Every time I see a tot shakily trying out a new bike, it makes me nostalgic for my own childhood. In the Netherlands, bikes are a national symbol much like apple pie and baseball are in America so the Dutch have developed a unique method for teaching children to ride.
Called a loopfiet, the walking bikes teach children to maneuver a bike’s frame using the power of their own feet. A child sits on the frame and moves his or her feet in a running motion to get the bike to go. In doing so, the wee ones develop balance, steering and coordination. To learn more about this marvel .
The walking-bike phenomenon hit the US where the pedal-less contraptions are catching on. Though several brands can be found, Skuut ($89) is one of the most prominent. Made in Marin County, California out of solid wood, the Skuut has an adjustable padded cotton seat, inflated rubber tires and only weighs 10.5 pounds, so it is portable. The company claims that children can easily transition from the Skuut to a two-wheel bike without ever needing training wheels.
Fantasie
American Vintage
Steve Madden
my son has a similar bike and loves it! in a few short days he was able to master the "balancing" and using his feet and body weight to steer and maneuver around the park and our neighborhood. i highly recommend.
1this is a great toy, helps them out better
2Looks good, but it's kind of pricey.
3Couldn't you just temporarily remove the pedals from a trike or training bike?
great idea! we have friends that discovered that having theur children use way to small bikes did basically the same thing, the balance with the safety of using your feet if you start to fall.
4We are having trouble communicating with Skuut regarding our balance bike orders. Emails are not returned, no one answers the phone and messages are not returned. At this point we are very frustrated with the company because we, as well as many of our customers, have been waiting months to receive our order. We are not accepting new orders until this is resolved, and those with current orders have the option to cancel by calling 614-218-4002. Please have your order number handy to expedite the process. We are very sorry for the inconvenience and will do our best to keep our customers happy. http://www.sproutsoup.com/skuut-balance-bike-c-25-p-1-pr-72.html
5Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.