# Shortest Balance Bike?



## mtb143 (Aug 26, 2007)

What's the shortest balance bike out there? My internet-fu has failed to find me the answer to this riddle, so I'm appealing to the bike-oriented-masses to see if someone has already discovered the secret knowledge. Shortest I've found is the Like-a-bike Mini at 9.8 inches minimum saddle height. We like the Like-a-bikes, but lotsa $ there. Daughter is tiny, so we need a tiny little steed to get her on wheels as early as possible. Thanks in advance for any help.


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## weltyed (Jan 21, 2004)

we have the performance one and with teh saddle slammed down it is pretty short. more reach i think, but you can tiotle the bars back a bit.


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## mtb143 (Aug 26, 2007)

weltyed said:


> we have the performance one and with teh saddle slammed down it is pretty short. more reach i think, but you can tiotle the bars back a bit.


Is it shorter than 9.5"?


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

When I looked, I got Haro Z10 as the shortest.

Removing a rear reflector (why was it even included) and cutting the seatpost a bit (so it does not stick too far below - though that is not a big issue; you would graduate your kid to a bigger bike long before he grows out of Haro) you can slam it pretty low.

Very nice little bike.


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## Buddha43 (Oct 10, 2011)

My son 27 months old and he is a shorty too, here he is on the Giant, with the seat as low as possible.









top of the seat is 13" from the ground.


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## sxr-racer (Nov 17, 2005)

Get a strider.


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## bdstorer (May 4, 2007)

I bought a lowering kit for my son and his First Bike. Can't give you a measurement as it's off now but it was low enough that we had him on the bike at 14mths. I found he didn't take to riding it until about 19mths and by then he didn't need the kit.


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## airwreck (Dec 31, 2003)

Don't get confused with stand over height versus seat height. The Like a Bike is the lowest seat position run bike, the bikes like the Haro list a 9.5" standover but with seat attached the seat height will be 12-13". We've got a short 17 month old and I just pull out the seat and post and let him go trials style.


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

airwreck said:


> Don't get confused with stand over height versus seat height. The Like a Bike is the lowest seat position run bike, the bikes like the Haro list a 9.5" standover but with seat attached the seat height will be 12-13". We've got a short 17 month old and I just pull out the seat and post and let him go trials style.


Correct. I remember I was measuring directly with Z10 when selecting it (it is also better made than Strider) - can't measure now as it went out to the next owner.

I wonder if I could put on integrated seat from my BMX bike, I think it was the same seatpost diameter. I have an unpadded Eclat combo seatpost/seat which is very low profile and very light, but I am not sure about the fixed angle. Maybe some pivotal seats, unpadded, coul be made to work.


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## airwreck (Dec 31, 2003)

I'm on it! His Norco run bike has a 27.2 so I'll get a shim and a styling Sanfu Solo. We have one of those Chicco Red Bullet $29.99 run bikes and it has the bmx integrated seat and post, it's flimsy and less than 25.4, so hope to shim that for the Norco, but don't expect it to last.


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

What I am glad to see is that run bikes are becoming popular, with a lot of choices for folks who are not like us and would not spend $$ on a child bike - which they actually ride more and for a longer time than some of our $$$$ rides.

Training wheels are the worst invention ever. Lets raise a generation that can rip it.


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## mtb143 (Aug 26, 2007)

Thanks for the feedback, all. Still looks like Likeabike Mini is the shortest, which is what we need, so we'll probably do that. Happy Holidays!


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## couchman (Dec 2, 2011)

We went with a Strider, and our boy is short, , , in the bottom couple of percents! No football for him! He got the hang of it fast at 24 months. 

You'd be surprised, even if a child can't comfortably put their feet down, they can shuffel walk with the bike. Get them running on their toe's and they will be off fast. It help that he was chasing after older sisters on walks. After two or three days the lenght of the walks was growing by x2 or x3 but the duration was diminishing. win all around.


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## Axe (Jan 12, 2004)

We actually started from Radio Flyer Tiny Trike four wheel one. Looks like they changed the model a bit, but the one we had was very low. RIght after kids learned to walk. Basic idea of steering and moving forward is the same. Then Z10, now 14" kid bikes convertible run/pedal.


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## hak (Dec 12, 2011)

we have a wooden like a bike and it's short. being our 3rd in line, our daughter is now up for learning, but the like a bike was looking tired, so my wife got a steel 'bikee' thing from amazon. lowest seat position is an easy 18" off the ground. yeah, not gonna work for a 2yr old. it'll be her summer steed, and we'll get the like a bike going again.


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## MrCleanY0 (Sep 29, 2008)

This thread came with amazing timing for me. My son will be 2 on Valentine's Day and I'm planning on getting him a bike. I think I'm pretty well settled on the Strider for him. Unfortunately, the Like-A-Bike is well out of budget for me. I hope the Strider will accomodate his little legs! Little kids deserve bikes too!!!


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