Balance Bikes
Browse used balance bikes for sale from riders across the UK. Balance bikes have no pedals, no cranks and usually no chain, so a child aged roughly 18 months to four years learns to steer and balance by pushing along with their feet. The measure that matters is minimum saddle height, typically 28cm to 35cm, which needs to sit below the child's inside leg so they can put both feet flat on the ground.
What is a balance bike and how do I pick one?
A balance bike is a small frame on two wheels, most often 10" or 12", with a saddle low enough for a child to walk it along. The main choice is material: wooden frames are light and cheap but have limited saddle adjustment and no bearings to service, while alloy frames such as the Frog Tadpole or Islabikes Rothan have proper headset bearings, air tyres and a seatpost that extends far enough to last two or three years. Air tyres roll over grass and gravel; foam tyres never puncture but skid on wet tarmac.
Balance bike or a 12" bike with stabilisers?
They teach different things. A balance bike teaches balance first and pedalling later, and children who start on one usually skip stabilisers altogether. A 12" bike has cranks and a chain, so it is heavier and the child must learn steering, balance and pedalling at once. Most families move from a balance bike straight to a 14" bike at around four, though a 12" is the step for smaller children.
What should I check on a used balance bike?
Spin each wheel and feel for grinding in the hub bearings, since balance bikes get dragged through sand and puddles at ankle height. Check the headset for knocking by holding the front brake, if fitted, or rocking the bars fore and aft. On wooden frames, look for delamination around the head tube and axle slots where damp has got in. Foam tyres tear at the sidewall and cannot be repaired; air tyres are cheap to replace. Confirm the seatpost is not seized and that the quick-release clamp still grips, as that is what buys you a second year of use.
What is a fair price for a used balance bike?
Wooden and supermarket balance bikes lose most of their value quickly and change hands for very little, because the outlay was small and the child outgrew it in a year. Alloy bikes like the Rothan, Tadpole or Strider Sport hold value well and often sell for over half the new price, which is still worth paying for the lower weight. Buy new if you cannot find one with enough seatpost range for your child, since a bike they outgrow in six months is no saving. Compare against the rest of the kids' complete bikes before deciding.