The Lightest LikeaBike: The Spoky

WHERE TO BUY: WeeBikeShop- Quality bicycles and equipment for growing families, since 2007.
All wooden LikeaBike models share many features in common, and there are some features which distinguish them and make each unique. The thing that sets the LikeaBike Spoky apart is basically one thing: the wheels. Of all of the wooden LikeaBikes, this is the only model with the "real" bike look of spoked wheels. Otherwise, it has the same frame, fork, handlebars, and saddle as all of the other wooden models. This enhancement seems to save some weight- the LikeaBike Spoky is only 7.5 pounds, making it the lightest. Here's a listing of all the features offered by Spoky, with it's one distinguishing feature high lighted:

• Frame built from two CNC shaped pieces of 10mm thick baltic birch veneer core plywood (9 plies)
• Fork built from a solid piece of CNC shaped 19mm baltic birch veneer core plywood (15 plies)
• Inflatable 12" rubber tires with Schrader valved inner tubes
• Wheels built from epoxy coated steel with welded maintenance free spokes.
• Removable and washable padded cloth seat cover (red or blue standard, other colors, including leather are offered separately)
• Seat height adjustable to four different positions (12" to 16") for fast growing toddlers
• Limited steering range for extra safety (what happens when front wheel turns too far? Bad things! Ouch.)
• Impact proof rubber hand grips (is Junior dropping the bike onto it's side? No worries!)
• Suitable for use indoors and outdoors (tires will not mark your floors)
• Handcrafted in Germany using wood grown in sustainable forests (FTSE certified?)
• Shipped fully assembled except for handlebar, which is applied with two simple screws
• Compatible with the optional LikeaBike Hopper handlebar basket and the LikeaBike trailer wagon
• Overall dimensions: 14" wide x 21" high x 33" long
  As with all wooden LikeaBike models, the frame is constructed of two durable layers of 9 ply birch plywood, shaped a lot like a skateboard. The felt which lines the joint between frame and fork is color coordinated with the saddle (unless of course, you change the seat cover to another optional color.. even leather)

The cotton saddle cover has a foam insert which can be removed [before] machine washing. It's held in place using four points of hook/loop Velcro.
One thing about the spoked wheels which is a real advantage is that it's much easier to inflate the tires. On wooden models, there is a cut-out in the wood for inflation, but we have found that not every bicycle pump will fit in the opening. No such worries with the Spoky.
An aggressive tread pattern lends itself to puncture resistance.
There is a steel pin driven through the top of the fork (concealed by the handlebars) and through the frame and back into the fork. Not only invisible, but maintenance free as well.

The tool required to remove a wheel is always included with your LikeaBike.
Sixteen spokes per wheel, all welded tight and maintenance free.
Nice close-ups pictures of the wheel hubs and spokes.
The wheel 's hub is a maintenance free sealed bearing system.
The handsome grips of our demo bike is adorned with hippos! We're not sure if they vary the grips which are included with the different models, but the Spoky seems to have the toughest, thickest grips of them all.
Some safety recommendations which serve to inform you of the best ways to protect your child from injury.

The Shiniest LikeaBike: The Jumper!

WHERE TO BUY: WeeBikeShop- Quality bicycles and equipment for growing families, since 2007.
The LikeaBike Jumper is so eye catching, so sleekly designed, so light weight, so "I gotta have it" beautiful.. that I was sold on it before even knowing who made it or how much it costs. Love at first sight! As a masters competitor in elite regional bike races, I am all too familiar with the world of $5000+ racing bikes. I've paid more money for some bike parts than most adults spend on the best complete bike they'll ever own. The tires on my bike cost more than the tires on my car.. The seat and seatpost of my road racing bike alone, cost $350.. so you can just imagine what the rest of it is worth..

The point here is that I believe any well informed person with an experienced eye for quality will know at first glance that the LikeaBike products are not on the low-end of the pay scale, far from it. So when you first see a child riding a LikeaBike Jumper, you just know.. there is nothing better on the market in terms of materials, build quality, light weight, or life span.

Instead of listing all of the so-called features of the LikeaBike Jumper (there are enough internet retailers listing the same details and giving you only one picture to view, as if this is enough education for anyone to make a buying decision) I would like to walk you through the excitement of putting one together. The pictures will speak for themselves. All you need to know is that the LikeaBike Jumper is without any doubt the most durable child's bicycle in the world, and that it's designed for ages two to five.



Your new LikeaBike Jumper will arrive in this handsome box with built in carrying handle.

Inside you will find a very cleverly and effectively packed Jumper using environmentally friendly protection materials, no styrofoam, and a very small number of plastic bags.

Above, you see everything which comes out of the box, which include spare parts and instructions. The tires will have enough air pressure to be ridden on immediately.

Above, a naked Jumper frame with protection removed. Looks a lot like a grasshopper on steroids, and weighs about 3-4 pounds total. The green paint is impeccable. The aluminum begs to be touched. That main tube is ovalized, and it's the part of the bike you will reach for when you need to carry it.
Above you see the spare parts which are included with your LikeaBike Jumper investment: 1 stiffer suspension gasket for when Junior passes 35 pounds, a longer seatpost for when they grow over 36" tall, an allen key to attach the handlebars, a replacement steering limiter O-ring, a multi-tool for attaching the wheels (no need to run to the garage, I promise) and a pad which can be used to cover the handlebar stem (we haven't used ours)
That little hammer shaped pice of aluminum is a rear fork limiter. When you examine the welds of this bike's frame, you will be convinced that it is indeed "built like a brick...outhouse", as the saying sort of goes.
A view of the LikeaBike Jumper's rear suspension fork. This is the part of the bike which attracts the most attention from grown-up bike racers. The non-mechanical cushioning provided by the orange rubber is ingenious and maintenance free. The bike comes with the softer rubber pre-installed. If you child is over 35 pounds at the time of purchase, don't fret. You receive a stiffer one as a spare, for heavier children. Requires some patience and dish soap to switch them out though..
Adjusting the seat height requires no tools! The seat post clamp mechanism pictured above is a real time saver.
A rubber steering limiter keeps junior from accidentally turning the front wheel too far. This is a safety feature which prevents your child from flipping over the handlebars, which is what can happen when the front wheel is turned sharply at higher speeds.
You will be very impressed by the quality of the saddle and it's integral adjustment of tilt. Another screw makes sure that the seat never pivots on the seatpost- it's locked in place.
The infamous "floor saver" handlebar grips of the LikeaBike Jumper come pre-installed at the factory, so you don't need to bring out the dish soap. Our son has dropped his Jumper on it's side enough times that the rubber has been punctured, which attests to the grip's bike preserving qualities as well.
The two wheels which come out of the box are "unhanded"- you can install either of them front or back. No oily chains or sprockets to toil with either. We like the plastic caps provided to cover the nuts.. designed to discourage adventurous children who've found daddy's collection of open end wrenches. The "Schwalbe" tire is the same brand of $80 racing tires on my own personal $7000 road bike. These "Big Apple" Schwalbe tires pictured are nice and cushy with a bright reflective strip for safety. Twenty radially spoked rims. Can be trued with a spoke wrench if needed.

We can't tell whether this bike seat is covered in leather or "leatherette", but it sure looks like it's made to last. When the bike is laid down on it's side, the seat doesn't touch the ground, which is nice.

Above, a nice close up of the weld between the down tube and the head tube. The steering limiter O-ring is replaceable (a spare is included). And in case you bike racing moms and dads wondered, yes, that is a threadless headset.
Assembly is just too easy: Attach two wheels (tighten four nuts total), attach handlebars (tighten three bolts total), and insert seat/post (tighten quick release clamp). Done.
And we're done! The LikeaBike Jumper will survive years and years of abuse, such as throwing it in the trunk of the car, dropping it on it's side, ramming into things, and being left out in the rain.. It is also remarkably light at only 8 pounds. We've used our Jumper as an alternative to a 10 pound stroller, which do nothing to entertain or give freedom to a child. Most importantly, the LikeaBike Jumper will be ready to delight your next child, and the next, and you will decide quite early on that you will never part with it on Ebay for any price. (Check Ebay for used Jumpers.. don't get your hopes up though) When the bike which teaches your child to balance on two wheels is a rust-proof indestructible German engineered marvel like this, who can blame you?

The Off-Road LikeaBike: The FOREST!

Update Oct 24, 2017: The LikeaBike era is ended, but we still have a huge inventory of accessories and spare parts to keep your old LikeaBike in motion. Reach out to us at WeeBikeShop and we'll get your bike sorted out!
The FOREST is a balance bike that is fitted with a very aggressive tires which are designed to grip rough surfaces and make an off-road bike ride safer for your child. The added traction and puncture protection offered by the knobs on the tires makes Forest the official "mountain bike" of the prestigious LikeaBike fleet. It's confusing, in a way because another model offered by LikeaBike, the "Mountain", implies that it's also an off-road model. Not quite so.. We believe that after the "RACER" was introduced in 1997, there was demand for a model with pneumatic tires. (If we look at competitive bicycle racing, we find three disciplines: road, track and mountain.. really four if we count cyclocross). It seems to us that the "Racer" most resembles a track bike or a time trial bike (by virtue of it's hard skinny tires), and that the "Mountain" was the original road bike.. and that finally with the immense popularity of mountain biking, the FOREST was born as the model that's truly compatible with actual off road use. In the LikeaBike USA color brochure, the FOREST is referred to as "the masterpiece".

Main differences between the Mountain and the FOREST:

1. Mountain is offered in 5 different seat colors, FOREST only one- green.
2. The Mountain has color coordinated felt at the frame/fork union, while the Forest uses gray felt only.
3. The Mountain has a clear natural finished mud flap under the seat. The FOREST has a mud flap that is stained a very attractive green color.
4. The Mountain uses tires with an all purpose tread pattern, while the FOREST uses a very aggressive knobby pattern (much like a moto cross bike or a mountain bike)

Confused? Why not let these numerous pictures speak for themselves? Here's the FOREST, up close: Notice the color coordination? The Forest is offered only in green. The mudflap is stained to match, but you can still see the wood grain. Doesn't it look so much like a moto cross bike?
Which child has never flipped their bike upside down to spin the wheels?

Below, the signature gray felt lining in the fork, to keep tender fingertips safe..
Handgrips! The ends are specially shaped to absorb impact, protecting both the bike and your floors (though this model begs to always be outdoors..)
Another note about the hand grips: They're very hard to install! We definitely recommend using them though because the wood finish on the handlebar is quite slick.
Aggressive knobby tires to tame the most unstable, soft, muddy, or leaf covered terrain.
Above, the wishbone shape of the frame is really pleasing to the eye.
The thru bolts at the tip of the fork appear useless, but don't be fooled. They guarantee that your Forest will have a long life span, by making delamination of the plywood impossible.
The floor model pictured above came out of the box with tires fully inflated. We love the "new bike smell" which they give off.

Some notable features of the LikeaBike Mini, common to most other LikeaBikes as well:

• Frame built from two CNC shaped pieces of 10mm thick baltic birch veneer core plywood (9 plies)
• Fork built from a solid piece of CNC shaped 19mm baltic birch veneer core plywood (15 plies)
• Inflatable 12" rubber tires are inflatable to 45 pounds. Schrader valved inner tubes
• Wheels built from solid disks of 15mm baltic birch veneer core plywood (11 plies), with a steel bike rim permanently bonded to the perimeter.
• Removable and washable padded cloth seat cover (GREEN is the only color offered, other colors including leather are offered separately)
• Seat height adjustable to four different positions (11" to 14") for fast growing toddlers
• Limited steering range for extra safety (what happens when front wheel turns too far? Bad things! Ouch.)
• Impact proof rubber hand grips (is Junior dropping the bike onto it's side? No worries!)
• Suitable for use indoors and outdoors (tires will not mark your floors)
• Handcrafted in Germany using wood grown in sustainable forests (FTSE certified?)
• Shipped fully assembled except for handlebar, which is applied with two simple screws
• Compatible with the optional LikeaBike Hopper handlebar basket and the LikeaBike trailer wagon
• Overall dimensions: 14" wide x 21" high x 33" long

The Fastest LikeaBike: The RACER

WHERE TO BUY: WeeBikeShop- Quality bicycles and equipment for growing families, since 2007.
The LikeaBike Racer model is especially appealing to parents (like me) who compete on road bikes because of it's large diameter solid disk wheels and hard rubber tires, which make it the most aerodynamic LikeaBike, and give it the lowest amount of rolling resistance of any model. The fit and finish are impeccable, and it comes right out of the box almost ready to ride. We simply applied the boomerang shaped handlebar to the fork using the two connectors provided (tools are included), and it was ready to roll. No tire inflation necessary! Although we must admit, applying the rubber grips to the handlebar ends takes some horsepower. Moistening the inside of the grip and the ends of the handlebar is the only way to get them in place. This only works if you rotate it while gripping tight, similar to the way you would throttle a motorcycle. Next time, we'll try gently heating the grips with a blow dryer and see if that helps. The Racer was the original LikeaBike first introduced in 1997, and is still very popular today. It's also the fastest looking one!

The features of the LikeaBike Racer are as follows:

• Frame built from two CNC machined bullet shaped pieces of 10mm thick baltic birch veneer core plywood (9 plies)
• Fork built from a solid piece of CNC shaped 19mm baltic birch veneer core plywood (15 plies)
• Hard rubber 12" tires do not require inflation. PLus they're narrow just like a time trial bike!
• Wheels built from solid disks of 15mm baltic birch veneer core plywood (11 plies)
• Removable and washable padded cloth seat cover (red or blue standard, other colors, including leather are offered separately)
• Seat height adjustable to four different positions (12" to 16") for fast growing toddlers
• Limited steering range for extra safety (what happens when front wheel turns too far? Bad things! Ouch.)
• Impact proof rubber hand grips (is Junior dropping the bike onto it's side? No worries!)
• Suitable for use indoors and outdoors (tires will not mark your floors)
• Handcrafted in Germany using wood grown in sustainable forests (FTSE certified?)
• Shipped fully assembled except for handlebar, which is applied with two simple screws
• Compatible with the optional LikeaBike Hopper handlebar basket and the LikeaBike trailer wagon
• Overall dimensions: 14" wide x 21" high x 33" long

Now for the close up photos which you'll find no where else:

We love the bullet shaped frame of the Racer, common to some of the other models.

Seat height adjust to four different positions, using an allen key which is provided with the Racer.

Peering down in the racer gives you an idea of just how narrow the wheels and tires are.

This rear wheel looks as slick as Lance Armstrong's time trial wheels in the Tour de France. What a great place to apply some of your own cool graphics or stickers..

Those pesky rubber grips are necessary, don't let junior ride without installing them properly. Besides.. they protect your investment in the bike (and your wood floors).Above, the frame and fork are pinned together permanently at the factory. Matching blue strips of felt protect fingers from being pinched.

Below, the seat cover has a comfy foam insert and is secured using velcro, both on top and underneath with flaps.
Below, this must be what it looks like to our little racers as they line up on the starting line..These views shows you the ingenious wishbone construction of the Racer's bullet shaped frame. The two pieces of plywood are joined where they meet the front fork, but they taper open into a fork of their own, for the rear wheel.