Balance Bikes vs. Training Wheels: Which Is Better?

By: nsbike_admin
February 18, 2019

For decades, training wheels were the default way to teach kids to ride. But research and experience show that balance bikes help children learn faster and more safely.

Balance bikes teach the hardest part of riding first — balance. Kids learn to steer, lean, and glide before they ever touch pedals. By the time they transition to a pedal bike (usually around age 4-5), they already know how to balance and only need to learn the pedaling motion.

Training wheels, on the other hand, teach pedaling first and balance last. Kids often develop a dependency on the extra wheels and struggle when they come off. Our recommendation: start with a balance bike at age 2-3, then move directly to a small pedal bike without training wheels.

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