Hudora Bikey Balance Bicycle

taung

Tesco Dundrum are selling Hudora Bikey Balance Bicycles at the moment for €35. The build quality isn't great, but it's good enough for the price. These types of bikes are great for getting kids onto a real bike without the need for stabilisers. Get them while they last....

More details here (note that the description is wrong, it has no mudguards, no brakes and no pneumatic tyres). This bike is actually more expensive in Tesco UK! That doesn't happen too often.

Hogzy

Eh, is it meant to have no pedals!

taung

Hogzy wrote: »

Eh, is it meant to have no pedals!

Yeah, it's a "balance" bike, designed to develop a kids sense of balance and get them on to real (pedal) bikes, without the need for stabilisers, quickly.

quenching

If you're going to buy your kids a balance bike then get a proper one, these are very poor quality. If you want your child to enjoy learning to cycle then get them a proper bike.

They may be cheap but these are NOT a bargain. There is a difference!

phasers

How does this work exactly? You can't learn to balance with no pedals.

Hogzy

phasers wrote: »

How does this work exactly? You can't learn to balance with no pedals.

Yeah thats what id have thought, TBH i dont see why someone would buy this when your going to have to buy a bike at a later stage anyway.

quenching

Balance bikes are by far the best way to learn how to control a bicycle, balancing is that hard bit, once you mastered that the pedaling part takes 10 minutes. BUT the one above is rubbish, buy a Likeabike Jumper instead. A lot more expensive but a beautifully built bike that your child will love riding, and you sell'll it on easily afterwards. BTW, I've no vested interest in Likeabikes other than having bought 2 in the past.

greenasil

I agree with Quenching. A balance bike is a brilliant way for very small kids to begin developing balance and enjoy riding a bike. They are a much better choice for motor development than any of the plastic car/bike/truck toys that I see so many kids sitting on.
Here is a site that offers a good look at the concept and the variety of choices available: http://www.balancebikes.org.uk/index.htm

Raiser

God - What are we raising these days? €150 for a bike with no pedals?

- My Dad just promised not to leave go on a patch of grass on a hand-me-down bike and then broke his promise once I had enough momentum to keep going under my own steam, by the time I noticed I was cycling and the job was done.

- It helped that I had pedals too :P

taung

Raiser wrote: »

God - What are we raising these days? €150 for a bike with no pedals?

- My Dad just promised not to leave go on a patch of grass on a hand-me-down bike and then broke his promise once I had enough momentum to keep going under my own steam, by the time I noticed I was cycling and the job was done.

- It helped that I had pedals too :P

What age were you when you learnt to cycle like this?

taung

These Hudora balance bikes didn't last long in Tesco Dundrum, they're all sold out now......

johnny_adidas

after months and months of practice, I came across balance bikes online. Our lad was 3 at the time, however i just removed the pedals and lowered the saddle on his bike, two weeks later, put them back on and he was cycling perfectly with no stabilisers
dont know why you need a fancy €150 bike to do that, Id personally pay the €35 for a dedicated balance bike as some kids bikes cannot have the pedal arms removed easily (ours couldnt) which can cause them to snag in pant legs (when the pedals are removed). Plus if our experience was anything to go by, they wont need the balance bike for very long

taung

johnny_adidas wrote: »

after months and months of practice, I came across balance bikes online. Our lad was 3 at the time, however i just removed the pedals and lowered the saddle on his bike, two weeks later, put them back on and he was cycling perfectly with no stabilisers
dont know why you need a fancy €150 bike to do that, Id personally pay the €35 for a dedicated balance bike as some kids bikes cannot have the pedal arms removed easily (ours couldnt) which can cause them to snag in pant legs (when the pedals are removed). Plus if our experience was anything to go by, they wont need the balance bike for very long

Aye, €150 is a bit much for a balance bike that, by its' nature, will only be used for a short period of time. So, unless you're planning a "Waltons" size family or believe there's a good second hand market for LikeABike's then I'd stick with the cheaper option.

quenching

taung wrote: »

Aye, €150 is a bit much for a balance bike that, by its' nature, will only be used for a short period of time. So, unless you're planning a "Waltons" size family or believe there's a good second hand market for LikeABike's then I'd stick with the cheaper option.

I stand by what I said above, they can be used from about 2 years of age for about 2/3 years. You won't find a pedal bike to fit a 2 or 3 year old properly, and most that fit 4 year olds weigh a ton, a Likeabike weighs 3.5kgs so can be easily picked up by small children.

You get what you pay for with bikes (within reason) so by all means buy a cheap version of any bike. Nobody will enjoy riding it, it'll break quickly and end up in a skip. Buy a good one and it will be a pleasure to use, get used a lot more, and you'll sell it for a decent price after a few years. Both mine were riding pedal bikes by their 4 birthdays, neither ever needed stabilisers.

Andrew33

Raiser wrote: »

God - What are we raising these days? €150 for a bike with no pedals?

- My Dad just promised not to leave go on a patch of grass on a hand-me-down bike and then broke his promise once I had enough momentum to keep going under my own steam, by the time I noticed I was cycling and the job was done.

- It helped that I had pedals too :P

And that's the way I learned too, and its the way I taught my daughter, and its the way the vast majority of people I know learned themselves/taught their kids.
Hahahaha, you've got to hand it to the marketing people, getting suckers to buy bikes with no pedals and then have to go buy a real bike too!
There really is "one born every minute"

If you really want one of these, there is a handmade(beautifully made) wooden pushalong bike (made here in Eire AFAIK) which can also be rebuilt as a trike or go-kart(I think). Don't know the name of it though.

Andrew33

All the fcukin' yummy mummy's are very quiet down the back! yiz don't like the truth.

quenching

Andrew33 wrote: »

All the fcukin' yummy mummy's are very quiet down the back! yiz don't like the truth.

No, just can't be bothered dealing with an attitude like yours.

Hogzy

quenching wrote: »

No, just can't be bothered dealing with an attitude like yours.

In fairness though he does make a valid point. These bikes seem a bit unnecessary. I, aswell as the majority and probably yourself learned the ol'fashioned way and iv got perfect balance on my bike and did so throughout my early years too.

quenching

Hogzy wrote: »

In fairness though he does make a valid point. These bikes seem a bit unnecessary. I, aswell as the majority and probably yourself learned the ol'fashioned way and iv got perfect balance on my bike and did so throughout my early years too.

He could make it in a more mannerly way though, I'm not interested in debating anything with people like that, they're just not worth it.

The "old fashioned way" was balance bikes to start with, mind you that was before they had actually invented pedals and you had no choice in the matter. If you've ever seen 2/3 year olds flying around on balance bikes you'd understand the benefits.

redman

Nimble Fingers sell the Wooden proper balance bike for €59, real quality and solid.

http://www.nimblefingers.ie/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=56&zenid=b25ae5754962588b2eb31af3dbfc3978

Nabber

I don't see the point in these bikes either.

What's wrong with just holding the back of the saddle to train your kids? Everyone remembers when they were thought how to cycle. These seem like a bike were you distance yourself from the learning. I'm sure the people using these are the ones also saying 'Children need independence'...

I wont buy one of these because teaching my son how to cycle is something I am looking forward too. I wont be buying him a car when he is 18 without any pedals either