The first time I saw a Strider Balance Bike I had to do a double-take. It was several years ago but the memory is still vivid. Here was this little kid cruising the bike path as if they owned the place. The amount of confidence and joy on this kid’s face was contagious. I had to cheer him on.
I immediately got jealous. Why weren’t these things invented 20 years earlier? I first learned how to bike without training wheels at five years old. But the balance bike is a whole new level of progression—far better than what training wheels can accomplish.
As soon as we had kids, I knew that a balance bike was in their future. We got our daughter a well-loved one off of Marketplace. The learning curve was gradual at first, until it clicked for her. Once she figured it out, she was off to the races.
What Makes Strider Bikes So Special?
Being the first in the game has a ton of advantages. Since 2007, Strider has sold over 2 million balance bikes, meaning they have had many years and opportunities to get the design down. The result is a durable, reliable balance bike that can withstand the abuse that a toddler will give it.
Being an independent company also has its benefits. Ryan McFarland started the company with the simple goal of trying to get his son on a bike as soon as possible, but not finding anything adequate in the market. As the company grew and countless children caught the riding bug, the core mission to help young riders never wavered. Nowadays Strider has programs around the world that help riders of all ages learn how to ride a bike.
Strider also provides a ton of free learning resources to help make the experience as smooth as possible. Some of the tips like “support the child, not the bike” went a long way toward a smooth progression for your youngest. After reading through some of the tips, it became clear that this company truly did care about helping children ride a bike as soon as possible.
Our Kids’ Journey With Strider
First Strides
Our daughter got her first Strider bike from Marketplace. The tire treads were nearly worn down but the bike still worked like a charm. In retrospect we could have gotten her some new wheels but she didn’t seem to mind—one great advantage of the plastic wheels over rubber tires is their longevity. Being just under two years old, she didn’t seem to mind that the bike had been well-loved by a few other kids and passed down the line.
At first she was hesitant, and would only pick up the bike for a minute or two. Then I began to push her uphill and guide her around some corners, which may have instilled some bad habits to rely on me. But eventually, her time on the bike unassisted got longer. The next spring she got a new Strider Pro, and well… the story is still being written but so far, it’s safe to say that she loves it.
Our son got his bike at around 9 months. The rocking base attachment is the perfect tool to acclimate a child to riding a bike in a safe yet fun manner. It was wild how quickly he caught onto the usage, but perhaps that’s why rocking horses have been a staple of any playroom for at least two centuries. It was the perfect introduction to mounting the bike unassisted, which noticeably happened much faster than our daughter who learned without the rocking base.
Gaining Confidence (Learning to Stride)
For our daughter, the big breakthrough came when I would walk her to daycare while she rode the bike. We live on a large hill with a steady grade all the way down to daycare, a distance of about 600m. At first I was hesitant to set my daughter loose on such a long descent until realizing that it was actually perfect.
She instinctively knew her limits. She also knew that at any time, she could put her feet down to stop. Never once did I see her lift her feet long enough to lose control. Maybe she’s an anomaly and it goes without saying, every kid is different—don’t set your child loose on a long hill on this advice alone. But for her, in this circumstance… she nailed it.
The incline allows for momentum without the child needing to push themselves forward. It gave our daughter the ability to coast without supplying the power. It soon became obvious that it was the major difference compared to a flat surface, which all of us parents gravitate to—or I suppose I can only speak for myself, but that was certainly my instinct.
Now the pump track is where she asks to go when we have a free afternoon. It felt intimidating as a parent to set her loose around bigger kids and undulating terrain, but she never seemed scared. I have to remind myself that at that age, fear is not as prevalent as we adults allow into our lives. And in all reality, it’s one of the safest places for a kid to learn. The downslope is never too long, so the speed she carries with gravity ends pretty quick. It also gives her a more 3D balance profile than simply riding on flat ground. And the results speak for themselves:
Our Son’s Introduction To Strider
Our son was 9 months when his Strider Sport arrived at the door. Initially I was thinking we might hold off for a bit until he started walking. But with the removable rocking base that came with the bike, he had a new toy for the living room—one that allowed him a soft introduction to learning how to mount a bike.
The progression was slow, at first. He would size up the bike for a moment, maybe rock it around, and then move on to the next shiny object. But then he began to mount it. Eventually he started rocking back and forth, and I could see he was starting to get it with regards to staying upright. By the time he could walk, he was already really comfortable on the bike.
Once we removed the base, he had enough familiarity to take some steps with the bike. And that’s where he is now. He will take a few steps, but is yet to use his momentum to go forward. But he’s a million times better than if he didn’t have the base to start with. Now he’s gaining confidence each time he goes out. Having a big sister show him the way is a big bonus, and one I don’t take for granted. I’m already seeing how much faster his learning curve is with
- Starting earlier than his sister
- Having the rocking base
- Having a sibling to look up to
Now, he’s not even two and gets excited each time we go out. His coordination is spotty even just walking, but with the bike between his legs he’s figuring it out better than I could ever have imagined.
The Durability of Strider Balance Bikes
Not having tested other balance bike brands (yet), I can’t speak to the durability of others and whether or not the Strider is better or worse than others. What I can say, though, is that Strider bikes are pretty bomb-proof (Disclaimer: not literally, of course).
Our daughter has put her two bikes through the paces and it still rides perfect. It’s what you need in a bike for a toddler, and something I wish was present in other aspects of raising little ones! But through all the drags, hops, drops, crashes, and scrapes, the bikes have performed well. Who knows how long the secondhand bike had been going before she had it (and subsequently passed on to a neighbour) but the bike always performed well, despite some well-loved wear present.
The only real wear and tear was the tread on the tires. But since they are made of a solid plastic and not soft rubber… no inflation/deflation issues! Even when the tread is worn down there is plenty of wheel left for someone who is just getting started.
Strider Bike as a Hand-Me-Down
The durability of these Strider bikes means they can be passed down for many years to come. Whether you sell it online for someone who can’t afford it new, or simply donate it to someone deserving, the fact that the bikes have parts that last. So many kids will get to learn how to ride a bike before a Strider reaches the end of its life. When you think of it that way, it’s exciting to realize how many kids’ lives will be impacted with a single purchase.
Final Thoughts
Balance bikes truly are a game changer for how soon a kid can learn how to ride a bike. Balance is the hard part in learning, momentum comes second and for the first time someone figured it out. Strider has been leading the way for nearly 20 years and both us parents and our kids are thrilled with the results so far. With the bikes about to enter their second year in our family, they show no signs of needing replacement, and I’m so stoked to see a passion of mine transition to the next generation.
I’ve dealt with a lot of companies over the years of reviewing gear for this site and others, and in all the interactions I’ve had with employees and what I’ve heard from others online is that they are one of the good guys when it comes to developing a product and bringing it to the market.
What has resulted is nothing short of revolutionary, adding years of bike riding to a childhood and some early core memories on a bike. True it may not be for everyone. But since kids are a product of their environment, if you’re stoked on riding bikes, chances are that they will be too. This year we take our oldest to the trails and the youngest on his way to following his sister around as quickly as possible. It will be a fun journey, and I’m sure there will be an update in here at some point!
Until then, you can consider this our whole-hearted recommendation for your toddler shredder-to-be.
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