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. Plus, once they master it, they’re well on their way to riding their first pedal bike. Our experts advise that learning to ride a bike has changed over the years (no more training wheels) and balance biking is the first step. Once they can balance, they learn to use a hand brake and, finally, learn to pedal, skipping training wheels altogether. However, if you ride in an area with many hills, you’ll probably appreciate a little pedal assist occasionally. Fancy carbon frames and sport-specific builds can often make them pricier than other categories of e-bikes.
If our top pick is sold out, or if you want the cushioning and traction of rubber tires, particularly for indoor riding, REI’s Co-op Cycles REV 12 Kids’ Balance Bike is an excellent choice. The clean welds, flawless paint job, and precisely fitted huffy mountain bike componentry create a bike as high in quality as REI’s famous customer support. The front load stem combines with the oversized handlebar for responsive handling while the Huffy-branded Kraton grips keep you comfortable – even on long rides.
Our least favorite part of the 700 Series was the extra time and effort we put into the assembly. This bike comes less assembled than others we’ve tested, and all the additional features take longer to assemble during the initial unboxing. However, this is a one-time task, so we wouldn’t base our final purchase decision on this factor. Also, its above-average weight means it doesn’t feel the most nimble, huffy mountain bike but we found it easily maneuverable in most situations. Ultimately, we were impressed by the power, range, comfort, smooth ride, and included features of the 700-Series, not to mention the competitive price. 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.
They were skeptical that balance bikes will ever go as mainstream as training-wheel–equipped bikes. To Sawyers, whose two kids gravitated toward trikes and scooters, it makes little sense to start a kid out on an expensive balance bike when the child might not even want to ride it. This point, however, is disputed by John Bradley, who said that, just like an adult, a child will be more likely to want to ride a lightweight, high-quality bike (which proved true among our testers).
If you are a commuter rider, the upright riding position also allows you to see more of the situation and ensures a safe ride on the road. Swept-back handles also allow the body to maintain a comfortable riding position unconsciously. Bike testers at GearLab started with mountain bikes in 2017 and have since branched out to include over huffy beach cruiser ten bike categories. In that time, we’ve purchased and extensively tested more than 80 e-bike models across various categories, and we’re constantly on the lookout for the latest and greatest e-bikes to test and compare. With huffy electric bike more than 1,000 bikes and bike-related products, we’ve had a little taste of it all.