4 year old - too old for balance bike?

[wysiwyg]

Thanks for the info. We are going to borrow Santosha's and see how she goes. Then look at getting one for her birthday perhaps - my gut feeling is she isnt too old just some have seen seem quite small. Also before I bought her a ride on thing just before she started walking and she went on it once so didn't want to make same mistake twice as DH still teases me about it (at least DS uses it now).

[~Hestia~]

Our 3.5 year old cannot get the hang of the balance bike, his legs aren't quite long enough for the one we got him. So I think a 4 year old would get heaps of use out of one.

[Netix]

I think you should go with the balance bike, as you said she doesn't have a whole lot of leg strength, bike experience, etc. Especially if you are able to borrow one, or pick one up fairly cheaply. If she was really into riding already I might suggest just going straight for a "normal" bike.

And just to let you know, once DD is ready for a "big bike", there are different size bikes, even within the same tyre size. Ie, you can get a 16 inch bike (which is about 4 year old size) in a smaller or bigger size. The handlebars are different, and I think (but can't remember) the frames could be a little different. Once on a bike, if DD still finds it a little difficult to pedal, change the rear sprocket (the gear on the back wheel the chain goes on) to a slightly bigger one. Keep the original sprocket, you may use it later. I remember my Dad doing this on my first bike because where we lived was on a hill and I couldn't pedal up it.

[Nai]

Alternately - the way we teach our kids to ride a pedal bike is to convert the pedal bike into a balance bike by dropping the seat right down and removing the pedals so that is another option although the balance bikes are a lot lighter than normal bikes which is part of the benefit.