# Minimum age for Strider or Hotwalk?



## 86Sierra (Apr 5, 2007)

I'm thinking of getting a Strider bike or Specialized Hotwalk for my son's first birthday in a couple of weeks. When have you started a child on these pedal-less bikes?

My son's probably not quite ready for it, but maybe would start to use it later this summer. He is not quite walking yet on his own He does stand and walk very well while holding onto some of his toys. He is also large for his age and seems to be strong.

I'm thinking of getting one of these bikes and seeing if he's interested once he starts walking. What are your experiences?


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## autoduel (Feb 2, 2004)

Probably 2. My son was 18mo when I got him a hotwalk and he couldn't reach the ground.
I ended up zip-tying a seat to the frame instead of using the stock seat/seatpost.
The strider seat can adjust much lower.
He's 27 months now and is riding it with training wheels.


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

My daughter is only really tall enough for her Kinderbike this year, and she's 3. But she's TINY- still fits into some 18mo pants! I'd say get one and have it hanging around waiting for whenever he grows into it because they'll never ride what isn't there. When he's ready he'll probably be all over it.

Side note: pick up a helmet too. Kids love looking like their parents if nothing else.


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## Demo9 (Nov 20, 2006)

My son was 1 when we bought his Hotwalk. I took the seat off and he pushed it around the house. I also bought a helmet at the same time. I made him wear the helmet whenever he wanted to get on the bike granted he didn't want to wear the helmet at first. So I just left it next to the bike and pretty soon he wanted to put it on. Now he is 2 and he knows whenever he is on his bike he has to wear a helmet. At 19 months he started balancing the bike. Here's a little video.


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## rmccully (Jul 18, 2008)

Demo9 said:


> My son was 1 when we bought his Hotwalk. I took the seat off and he pushed it around the house. I also bought a helmet at the same time. I made him wear the helmet whenever he wanted to get on the bike granted he didn't want to wear the helmet at first. So I just left it next to the bike and pretty soon he wanted to put it on. Now he is 2 and he knows whenever he is on his bike he has to wear a helmet. At 19 months he started balancing the bike. Here's a little video.


Great video. My son is 15mo and has been walking since 11mo. I've been wondering when the right time to get one would be, and based on your video I think now might be a good time. If he doesn't figure it out yet, certainly by this summer he will. We already have a helmet from putting him in a trailer. He hasn't worn it in 6 months, so hopefully it fits.


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## DrewC (Apr 3, 2006)

We bought the Strider for my son at 2 yrs. Within a few weeks we'd walk around the neighborhood with him. Within four months I started dabbling with him at the local open spaces. He's 3.25 now and we do 3-4 mile rides on local singletrack. I definitely like the looks of the Specialized bikes, but can't justify the switch.


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

BTW- anyone else have advice/observations on when they learn to actually glide with the thing instead of just walking w/ it between their legs? My daughter is just big enough for hers this year, but being a VERY cautious kid she's just... well... walking around w/ it between her legs, lol. I guess she's still learning how to steer and likes it well enough to request to get it out frequently if nothing else.


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## traffic002 (Dec 16, 2008)

My daughter is 2.5 y/o. On the small side. She's just barely tall enough to walk with the bike between her legs.

I've seen lots of kids "click" with lots of things at age 3. My son was able work his Powerwheel all of a sudden. I got him the like a bike closer to 4 so first day on it, he was flying. But I saw a 3y/o on one and that's how I started my research.


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## mbmb65 (Jan 13, 2004)

I got my son his Strider at 22 mos. That was in dec. and he now regularly rides singletrack by the mile. He's big, but the strider seat goes down really low. He started gliding on it pretty quick in the driveway/yard. They often progress pretty quickly on these things. Very cool to see 'em railing singletrack @ 2!


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## chansen (May 1, 2007)

We bought the Norco Runbike for my daughter at 18 months. She immediately loved it, even if she could barely reach the ground with her toes. We did a few laps of the pool table most winter weekends. She got used to wearing a helmet and is slowly learning to steer away from obstacles, even if I still have to provide the momentum and balance. I expect (hope) she'll start gliding later this summer.

The bike stays inside for now, but it'll become an outdoor bike once her forward progress improves and the cottage basement becomes too small. We have a Chariot trailer if I want to take her on some logging trails, which she loves.

/kids are 'spensive! (but I don't care)


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## Harrier (May 5, 2008)

2 1/2 years was what I read from the like a bike guys - who really started this current trend. They can start at 2 just walking the bike, but you don't really get the fun until they start lifting their feet off the ground and scooting.

There is no rush.


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## traffic002 (Dec 16, 2008)

So our family went to an outdoor outlet mall over Mother's Day. Wife visited some shops while I took the kids around the parameter of the mall to cruise on their scoots. My son, Ryan, is 6 and rides a Redline proline mini, but recently prefers to run around on a Razor (easy to fold and pack in the van anyway.) 

But my daughter, Annalyn, is 2.6 yrs old and has JUST recently started to look stable on the Like-A-Bike. She's a small girl so wasn't until recently that she could actually put her weight on the seat and have enough inseam to push off. But this weekend, it just "clicked" for her and she was actually picking up her feet for a second or two. She especially had fun rolling down the wheelchair ramps.

I can see her getting very stable over the summer and actually covering some distance.


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## Harrier (May 5, 2008)

What I love is that they can keep up with you if you go for a walk and they are on the like a bike - no stroller!


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## traffic002 (Dec 16, 2008)

Harrier said:


> What I love is that they can keep up with you if you go for a walk and they are on the like a bike - no stroller!


Yes, can't wait. My son used the LAB quite a bit. Now I can recycle it for my daughter.

My only gripe about the LAB is filling the tires with air. The slot on the wooden wheel makes using most tire pumps difficult to impossible.

Other than that, the super light weight, steep head angle, and limited lock-to-lock makes learning to glide very easy.


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## Harrier (May 5, 2008)

I got the Like a Bike with solid tires. Don't need inflatable.


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

FYI my previous post about how slow my extremely cautious 3.5yo daughter was progressing has now been completely negated. With warmer weather she's been out playing with her kinderbike every night in front of the house, and she's not only starting to glide on it but last night she decided to hit the driveway ditch with her feet up and ba-bumped right through with a big grin. And much laughter and applause from the parental units of course.  

I have some neoprene wrist warmers a friend made for her that I need to be more insistent she use/husband puts on when she's out there nowadays, because she's starting to cheese-grater her hands on the gravel when she falls down. I'm normally pretty ambivalent about kids getting dinged up while out playing but our gravel has a lot of sharp basalt in it.


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## nynx (Mar 1, 2007)

My kid got his Hotwalk at 18 months. He turns two at the end of July so it's been more or less 3 months and he's actually kicking it along now and digs on coasting down the street. He's probably downhilling in 20 foot stretches without dabbing. He is a huge kid though. He's just shy of my 3.5 year old son. Incidentally Jake had a stroke when another kid had one at a community ride... Didn't want to get off it. Very pleased with the purchase. Now I wish I could go back and start Zack on it. Unfortunately he likes his Hotrock (with training wheels) way too much. Hopefully the Trail-A-Bike will teach him the balance he needs!


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## fatchanceti (Jan 12, 2005)

How low does the seat go on the Hotwalk? The Strider talks about an 11" minimum seat height - is the Hotrock similar?

Thanks


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## edenger (Aug 2, 2006)

Got my son his Strider at 18 months, by 2 he was coasting everywhere, by 2 1/2 he was riding his bike without training weels. 

I say go for it.... get him the bike and push him around on it. I also bet you could fit training wheels on it too.


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## chansen (May 1, 2007)

My daughter is 3 and not that adventurous, and has not yet really used her run bike. She likes her trike, though. She's cautious.  I have to cure her of that somehow.

My son is 14 months, and a different animal. He'll get some use out of the run bike, for sure. Good thing we didn't buy a pink one.


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## HighFlyingMama (Apr 4, 2011)

We bought my son a LikeaBike Forest for his 2nd birthday. he wasn't tall enough for it until just before 2.5. The day he could straddle it, he took off and was riding immediately, balancing within a few days. He LOVED it, rode it until I told him he was too heavy at 5 yrs old, b/c he was going to destroy it with the tricks he did. I put it up for his sister.

At 18 months, his sister desperately wanted to ride it, but she was too short. So, I researched all the bikes. In the end, I bought her a Specialized Hotwalk and removed the seat/post. I took a cheap kids' seat, gutted the reinforcements in the bottom of it, notched its nose and drilled holes in the back sides and front edges. I zip tied it directly to the frame, and she was THRILLED.

At 18 months she started walking with it between her legs. At 20 months, she started running it around, by 22 months, she was balancing it down the little hill on our driveway. Before 2 yrs, she was running it fast enough to balance it herself. Now, she's 25 months and has ridden it on the BMX track, the whole way. She spends, no joke, a few hours per day on her bike. (Ah, the joys of rural life.) 

At 22 months, my leggy girl was tall enough for the LikeaBike. So, she rides both. She has clear preferences for both, depending on what she's doing with them.

Let me get your a standover on the Hotwalk....though mine is 2009 and is a few mm shorter than the 2010. (Not sure on the 2011.)

A lot of the age issue is height, but a lot is attitude. My son wouldn't ride his LaB until he was tall enough to comfortably touch with both feet. My daughter didn't really care, so long as she could get one foot down. Between that and being built like a giraffe, she was able to ride much, much sooner.

I'm preaching to the choir, here, but the balance bikes are amazing. Watching my kids ride with their friends reminds me constantly how much skill and confidence it has given them. Their bikes are an extension of their bodies, where the kids who learned later and with training wheels are still peddling a machine, and frequently fighting to control it, despite the fact that they 'ride well.' At the BMX park, it's REALLY clear which ones started early...not just mine. The kids with balance bikes are all like that.


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## eneloop (Sep 27, 2013)

We just got a Hotwalk for our 3.75 year old and I'm really disappoint the seat height is so limited. Really nicely made bike but the seat cannot go high enough.


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## griffter18 (Jul 3, 2009)

As soon as they can walk, but be patient.
Seat posts can be cut shorter if they don't drop low enough and most are the same diameter as alloy tend poles or tube which can be easily picked up when you need it a nit longer. Best bet is to get a new piece of tube and cut it down to required length rather than cutting original.
Don't push them to lift their feet they will do it in their own time, but do give lots of encouragement and insist they wear a helmet. Once they get the hang of it you can then consider pads & gloves depending on what they are riding.

If you're in the uk many places run classes.
At Manchester this is on the indoor bmx track, and its amazing to watch these kids fly around over some of the bumps & jumps


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

We got one for our little one when she was 20month old, now that she is almost two is starting to glide from time to time..








I guess it helps she has a lot of "Wide wheel/three wheel" toys at her preschool.

Just for fun.


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## XJaredX (Apr 17, 2006)

They can walk on them as soon as they can stand over them, but in my experience, the interest and the "cool stuff" like coasting didn't happen until after 2. 2 1/2 is where my son really started getting into it. It varies though


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## Jordan300 (Jul 26, 2008)

Both my little guys started at 1y/o, they started the actually striding about 2.5y/o. Once they started I have to put the bikes up each time otherwise they try riding them all through the house.


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## griffter18 (Jul 3, 2009)

As stated in post above The National Cycling Centre in Manchester runs regular sessions for strider type bikes. There are no age limits and the coaches actually spend time with each child encouraging them.
Its a great way for kids to ride together and develop skills early. The youngest Ive seen on the track was 1. Obviously parents assist and encourage. At 5 they can progress to pedals on the bmx track using micro-mini bmx's

Heres my 4 yr old having fun





She's tall for her age and we started her with the Hotwalk at 1yr old.
The 12" is now getting a little small for her but she still has fun on it.

I built her a 16" custom Hotrock (http://forums.mtbr.com/families-riding-kids/hotrock-16-build-thank-you-850533.html) for out on the trails and she's now able to ride >8miles of single track with a few breaks.
The practice at the bmx ctr has really paid of with bike handling


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## ProjectMayhem (Aug 23, 2013)

I am a huge fan of balance bikes. My 7 year old got one for his second birthday. It was a big wooden one and he couldn't ride it until he was 2.5 A month before he was 3 he was off on a pedal bike (no stabilisers)

We got one for our littlest for Christmas 6 weeks after he turned one. I did a lot of research to find the smallest and ended up with a Puky LRM Puky kids learner bike LRM Balance childrens bikes UK. We knew he would still be far to small to ride it but kept it around.

He was 18/19 months (and small for his age) by the time he could touch the floor and could balance it. He very quickly learnt to pick up his feet and glide.

Very soon after that he was rolling over dirt jumps and zooming around the skate park. Standing up on his foot plate to glide.

At 22 months he learnt to ride a pedal bike - no stabilisers!

By the age of 2.5 he could to bunnyhop (feet down) jump off kerbs, etc on his balance bike.

He still rides his balance bike a lot and we even got him a second-hand LikeaBike Jumper.

Now a couple of months before he turns 3 he is awesome on dirt jumps, pumps tracks etc. He is teaching himself new tricks, his latest are standing on his saddle and gliding, and standing on his footpegs and bouncing the back wheel up and down - must get some pictures!

He is also really good on his pedal bike - has been standing up to pedal since just after he was two. Happily rolls over ramps/dirt jumps. Likes to hang off the back of the bike and mess around. Looks so natural on a bike. Struggles up hills though!


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## ProjectMayhem (Aug 23, 2013)

griffter - that is a great video. I was tempted to take our littlest to the Glasgow round of the Strider Championship. I think I might next year when he will be in the 3 year old round. I think he would have been disappointed with the 2 year old track and want to play with the big kids!


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## griffter18 (Jul 3, 2009)

Only found out on our least session that they open the track up to adults straight after the strider session. Any bike can be taken


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## ProjectMayhem (Aug 23, 2013)

That's us in for next year! What about older siblings? Just a shame we live 3 hours north of Glasgow...


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## Jordan300 (Jul 26, 2008)

they make an extra large seat for it, I saw one on eBay for $9


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## griffter18 (Jul 3, 2009)

Theres no upper age group for the strider class and they hire bikes/helmet & pads if you dont have your own.
At 5 they progress to micro-mini bmx. Lots of coaching and slightly more adventurous routes on the track.
Then they have the any age segment.

If the track doesn't finish you off there is an outside skills area which is free to use.
Rock sections, drops, berms, pump track.

Once you have skills nailed then you can go just around the corner to the full trail, which includes a family; Blue; Red trails and some sections of black.

If that doesnt finish you off then you can go back inside for a 1 hour taster session on the velodrome.

You can make a full day of it.

I would imagine the velodrome in Glasgow will follow suit at some point as it seems logical and a great way to introduce the family


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## StriderJoel (Sep 17, 2013)

The youngest we've seen was a tall 11 month old. Our minimum seat height is 11 inches and only 6.7 lbs. The new STRIDER Pro weighs in at only 4.9 lbs and will be out end of October.

If you have the bike around and available for them to get used to they'll easily start by 18 months. It also helps if they have a good role model and see their parents/siblings on their bikes as well. The most frustrating part for me as a parent was waiting for that 1st time sitting and lifting the feet. Once they get that it's amazing how quickly they progress.

A couple tips: 1. Be patient. Both of my kids started at 16 months and were balancing within 3ish months. 2. Correct seat height. Their feet should be flat on the ground with a slight bend in the knees. If it's too high they won't feel comfortable/safe and if it's too low they'll stand up since it's awkward. 3. Make it fun. Here are some suggestions we've found that work to help with progress (Put The Fun Back in Fundamentals!).

Stride On, Joel


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## StriderJoel (Sep 17, 2013)

P.S. October 11th -13th is the 3rd Annual STRIDER World Championship in Sarasota, FL. We already have 90 Pre-registered riders from 10 countries. There are 2 and under, 3, 4, and 5 year old classes and they all rip around the Sarasota BMX track. It's pretty cool.

Here's a highlight video from last year:


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## ProjectMayhem (Aug 23, 2013)

griffter - that sounds amazing and well worth a family trip (we have four kids between the ages of 2 and 14)

StriderJoel- 11 months, that's cool! My youngest son mostly has his saddle a bit low because it is easier for jumps and tricks. Today he taught himself a no handed bunnyhop


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## griffter18 (Jul 3, 2009)

ProjectMayhem, Strider World Cup is now also run in the UK, and they did Regional events this year, followed up by the National event at Manchester. The winners got the chance to go to the World cup.

2013 Strider Cup Balance Bike Championships - BikeRadar

Strider British Balance Bike Championships ? Kids balance bike racing events


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## griffter18 (Jul 3, 2009)

Just noted this on the Strider uk site:

A new Centre of Excellence based in Scotland will shortly be set up at the Western Titans BMX track in Scotland. Look out of further details of dates and times.

Believe its near dumbarton which isnt that far from Glasgow.
May be worth giving then a call as most of the BMX tracks are keen to start kids early and will run open training sessions for different ages


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## ProjectMayhem (Aug 23, 2013)

Thanks for that. Randomly we are actually going to be in Dumbarton on Saturday so will go and have a look.


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