What have you made for your kids balance bike and next level progression

kip01

Likes Dirt
Hey guys just thought I would see what fun stuff you have made for your young ones on balance bikes, also whens a good time to ditch the balance bike and move onto the next size up. I have two girls 6 and 3 and there both getting pretty good on there balance bike younger one is the crazy one already rolling off gutters and going down 6 stairs. I want to take the next step in there learning curve but not sure what to do thinking of making some kind of small kickers or ramps any tips would be great as it's good bonding time
 

creaky

XMAS Plumper
It'd take a pretty rugged kid to launch a kicker on a balance bike, knowing they're going to cop the full brunt of the landing through the saddle!

6 should be off the balance bike for sure! Mine are nearly 7 and nearly 4 and both were pedalling fine at 3+4months (boy) and 3+9months (girl) purely cause of the balance bikes. Take them on some easy trails on the balance bikes if you're keen and otherwise pump tracks and little obstacle sources at home.

My 6yo boy still belts around under the house on his balance bike - suggestions that we should hand it down to a cousin etc are not well received !
 

Slow moe

Likes Dirt
related question: who has tips to get a little one going on a balance bike?
My big one (just turned 2) just got a balance bike. He loves getting pushed around on it but doesn’t really seem to get the self-propelled aspect of it, or much steering for that matter Admittedly, he’s a pretty small little dude and can only just reach the ground while seated (seat dropped completely). He is a born adrenaline junkie so it’s not that he’s scared.
any tips greatly appreciated by my back and my quads which are just not up to the amount of pushing he wants
 

fatboyonabike

Captain oblivious
get a few discarded pallets and make a ramp at either end, get them used to riding over obstacles above ground level, learn entry and exit skills and drop offs ,then go up from there.
my front yard looks like some sort of skills camp for kids, small kicker and lander, 3 pallets with various entry\exit combo's and obstacles and a skinny plank to ride along..Pump tracks are good if you can find one not over-run with teens on scooters
I am in the early stages of turning the front yard into a pump track, but its still months away from being finished, only finished the timber retainer on berm 1 on the weekend, started packing dirt yesterday :D
 

fatboyonabike

Captain oblivious
related question: who has tips to get a little one going on a balance bike?
My big one (just turned 2) just got a balance bike. He loves getting pushed around on it but doesn’t really seem to get the self-propelled aspect of it, or much steering for that matter Admittedly, he’s a pretty small little dude and can only just reach the ground while seated (seat dropped completely). He is a born adrenaline junkie so it’s not that he’s scared.
can you get the seat down any more? , I had a couple of those ALDI balance bikes with the rear elastomer bumper, I cut the seat tube down about an extra 40mm so they could feel stable when starting off, made all the difference
 

creaky

XMAS Plumper
related question: who has tips to get a little one going on a balance bike?
My big one (just turned 2) just got a balance bike. He loves getting pushed around on it but doesn’t really seem to get the self-propelled aspect of it, or much steering for that matter Admittedly, he’s a pretty small little dude and can only just reach the ground while seated (seat dropped completely). He is a born adrenaline junkie so it’s not that he’s scared.
any tips greatly appreciated by my back and my quads which are just not up to the amount of pushing he wants
Does he get to see other kids riding including balance bikes? Kids follow kids.
 

Slow moe

Likes Dirt
Seat is down as far as it will go and it has a weird join to the seat which means it won’t push down further - maybe I’ll have to try a different seat and post altogether. Might get another 1-2cm lower which may make a big difference.

He’s only had it since the whole covid thing started so not much opportunity to see others. Sounds like a plan for the weekend.
 

Jim Junkie

Used to sell drugs, now he just takes them
Does he get to see other kids riding including balance bikes? Kids follow kids.
+1 to this. My first didn't really show an interest until I built a second one for a friend who'd had a kid at a similar time & was going away. As soon as he saw the other kid on it riding around, he was all over it. My second was into it straight away because he was seeing his brother riding all the time.

On to the original topic though, I recently turned my front yard into a bit of a pump track for the kids, 1 on a balance bike (well, was until last week), and the other on a 16" (now 20"). Berms on the corners, a small (15cm) table top drop & a kicker at the bottom for some jumps. My 2 yr old does his best to launch the kicker to copy his brother & lands pretty hard. That poor bike's days are numbered given how rough he is with it. They love it though, not just for riding but also for getting out & helping me build it. Eventually I'll have to remove it & put some grass down, but I figure I've got until spring at least on that one.

I also take them down to the skills area around me fairly frequently. A lot of teenagers there at the moment, but they mostly stay to one portion of it & leave the other bits alone, which works for my boys.

I'm thinking for the next project I might build some ramps & bridge / log sections for them to practice on out the back. I've got a ton of spare timber lying around, so figure it'll be good to use it for something productive.
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
Kids that age will often completely ignore the new bike (or game or whatever), and then weeks or even months later announce they want it and won't be separated from it.

Does often coincide with them just about to outgrow it.
 
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