Balance bikes are considered the best toys as far as teaching toddlers to balance on two wheels. Balance bikes can even be used by children who are only 1 or 2 years old. These are considered a great way for your child to step into the world of outdoor sports, and children simply love these bikes. This is because of their curiosity in everything new at a young age. And hence, it is recommended for every parent to get a balance bike for their children.
Moreover, when it comes to markets, they are flooded with numerous balance bike options, and you can get one easily that matches your needs. The most interesting balance bikes are the ones made out of wood, but most people don’t know how to buy one. In this article, we’ll go through some tips that are important to know if you are buying a wooden balance bike.
Size of Wooden Balance bike
Size is one extremely important factor to consider while buying a wooden balance bike for your young ones. Talking about a wooden balance bike, the smallest size that is available is 10 inches wheel bike. This size is quite nice for a kick start, but most children outgrow, after which they need a bigger bike.
So, if you are looking for a wooden balance bike that your kid would use for at least the upcoming 2 years, you should go with 12 or 14 inches one. Moreover, if your kid is taller than his age, you can go for a bike with 16 inches tires.
Bike Tires
The tire is the part of a bike that determines the overall quality of the ride. There are numerous options when it comes to the tire of a wooden balance bike. The most widely used options are air, foam, rubber, and plastic. Moreover, even from these tires, the ones you’ll get to see are the foam and rubber ones.
- Foam: You can see foam tires easily being used in a kid’s balance bike. They are comparatively very cheap and don’t get punctured, but the problem lies with the traction part. Due to the material and build, the friction they can provide is not that great, and also you can use them on a rough surface.
- Rubber: Rubber is the most widely used one, and this is due to the features it provides to the user. Also, rubber tires, if considered, are durable enough to last even on rough surfaces, and they provide great friction. These can be the best choice if you want something that is long-lasting.
- Plastic: Plastic tires are also cheap, but we don’t recommend these if you want your kid’s bike to last at least for 2-3 years.
To know about more factors that can help you in precise buying refer to our “Buying Guide”
Enlisted are 7 best wooden balance bike recommendations for your kid:
Best Wooden Balance Bikes
| Wooden Balance Bike | Assembly | Suitable for | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hape Scoot Around Ride On Wood Bike | Unassembled but easy to assemble | 1 to 3-year-old kids | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Kinderfeets Tiny Tot Plus Balance Bike | Minimal set up needed | 1 to 4-year-old kids | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Kinderfeets Tiny Tot Wooden Bike and Tricycle | Easily assembled | 12 to 24 months kid | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Tour de France Wood Running/Balance Bike | Set up is very easy | Up to 3-year-old kids | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Prince Lionheart Balance Bike | Easily assembled | 2-5-year-old children | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Happy Trails Walk/Ride Giraffe Balance Bike | Very easy to assemble or disassemble | 1-2-year-old kids | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Kinderfeets Balance Bikes | Easy to set up | 2 to 4-year-old baby | CHECK ON AMAZON |
7 Best Wooden Balance Bikes Reviews
1. Hape Scoot Around Ride On Wood Bike
It is the perfect first push wooden balance bike that promotes learning balance and helps your child to exercise as they use their feet to move. Composed of wood, this well-made bike has large rubber wheels and a sturdy seating platform. Also, it promotes the growth of muscle strength in kids.
What sets this wooden bike apart from other wooden balances is that it comes with four wheels. Moreover, it is perfect for young beginners to test their mobility and develop active motor skills.
Features:
- Rubber-rimmed wheels do not leave any marks on the floor
- It is made from non-toxic, child-safe material, paint, and finish
- Good for kids that are of 1 to 3 year old in age
- Weighs 5.6 pounds
Pros:
- Lightweight and durable
- Ideal for indoor use as wheels leave no marks on the floor
- Kids can drag this bike easily and take it anywhere
Cons:
- Seat height is fixed; it is not adjustable.
- Choking hazards due to the presence of small parts
2. Kinderfeets Tiny Tot Plus Balance Bike
This is a high-quality and durable bike that comes equipped with an adjustable padded seat and airless tires. It is specifically made to make children learn about the environment and overall sustainability as well. They will not just grow to be physically or mentally fit but will be aware of the surroundings too that they live in.
Although it’s a tricycle, it can be completely modified and then used as a 2 tire balance bike if needed to practice balancing. Its ergonomically designed seat is quite comfortable. Moreover, the handlebar ensures encouraging the kid about good posture too.
Features:
- It comes with a maximum weight limit of 55 lbs
- Seat height ranges from 10″ to 13″
- It is recommended for children that are 18 months to 4 years old
Pros:
- Educates the kid about sustainability
- Least packing materials
- Environment-friendly
Cons:
- A bit undersized for kids
- The seat is pretty thin cushioned.
3. Kinderfeets Tiny Tot Wooden Bike and Tricycle
The wooden frame of this 2-in-1 bike is made from bamboo, and the wheels are such that a kid finds it easy-to-balance. Also, the bike is equipped with a step-through frame that ensures the kid’s safety. It comes with a comfortable and adjustable padded seat, and the seat height ranges from 9″ to 11.5.”
Moreover, the durability increases as bamboo are stronger than steel. Also, it is able to withstand compression better than the concrete. Although it’s a 2-in-1 bike, however, it is easily changed from a tricycle to a balance bike that runs on 2 wheels.
Features:
- The handgrips are non-toxic
- Airless tires that are 7-inch in size
- Footpegs on the bike allow the children to place their feet in the correct posture, and they further allow the kids to be aware of pedals for future use.
- It is recommended for kids that are 12 to 24 months old
- The bike weighs 5.95 pounds
Pros:
- This bike encourages kids to play outdoor
- It is overall a high-quality and durable product
Cons:
- A little smaller in size
- It may get a few cracks on the wooden body
4. Tour de France Wood Running/Balance Bike
Cycling is nothing but a fun activity for kids that further ensure the development and overall growth. This running and balancing bike is one such example that is made up of a wooden frame along with a wooden fork. It is further equipped with a padded seat that has an option to adjust it whenever needed.
Since it comes equipped with steering angle limit, the kids are able to control the bike and avoid falling on the ground. Moreover, there are no pedals to ride the bike, and hence, kids have to use their own feet to move it here or there or ride it.
Features:
- 12 inches of mag wheel provision
- No-pedal design
- It is recommended for kids of up to 3 years of age
- The bike comes with a foam-padded seat that is adjustable
- It comes with a limited angle to steer to ensure kids’ safety
- This balance bike is equipped with pneumatic tires
Pros:
- Easy to set up
- Sturdy, durable and made of good quality wood
Cons:
- Bolts can come off easily.
- The minimum seat height could have been lesser.
5. Prince Lionheart Balance Bike
This balance bike has been made of 100% high-quality birch wood, which makes it a product that is environment-friendly. It doesn’t have any pedals to ride, and hence, your kid will be developing his feet and leg strength by moving or riding it. This bike comes equipped with 12” rubber wheels that are air-filled and a seat height of 14.8 inches to 17 inches that can be adjusted as per the need of the kid.
Moreover, this Prince lionheart balance bike is suggested to children who are 2 to 5 years old. And hence, it can be a good investment if your kid is 2 years old, and it can play with it or ride it for 2-3 years without any issues while he/she grows.
Features:
- It is equipped with a saddle, handlebar, and frame
- It is able to handle 65 lbs of max. weight
- The padded seat’s height can be adjusted as per kids size
- Eco-friendly material/wood has been used to make it
- This bike needs to be assembled and disassembled by an adult
Pros:
- It comes with solid rubber handlebars for providing better grips, and hence, it further reduces any chances of falling or slipping
- The bike will educate your kid about balancing and coordination so they can further move to learn bikes that require paddling.
- It is portable
Cons:
- It is not waterproof.
- No provision of footrests or brakes
6. Happy Trails Walk/Ride Giraffe Balance Bike
As the name suggests, this “walk cum ride balance bike” by Happy Trails, lets the child do both walking and riding. The kid can sit on it and push forward and backward or can drag it anywhere using his feet. This is also how a kid is able to strengthen his legs. Since this balance bike is suitable for kids of 1-2 years old, no pedals are there.
However, this kind of bikes allows the kid to practice balancing skills so they can handle their weight while they opt for bikes with pedals in the future. Moreover, this bike allows a kid to strengthen his gross motor skills as well as coordination.
Features:
- It weighs 6.8 pounds
- This bike is made of good quality beech wood and MDF.
- It is available in various color options.
- Ideal for 1-2-year-old kids
Pros:
- Sturdy and durable wooden construction
- Allows development of skills in a baby that is growing
- Its design is attractive enough to attract kid’s attention
- It can be assembled or disassembled easily.
Cons:
- It can only be used on three tires, and hence, kids can’t practice balancing well.
7. Kinderfeets Retro Wooden Balance Bikes
With a seat height ranging between 13 inches to 16 inches, this retro-wooden balance bike comes with a look that kids get attracted to. It is composed of birch wood that is environmental-friendly, high-quality, and durable in nature. Moreover, kids don’t have to only use it indoors, but they can ride on it outdoors as well, and this is because of its smooth and safe ride.
When it comes to its seat, it’s quite comfortable and adjustable as per the need of a kid. Moreover, this kind of bike educates a child about the environment and sustainability as the kid is growing.
Features:
- It weighs 7.94 pounds
- This bike is equipped with EVA airless tires
- Provision of a padded seat that is washable
- It is equipped with footpegs so the children can place their feet correctly to avoid any injuries while riding
- This is suitable for kids that are 2-year-old or up
Pros:
- Durable product
- Provision of low step-through frame
- This wooden balance bike is available in different color options.
- Very simple/easy to assemble or disassemble
Cons:
- Prone to get damaged
6 Buying Tips you must know before Purchasing Wooden Balance Bikes
1. Brakes
You need to sit and decide about whether you want your kid’s balance bike to have brakes or not. This depends totally on the age of your kid if only one and a half-year-old, there is no point in having brakes. Most young kids lack proper coordination that is required to use the mechanism of breaks.
However, if you are thinking about future-proofing, you can buy a wooden bike with removable brakes. You can also remove the brakes from a bike and install them whenever your kid needs them in the future.
2. Weight
Most people don’t take this factor seriously, but the weight of the bike is one crucial factor when the safety of the kid is considered. The weight of the bike depends primarily on the material that is used to build the bike. In most cases, the material used for making is steel and aluminum, but here we are talking about wood.
Wood is a nice material as far as the factor of weight is considered. Also, wood is reasonably strong according to its weight. So, weight should not be a problem if you are buying a decent wooden bike.
3. Turning limiters
People have different opinions about having turning limiters on balance bikes. Some people say that these are good and prevent the user from taking and sharp turns. While some people say that these prevent the child from learning proper steering techniques.
Turning limiters have their own pros and cons, and it depends on you and the way you look at them. Moreover, our advice is neutral about using these on balance bikes, and it completely depends on buyers’ choice or requirement.
4. Footrests
Footrests are important from the comfort point of view of riding. A young kid is supposed to spend hours playing, and if it is with his balance bike, the whole experience should be comfortable. Also, footrests provide proper space for your kid to rest his feet. Having wider footrests is a nice thing to have. Go with the balance bike that has proper footrests on it, because you can’t compromise with the comfort of your kid.
5. Seat
The seat of the bike has to be good enough. If hours of the day of your kid are going to be spent on a balance bike, the bike seat should be comfortable enough. The seat of a kid’s balance bike should be made out of a nice cushioned material. The preferred material is foam. But make sure it is high-quality foam or else it will smell foul with time. Also, this will assure that your kid won’t have any problems regarding sitting.
6. Handgrips and protective bumpers
Safety is always a concern for parents whenever there is something about their child. Handgrips protect your kid’s hand from getting scraped, and the bumpers protect the kid and also the bike from any potential damage. So, before buying a balance bike, make sure that it has protective bumpers along with the handgrip.
Conclusion
Balance bikes, in general, are considered safer than bicycles or tricycles, especially when it comes to children who are just starting to ride. So, you must choose a balance bike for your young kid that comes with a safe and smooth ride and good quality material, so they don’t get hurt by any means. Moreover, a relevant seat height as per your kids’ age and size, non-toxic handgrips, footrests, etc. make the choice easier.
If you still feel unsure, here are 2 products that we suggest for a child that is up to 5 years old. The first one is the “Hape Scoot around Ride-on Wood Bike,” which we highly suggest for its safe ride, construction material, and overall built-quality. It further makes certain that kids are able to develop their skills.
The next one that we suggest is the Kinderfeets Tiny Tot Wooden Bike and Tricycle by This is because of its footpegs provision and airless tires that make it safe for kids. Also, this is convertible to be used as a 2 wheel bike that adds up the fun fact for a child.
Are you still not convinced enough to decide one from the above for your kid? Well, let us know what bother you in the comments so we can help you further.
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