My child already has a tricycle. Why should I get a Strider™ PREbike?
Kids can only pedal along on the sidewalk with a tricycle. Strider™ PREbikes are really fun. A kid on a Strider™ can go anywhere. If you take your child for a walk with a tricycle, you are always waiting for him or her to catch up. If you take a child for a walk with a Strider™ PREbike, you’ll be hurrying to keep up with your child. Kids learn balance, steering, and self-confidence on a Strider™. On a tricycle they don’t learn any of the skills needed to eventually ride a regular pedal bike. In addition, the Strider™ PREbike weighs less than half as much as most tricycles and, therefore, is much more manageable for a small child.

My child is about ready for a regular kid’s bicycle. Won’t I be wasting my money buying her a Strider™ PREbike?
We don’t think so. Most Strider™ riders easily make the transition from their Strider™ PREbike to a traditional kid’s bike without the need for training wheels. They’ve already learned the necessary balance and steering skills. Most kids still ride their Strider™ PREbike after they get their pedal bike because they can do more tricks, have more fun, and go more places on the balance bike.

What can a child do on a Strider™ PREbike that he/ she can’t do on a tricycle or regular pedal bike for kids?
We’ve set up demonstration courses and had first time Strider™ riders going up ramp-like teeter-totters in fifteen minutes. It’s really rewarding to watch a formerly timid three-year old shout, “Daddy. Watch me!” just before he/she goes up and over the teeter-totter. Kids also make their Striders™ into off-road vehicles, which they cannot do on tricycles and traditional kid’s bikes without great strength and skill that they usually lack at such a young age.

What type of material is used to build the Strider™ balance bike?
In keeping with our emphasis on the “Fun” factor, the Strider™ PREbike comes with super-light, maintenance-free foam tires. No flats, no pumping air, just get on and go. The Strider™ uses an 8” molded rim riding on sealed bearings and a steel axle. The actual outside diameter of the foam tire is 11 inches. The majority of the Strider™ frame is made from durable, light gauge steel tubing, the wheels from heavy plastic, and the tires from solid foam. The Strider™ balance bike is not a fragile toy; it is a well-built vehicle that should easily serve several growing children as they learn to ride a bicycle.

How old does a child have to be to ride a Strider™ PREbike?
If a child can place his/her feet flat on the ground while sitting on the seat, he/she can ride a Strider™ balance bike. A few kids as young as fifteen months old have learned to ride a Strider™ better than they can walk. We suggest that Strider™ riders be one to five years in age and have an inseam of at least 11” before they learn to ride a Strider™ PREbike.

My child is kind of timid. Will he be able to ride a Strider™ PREbike?
Probably. Most Strider™ riders feel very comfortable on a Strider™ balance bike, because they feel totally in control. They have four points of contact with the ground (both feet and both wheels) and the running bike is much lighter than a conventional kid’s bike or tricycle and, therefore, easier to handle.

How do I teach my child to ride a Strider™ PREbike?
Strider™ riders do learn more quickly if they feel comfortable on the bike. Make sure your Strider™ rider can stand with both feet flat footed while sitting on the seat. They should also have a noticeable bend in their legs while sitting and touching the ground. But don’t worry, your Strider™ rider will learn how to ride a lot faster than you will figure out a way to teach him/her. For some reason Strider™ operation seems to come to children naturally. They do better getting encouragement from parents rather than getting riding tips or instruction.

We live in the country with no sidewalks. Can my child still use a Strider™ PREbike?
Sure. Kids can’t develop enough leg power to operate a regular kid’s bicycle “off-road,” but they can ride a Strider™ balance bike on grass, gravel (if it is not too deep), and up and down dirt mounds.

Does the Strider™ balance bike have brakes?
The beginning Strider™ riders should only use his/her feet against the ground to control speed and to stop. This is a natural reaction and helps them to feel safe and confident on their bike. For the advanced rider, the Strider™ is designed to accept an optional foot-operated rear friction brake that not only stops the Strider™ quickly, but also creates a cool skid mark when applied hard! The brake is a simple one-bolt installation.

Why doesn’t the Strider™ balance bike have a hand brake?
We want children to be safe. We researched various “stopping” methods as they relate to really young children. In the end, in a panic situation, the natural instinct of children is to put their feet down. Even children capable of using a brake revert to planting their feet if they have to stop quickly. The hand brake option does not make sense based on child anatomy... just gripping the bar is a handful for a two to three year old hand... their fingers are not long enough or strong enough to pull a brake lever.

My child is already using a kid’s bike with training wheels - can the Strider™ balance bike still be a useful learning tool for her?
Training wheels are very scary for children. The sensation of tipping from side-to-side keeps them from focusing on the tasks at hand, pedaling and steering. Learning to balance and steer on the Strider™ balance bike makes the transition to the pedal bike much easier. Forget the training wheels. Once your child is confident on the Strider™ Running Bike, she will be able to transfer quickly to a pedal bike without training wheels.

How will I know when my daughter is ready to move from a Strider™ balance bike to a regular pedal bike?
When you see your Strider™ rider coasting down hills with her feet up, going over and around obstacles, and speeding along with forceful strides, you will know that she has mastered the necessary techniques of balance and steering to begin riding a traditional kid’s bike. The transition will be quick and easy. However, you will discover that even though your child can ride her pedal bike without training wheels, she will continue to ride her Strider™ balance bike for pure fun. On the Strider™ PREbike, a child is confident enough to continually push to higher levels of expertise. Eventually, these higher thinking, higher level skills are transferred to his/her pedal bike. At this point, the child may ‘hang up’ the Strider™. However, we have found there is usually a one to two year overlap when the child rides both.

 I’ve heard a lot about toxic paint. Is the paint on the Strider™ balance bike safe and what colors are offered?
Strider™ PREbikes are manufactured in China. The paint has been tested by an independent lab and has been certified safe. It exceeds the safety standards set by codes such as California’s Proposition 65. The Strider™ balance bike is available in six vibrant colors: red, blue, orange, yellow, lime green, hot pink.

Is any assembly required with a Strider™ PREbike?
Assembly is very basic, taking approximately 5 minutes: tighten one bolt to align the handle-bars and two nuts to mount the front wheel. Adjust the seat height and your Strider™ balance bike is ready to go.

Why can’t I just take the pedals off a regular kid’s bike?
You could, but a conventional kid’s bike will still be too tall and too heavy for your two year old. The Strider™ PREbike is uniquely designed to allow the seat to be adjusted five or six inches lower than the seat on a conventional kid’s bike (or other running bikes) and at only seven pounds it weighs about half as much as a regular pedal bike.

Does the Strider™ PREbike have benefits for parents or other caretakers?
Could one even hope for benefits for a parent from such a small vehicle that benefits kids so much? You bet! Freedom! Freedom from carrying a tired or rebelling child, and freedom from coaxing a dawdling child to catch up. In fact, the parent will soon become the one trying to keep up; brisk walks, jogging, or bicycling now become exercise options to make outings more enjoyable for everyone. The outings will no longer be limited to flat, hard surfaces either; the Strider™ balance bike will easily handle a forest trail or a two-track dirt road if you feel like a walk in the woods... try that with training wheels or a tricycle!

Does the Strider™ PREbike have a warranty?
Yes, the Strider™ comes with a 1 year warranty against manufacturing defects. The warranty is limited to Strider™ riders less than 50 lbs. The Strider™ serial number needs to be registered to activate the warranty. The bottom line, though, is we want you to be satisfied with the product, and we want you to share that satisfaction with other parents. We welcome feedback and will quickly respond to warranty issues.

How does riding the Strider™ balance bike benefit a child?
With the light weight and simplicity of a Strider™ balance bike, young riders soon feel confident and in control. At this young age, bicycles are simply too tall, too heavy, and too complex for youngsters to feel this sense of control. Advances in coordination and balance follow quickly as do the development of the thought processes necessary for steering, crossing obstacles, backing up, and doing tricks. To watch this development of thought and skill is actually quite amazing. How early should a parent introduce a child to a new physical activity like biking? Pediatric neurologists have long noted that there is a rapid learning curve in children ages 0-6. Most of the great masters in sports and music have begun study at a very early age. We have found that kids have a natural curiosity about the Strider™ PREbike. Watch some of our video clips to see pre-two year olds start their Strider™ experience. They are not frightened by the Strider™, and they advance quickly on their own.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has excellent guidelines for children ready to use ride-on toys and vehicles. Balance bikes are not specifically mentioned in the document, but the balance concept is adequately covered. The entire CPSC document can be found at http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/adg.pdf . Refer to page 167 for ride-on toys.