Gween Balance Bike

This gween (or rather green, in Ian's baby talk) bike is a longggg overdue present... but better late than never. Three months after Ian's birthday, we finally decided that he was ready to transition from a baby bicycle seat, to his very own bicycle!

After all the chaos with training Aiden on a two wheeler, we decided to try a different approach with Ian. Instead of getting him a tricycle or a bicycle with training wheels, we decided to get him a balance bike instead!

Balance bikes are an awesome way to teach kids how to balance and steer. It doesn't have any pedals and comes with only two wheels. It encourages kids to learn how to balance instead of depending on training wheels to do so. When balance bikes first became popular back about 5 years ago, we were quite skeptical about it. However, a neighbour bought one for his son, and soon with my own two eyes, I saw the boy wheezing past our gate on top speed, balancing with just two wheels at the tender age of 3!

YVelo balance bike.

We were at The School, Jaya One last weekend, so we decided to check out the Strider flagship store there. A basic Strider balance bike starts at ~RM368. It can go up to RM400+ for bikes with more advance customizations such as easy adjustable seat heights or additional seats to adapt with the child's growth. I wasn't quite ready to part with so much money, so we decided to hunt for an alternative. Surprisingly, we found one at Mothercare! The YBike Velo was priced at RM316 but it came with a 20% discount plus additional 10% for members, hence I only paid ~RM225 for it! Such a bargain!

Ian fondly refers to the boy on the box, as "Ian"!

The YBike Velo comes in two sizes. The blue is for kids between 1.5-4 years old, while the green is for kids between 3-6 years old. For some reason, Ian is attracted to anything green nowadays, and therefore we agreed to get the green one for him. The size suited him well too, and he can use it for at least a good full 2 years!

As comparison, here's an old picture of Ian on the blue bike.

We started off by allowing Ian to get comfortable with the bike. Next, we set the seat at a height which he can walk the bicycle while sitting comfortably in the saddle, both feet on the ground. After that, we left him to explore the bike on his own. He adapted to the bicycle quite well, like fish to water. Soon, he was 'walking' the bike all over the house and then out on the road and just yesterday he even 'biked' to the playground! (With Mummy following close, of course.)

Ian 'decorated' the wheels with Nerf bullets. The bicycle is light enough for him to carry on his own.

With time, I hope he will be able to feel comfortable enough to run and scoot, and when he gains the confidence, lift both feet off the ground and cruise while balancing on just two wheels. InsyaAllah! Meanwhile, enjoy these pictures of him trying out his bicycle outside, for the very first time.

Excited grin.

Sweet smile.