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10 Best Balance Bikes: 2017
Our Top Balance Bike Picks For Every Kid and Every Budget
With hundreds of balance bikes on the market, finding the perfect bike for your child can be a challenge. Not only are balance bikes not one-size-fits-all, there are many different features on balance bikes to consider – things like tire type, weight, turning limiters, and brakes. To make it super easy for you, we’ve outlined our top 10 balance bikes, why we love them, and why you will too!
Top 10 Balance Bike Picks
| Bike | Why We Love It | MSRP |
| WOOM 1 | Best Overall | $199 |
| Yedoo Too Too | Best for Lightweights | $160 |
| Ridgeback Scoot XL | Best for Older/Taller Kids | $209 |
| Radio Flyer Glide & Go Air | Best Budget Bike | $59 |
| Strider Sport | Best Universal Fit | $110 |
| Islabikes Rothan | Best for Timid Riders | $239 |
| Cruzee | Best Color Options | $149 |
| Early Rider Classic | Best Wooden Bike | $160 |
| Stampede Charger | Best Bang for Your Buck | $140 |
| Toot Scoot | Best Pre-Balance Bike | $75 |
1. WOOM1: Best Overall, $199
WOOM1: $199, View on WOOM’s website
Perfection from top to bottom, WOOM1 creates a smooth, easy ride for young toddlers with a winning combination of a lightweight, extremely low step-through frame, a low minimum seat height, extra-cushioned air tires, and an easy-to-use handbrake. Its taller handlebars place riders in a natural, upright position with their weight centered over their hips, helping kids feel less hesitant about balancing. As an added bonus, the WOOM1 is available in 5 colors!
FITS KIDS: In clothes sized 18-months to transitioning to 3T, weighing at least 26 lbs.
FEATURES: Air tires, hand brake and turning limiter
FULL REVIEW: WOOM1
| PROS | CONS |
| Natural upright body position and easy to balance | Compared to other brands, the WOOM1 doesn’t offer a great range of seat heights |
| Wider 12" air tires provide better cushioning than traditional 12" air tires | |
| Low step through makes it easy to get on and off | |
| One of the lightest balance bikes with air tires and a hand brake on the market (just 7.9 lbs!) | |
| High end components |
2. Yedoo Too Too: Best for Lightweights, $160
Yedoo Too Too: $160, View on Amazon
Quick, nimble, and lightweight even with air tires, the Yedoo Too Too is an exceptional buy for younger or lighter-weight toddlers who don’t want to sacrifice the performance of air tires for lighter weight foam tires. With 6″ of adjustable seat height, this is a great bike for lightweight kids to grow with. Once your child needs the seat height set to 17″ or 18″, most other balance bikes will be much heavier. And at $160, it’s a more affordable buy for many parents.
FITS KIDS: Younger or lighter-weight toddlers in clothes sized 24T to small 4T, weighing at least 27 lbs.
FEATURES: Air tires, hand brake and turning limiter
FULL REVIEW: Yedoo Too Too
| PROS | CONS |
| A lightweight balance bike with air tires and a hand brake (just 8.2 lbs!) | Exposed bolts can potentially scratch legs |
| 12″ to 18″ seat height range allows plenty of room for growth | |
| Padded saddle |
3. Ridgeback Scoot XL: Best for Older/Taller Kids, $209
Ridgeback Scoot XL: $209, View on Wee Bike Shop
Ridgeback Scoot XL is the perfect sized bike for older preschoolers or grade schoolers who have yet to learn how to ride a pedal bike. The Scoot XL is geared towards kids aged 4 to 8 who have no biking experience at all, who have only used training wheels (and can’t get rid of them), or who have outgrown their small balance bike but don’t yet have the desire or confidence to move up to a pedal bike.
FITS KIDS: Older kids in size 4 – 8 clothes, weighing at least 40 lbs.
FEATURES: Air tires, hand brake
FULL REVIEW: Ridgeback Scoot XL
| PROS | CONS |
| 14" tires perfect size for age group target | Heavy for lighter-weight kids |
| Wide, stable handlebars | Exposed bolts can potentially scratch legs |
| Long wheelbase for stability and room for growth | |
| 6" of seat height adjustability |
4. Radio Flyer Glide & Go with Air: Best Budget Bike, $59
Radio Flyer Glide & Go with Air: $59, View on Amazon
A well-designed frame for the price, the Radio Flyer has a longer wheelbase, making it more stable than other budget balance bikes. And with air tires for added traction and cushioning, the Glide & Go is a deal for budget-minded families. Just keep in mind that while we think the design is great, this isn’t a bike that’s going to last you for generations.
FITS KIDS: In size 2T to 4T pants weighing at least 22 lbs.
FEATURES: Air tires
| PROS | CONS |
| Air tires on a budget bike are rare! | As with all budget bikes, it's not as durable as the other bikes we recommend |
| Surprisingly good design for the price | |
| Quick release seat post clamp |
5. Strider Sport: Best Universal Fit, $110
Strider Sport: $110, View on Amazon
Built on a well-designed frame, the Strider is easily adaptable to fit a wide range of age groups. With an optional extended seat post and optional extra-long handlebars, we’ve had the best luck with Strider at accommodating kids of various sizes. For a decent price point, the Strider is a quality bike that fits light kids, heavy kids, tall kids, short kids – you generally can’t go wrong with a Strider.
FITS KIDS: 18 months to 4-years-old, weighing at least 21 lbs. (Strider Classic only recommended until 3-years-old due to shorter seat post.)
FEATURES: Foam tires, optional hand brake
FULL REVIEW: Strider Sport
| PROS | CONS |
| Adjustable to to fit ages 18 months to 4 years old! | Foam tires provide minimal traction and no cushioning - not ideal for non-paved surfaces |
| Lightweight and easy to maneuver | Exposed bolts can potentially scratch legs |
| Foam tires never go flat and are maintenance free |
6. Islabikes Rothan: Best for Timid Riders, $239
Islabikes Rothan: $239, View on Islabikes.com
Lightweight, with a low-step through frame that perfectly balances to maintain an upright position, the Rothan works wonders on timid kids. The ergonomic seat provides kids support while preventing them from slipping off and the narrow handlebars allow them to comfortably hold tight with little strain on their small hands.
FITS KIDS: 18-months-old to transitioning to 3T clothes, weighing at least 25 lbs.
FEATURES: Air tires, hand brake, turning limiter
FULL REVIEW: Islabikes Rothan
| PROS | CONS |
| Low step-through frame allows toddlers to easily get on and off | Fixed height handlebars |
| Padded, saddle-shaped seat prevents kids from slipping off | Doesn't have a quick release lever for seat height adjustments |
| Lightweight, yet durable aluminum frame | |
| Incredibly easy to balance |
7. Cruzee: Best Color Options, $149
Cruzee: $149, View on Amazon
Ridiculously light and beautifully crafted, the Cruzee balance bike truly stands out from the crowd. With its sparkling anodized aluminum frame (rust-proof!), multiple safety features, and ultra-lightweight frame, the Cruzee is an excellent starter bike for the youngest and lightest riders. Heavier kids may enjoy riding a more substantial frame. Available in 9 different colors!
FITS KIDS: In clothes sized 18-months to 4T, weighing at least 15 lbs.
FEATURES: Foam tires
FULL REVIEW: Cruzee
| PROS | CONS |
| The lightest weight balance bike on the market! Less than 5 lbs. | Anodized aluminum scratches easily |
| Foam tires will never go flat and are maintenance free | Foam tires don't provide the cushioning and traction of air tires |
| Narrower handlebars make it great for younger or petite riders | |
| Rounded edges to protect hands, arms and legs from injury |
8. Early Rider Classic: Best Wooden Bike, $160
Early Rider Classic: $160, View on Amazon
Built to last and engineered for fun, the Early Rider Classic looks as good as it performs. Its 14″ tires in the front and 12″ in the back make for a smooth, fast ride and truly unique look. While most wood bikes are made out of standard wood, the Early Rider Classic is made from high-quality, water and weather proof, marine-grade birch – meaning, people literally make boats out of this stuff!
FITS KIDS: Fits kids in 24M months to 3T, weighing at least 35 lbs.
FEATURES: Air tires, turning limiter
| PROS | CONS |
| Cream of crop of wood bikes | Tools needed to adjust seat |
| Environmentally friendly | Handlebar is not height-adjustable |
| Wider and thicker air tires provide more cushioning | |
| Top-notch sealed bearings for smoother wheel rotation |
The best bang-for-your-buck, the Stampede Bikes Charger 12″ is a rugged and nimble, go-anywhere balance bike that packs a lot of punch into its small price tag. For a surprisingly low price, you get an extremely durable frame (literally we ran over this bike twice and the bike frame didn’t bend!), air tires, brakes, and phenomenal customer service. In addition to everyday neighborhood rides, the Charger’s wider tires and handlebars make it suitable for basic trail riding.
FITS KIDS: In at least 24M clothes weighing at least 36 lb.
FEATURES: Air tires, hand brake and turning limiter
FULL REVIEW:Stampede Charger 12″
| PROS | CONS |
| Wider 12" tires provide better cushioning and are great for packed dirt trails | Taller minimum height of handlebars not ideal for petite riders |
| Wide handlebars provide more control for steering | Wider saddle not ideal for narrow-framed riders |
| Height adjustable and tiltable handlebars | |
| Extremely durable frame |
The TootScoot is the perfect pint-sized bike for young toddlers with a need for speed. Significantly smaller and with wider tires than a standard sized balance bike, the TootScoot is an amazing pre-balance bike for on-the-go toddlers as young as 12 months old (as long as they are steady walkers)!
FITS KIDS: 12 months to 3-years-old, weighing at least 20 lbs.
FULL REVIEW: Toot Scoot
| PROS | CONS |
| Wide, stable tires | Can be heavy for petite toddlers |
| Small minimum seat height | Too wide for really narrow frames |
| Easy transition to a standard-sized balance bike |
More detailed information about how to choose a balance bike can be found on our Balance Bikes: How to Choose page. For a comparison chart of over 50 balance bikes, please view our Balance Bikes: Comparison Charts and Ratings page.
By: Carrie Wren
Last Updated: June 19, 2017
