- Balance bicycle
A balance bicycle ("balance bike", "run bike") is a training
bicycle that helps the rider learn balance and steering. It has no pedals, no crankset and chain, and notraining wheels . It can be a normal bicycle with pedals and related parts removed, or it can be purpose-built (especially for very small children, for whom normal bicycles are generally not available). It can have nobrake , or it can have one or two hand-activated rim brakes.To function properly, a balance bicycle must be small enough that the rider can
walk the bicycle while sitting comfortably in the saddle, putting both feet flat on the ground. The rider first walks the bicycle while standing over the saddle, then while sitting in the saddle. Eventually, the rider feels comfortable enough to run and "scoot" while riding the bicycle, then to lift both feet off the ground and cruise while balancing on the two wheels.Children as young as 18 months can learn to cruise a balance bicycle within a few hours' practice.Fact|date=March 2008
With a balance bicycle, the rider learns balance first, pedal last. In contrast, with a normal bicycle fitted with training wheels, the rider learns pedal first, balance last. Although opinions differ regarding which learning sequence is easier for most ridersFact|date=March 2008, it is generally agreed that a bicycle with pedals is too difficult for most very young childrenFact|date=March 2008 and that training wheels may encourage the rider to learn some behaviors which later must be unlearned.Fact|date=March 2008
ee also
*
Velocipede
*Dandy horse
*Draisine
*Mechanical equilibrium
*Countersteering External links
* [http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddjs5xgd_139hpqpfb List of commercial brands of balance bicycles]
* [http://www.baxterandfriends.co.uk/like-a-bike-buyers-guide Buyer's guide]Video clips
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr2sAj1f40k preschooler learning to cruise a balance bicycle on a smooth open ramp]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZKiuZhplYk toddler, an accomplished rider, cruising on turns around obstacles]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtj-m9MJe5E preschoolers riding balance bikes together]
* [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qJk8BN6ShLk and how to stop quickly...]
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