How does strider bike work

Composite frames have proven to be extremely strong and reliable but there have been some reports of riders noticing an increased side-to-side flex on their composite bike at faster speeds. There are a number different types of balance bike tires with various tread patterns. Almost any foam or air tires will work on pavement, but tires with a deeper and nobby tread will provide increased traction on dirt and other natural surfaces.

EVA Foam tires have a distinct advantage in that they weigh significantly less than other tires and are maintenance free. These tires work especially well for younger children 3 years and under who need a lightweight bike. Can be ridden on most terrains and surfaces - indoors and outdoors. Foam tires may not provide the same cushion ride as a pneumatic tire and traction is limited.

Air Pnuematic tires are the standard on most balance bikes. They provide a cushion and comfortable ride. Tread pattern varies between models. Air tires are prone to flats, will require proper air pressure maintenance and will increase the overall bike weight.

Rubber tires provide a lot of traction without the risk of flats. These tires are best suited for indoor use and flat hard surfaces. Perfect for indoor gyms, daycares, school or parents that don't want to worry about maintenance of an air tire. Hard Plastic tires are the lowest quality tires of the group and lightest. Generally considered for use on toys and only suitable for indoor.

Cheaply made and prone to cracking and provide little to no traction or cushioning for the rider. A "Big Apple" tire is a much wider tire that uses air cushion as natural suspension. Air suspension is built-in without the use of suspension technology.

A large volume air cushion has a natural damping effect providing a much smoother and comfortable ride on nearly all surfaces. Take advantage and seize the power of today's most powerful tool - "word of mouth". You can read online reviews and testimonials but we also strongly suggest you go straight to the source, with any parent who has a child riding a balance bike, and ask for their opinion. Stopping is just as easy as starting; they just put their feet down.

For young riders, success requires simplicity. We get this question all the time. Seriously, these puppies are half the weight of an air-filled tire and inner tube. Tires on the Strider 14x, 16, and 20 Sport are normal bike tires that will require air to stay properly inflated. You can find information on the proper inflation PSI on the side of every Strider tire. Proper seat height should have the child sitting on the saddle, with feet flat on the ground, with a slight bend in the knees.

For long-distance striding on smooth surfaces, you can raise this slightly. For obstacles, tricks, and off-road riding, the saddle should be adjusted for slightly more bend in the knees.

Strider offers two different length seatposts — mm 8. Typically, you want the handlebars to be about mid-torso. The Strider 14x Sport! Kids are focused on FUN. The transition to ANY pedal bike is a big one because most pedal bikes are two to three times the weight of a Strider.

Most pedal bikes will only be able to be ridden on flat, smooth surfaces. We recommend that you offer both to your child and let them choose. When the pedal bike becomes more FUN to them, they will make the switch.

Until that time, you want to encourage them to ride and have FUN on whichever bike they choose. Switching back to balance bike mode takes only minutes, and your child has the best of both worlds.

Orders placed before 11am MST will be processed the same business day, and anything after that will be processed the next business day. Typically orders are shipped via Fed Ex and will arrive with business days from when your order was processed. Please note: FedEx has suspended its money-back guarantees for some Express services and all Ground shipping for the Holiday season in As result, our shipping deadlines will be earlier than normal and we will not be able to guarantee shipping times.

Please order early to ensure your gifts arrive on time! We sure do! A grassy hill at the playground, a sloped driveway, or a small bike ramp can all work. For some kids, this will make all the difference. This is especially true for little ones who are stuck in the walk or scoot phases of balance biking. My son has a helmet he loves. Sometimes he rides his bike just so he can wear his helmet.

Other kids might enjoy bike gloves , a bell on their handlebars, or a basket to tote their teddy bear in. Find a mellow dirt trail, or a grassy field, or even a rocky area. Some little ones love the idea of adventure and exploration. On the flip side, you can also try offering the balance bike inside the house. Leave it in their playroom or somewhere they pass by often.

In a low-pressure, familiar environment, they might be more likely to give it a try all on their own. This is especially true for very young toddlers who are likely to have a short attention span. In the end, be patient. Some kids ride at 18 months with no problem. Every kid is individual. If it is important to you that they ride, the best thing you can do is make cycling a part of your family routine.

Get a trailer or child seat and go for rides that way. In no time, they will demand to be riding on their own. Here are some of the most common questions we get asked from parents.

In a word, yes. Balance bikes help develop gross motor skills, help kids transition easily to a pedal bike without training wheels. In that case, invest in a good pedal bike and remove the pedals for a while. More on that in a moment. It depends on the age and skill of the child. There are generally three phases of riding a balance bike: the familiarization phase, the walking phase, and the gliding phase. In the familiarization phase , put your child on the bike and let them just practice standing over it.

They might want you to hold and push them. They might not even want to ride the bike. In the walking phase , encourage your child to sit or stand on the bike and walk with it. If they stand, gradually try to get them to sit down on the saddle. This might be easiest to demonstrate on your own bike. In the final gliding phase , kids will begin balancing with their feet off the ground. They can walk or run forward and then practice picking their feet up for a few moments.

The three phases of balance biking: familiarization left , walking center , and gliding right. Most toddlers are ready for a balance bike around 18 months old, but some may not take to it until 2 years old or later.

The key is to introduce a balance bike early on, and then keep offering the bike until they get the hang of it. Preschoolers can have a lot of fun on balance bikes as well. Even my 8 year old will occasionally grab a balance bike to goof around on. Older kids with balance issues or other disabilities can also benefit from a balance bike. Look for a 16 or 20 inch balance bike for these kids OR simply remove the pedals from a pedal bike to use like a balance bike.

Our favorite balance bikes are made by Woom. That said, there are some other awesome companies making balance bikes—Prevelo, Strider, Frog, and Early Rider are just a few of our faves.

A balance bike allows kids to learn to ride a bike much earlier and easier than they ever could on a pedal bike with training wheels. Remember how hard that was as a kid? You can introduce a child to a balance bike around 18 months which is much much earlier than you can put them on a pedal bike. This allows a child to start learning balance, steering, braking, and general bike handling skills at a very young age.

The most important of these skills is balance. A balance bike teaching a child how to glide with their feet off of the ground.

In this way, you never need to use training wheels. By taking the task of pedalling out of the mix, kids are able to concentrate on the more tricky and nuanced skill of balancing the bike. As balance bikes are low to the ground, kids reach the ground with their feet. To move forwards, they push off the ground and begin by walking the bike, then progress to running, striding and gliding.

Once they are gliding along independently, kids have mastered their balance and are ready to begin pedalling. Balance bikes also teach kids how to steer properly by leaning the bike towards the corner unlike with stabiliers!

To ride the balance bike, kids sit on the low saddle while holding the handlebars. Then to move forward they can walk, run, stride or glide, depending on their confidence and experience. Smaller more timid kids can start on a balance bike by standing over the frame, in front of the saddle, and just walk normally. By holding the handlebars and getting used to the weight and feel of the bike, their strength and coordination will improve and they can progress to riding while seated.

Kids usually hop on and ride without much fuss. This results in the child being perched high up on the bike which can feel unsettling. On the one hand, a bike with stabilisers is being held upright by the two small outrigger aka training or stabiliser wheels. These stabilisers are usually set up a little higher than the rear wheel. Bikes with stabilisers cannot be used on sloped or rough surfaces as they will tip over.

In fact, using stabilisers is like teaching a child to walk with crutches, then taking them away. Even worse, as the child reaches a corner, their weight is supported by the outside stabiliser wheel. This means the bike leans away from the corner and the rider will learn to lean the wrong way.

However, with a balance bike, the child is free to lean the bike towards the inside of the corner, in the correct way. If you see moto GP, you can see the crazy angles of lean that riders can achieve when they lean inwards.

Gearing the bike too high can make it difficult to start pedalling, like trying to start a car in 5th gear. A balance bike, on the other hand, equates to their natural progression of crawling, walking and running.

Balance bikes are great for toddlers as it will help develop their coordination and motor skills and give them independence and the freedom to explore. Balance bikes are really natural for toddlers to use and as they progress it will give them extra confidence. Balance bikes are very safe for your child. They are intuitive for kids to use giving them confidence in the bike. The more we understand something, the less we are scared of it. Balance bikes are also very simple to maintain, so there is less to go wrong.

That said, we would always recommend wearing a helmet! Balance bikes can come with no brakes, rear hand brake only, or both front and rear hand brakes. Balance bikes with no brakes assume the child can slow the bike by dragging their feet off the ground.