By Melanie Francisca
Managing Editor
(Honolulu)– Remember tricycles and training wheels on your bike? Well, thanks to a company called Strider Bikes, our generation will be one of the last ones to remember those items, which seem to be a thing of the past.
Strider Bikes was the first to introduce the “balance bike” model which eliminates pedals and gives more control to the rider to balance and get the feel of a conventional bicycle.
Strider Bikes is the brainchild of Ryan McFarland and entrepreneur with a rich history and knowledge in racing bikes. After becoming frustrated with the products on the market for his 2-year-old son, he took it upon himself to design a bike that could better help his child enjoy the feeling on being on a bicycle.
One of Strider’s most popular bike is the 12 Sport, which provides an easy, safe, and natural way for toddlers to learn to ride on two wheels without the hassles and complications of pedals or training wheels.
I found the bicycle easy to assemble and adjust for my toddler, the bicycle requires no tools to assemble, which was a joy after spending countless hours putting together other toys for my child.
Once it is put together, the bicycle weights 6.7 pounds, a weight that my toddler could easily manage even with no prior experience on any kind of bicycle.
Another fact not lost on this review is that the 12 Sport is designed to properly fit children from 18 months to 5 years old, a great advantage and investment considering I have to buy new clothes for my son every three months!
As your child grows, Strider designed a rear brake mount that allows the addition of a foot-operated brake once the kids are proficiently gliding with feet on the footrests.
According to Strider, the company has sold over 1 million bikes, making it the leader in the industry. Strider also helps cultivate the excitement of balance bikes by organizing educational camps, play zones, and the Strider Championship Racing, which travels around the nation.
Before receiving this bike, my son was into push cars and would go anywhere without it. That all has changed thanks to the bicycle, which makes him feel like a “big boy” because he sees teenagers in conventional bicycles and feels on the same level with them.
As a parent, I think the product is well engineered and durable and at a retail price of $119.99, it is a wise investment that can provide countless hours of fun and activities for my child, aloha!
More information: http://www.striderbikes.com/
