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Check out our suggestions for great toys and products for preschoolers 3-5 years old and younger kids 5-8 years old.

Strider Balance Bike, Anyone have one?

Just Another Cat View Member Profile	03/12/2012, 12:12 PM Post #1
Posts: 605 Joined: 11-April 11
Regular Member
I'd like to get DD a balance bike for Christmas.I think I might go with the Strider my only concerns are the wheels and brakes. Did you find that the absanse of a brake was a problem? What are the wheels made from? Is it rubber with good grip or a hard plastic? This post has been edited by GrumpyTurtle: 03/12/2012, 12:14 PM

TootToot View Member Profile	09/12/2012, 04:52 PM Post #2
Posts: 45 Joined: 8-June 10
New Member
QUOTE (GrumpyTurtle @ 03/12/2012, 01:12 PM) 15126916[/url]'] I'd like to get DD a balance bike for Christmas.I think I might go with the Strider my only concerns are the wheels and brakes. Did you find that the absanse of a brake was a problem? What are the wheels made from? Is it rubber with good grip or a hard plastic? In place of the brake, your child will use their shoes. Regarding the wheels, nt sure of the material but our DS has biked a lot and the wheels look like they'll last another child no problem. If anything, it's the seat material that is a little worse for wear because DS bangs the bike down with no thought for the poor seat. We love our strider, expensive but has been well used.

chickendrumstick View Member Profile	09/12/2012, 04:56 PM Post #3
Posts: 447 Joined: 14-August 10
Member
The tyres are made of some sort of super tough plastic that they improved in their last model upgrade. We love our Strider - we got it from Little Sprout for about $170 with free shipping which seems to be a pretty reasonable price for one.

melaine View Member Profile	09/12/2012, 05:04 PM Post #4
Posts: 3,709 Joined: 26-November 06
Advanced Member
Love our balance bikes. We have 2 - a strider and an avanti one. I prefer, and my 5 year old prefers, the Avanti one. It has a better seat and has pneumatic wheels which it means it is a bit of a softer ride on uneven ground. However, we got our just turned 3 year old the strider because he wasn't quite tall enough for the avanti one (which my older son got when he turned 4). The strider is 2 months old and its tyres are looking more worn than I expected - the Avanti is a year old and has been ridden daily and it's tyres are in really good condition. My son's shoes on the other hand... (the tip there is to buy cheap runners with hard rubber soles!). They are about the same price - if your DD is 3 and average height I'd look at the Avanti one as well. http://www.cranksbikes.com.au/index.php?op...&Itemid=233 This post has been edited by melaine: 09/12/2012, 05:12 PM

caitiri View Member Profile	09/12/2012, 05:23 PM Post #5
Posts: 1,042 Joined: 31-May 08
Advanced Member
We looked at ones with and without brakes but the guy from the shop we bought from pointed out that few kids that age will have the dexterity or coordination to use a handbrake, they instinctively use their feet. I'm not sure which brand we have actually but like a PP the wear is showing on the seat because it keeps getting dropped on the ground.

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