FirstBIKE USA Launches US Distribution of a Premium Toddler Balance Bike

WeeBikeShop Launches US Distribution of a Premium Toddler Balance Bike

FirstBIKE vs Strider Comparison Chart

For an enhanced buying experience with an industry leading company specializing in balance bikes, visit this secure website and browse the premium selection of balance bikes, helmets and accessories: https://WeeBikeShop.com

FUJI Rookie Balance Bike

White bikes always look high-end in our humble opinion.

We are big fans of FUJI Rookie balance bike for a few reasons:

• Aluminum frame
• Premium brand name
• Free bell!
• Big comfortable shock dampening pneumatic tires
• one color- pearl white- isn't gender specific and makes buying decision easy
• Each bike has a serial number, just like every other Fuji Bike

If your price point is around $100, we encourage you to give the Fuji Rookie your serious consideration. For about $40 more you get some high end features and benefits found on bike costing 2-3x more.

UPDATE: The FUJI Rookie has been discontinued at the end of 2011. FUJI did not really make much of a marketing effort and bike shops were reluctant to stock a balance bike that comes in only one [sterile-looking] color.

Balance bikes with foot rests: hot or not?

We're not crazy about foot rests on balance bikes. Children learn to balance more successfully when they put their feet down as stabilizers whenever they need to. This instills confidence and puts them in control of [not] falling down. This is also partly why [for tots] a bike with pedals needs to have training wheels- because the pedals are in the way of using their feet for stability. So it stands to reason that giving kids a platform to rest their feet is counter-productive, though we recognize it as a feature that pays dividends when kids are rolling down looooong gradual hills (which hopefully aren't steep and which do not cross other streets!) Even so, foot pegs welded to a balance bike's frame defeat the purpose of removing the pedals in the first place- which is to get them out of the way and uncomplicate the learning process!

We have also observed that certain brands of balance bike which feature a foot rest can potentially injure a child because as children push off the ground to gain speed, sometimes their feet hit and get tangled with the foot rests. This is not so much a problem with the wildly popular KaZaM as it is with others on the market which have a welded tube added underneath the frame.

Bottom line: Foot rests are not a deal maker or breaker when it comes to balance bikes. Top of the line LikeaBIKEs do not even offer them here in the US. Neither do the all-new FirstBIKE or the FUJI Rookie. It's just a gimmicky feature that doesn't add any real value to the learning process and which could potentially cause a lot of painful bruises on a child's ankles.

FIVE REASONS WHY TRAINING WHEELS ARE BAD

FIVE REASONS WHY TRAINING WHEELS ARE BAD:

1. Weight: The typical children's bike with 12" tires and training wheels weighs nearly 30 pounds. Would a 160 pound adult want to ride a 160 pound bike? Sounds dangerous! Balance bikes typically weigh only 7 to 10 pounds.

2. Cornering: To ride a bike around a corner, a cyclist must lean in the direction of the turn. As we can see from the picture, any attempt to hold the bike perpendicular to the ground while cornering would be a failure. It is impossible to correctly corner with training wheels.

3. Bad habits: It IS possible to execute a turn with training wheels. Unfortunately, your child will have to lean left to turn right and lean right to turn left. Doing the opposite of what is supposed to come naturally is not recommended. This is a primary cause of crashes right after the "training wheels" are removed.

4. Safety: See No 3 above! It's more important to know how to balance and corner on a bike than it is to put force onto the pedals (that's the easy part). A balance bike has no pedals, so feet are instinctively used as stabilizers. With training wheels, there's no need to use feet for stability, making it unnecessary to ever put a foot down- another dangerous bad habit that needs to be un-learned.

5. Speed: Not only will a child on a balance bike easily pass a child on training wheels (how embarrassing!), their motor skills and balance will develop light-years faster too. Faster success is better for a child, especially when it boosts their self confidence. The training wheels are wasting your child's time and energy, and cheating them out of learning balance correctly - not to mention being slow and a lot less fun.

For an enhanced buying experience with an industry leading company specializing in balance bikes, visit this secure website and browse the premium selection of balance bikes, helmets and accessories: https://WeeBikeShop.com

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?