Hornit Balance Bike AIRO | Kids Balance Bike | Toddler Bike | Kids Bike | Balance Bike 2 3 4 5 Year Old Girl Boy | Lightweight 2.95 kg | Flamingo Pink

Product Information

Vitus Nippy weighs just under a Strider and is a third of the price. We had a heavy balance bike and made no progress, swapped it for a Vitus Nippy and my son was doing huge ramps in the skate park the same day, and road a bike with pedals without needing any practice once he'd outgrown the Nippy. He absolutely loved that thing, even more than his pedal bike tbh." (Recommended by Mumsnetter user33323) Our verdict

While it may be a bit heavy for a child who has just turned two, the Frog Tadpole comes into its own from around age three. Like the Islabikes Rothan, it’s purposefully designed to suit a specific age range and performs well on all surfaces. The comfy padding on the handles and seat makes the bike great for longer rides and the brake handle is easy for little hands to reach to slow down and stop with confidence. The Tadpole is on the pricey side but it is the closest you can get to a ‘proper’ bike as a balance bike and the resale value is really good. Designed to perform in much the same way as a traditional bike but without pedals, a balance bike is a great way to accelerate your child’s riding ability. Perfect for mastering the art of steering and the sensation of balance, a balance bike should be a little one’s first step into the world of cycling before they transition to pedalling. To get moving, the AIRO rolls on 12.5″ diameter wheels. These are built using aluminium rims and have sealed bearing hubs to help keep out debris that tends to shorten bearing life and lead to that nasty grating sensation you can get with cheap bikes. With a nice light steering motion the bike was easy to steer, putting the tester in control, rather than her having to fight it. Another boost to her confidence, something that was clear from the way she was happy to throw the bike around and play about on it. The importance of this was highlighted when she was trying out a friends pedal bike, on which the steering wasn't anywhere near as light. On that bike she wanted me to steer for her.The Hornit AIRO’s handlebar is one of the most narrow on the market. At 14.25″ wide (not including the wide grip bumpers that cannot be used to actually grip), they about 1.5″ more narrow than the Yeedoo TooToo and 1.75″ more narrow than the woom 1. The Hornit nailed this one too. At just 2.95kg it's wonderfully light and easy to manoeuvre. It never once overloaded it's tester who is under average height and weight for her age. This means coming to a stand still and not toppling over. Another thing that can stall a burgeoning cycling career. Specialized bikes. Quite pricy but v light weight and good quality."(Recommended by Mumsnetter CaraDuneRedux) Our verdict In all cases, the best balance bikes featured are lightweight and very easy for young children to manoeuvre. They are well constructed to last the abuse that their riders will inflict, and come recommended by many different parents.

Weighing in at just 2.95kg this is quite a feat of balance bike design. They've even managed to include a footplate for your child to rest their feet on as they gain confidence and start moving at speed - but you don't get brakes. Like the very similar Vitus Smoothy, the Hornit AIRO’s frame also has an opening in the center of the frame that acts as a carrying handle. This is an incredibly cool feature. With time, a balance bike will give a child the confidence to step up to a pedal-powered bike – and by now, they’ll understand how to balance, manoeuvre and control the bike, with pedalling the final piece in the puzzle. At 21 months, this minimum seat height would have been a little tall for my petite rider and it would not have fit her well as she only had an 11.6″ inseam when she started riding. Balance bikes, designed to look like ordinary kids' bikes but without pedals, allow your toddler to master steering and balancing at speed, increasing their confidence in the saddle before the transition to pedalling.You may snigger that we're talking about weight on a children's product, but when it comes to bikes for little ones, the number that the scales record is incredibly important. Heavier models might come in at around 11lbs/5kg, whilst those designed with an eye on the scales sit closer to 6.8lbs/3kg. Though that might not sound like a huge difference to an adult, it’s a huge percentage of a child’s weight. While some people would argue that it’s better to dive straight into a standard bike with stabilizers, we think that balance bikes are absolutely worth it and a great place to start learning bike riding skills. Sleek and incredibly lightweight, the Hornit AIRO is super portable and easy to carry when your child wants to take a break from riding. With air-filled tyres for a smoother ride and contoured foot rests for comfy freewheeling your toddler will be away in no time with this balance bike. One extra the AIRO does offer, though, is a lifetime warranty on the frame and fork – definitely a big plus point if you're planning on more little cyclists, or you're considering passing the bike onto a family member or friend afterwards. Overall Lighter on the wallet than any comparable balance bike, the AIRO is superior on every meaningful measure.

This could equate to between 1.5 years and 5 years depending how tall / small your child is. The AIRO's comes in six colour options - white, red, yellow, pink, blue and turquoise. There’s no doubt that the AIRO has been designed with an eye for stylish detail and high performance. It’s beautiful to look at, and every aspect of the bike feels considered, from the lightweight, brightly coloured frame and bouncy air-filled tyres, to the neat neoprene cover padding the stem in case of a front fall, and moulded foot rests covered in grip tape. It all gives an immediate impression of highly-engineered durability. The designers are obviously keen cyclists themselves, who have put together something of professional quality.They've taken all they know about balance bikes and obsessed over every single detail - the design, the materials, the weight (a mere 2.89 kg for the smallest 12" wheel balance bike the Rookie 12) and the customer service (including a lifetime warranty). We had a Rothan and thought it was great. I sold it for a good price afterwards too.” (Tried and tested by Mumsnet user BreakingUpWithMyPhone) Our verdict We have a Hornit balance bike for DS and he absolutely adores it. I do too because it’s super super light for when I inevitably have to end up carrying it sometimes.” (Loved by Mumsnet user Rainallnight) Our verdict The Hoy Napier is the stuff of a toddler’s Olympics dreams with its sleek, minimalist BMX design, chunky wheels and small aluminium frame. Available in red, blue, and yellow this is a great looking balance bike that will see most children through from the age of two to four. The Hornit AIRO is the lightest balance bike with pneumatic tyres we’ve seen. If you’ve yet to enter this stage of your child’s development, it’s easy to underestimate how difficult it is to try and carry a balance bike along with everything else you’ve got with you when you’re out and about. For me, this really is a selling feature of this bike.

Newly 2-year-old and quite petite in size (36″ tall), the AIRO was a great fit for our youngest tester in size 18-months pants. Although he has a heavier and slightly larger balance bike at home, he had been hesitant to ride (or even walk it) for months. Not giving up, his parents continued to encourage him to ride, but to no success.However, many balance bikes do offer rear brakes, which could be helpful as kids develop into speedy riders much later on. This could also go a long way to aiding their confidence and also protecting their shoes.