Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I purchased the yellow version of this bike on sale for about 1/2 off. For the price, it seems I got my moneys worth assuming it holds up to use. I like it, it will last a long time height wise, and he likes it.
My complaints (ie: why this isn't a 5 star review)
(I know I could send the bike back, but I choose not to- IME returning a product isn't worth the hassle if you can fix it yourself)
*The bike arrived with chipped paint.
*The hand brake tire pads wouldn't adjust correctly- it was loose and wobbly. When braking it would move to one side or the other. The solution the manual gave was to take to a bike shop. My solution was to remove the brake- against the manuals direction. Given the bikes design having a braking mechanism seems more of a hindrance than a help. He can brake with his feet like kids do with practically every other balance bike on the market, I feel safer about him braking with his feet than I do about him using a handbrake with this style of bike. The child is too young, really, to understand the hand brake anyway. After removing it is impossible to reattach.
*The color is different in person- the tires have no white rim, the seat and handles are a bright yellow, the frame is a golden yellow. It looks uglier in person.
*It is larger than the other bikes I have seen in stores, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. It barely fits a 4 1/2 y/o who is over the 70th percentile for height with the seat adjusted extremely low. I purchased two, one for a younger child to grow into this summer- he is also very tall for his age. I am going to look into fitting 10 in tires to it. It is bigger than the other 12 in bike we have. If the smaller tires do not work, the other bike will wait in the box until next summer. This is labeled for 3+ and is marketed for 4 to 6 year olds, I believe the labeling is misleading.
I like the bike, but I wouldn't pay full price for it when there are other brands that do the same thing and are more established.
Update (04/2010). Today the almost 5 1/2 year old road on a 2 wheeled petal bike without training wheels for the first time! Yay! This bike did do its job, he is riding without training wheels within 2 hours of having them removed, and given that he is autistic this is definitely feat. He had no problems balancing on the other bike. The younger boy finally grew into his bike, a month before his 4th birthday, and hopefully by the end of summer will graduate to no training wheels also. I would say, if you need a bike for an older child, want something affordable, and are willing to deal with the flaws listed above, then I would buy this. Along with a petal bike of some sort. Breaking down and mastering the skills independently of each other seems to be the key to making learning to ride a bike as headache free as possible.
If you want to buy this for an average sized child under 4 or 4 1/2 years old, look elsewhere. If you have an extra $20 or so to spend, look elsewhere. If you don't have some basic tools to assemble it yourself, look elsewhere. Otherwise, this bike is fine for what it is.
Click Here to see more reviews about: WeeRide 12-Inch Balance Push Training Bike (Multiple Colors)
Give your child a headstart on learning how to ride a bike with the WeeRide Push Bike Trainer, which looks just like a bicycle but without the crank and pedals. Designed to help your child learn the basics of balancing before graduating to pedaling, the Push Bike Trainer helps the frustration out of learning to ride a bicycle for both the child and the parent. By using his or her feet to move the bike forward, your child doesn't have to worry about pedaling while at the same time learning to feel the dynamics of balancing. The Push Bike Trainer's 12-inch wheels and an impressive 15-inch stand-over clearance make this a perfect fit for most 4 to 6 year olds. It also features a rear handbrake and both adjustable seat and handlebar heights. No tools are needed to adjust the saddle height thanks to a quick release aluminum seat collar.
Click here for more information about WeeRide 12-Inch Balance Push Training Bike (Multiple Colors)
