Yvolution Y Velo Junior Toddler Balance Bike | 9" Training Bicycle With Dual Rear Wheels | For Kids Age 18 Months - 3 Years

Product Information

The bike is suited with puncture-proof EVA wheels. These are lightweight and textured to provide superb traction. Your toddler can ride over various surfaces without affecting the steering. Amy was at home when the Y Velo balance bike arrived so was immediately very giddy and told anyone who would listen on the school run that she had a new balance bike! I promised her I would try and fit it together the following day so we could take it out for a ride in the park whilst the big two were at school and the weather was nice! Hopefully, if you have got this far, you will have noticed the importance we put on a bike’s life span. Key to this life span is the bike’s durability and serviceability. While undoubtedly costing more, bikes that resemble adults bikes and manufactured with recognisable bike parts are almost always longer-lasting and more serviceable than bikes treading the line between balance bike and toy. We recently took a deep dive into the factors you should be aware of when buying a balance bike for your little one. Today, we share our findings after reviewing a bunch of different balance bike models.

MORE THAN JUST A BIKE - Help your kids learn the essential first skills needed to riding a bike. Toddlers love the independence and sense of achievement they get from riding a balance bike. It also build their motor skills, coordination and increase their confidence.In better news, the Y Velo does offer narrower grips for those smaller hands. Measuring in with a circumference of 22 mm the grips are not quite as small as the 20 mm on the HWC but still much smaller than the 25-30 mm grips typically found on other bikes.

A good first step in deciding on the right balance bike is to measure the child’s inseam with shoes on, standing on a flat surface. Compare this inseam measurement to the minimum and maximum saddle height for a given balance bike. If the inseam measurement is less than the minimum stated saddle height, this bike is currently too big for your child. Likewise, if the maximum saddle height is smaller than the child’s inseam, that bike may be too small, although this is slightly less of an issue. A bike that is too big or too small can result in a negative experience for the child. These bikes can take some time to get used to, but it’s all about patience. Your child will soon gain confidence, and you can encourage them to lift their feet from the ground. A few models come with footrests that assume the position where the pedals would be. Advantages of Balance Bikes

Yvolution Y Velo Junior Toddler No-Pedal Balance Bike

SAFE DESIGN - Smooth continuous surfaces achieved through a lightweight, injected plastic frame ensure there are no sharp edges for kids to catch their legs on as they ride. No ankle scratches! GOODBYE TRAINING WHEELS - Balance bikes allow children as young as 18 months to be prepared for cycling before stepping up to a pedal bike by three or four years old - without ever using training wheels. This design is awesome as it teaches kids to balance (which they don’t get on a trike), but still provides plenty of stability. In fact, the bike will roll and balance on its own for a few moments before toppling over.

Hydration should be your rider’s No. 1 priority. As we exercise, we radiate heat and sweat, sometimes leading to headaches and stomach pain from dehydration. Always keep a water bottle handy and encourage frequent water breaks. The saddle is also very hard and the footrest with a built-in foot brake seems an odd pairing. It seems unlikely a child will use a foot brake and the integrated brake means it cannot be used as a footrest. Even if older children do have the coordination to use a foot brake, moving the brake away from the hands, where it undoubtedly will be on their next bike, to the feet, will do little more than cause extra confusion when adapting to pedalling on a standard bike.

Overall Take

The worst part about being a small biker is that hard metal frames can hurt, especially the handlebar. We also like the bike for indoor riding for toddlers of all ages thanks to non-marking rubber wheels. On the other hand, it is not the ideal bike for outdoor or more agressive riding. It is better used as a learning tool and a toy rather than as a real bike. Review in a Nutshell The adjustable seat is a great feature for growing toddlers. However, the maximum seat height is 15.7 inches, which most parents deem small for a 4-year-old and certainly not high enough for the advertised maximum age of 5. Toy-esque bikes will provide all the fun and balance-developing challenges your child will ever need. However, durability is unlikely to match that of the bike with more traditional and serviceable parts.

Once your child has mastered the double wheels, you can remove one of the wheels to make it a more traditional style balance bike. Perfect For Indoor and Gym Play Plastic bikes are generally less durable (there are exceptions) but they’re typically lighter as well, making them easier for the child to use. They’re also cheaper than most other materials. There are obvious concerns over a plastic bike’s environmental impact. That said, some plastic bikes are amongst the most durable on the market. More on this later. Learning to ride a bicycle is an essential part of childhood. Bike-riding helps kids learn motor skills that are crucial as they develop and eventually begin to play sports, drive vehicles or operate machinery. Plus, the activity allows youngsters to travel independently, visiting friends and neighbors as they please. The Hotwalk Carbon saddle nose tilts down while most other balance bikes’ tilt up. It also has a neat handle built into the underside of the saddle for when the adult is left carrying the bike.It’s also important to understand the fit of the balance bike you’re purchasing. If purchasing online, be sure to measure the balance bike rider to ensure proper fit. Balance bike frames are typically manufactured with steel, alloy, wood, plastic, and even carbon fibre. While steel is the most robust of these materials – an important factor in withstanding the rigours of playtime – steel bikes will be amongst the heaviest options and typically sit at the pricier end of the spectrum. Steel bikes are also prone to rust if left outside or uncared for. So what is too heavy? From experience, I would suggest any bike in the 3-4 kg (6.6-8.8 pound) range will be a good weight for most children. In percentage terms aim for a bike somewhere between 20-25% of your child’s weight. The lighter the better, but less than 3 kg (6.6 lbs) usually comes with an increased price or decreased spec level. More on this later. Other drop-bar balance bikes are available. There is the Early Rider Road Runner. At 3.6 kg and with pneumatic tyres, the Road Runner seemingly makes for a much better bike. It also looks much better, has a proper headset, classic-looking saddle, wrapped bar tape, and a turning limiter (should you want one). However, it is more than twice the price of the Fixie and discontinued.