Balance Bikes are designed to be the best way for toddlers to learn to ride by teaching balance first. As leaders in the balance bike industry, Strider knows balance is key to almost every physical sport and activity. Kids need to be active daily and balance plays a big role in the development of our children. People of all ages and abilities can benefit from developing their balance.

When balance is mastered, transitioning to a bicycle with pedals is easy. A child needs to experience the feel of leaning and how steering affects the balance of the bike. A Strider Balance Bike is lightweight and breaks riding down into simple steps, inspiring confidence for a child who has only been walking for a short time. If your child can walk, they can ride a Strider!

When learning to ride, a child must be allowed to experience the feel of leaning and how steering affects the balance of the bike. When a child learns to ride without leaning, such as on a tricycle or bike with training wheels, they aren't really learning to ride at all! By starting out on a balance bike, your child will develop balance, coordination, and confidence! When the fundamentals of balance and steering are mastered, transitioning to a bicycle with pedals is straightforward.

A balance bike is simply the best way for a child to learn balance and learn to ride a bike! From toddlers and young children to adults to those with special needs, there is a Strider balance bike to get them on two wheels.

Balance is the most important skill for riding a bike and training wheels create a false sense of security. Training wheels are often unstable and are meant to never touch the ground at the same time, causing a child to tilt to one side or the other in order to feel stable with the bike holding them up.

When a child is ready to transition from training wheels to a pedal bike, they have to go back to square one and learn balance. Pedaling is the easy part and typically takes a child just minutes to learn, while balance is a skill that can be developed throughout an entire lifetime.

The lightweight 12” Strider teaches riding basics to the littlest riders to develop balance, coordination, steering, riding skills and, most importantly- their confidence.

Transitioning to a pedal bike before they are ready for that extra weight and size is detrimental for a child’s overall riding success. In addition, the Strider 12 ground clearance may be perfect for short legs, but doesn’t allow room for pedals. With that being said, the only bikes we offer with attachable pedals are the Strider 14x for ages 3–7 and the Strider 20x Sport for ages 8 through adulthood.

The Strider 20x model breaks down the overwhelming task of learning how to ride a bike into a safe and natural progression. It was designed as an inclusive learn-to-ride tool for people with cognitive, developmental, or physical disabilities, but it can also serve those who simply didn’t learn to ride as a young child and find the prospect of doing so as an adult difficult or intimidating. The 20x Sport’s low stand-over-height gives it a low center of gravity, making it ultra-stable to teach balance first. An optional Pedal Kit can be attached once the rider can balance proficiently.

While the Classic is our entry-level budget-friendly model, the Sport is what we typically suggest purchasing.

The Sport comes with an XL Seatpost making the age range 18 months to 5 years old vs the Classic 18 months to 3 years old. The Sport features upgraded build-in performance footrests, while the Classic has integrated footrests on the frame.

The Sport has a handlebar pad and mini grips, while the Classic does not have a pad, and has standard grips. Finally, the Sport features no-tool assembly and allows for easy adjustment on the height for a growing child, while the Classic requires a tool for assembly and to raise and lower the handlebars

If that isn’t enough and you’re looking for even more awesome features, check out the All-Aluminum Strider Pro or the best-of-the-best Carbon Strider STR.

Great question. So many options! We offer several different models for kiddos ages 6 months – all the way up to adults.

Strider Bikes are available in 12″, 14″, and 20″ models (the number refers to wheel diameter in inches). The best way to determine which size and/or model is right for your kiddo is to go by their inseam. (Check out our Size & Fit Guide).

12 Sport 2-in-1 Rocking Bike – Built for babies looking for fun and freedom. This is the perfect way to introduce a bike to your child. (6 months – 5 years)

12 Pro 2-in-1 Rocking Bike – An all-aluminum frame meets a rocking good time. Perfect for future racers and high-performance fans. (6 months – 5 years)

12 Classic – Don’t let its modesty fool you. The Strider Classic is a skill-building, confidence-building, budget-friendly model. (Ages 18 months to 3 years)

12 Sport – Looking for more features than you can shake a stick at? Meet the bike that set the world on fire. It’s our most popular model for a reason. (Ages 18 months to 5 years)

12 Pro – Performance meets perfection with the Pro’s all-aluminum frame. This is our high-end model and race-ready right out of the box. (Ages 18 months to 5 years)

Strider STR – If Luxury and Performance got together and decided to create the pinnacle of what a Strider 12 Bike should be, they’d make the Strider ST-R. Sleek? Yes. Elegant? Double yes. Lightweight? Triple yes. Totally, incredibly, jaw-dropping, head-turning, amazingness on two wheels? A gajillion times yes.

14x – Instant riding success? Yeah, we went there. The 14x starts off as a balance bike and, with a little help from the Easy-Ride Pedal Conversion Kit, transforms into their very first pedal bike. This is the best bike for those younglings making the transition to pedals. (Ages 3 to 7 years)

20x Sport – Riding a bike is a life changing, magical, and revolutionary skill that belongs to everyone. The highly adjustable 20x Sport is an inclusive, pedal conversion bike and the perfect learn-to-ride tool for ages 8 through adulthood. The Strider scientists have gone above and beyond once again, by making a bigger bike for people who might need some extra help.

If their inseam happens to fall into more than one bike option, the Bike Picker page might help you decide!

Children put their feet on the ground and push, just like Fred Flintstone.

Toddlers’ legs are strongest when used this way, rather than trying to pedal really short cranks. They are actually faster and more capable of dealing with uneven terrain and inclines on a Strider Balance Bike than a pedal bike.

Stopping is just as easy as starting; they just put their feet down. For young riders, success requires simplicity. That’s what we strive to do: Keep It Simple.

We get this question all the time. The tires on all Strider 12″ models (Classic, Sport, and Pro) are made of an EVA polymer, which provides two key benefits. First, they’re extremely lightweight for easy control. Seriously, these puppies are half the weight of an air-filled tire and inner tube. Second, and parents love this part, they require NO MAINTENANCE. They will NEVER go flat and never need to be checked; just grab and go!

Tires on the Strider 14x and 20x Sport are normal bike tires that will require air to stay properly inflated. You can find information on the proper inflation PSI on the side of every Strider tire.

We include any tools you’ll need as well a visual assembly guide in the box, but if you want a little more detail, we also have quick video tutorials for our bikes and accessories.

Check out our Assembly Guide videos.

Proper seat height should have the child sitting on the saddle, with feet flat on the ground, with a slight bend in the knees. For long-distance striding on smooth surfaces, you can raise this slightly. For obstacles, tricks, and off-road riding, the saddle should be adjusted for slightly more bend in the knees. Strider offers two different length seatposts – 220 mm (8.66 in.) and 305 mm (12.0 in.). Older/taller riders will benefit by using the XL seatpost.

Handlebar height should be at the lowest setting for children 6 – 24 months old, mid-height for 36 – 48 months old, and at the highest setting for 48+ months old. Typically, you want the handlebars to be about mid-torso. For older/bigger kids that still love their Striders but are getting too big, we also offer our XL Handlebar.

We include any tools you’ll need as well a visual assembly guide in the box, but if you want a little more detail, we also have quick video tutorials for our bikes and accessories.