot is less ideal for petite or timid kids, but is a dynamite bike for confident, athletic, or eager little ones.

Best Balance Bikes for PreK – 4 to 6 years

Is a four-year-old too old for a balance bike? No way! Is a six-year-old too old for a balance bike? Also no way! Balance bikes are so much fun to ride, and are a far better experience than a pedal bike with training wheels.

For these larger balance bikes, along with bigger 14″ wheels, you also want a longer wheelbase and wider handlebars for the best fit and maximum stability.

Why We Love the Strider 14x

The Strider 14x has gained fame for being a larger balance bike that converts to a pedal bike. No need for training wheels, once a child has learned to balance while in balance bike mode, simply put on the pedals and within a couple of minutes they’ll be pedaling away! Once your child outgrows the pedal bike mode, they will be ready for a 16″ bike.

Based on our testing, the pedal bike mode of the Strider 14x is a very temporary solution, and a child will need a true 16″ pedal bike pretty quickly. As a result, we don’t generally recommend the optional pedal kit, but do like the Strider 14x as a larger balance bike.

Why We Love the Scoot XL

The Ridgeback Scoot XL is the bigger brother of the Ridgeback Scoot. These two bikes are almost identical, except for their size. The larger, taller frame of the Scoot XL is better scaled for taller kids. The adjustable handlebar height is also a bonus for kids who need to ride the Scoot XL until they are 6 or 7 years old.

Why We Love the Bixe 16

The Bixe 16 serves a fantastic purpose for kids who are too old or big for a traditional balance bike. If your child is already in kindergarten or 1st grade but is still struggling to learn to ride a bike… Bixe 16 to the rescue! With larger wheels and a larger frame, the Bixe 16 is designed to help ease the transition to a pedal bike for timid kids.

While not the best quality bike on our list, it’s a perfect temporary solution to get your kid confident enough on two wheels before you add in the complexity of pedals. It’s also a unique longer-term solution for special needs kids who may prefer to stay on a balance bike.

Other Balance Bikes to Keep on Your Radar!

Why We Love the Yedoo Too Too

Beyond offering a lot of super cute colors and designs, the Too Too is a nimble, lightweight bike that is an exceptional buy.  The Too Too comes with cushioning air tires, a true headset with height adjustability, a handbrake, and angled tire valves that make pumping those small tires up much easier.

Balance Bike FAQ’s

We’ve tested and reviewed balance bikes for the past 15 years, and have had hundreds of parents ask us questions about them. Here are the answers to what we believe are the most important questions for those just starting on their balance bike journey.

This FAQ relates to 2-wheeled balance bikes only, not three or four-wheeled baby bikes or “pre-balance bikes”.

What is the best age for a balance bike?

To get the most use out of a balance bike, the best age to start a child is between 18 months and 2.5 years. Starting them young will not only allow them to happily ride their bike independently for all of their toddler years, it will also allow them to move up to a pedal bike by age 3 or 4.

That said, there are balance bikes made for all sizes of toddlers, pre-schoolers, and grade schoolers, so it’s basically never too late to start. Remember… a balance bike will almost always be a better option than a tricycle or training wheels. If your child is at an age when you would consider either of these options, consider a balance bike instead!

Unlike tricycles and training wheels, toddlers can hop on a balance bike and start walking and scooting around from day one. They never come with push bars for adults to assist the child, as there is no use for them; one of the greatest advantages of a balance bike is that very young kids can ride them all on their own.

How many years do kids ride them?

Kids generally ride balance bikes for 1 to 2.5 years, depending on the age they start, their athletic ability, and their developmental readiness.

A child that starts at 18-months-old may take several months to sit and run confidently on their balance bike, but then spend the next year or two dominating the world on those two wheels.

Your average 2-year-old or 2.5-year-old will grasp the process more quickly, but may still spend another year or two enjoying the ride.

Remember… while a balance bike certainly prepares a child for a pedal bike, that’s not their only purpose. They are a ton of fun. There should be no rush to put a child on a pedal bike just because they are 3 or 4, or even 5 years old!

Less coordinated kids generally stay on a balance bike longer because it’s a simple little machine that’s easy and fun for them to maneuver. Don’t force the complexity of pedals onto a child that isn’t ready and who is still enjoying their balance bike!

What are the main benefits of a balance bike?

There are five main benefits of balance bikes over other types of bikes for toddlers. Balance bikes…

1. Fit kids much better than tricycles or bikes with training wheels
2. Move easily and safely over uneven surfaces
3. Are light and easy to ride – kids can ride much farther
4. Provide years of fun and independent riding before a child transitions to a pedal bike
5. Eliminate the need for training wheels – balance bike graduates usually learn to ride a pedal bike in about 5 to 10 minutes, DRAMA FREE.

How do they compare to training wheels?

Training wheels significantly delay a child’s ability and desire to ride a bike. Balance bikes teach toddlers and kids how to ride while balanced, whereas training wheels teach how to ride while unbalanced.  

Bikes with training wheels tilt to one side, creating a false sense of balance.  In order to ride without the training wheels, a child must “unlearn” how to ride unbalanced and then learn how to ride while balanced.

On a balance bike, proper balancing techniques are learned from day one.  One other thing to consider is that balance bikes are just more fun and much easier to ride than a bike with training wheels.

You can learn more about the pitfalls of training wheels on our page: Training Wheels: 10 Common Questions Parents Ask.

Are they better than a tricycle?

Balance bikes are much safer and more practical than tricycles.  With three wheels, tricycles are slow, awkward to maneuver, and easily tip on uneven or angled surfaces.  On a balance bike, children are focused on balancing, rather than pedaling.  As a result, they are more prepared for an unexpected loss in balance and are much less likely to fall.

Toddlers can also walk or run for several miles on a balance bike, but can rarely make it to the end of a block on a tricycle.  Tricycles are simply too inefficient for kids to ride long distances, which is why they often come with handles for parents to push.

You can read more about the debate between balance bikes and tricycles on our page: Balance Bikes vs Tricycles.

How do you ride one?

There are four stages to learning how to ride a balance bike. While some kids need a little instruction, most kids intuitively move through these stage on their own. So you don’t really “teach” a child to ride a balance bike. These stages simply help parents to understand what this process should look like.

1. Stand and walk
2. Sit and walk
3. Sit and run
4. Run, glide, and explore!

Perhaps the most important take away is that kids move through these stages at very different rates. Depending on age, athletic ability, temperament, and desire, the amount of time a child takes to “master” a balance bike varies greatly. For a much more detailed look at these stages, check out our article How To Ride a Balance Bike.

Where do kids put their feet?

Balance bikes do not require a footrest. Kids naturally pick up their feet as they are gliding. In all our years of testing, we have rarely had a child ask where to put their feet on the bike, but A LOT of parents ask that question :-).

Can I use a regular bike as a balance bike?

For kids ages 5 and up, removing the pedals of a regular bike is a good and affordable option, but is unpractical for toddlers and preschoolers. Pedal bikes are much heavier than balance bikes, making them more difficult to learn to balance.  

It’s important to remember that balance bikes are more than simply the means to an end.  While balance bikes DO prepare kids to ride a bike, they also offer toddlers years of fun and independence BEFORE they are tall enough to fit on the smallest pedal bike.  

If you are considering taking the pedals off of a bike to use it as a balance bike, it’s best to do with older kids on 16″, 20″ or 24″ bikes. When a child is still small enough to fit on a 12″ or 14″ bike, even investing in a cheap balance bike would be a much better option. We discuss how to use a pedal bike as a balance bike here.

My child won’t ride his balance bike… what’s wrong?

Every child has a will of their own, and sometimes they just refuse to do what you want! It often takes younger toddlers several months to be consistently interested.

For example, at 18 months, our toddler walked with her balance bike for about 2 weeks. And then for 5.5 months she wouldn’t touch it! Miraculously one day, she just picked it up and started going. We haven’t been able to stop her since!

If your child doesn’t seem interested, keep the bike around so they can see it and use it when they feel the time is right. Resist the temptation to pressure them. We’ve seen time and again that kids will be interested when they want to be interested.

It can also be helpful to take your child somewhere that they can see other kids riding balance bikes. When they see other kids doing it, they realize that it’s not that hard and they want to be in on the fun!

Kids who have tricycles, scooters, or bikes with training wheels can be more resistant to ride a balance bike. Why? Balance bikes require a little more effort to learn but offer far greater rewards in return.  If you think this might be the problem, remove these other distractions and only offer up the balance bike as a possibility.

Best case scenario, we encourage parents to not introduce a tricycle, training wheels, or scooter until after a child has mastered a balance bike.

Can you add pedals to a balance bike?

You cannot add pedals to just any balance bike, but there are a few balance bikes that are designed to convert to pedal bikes. The Strider 14x and LittleBig bikes are the two most common examples. These convertible balance bikes have optional pedal kits that can be installed when your child has mastered their balance bike and is ready to tackle pedals. These pedal kits only work with these bikes.

What should I look for when buying a balance bike?

While balance bikes seem simple, there are actually quite a few features you need to consider to find the perfect balance bike for your child.

For example, what size is the best fit? (Remember, they are not one-size-fits-all!!) Do you need air tires or foam tires? How much does weight matter? Is one brand better than another? We cover all these features and more in our Balance Bike Sizing and Buying Guide.

Related Articles

Balance Bike Sizing and Buying Guide: A more detailed discussion on how balance bike sizes work, and how to get the best fit.

 

FTC Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this review.  No monetary compensation was provided for this review, however, some of the reviewed products were supplied by the manufacturer or distributor to help facilitate this article. All opinions and images are that of Two Wheeling Tots LLC.  All content and images are copyrighted and should not be used or replicated in any way. View our Terms of Use.