Though the bars can only be raised about 2 inches via the stem (compared with nearly 5 inches for the Strider), angling the bar upward provides an additional half inch of height. The bars are not quite an inch wider in diameter than those on the Strider with about a 3-inch grip, but they’re definitely still kid-size. A properly fitted balance bike can enable children to balance on two wheels with astonishing speed even as young as 18 months and is a fun first step toward learning to ride a bike.
It’s made with a steel frame and steel suspension to deliver one smooth ride after the next. It’s also equipped with a Shimano 18-speed derailleur and front and rear brakes to give you maximum control and comfort. Specialized’s Hotwalk is a solid bike, huffy mountain bike but for $175 it offered no hand brake, and the boys’ version had an unnecessarily high top tube. The Woom’s beautifully cast aluminum forks are attached to a unique steering limiter, which is little more than a strap and a thick O-ring bushing.
An included Allen wrench removes the single Allen bolt that secures the footrest. That same Allen bolt then attaches the pre-built sprocket assembly, which also comes complete with a correct-length loop of chain. Unlike most bikes, the 14x Sport’s rear fork/chainstay is designed with a tight inward angle at the front sprocket that allows the chain to be fixed in place without even removing the rear wheel—a brilliant modification.
After all this—and after consulting with fellow parents and industry professionals—we’re judging the Strider 12 Sport as the best balance bike for most kids (and their parents). If you’d like higher gear ratios, it is not expensive to swap a casette or freehub. Probably, I would guess, these mountain bikes have thread-on freehubs that remove with a FR-1 tool (which should cost under $10, and needs a big wrench to go with it). A new freewheel hub costs about $20 to $30, and gives you an opportunity to increase the gear ratios. Regarding the bikes in the garage which needs brakes, seats, tires and possibly gears; those are not very expensive items.
Modern V- and disc-style hand brakes are superior because they allow a child to stop with the pedals in any position—potentially important in an emergency stop situation. The 14x’s closest competition, the hybrid LittleBig, which is manufactured in Ireland, sells its 3-in-1 model as a hand brake–equipped balance bike and offers its freewheel pedal/sprocket assembly as a stand-alone option. In the US, North Carolina’s Glide Bikes does the same thing with its 12-inch huffy cranbrook Mini-Glider. The 14x Sports sold in non-US markets (keeping up with international bike standards) will, in fact, feature a freewheel and linear-pull hand brakes. Like the Strider 12 Sport, the REV 12 features a very low step-in height of 8 inches—a key aspect for a balance bike—and its seat height is adjustable between a very respectable 13.5 and 18.5 inches. The seat also has a neat little “grab handle” at the back for when the grown-ups need to give it a lift.