Are strider bikes worth it: Strider Bike Review – Why Strider is the Most Popular Balance Bike

Strider Bike Review – Why Strider is the Most Popular Balance Bike

Strider balance bikes are the most popular pedal-less bikes for toddlers in the U.S. Strider Bikes has been making and perfecting balance bikes since 2007 and has sold over 2 million bikes to families all over the globe. In this review, we discuss the differences in Strider’s three balance bike models.

Along with our review of Strider’s three bike models discussed below, we include what makes the Strider brand shine, as well as how Strider’s balance bikes for toddlers stack up to the competition. Does most popular mean it’s the best? Read on to find out!

Strider Bike Overview

RATING: Highly Recommended

MSRP: Classic $99, Sport  $119, Pro $169

BEST FOR: Kids ages 18 months old to 5 years. Extended seat post allows for longer use.

SPECIFICATIONS

SEAT HEIGHT: 11″ – 19″
WEIGHT: 6. 7 lb., 5.6 lb. (Pro)
FITS PANTS SIZES: 24mo to 4T
FRAME: Steel (Classic, Sport), Aluminum (Pro)
TIRES: Foam
FOOTREST: Yes
BOLTS: Exposed
BRAKE: No

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What We Love About the Strider

• Easily adjustable to fit a wide range of ages
• Frame design makes it comfortable and easy to ride
• Super lightweight!
• Narrow saddle, handlebars, and grips to fit little bodies
• Widely available and comes in a variety of colors
• The snow skis are amazing and work great!

What You Should Know Before You Buy a Strider

• It is a much better fit for a 18mo to 3yo toddler than a 3 to 4yo preschooler
• The Sport model is 100% worth the extra $20 over the Classic model.  The Sport’s padded seat, extra long seat post, and tool free adjust are life savers!
• The overall quality of Strider’s components isn’t as high as similarly priced bikes
• If you’re planning on riding on non-paved surfaces, a bike with air tires is a much better option (Strider’s air tires are a $50 upgrade)

Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike Video Review

Want to see the Strider balance bike in action? Check out our video review below that covers everything from sizing and geometry to tires and weight. Not a video person? Not to worry, everything covered in the video is in our complete review below.

Strider Bike Review – Classic, Sport and Pro Models

Strider is often the first name parents turn to when buying a balance bike, but with countless other companies entering the market, Strider’s competition is fierce. So how do the Strider bikes hold up to the competition?

Compared to cheap, mass-produced sub-$100 balance bikes, the Strider holds its own due to its exceptional adjustability.  Compared to higher-end balance bikes, Striders don’t have as many features, but all-in-all the Strider bike has certainly earned its place as the best selling balance bike in the US. Overall, Strider bikes are well-designed and are hands-down the winner in balance bikes sold at big-box stores.

Size – What age is best for the Strider balance bike?

The Strider 12 is one of the smallest balance bikes on the market.  With a minimum seat height of 11″, kids as young as 18-months can ride a Strider bike. Being one of the lightest as well, the Strider is a great starter balance bike for kids.

While its small frame isn’t ideal for older and/or taller kids, the extended seat post on the Sport and Pro models does allow kids up to age 5 to ride the Strider.  If you are purchasing a bike for a child who is already 4 or 5-years-old, Strider’s larger model, the Strider 14x, is a much better option.

18-month old and 4.5 year-old on Strider Bikes

Components of the Strider

Weight

Weighing in at 6.7 lb. (5.6 lb. for Pro), the Strider 12 Sport and Strider 12 Classic are some of the lighter balance bikes on the market. Lightweight bikes are much easier for toddlers to handle as compared to 10 lb.+ balance bikes, such as the Burley, and Schwinn.

As a general rule, a balance bike should be no more than 30% of a child’s body weight.  In addition to helping kids learn to balance, lightweight bikes also give them the confidence to be adventurous because it’s easier to maneuver a lighter bike and easier for them to pick it up after they fall.

Frame Design

Strider bikes are fun to ride because they’re easy to ride and easy to handle.  What makes them significantly better than other big-box store balance bikes?  In addition to being lightweight, they have well-designed frame.

When riding a balance bike, it’s about running and gliding. Kids naturally lean forward to run and need enough room to do so.

Strider bikes provide ample room between the seat and handlebars which allows kids plenty of space to lean in and extend their legs to run comfortably and naturally. This space also makes it easy to get on and off the bike. Quite simply, kids need room to ride, and  Strider provides plenty of it.

Balance Bike Frame Design

The position of the seat on the frame is also noteworthy. The seat on a Strider balance bike sits close to the rear tire when placed at its lowest height. This small gap provides a stabilizing low center-of-gravity for the rider which makes the bike easier to balance and control.

Tires

The tires on all Strider bikes are puncture-proof, foam tires.  Lightweight, non-marking and essentially maintenance-free, foam tires will never go flat and are always ready for action.  For many families, never having to worry about flats is a major selling point worth considering. However, foam tires do have their limitations.

Over the years, we’ve tested over 100 balance bikes on various surfaces and time and again have seen foam tires lose traction where air tires have not.  Loose dirt and gravel, as well as smooth gym or wood floors, are particularly problematic for foam tires. However, for the average rider who plans on riding mainly on paved surfaces, foam tires perform just fine.

Foam Tire vs. Air Tire Compression

In addition to traction, foam tires provide NO cushioning for the rider.  Remember how it felt going over a curb on a Big Wheel?  Ever wonder why they don’t use foam tires on adult bikes?  Air tires used on bikes, whether road, mountain, or kids, provide some level of cushioning for the rider.  When put under stress (ex: when going down a curb), an air tire will compress and absorb some of the impact, while foam tires will not.

Footrest

Footrests are not necessary on balance bikes (which is why most high-end brands don’t include them), but there is no harm in a well-designed footrest like Strider’s.  Carefully tucked in below the seat, Strider’s footrest is non-intrusive and out of the way.

On several other brands, the footrest protrudes too far out from beneath the seat, causing kids, especially toddlers, to hit the rear of their calf on the footrest when riding. To use Strider’s footrest, kids simply place their heels on the footrest located close to the rear tire.

Differences in Strider Bike Models

Strider’s standard 12″ balance bike is available in three models: the Classic, Sport, and Pro.  All three models have the same size frame and foam tires, but the primary differences are that the Strider Pro and Sport (vs. the Classic) have an extended seat height range, a tool-free seat adjust, and a padded seat.  Additionally, the main benefit of the Strider 12 Pro is that the frame is made of aluminum, which results in a lighter bike.

Can you add pedals to a Strider balance bike?

While you cannot add pedal to the Strider 12 balance bikes, you can add pedals to the larger Strider 14x. For older/taller kids ages 3 and up, the Strider 14x has 14″ tires, taller seat heights, and can convert to a pedal bike.  The 14x’s longer wheelbase and wider handlebars also provide a more stable ride for taller kids.

Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike vs. Other Balance Bikes

While Strider is the the most well known balance bike on the market, is it the best for your child?  All in all, the Strider is a great bike with a lot going for it, but with 20+ balance bikes to choose from, it does have some pretty fierce competition.

Swagtron, Strider, and Yedoo Too Too Balance Bikes

Compared to the cheaper Swagtron and the higher-end Yedoo TooToo, the Strider offers the most adjustability.  In addition to having the widest seat range, it also has adjustable height handlebars that can grow with the child as well.

The other bikes, however, do have air tires that provide much more traction and cushioning than the foam tires found on Strider.

	Swagtron K3	Strider Sport	Yedoo TooToo
MSRP	$60	$119	$199
Weight	6. 5 lb.	6.7 lb.	8.2 lb.
Seat Height	12.25″ – 15.25″	11 – 19″	12″ – 18″
Frame	Aluminum	Steel	Steel
Air Tires	✔️		✔️
Adjustable Handlebar		✔️
Tool-free adjust		✔️	✔️
Turning Limiter			✔️
Hand Brake			✔️
Link to Review	Swagtron K3	You’re reading it!	Yedoo TooToo

Compared to ANY other balance bike on the market, Strider knocks out the competition when it comes to available accessories.  From a rocking base for babies, snow skis for year-round fun, to almost unlimited accessories combinations (see more below), the world of Strider has you covered.

Strider bikes are great starter balance bikes.  Lightweight with ideal geometry, they are easy to ride and are maintenance free.  For under $100 the Strider 12 Classic balance bike is a great pick for toddlers ages 18-months and up.  Its low minimum seat height and scaled down features make it a great first bike for the smallest riders.

For preschoolers aged 2.5 to 4, the Strider 12 Sport balance bike  is a better purchase as it comes with an extended seat post to increase the maximum seat height by 3″.  Older and more adventurous riders, however, will likely benefit from the air tires and hand brakes offered by other brands, such as the Yedoo Too Too and Ridgeback Scoot.

Strider Balance Bike Accessories

Rocking Base

For the youngest of riders, ages 12 months to 2 years, Strider’s rocking base ($79) turns a balance bike into a rocking horse!  While unsure at first, our 14-month-old tester loved exploring and rocking on the bike.  Not strong enough or coordinated enough to rock continuously, the rocking base didn’t keep his attention for very long, but he was so intrigued that he kept coming back to it.  With time, I’m sure he’ll come to love rocking on his bike.

Strider Bike Upgrades – Wild Child Bikes

While the Strider is a basic (but great!) bike by itself, there’s actually a sizeable market for aftermarket parts that make for some incredibly upgraded bikes. The trend is pretty crazy in Asia where Strider bike racing is as serious as getting into college. But the U.S. is also catching on as parents discover how fun and personalized their child’s balance bike can be with a few cool upgrades.

Wild Child Bikes offers tons of high-quality upgrades and color options for grips, handlebars, saddles, stems, seat posts, and wheels, they also have five different types of air tires to choose from. For and additional pop of color, Balance Bike Graphics also offers customized stickers to complete the look.

Strider Skis

For year-around fun, Strider also makes a fun set of skis that Velcro to the front and rear wheels of the bike.  They are easy to use, easy to take on and off and a lot of fun!

FTC Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this review.  No monetary compensation was provided for this review, however, the reviewed product was supplied by the manufacturer or distributor to help facilitate this review. All opinions and images are that of Two Wheeling Tots LLC.  All content and images are copyrighted and should not be used or replicated in any way. View our Terms of Use.

24 Reasons to/NOT to Buy Strider 12 Classic (Sep 2022)

Summary of Reviews

We have read all expert and user reviews on the Strider 12 Classic. In summary, this is what cyclists think.

16 reasons to buy

• Many owners have praised the Strider for successfully teaching their children to ride a bike.

• Striders are intentionally lightweight, making things easier for tiny riders.

• After training on a Strider, transitioning to pedals was said to be easy and intuitive.

• The Geometry of the Classic was well thought out. The positions of the saddle, bars and footrests made for a good fit for toddlers.

• The Classic is designed to allow for growth, accommodating 18-month to 3 year-olds.

• Customer service was universally lauded for prompt and attentive responses.

• Some parents described the Classic’s build quality as top-notch.

• On the Classic; both the handlebars and seatpole are easily adjusted, for growing riders.

• The solid foam tire is puncture-proof and grippier than cheaper plastic types.

• As the base model, parents appreciated the Classic’s low price.

• Experts note that Striders are ‘function-driven’. Buyers aren’t paying for frills.

• The Classic is widely available from both physical and online stores.

• It’s gentle enough for indoor use, but sturdy enough for rough outdoor roads.

• Assembly was almost always easy.

• The Classic now comes with a longer, padded second saddle to aid growth spurts.

• One owner said the Strider was tough enough to withstand their car driving over it.

8 reasons not to buy

• The foam tires were less durable than pneumatic rubber.

• Plastic bushings, rather than bearings, are used in the headset and wheels.

• A number of owners received handlebars that were too stiff for children to turn.

• Notoriously for some users, the clamp for the steering handle did not fit.

• Some buyers saw the Classic as overpriced, considering the foam wheels and bushings.

• Two owners did not receive handlebars with their Strider.

• The hard plastic saddle was seen as too firm by some parents.

• Some 3 year-olds were apparently too tall for the Classic 12”.

Bottom line

The Strider 12 Classic was a breakthrough design upon its release. It’s still incredibly popular, due to a proven ability to teach little riders how to transition from feet-on-the-ground… to balancing… and finally to a big-kids pedal bike. All this can be done without any need for trainer-wheels at any stage. Most owners are satisfied with their balance-bike and have passed them down from sibling to sibling and on to family and friends. The only concerns were some recurring issues with the headset, which should be addressed. This problem only occurred in a small minority of bikes. This balance-bike came across as an honest and well-intentioned product with proven results.

The Bike Dads

Level 3 expert

Strider Balance Bike Review

Level 3 expert

A great first balance bike for the 18 month to 2. 5 year old crowd.

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Allisons Journey

Level 1 expert

Strider Bike Review

Level 1 expert

What I really like about it is that this one bike goes from about 18 months to 5 years old so it grows with them and it adjusts really easily.

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Bicycling

Level 5 expert

The 11 Best Balance Bikes to Start Any Kid Riding

Level 5 expert

It’s cheap, totally function-driven and available from pretty much everywhere. It’s a solid choice…

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Singletracks

Level 4 expert

The 10 Best Balance Bikes for Your Toddler

Level 4 expert

…one of the first bikes on the market for toddling tots. It even has a fully adjustable seat and bars. Major plus–their customer service is touted as one of the best in the industry.

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Samuca Zarref

Level 1 expert

Balance Bike – Strider Review

Level 1 expert

Visit full review

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User Ratings

93/100 based on 1099 ratings

• 5 star

  85%

• 4 star

  8%

• 3 star

  2%

• 2 star

  2%

• 1 star

  2%

Rankings

Compared to other bikes

Best Toddlers Bikes

Toddlers bikes with the highest BikeRide Scores

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Bike Comparison

Strider 12 Classic in comparison to averages

BikeRide ScorePriceWeight

Strider 12 Classic

93

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22 Reasons to/NOT to Buy Strider 12 Sport (Sep 2022)

Summary of Reviews

We have read all expert and user reviews on the Strider 12 Sport. In summary, this is what cyclists think.

12 reasons to buy

• The Strider trained kids onto pedal-bikes with no need for training wheels.

• Owners said this bike was durable, lasting 4 years and as a hand-me-down.

• With two seatpost lengths, the Sport had plenty of room for growth.

• The Sport was light enough for kids to carry by themselves.

• Most folk found it easy to assemble the Sport.

• Multiple colors offer options for most kids.

• There are a lot of reports of customer service being helpful.

• A lot of kids were eager to ride the Strider, day after day.

• Many parents saw the Sport as a great way to improve balance.

• With quick-releases, adjustment of handlebars and seatpoles was easy.

• Solid foam tires omitted punctures and the need for pumping.

• It was said that the Sport was both solid and sturdy.

10 reasons not to buy

• Testing detected excessive amounts of harmful chemicals in the Sport’s grips!

• Solid foam tires were slippery and lacked traction on some surfaces.

• Rust was apparent on new bikes and quickly spread on exposed areas.

• Buyers were saddened to find bushings, not bearings used in the headset.

• For some tikes, handlebars were stiff and difficult to turn.

• A few parents felt the Sport was overpriced, considering the build quality.

• Wheel bearings failed after 6 to 11 months, in a couple of cases.

• The seatpost extended below the downtube, striking some kids’ running feet.

• In two cases, the Sport arrived with a folded-in headtube.

• Stickers on some editions came wrinkled and peeling, but rarely.

Bottom line

Strider are heralded as pioneers in the balance bike world. The 12” Sport is probably the most popular model available. It’s definitely been responsible for initiating a love of cycling and for training many toddlers to ride a real bike without the aid of training wheels. It does seem critical to mention that a German laboratory found excessive amounts of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and naphthalene in the Strider Sport’s rubberized grips. These substances are suspected to be carcinogenic. With increased awareness, it seems likely that Strider will replace these with a safer substance. In the meanwhile, you will want to replace them by yourself. Weight and cost are kept low by using bushings instead of bearings and solid foam tires instead of inflatable rubber. However, these tires are accused of being slippery on certain surfaces and in the presence of the slightest moisture, causing slips and accidents. This led some parents to see the Sport as overpriced. Despite this – and even though reviews seem to be duplicated across many websites – it does seem that the Strider Sport has received many glowing reviews.

96

Made for Mums

Level 1 expert

Strider Balance Bike Review

Level 1 expert

…this featherweight model is the ideal starter bike as it facilitates independent riding quicker than a pedal bike… My only complaint is that there’s no handle…

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28

test.de

Level 1 expert

Balance Bikes Tested: Three Good, Eleven Poor [German]

Level 1 expert

The Strider Sport offers good driving dynamics and seating comfort… The poor overall grade ultimately results from proven pollutants in the handles; PAH values and naphthalene are too high.

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Two Wheeling Tots

Level 5 expert

Strider Bike

Level 5 expert

For ages 2.5 to 4, the Strider Sport is a better purchase… Older and more adventurous riders will likely benefit from the air tires and hand brakes offered by other brands.

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The Bike Dads

Level 3 expert

Strider Balance-Bike Review

Level 3 expert

It’s light weight and low seat height offer a really affordable option… For kids 3 years plus you may want to look at other bikes that offer pneumatic tires, sealed bearings, proper headset, handbrake and aluminium construction.

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Bike Exchange

Level 1 expert

The Balance Bike Group Test

Level 1 expert

It has the lowest standover height of all bikes tested… with the low weight it’s the perfect choice for children starting out… covering the wheel bolts would greatly improve safety.

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User Ratings

98/100 based on 2880 ratings

• 5 star

  92%

• 4 star

  5%

• 3 star

  2%

• 2 star

  1%

• 1 star

  1%

Rankings

Compared to other bikes

Best Toddlers Bikes

Toddlers bikes with the highest BikeRide Scores

?

See all Toddlers bikes

Bike Comparison

Strider 12 Sport in comparison to averages

BikeRide ScorePriceWeight

Strider 12 Sport

87

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Strider Balance Bikes – Should You Get One? [REVIEW]

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If dinosaurs had bicycles back in the day, they’d probably learn how to ride them on training wheels. But your child shouldn’t. Instead, a much better option is teaching them how to ride on a Strider balance bike. If you’re wondering why find out below.

Part of Best Bike Brands

Strider has made a name for themselves by producing balance bikes that work and popularizing them in the US.

Strider’s founder, Ryan McFarland, was dissatisfied with the fact that his son could not learn to ride a bike on traditional learn-to-ride vehicles and follow him on his rides.

What was the next logical step?

Create a machine that suited his son better.

That’s how he came up with the concept of Strider—light and simple two-wheelers that focused on the fundamental skill of balance and nothing else.

What Is a Strider Bike?

A Strider bike is a simple balance bike that has no pedals. It’s used to teach a child how to ride a bike by helping them develop their balance on two wheels.

Strider bikes are available with 12″ and 14″ wheels and have a very low standover clearance. That makes it possible for children to have both of their feet firmly on the ground while sitting on the saddle, which boosts confidence.

To propel themselves, they simply push with their feet and maintain balance by pushing against either side with their legs. Once they learn the ropes, kids can gain momentum, lift both legs in the air, and happily cruise around on their own.

The 14″ Strider bike can easily be transformed into a pedal bike, so kids can use it to learn how to ride and continue riding it once they’ve mastered the art of balance.

What’s the Right Age For a Strider?

Talking about the lower age limit, if your child can walk, they can also have fun on a Strider balance bike. Specifically, that usually means between 18 months and 5 years for Strider 12″ models and 3 to 6 years for the 14″ model.

However, if you want to get your toddler used to bikes even earlier than that, you can get them a Strider Rocking Bike, which we’ll tell you more about below. It’s a good choice for kids between 6 and 18 months of age who still haven’t mastered walking.

If you’ve just discovered balance bikes and are wondering why training wheels are not the best choice, see our explanation of Balance Bikes.

12″ Balance Bikes

Strider 12 Classic

• Inseam: 12.0″ – 17.0″
• Age: 18 months – 3 years
• Bike Weight: 6.7 lbs

Strider 12 Classic is the simplest and cheapest of all Strider bikes. It costs less than $100 and comes with all the features your little rider needs and none that they don’t.

The frame and fork are made from steel, so they can carry a rider that weighs up to 60 lbs. The tires are made from foam, so you don’t need to worry about adding air to them. They’re great for light riders.

While Strider Classic has the lowest seat height of all balance bikes, the seat post can be upgraded to fit taller children as well.

The only downside to this budget-friendly balance bike is that it comes in one color. Good luck convincing your toddler to ride it if they’re not a fan of red.

Check Current Price on Amazon

Strider 12 Sport

• Inseam: 12.0″ – 20.0″
• Age: 18 months – 5 years
• Bike Weight: 6.7 lbs

Strider 12 Sport is the best all-around balance bike for all tiny-legged toddlers out there. If you want your little rider to enjoy their Strider bike for longer, you should get them the Strider Sport model.

It has pretty much all the same specs as the Classic model, but it fits children with an inseam of up to 20″ thanks to a longer seat post. Plus, it costs just $20 more.

It still rides on foam tires, has a plush saddle, and ergonomic tiny grips. An additional benefit of choosing this model is that it’s available in six fun and exciting colors—blue, green, orange, pink, red, and yellow.

Get your kid the right tool to learn and a source of fun and adventure for years to come with the Strider Sport model.

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Strider 12 Pro

• Inseam: 12.0″ – 20.0″
• Age: 18 months – 5 years
• Bike Weight: 5.6 lbs

Ideally, balance bikes should be as light and simple as possible. While 6.7 lbs for the Classic and Sport models is very low, Strider 12 Pro goes even lower. Thanks to its aluminum frame, this balance bike weighs just 5. 6 lbs.

The saddle and handlebar are height-adjustable, so your child can use and abuse this performance-oriented two-wheeler until they’re about 5 years old.

If your little rider craves speed, Strider Pro is the model that will put a smile on their face. It comes with textured footrests, so they have where to plant their tiny feat once they reach maximum velocity.

Again, the only downside is that it comes in two colors (silver and blue) which might not be every kid’s favorite choice.

Check Current Price on Amazon

Strider 12 ST-R

• Inseam: 12.0″ – 20.0″
• Age: 18 months – 5 years
• Bike Frame Weight: 466g

If you want the best, the lightest, the most nimble, and the fastest balance bike for your talented racer, then things don’t get much better than Strider 12 ST-R. However, they also don’t get much more expensive, as this carbon monster costs $900. Ouch!

Still, if your wallet is deep enough and you don’t mind breaking the bank to get your toddler the meanest superhero bike, we say go for it.

Strider 12 ST-R has a full carbon fiber frame and fork with a carbon steerer and a Cane Creek® AER® headset with bearings. Moreover, the 10-spoke carbon fiber rims are wrapped in Schwalbe Big Apple tires that will stick to any surface like glue.

Strider ST-R is a special bike that’s not for everyone. But any Strider Rider would feel like a superhero cruising around the neighborhood on it.

Strider 14X Sport Balance and Pedal Bike

• Inseam: 16.0″ – 23.0″
• Age: 3 years – 7 years
• Bike Weight: 12.5 lbs (without pedals)

The Strider 14X Sport balance bike is the only Strider bike with pedals. This model rolls on 14″ wheels with air tubes and 1.75″ all-purpose tires. That makes it suitable for taller toddlers and preschoolers.

The beauty of the Strider Sport is that an additional pedal kit can be purchased and fitted on it. Therefore, when your mini rider masters balance, you don’t need to go out of your way and buy another bike for them. Just fit this one with pedals and watch them have fun for a few more years.

The Strider 14X Sport balance bike is also equipped with wide footrests and comes in three funky colors: blue, green, and pink, making it suitable for both boys and girls.

Converting it from a balance bike into a pedal bike is quick and easy, as Strider provides you with all the tools and instructions you need. The pedal kit has coaster brakes, which will make skidding your Strider rider’s new favorite thing to do.

Related: Overview of Woom Bikes

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Rocking Bikes for Babies

Strider Balance bikes are intended for kids who are at least 18 months old or kids who have mastered walking even earlier.

But what if your baby wants to ride before that? Strider has thought about it. They can easily do it on Strider’s Rocking Bikes.

Rocking Bikes are basically a 2-in-1 solution that can provide your child with loads of fun for years to come. Strider made these by offering their Strider 12 Sport and 12 Pro models with a special platform that supports the bike and allows it to rock back and forth.

When the baby is ready to start balancing on their own, the bike detaches and your kid is ready to feel the freedom and excitement that balance bikes bring.

Didn’t find what you were looking for? Take a look at the best balance bikes (in our opinion).

Accessories

Apart from selling complete balance bikes, Strider also has a bunch of useful and quirky accessories. You can get these to make riding more enjoyable and more fun for your toddler cyclist.

For example, if you want to make riding balance bikes safer, you can get Strider’s elbow and knee pads, helmets (a must!), lights, and gloves.

If you are looking for more fun accessories, see our best picks for kids’ bike accessories.

To upgrade the bike and make riding more fun, you can get the Strider 14X pedal kit, a kickstand, variously colored grips, snow skis, carbon wheels, and more.

Basically, Strider can provide you with whatever you need to keep your kid’s favorite balance bike running for a long time, even when they start growing out of it.

Consider Also: Woom 1 Balance Bike

Strider Events and Races

How to make children fall in love with cycling? Make it as fun as possible, of course! Strider’s events and races are the perfect opportunities to show kids what riding bikes is all about—spending time outside, racing, making friends, and having a blast of a time!

Strider frequently organizes events and races all around the world that both kids and parents can enjoy. These can be both competitive and non-competitive, teaching kids about riding skills and sportsmanship.

We especially love the Strider Adventure Zone with obstacles, as well as Exploring and Discovery rides. But the racing events are super-fun and cute as well, and there are even nice prizes in place for the winners.

FAQ

See the selection on REI or on Amazon

The Best Balance Bike for 2022

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more›

1. Outdoors
2. Toys

By

Chris Dixon

Updated May 11, 2022

Photo: Quinn Dixon

FYI

Our upgrade pick, the Woom 1 12-Inch Balance Bike, has been going in and out of stock; we recommend signing up on the Woom website to be notified about availability.

May 11, 2022

A good balance bike helps little kids develop the coordination and confidence they’ll need to ride a pedal bike—things they won’t get with training wheels. We spent about 40 hours researching and assembling 13 balance bikes, and subjected them to a cadre of highly energetic 2- to 8-year-olds. After all this—and after consulting with fellow parents and industry professionals—we’re judging the Strider 12 Sport as the best balance bike for most kids (and their parents).

Our pick

Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike

The Strider 12 Sport is strong, lightweight, a cinch to assemble, and the most adjustable option for kids age 18 months to 5 years.

The Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike hides prodigious design beneath a veneer of simplicity. It is the most popular balance bike on the market, and we understand why: easy assembly, a wide range of size adjustability, light weight (6.7 pounds), and a low, 8-inch stand-over height for easier balance. Of all of the bikes here, its design feels the most, well, mini-me-friendly with kid-narrow handlebars and toddler-size grips. Its seat post has the widest height adjustability range of any bike we tested (9 inches!). Its simple design includes an ultra-light, maintenance-free nylon bushing headset (the pivot point that lets the handlebar turn), very lightweight plastic wheels, pleasantly grippy foam rubber tires that never need inflating, and footrests, which is a nice feature when a kid starts to try tricks like bunny hops, or just want to rest their feet on a gradual downhill. We also liked the full-length handlebar pad, for when bunny hops go awry. The 12 Sport comes brake-free, but Strider offers an add-on foot brake for hilly terrain.

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Runner-up

REI Co-op Cycles REV 12 Kids’ Balance Bike

This aluminum-framed balance bike costs more than our top pick and is less adjustable, but it comes with shock-absorbing and indoor-friendly rubber air-filled tires.

If our top pick is sold out, or if you want the cushioning and traction of rubber tires, particularly for indoor riding, REI’s Co-op Cycles REV 12 Kids’ Balance Bike is an excellent choice. While its air tires, alloy wheels, and standard ball-bearing headset make it, at 9 pounds, heavier than the Strider Sport, the REV 12 also features thoughtful kid-specific design elements like a low top tube (same as the Strider 12 Sport at 8 inches) and a seat height that is adjustable by 5 inches, which while still good is 4 inches fewer than the Strider. The slightly spendier Co-op lacks some size adjustability compared with the Strider 12 Sport, particularly at the handlebars, but some of our testers preferred the stability of slightly wider handlebars and the speed they could generate with its fat, rubber tires. The REV 12 also gets high marks for a really easy assembly. The clean welds, flawless paint job, and precisely fitted componentry create a bike as high in quality as REI’s famous customer support.

Budget pick

Banana Bike LT V2

Though not as polished as the Strider or Co-op, this lightweight, low-slung bike will get most kids up and happily gliding along—and won’t bust the budget.

Buying Options

$64* from Amazon

*At the time of publishing, the price was $58.

Our experts agreed: Spend less than $110 on a balance bike, and you’ll have to make some trade-offs. While the steel-framed Banana Bike LT V2 offers what we consider two of the most important features for beginning kids—low stand-over height and light weight—at a very affordable price, it took longer than 45 minutes to get it truly dialed out of the box. But, the frame is well-engineered, and the range of height adjustability for the handlebars is substantial and adequate for the seat (about 3 inches). The Banana’s foam tires work fine on paved and carpeted surfaces, but were quite slippy on kitchen linoleum and hardwood floors (unlike our top pick and runner-up). I needed to loosen its wheels with a pair of wrenches (which is a bummer, as the bike comes with only one wrench) because their spin was slow, while its bike-standard ball bearing headset arrived over-tightened, making turns of the handlebar notchy. The bike is nonetheless handsome and it performs well—once mom or dad (or a local bike shop) gets it good to roll.

Upgrade pick

Woom 1 12-Inch Balance Bike

Agile, simple to assemble, and sporting a useful rear hand brake, this is the balance bike for bike enthusiast parents who want their kid to have a pro-level tyke bike.

Balance bikes (also known as push bikes) aren’t for everyone. But we found, after polling numerous parents, that the more athletic your child is, the more likely they will take to them. The Woom 1 doesn’t compromise on anything—simple assembly, solid parts, ideal geometry—so if money is secondary and bike enthusiasm is primary for you, this is the bike for kids whose clothing size is between 2T and 4T. The Woom is designed in Europe (the motherland of most good bike culture), built in Cambodia, and dialed in with precision at Woom’s assembly facility in Austin, Texas, which gives the brand high quality control. Weighing just under 8 pounds, the Woom 1 features an ideal upright riding position, a very low 7-inch top tube height (great for shorter kids), and 5 inches of seat adjustability, starting on the lower end at 10¾ inches (most start around 12 inches). Recessed hardware at the wheels makes it impossible for kids’ legs to snag, while a removable rubber O-ring creates a flexible steering limiter to prevent front-wheel jackknifes. The bike also teaches hand braking—the second step in learning to ride a bike, after balance—with its built-for-little-hands levers. Brakes can be a hassle to adjust for the uninitiated, but the Woom’s needed no adjustments, just like the rest of the bike.

Also great

Strider 14x Sport Balance Bike

Slightly bigger with easy-to-install pedals, the Strider 14x Sport can also be used as your kid’s first pedal bike, making this an all-in-one solid investment.

The Strider 14x Sport represents a tiny segment of balance bikes that can be outfitted with a sprocket assembly that quickly converts them into solid, no-compromises pedal bikes. While we loved both the Strider 14x Sport and its nearest competition, the LittleBig 3-in-1, the Strider is lower in price and has a wider range of size adjustability. Geometry-wise, the 14x, which has 14-inch wheels (unlike the rest of the balance bikes we tested, which had 12-inch wheels), the Sport is meant for kids in their mid to high 3s up to age 7. It features an appropriately low step-in height of 10 inches; a long, stable 28½-inch wheelbase; and a remarkable seat-height range of 15 to 22 inches. Our favorite feature: the smart half-width pedals that let kids put their feet down to stop without the possibility of being whacked by the pedal, and won’t scrape during sharp cornering. Pair all that with a handlebar stem that can be raised nearly 4 inches, and you have an incredibly versatile bike, size-wise.

Everything we recommend

Our pick

Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike

The Strider 12 Sport is strong, lightweight, a cinch to assemble, and the most adjustable option for kids age 18 months to 5 years.

Runner-up

REI Co-op Cycles REV 12 Kids’ Balance Bike

This aluminum-framed balance bike costs more than our top pick and is less adjustable, but it comes with shock-absorbing and indoor-friendly rubber air-filled tires.

Budget pick

Banana Bike LT V2

Though not as polished as the Strider or Co-op, this lightweight, low-slung bike will get most kids up and happily gliding along—and won’t bust the budget.

Buying Options

$64* from Amazon

*At the time of publishing, the price was $58.

Upgrade pick

Woom 1 12-Inch Balance Bike

Agile, simple to assemble, and sporting a useful rear hand brake, this is the balance bike for bike enthusiast parents who want their kid to have a pro-level tyke bike.

Also great

Strider 14x Sport Balance Bike

Slightly bigger with easy-to-install pedals, the Strider 14x Sport can also be used as your kid’s first pedal bike, making this an all-in-one solid investment.

The research

• Why you should trust us
• Who should get this
• How we picked
• How and where we tested
• Our pick: Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike
• Flaws but not dealbreakers
• Runner-up: REI Co-op Cycles REV 12 Kids’ Balance Bike
• Budget pick: Banana Bike LT V2
• Upgrade pick: Woom 1 12-Inch Balance Bike
• Also great: Strider 14x Sport Balance Bike
• The competition
• Getting started
• Choosing a balance bike over training wheels
• Sources

Why you should trust us

We spent more than 15 hours researching, and more than 20 hours assembling, dissecting, and testing 13 balance bikes. I’m a lifelong mountain biker who raced, put on races, and worked as a bike mechanic during my college days in Athens, Georgia, and wrote about road and mountain bikes and bike racing for VeloNews, Bike, and The New York Times (parent company of Wirecutter) early in my three-decade journalism career. A few years ago, when my son was 2 and way too excited to ride his too-big pedal bike, I fashioned it into a balance bike by unscrewing the pedals and duct-taping the seat to the top tube.

Chris Dixon, mountain biking in Athens, Georgia, 1992. Photo: Clayton Mathews

For this guide, I interviewed John Bradley, formerly the editor in chief of VeloNews magazine and before that, an editor at Outside magazine. Bradley has a son named Max who had recently, at the time, graduated from a Strider balance bike to a 14-inch Islabikes Cnoc pedal bike. Bradley is fanatical about riding with Max and observing his young cycling habits with the eye of a scientist. I also spoke to Toby Hill, who was then the managing editor at Bicycle Retailer magazine, to get an idea of where the kids bike market was headed—and got additional wisdom on the topic from Marissa Guyduy, a spokesperson with the NPD Group, a consumer research organization, and Katie Bruce, then the director of marketing and communications for the National Sporting Goods Association. I also emailed with Ivan Altinbasak of WeeBikeShop and Woom’s Dave Norris.

After determining that at least one Strider bike would be a final pick, I also spent an hour on the phone with Strider inventor Ryan McFarland. Like many engineering entrepreneurs, McFarland has fanatically followed the behaviors and traits of his consumers—in this case, parents and kids from toddlers to second graders to special-needs kids of all ages, for whom he’s built larger balance bikes.

Who should get this

A properly fitted balance bike can enable children to balance on two wheels with astonishing speed even as young as 18 months and is a fun first step toward learning to ride a bike. Plus, once they master it, they’re well on their way to riding their first pedal bike. Our experts advise that learning to ride a bike has changed over the years (no more training wheels) and balance biking is the first step. Once they can balance, they learn to use a hand brake and, finally, learn to pedal, skipping training wheels altogether.

Many kids need a little encouragement (and flat, paved terrain) to get into balance biking. Unless they’ve started out with a ride-on toy car or scooter or push trike they may not pick up the bike and just go. Several parents told me that even if their kids have a balance bike, they simply don’t use it. They are far more likely to opt for scooters or tricycles. Other parents, often with active, athletic kids, say they do great on balance bikes, and they find them to be an incredibly useful tool in learning how to ride a bike.

A properly fitted balance bike can enable children to balance on two wheels even as young as 18 months and is a fun first step toward learning to ride a bike.

We checked in with Harry Sawyers and with Kalee Thompson, two Wirecutter editors who’ve worked on baby/kid stories. They were skeptical that balance bikes will ever go as mainstream as training-wheel–equipped bikes. To Sawyers, whose two kids gravitated toward trikes and scooters, it makes little sense to start a kid out on an expensive balance bike when the child might not even want to ride it. This point, however, is disputed by John Bradley, who said that, just like an adult, a child will be more likely to want to ride a lightweight, high-quality bike (which proved true among our testers). He also pointed out that such a bike will also sell on Craigslist for a pretty good percentage of what was paid for it, provided it was taken care of, making it a more digestible investment.

Balance biking gives small children the chance to build the coordination, balance, leg musculature, and confidence that they’ll need for pedal biking.

So what about skipping the balance bike and heading straight for a small pedal bike (like a 16-inch model with training wheels)? Experts told us it’s not worth it. Kids outgrow 12-inch and 14-inch bikes so quickly, it makes sense to have your kid stay on a 12-inch balance bike or 14-inch hybrid (with a highly adjustable seatpost and handlebars) until they’re ready for at least a 16-inch pedal bike, which will last them longer.

Balance biking also gives small children the chance to build the coordination, balance, leg musculature, and confidence that they’ll need for pedal biking—all things they won’t get if you start them on training wheels. Many experts we spoke with agree that training wheels render a bicycle little more than a dangerously tippy four-wheeled tricycle and don’t teach a child to balance.

How we picked

From left: The wheels on the Woom 1 and Co-op have air-filled rubber tires; the Banana has slick and hard no-air foam tires, while the Strider’s foam tires are a little softer and grippier than the Banana’s. Photo: Quinn Dixon

I spent at least 10 hours researching balance bikes online, reading Amazon and other reviews til my eyes glazed over, and then cross-checking those on Fakespot. I also spent a few hours with the copious research on Two Wheeling Tots. I secret shopper’d balance bikes at local shops here in Charleston, South Carolina, and at the REI store in Greenville, South Carolina, and gathered thoughts from our experts and a few cycling editors at Wirecutter.

This led me to the general criteria for the best balance bike for most kids:

• Geometry. The best balance bikes are built anatomically correctly for kids, and a good balance bike should put a kid in an upright to very slightly forward leaning position. This means the fixed elements of the bike are mini-me versions of adult bikes with appropriate angles for things like the steerer tube, seat tubes, distance between handlebars and seatpost, and distance between a lowered seat and the rear wheel. It’s important that a balance bike has a fairly long wheelbase (like the 24-inch on our Strider 12 Sport) as this makes the bike inherently more stable. If the distance between the handlebars and seat is too tight, the child will be uncomfortably upright, or even leaning slightly back and scrunched up, and their knees will hit the handlebars as they grow. If that seat-to-bar distance is too great, the youngster will be hunched over and placing too much weight on the handlebars.
• Low step-in height: Also known as “stand-over height,” this function of geometry is the height of a bike’s main tube (also called top tube). Ideally, it’s around 7 to 8 inches on a 12-inch balance bike, which is low enough for most 2-year-olds to stand over comfortably. A low step-in height lowers the bike’s center of gravity, helps a child raise the bike up to ride it, and enables a skittish youngster to keep the bike balanced—and to easily bail out.

Of these two budget bikes, the Radio Flyer Glide N’ Go has a considerably higher step-in height than the Banana. This can make it tougher for little kids to find their balance on the bike or to pick it up if it tips over between their legs. Photo: Quinn Dixon

• Weight and frame material: Multiple retailers we spoke with suggested that a good balance bike should not weigh more than 30 percent of a child’s weight (for example, a bike should be 9 pounds or lighter for a 30-pound toddler). Weight directly determines how easy the bike will be for a kid to haul around, heft into an upright position, swing around by the handlebars to get it into position, and, most important, stop, especially if using their feet and not hand brakes. Generally, aluminum-framed bikes are among the lightest out there, but they tend to be more expensive. Steel is the most common material.
• Adjustability for size: The best balance bikes grow with your kid. When a kid starts riding a balance bike, he or she may be only 30 inches tall but might be 45 inches when the time comes to move onto the next bike. That’s a 50 percent increase. The bikes among our picks with the most adjustable seat posts grow by up to 9 inches and have handle bars that accommodate the same growth, making a balance bike rideable for multiple years.

The Strider 12 Sport features a super-wide range of height adjustability (9 inches). Here it is with the seat and handlebars raised… Photo: Quinn Dixon

. ..and here it is with the seat and handlebars lowered. Photo: Quinn Dixon

The Strider 12 Sport features a super-wide range of height adjustability (9 inches). Here it is with the seat and handlebars raised… Photo: Quinn Dixon

• Assembly and maintenance: From unboxing, a balance bike should be ready to roll in half an hour, and the average parent should be able to assemble it properly without a professional’s help. Instructions should be clear and easy to follow and necessary tools should be included. Our top picks, from Woom and Strider, came with particularly well-thought-out, delightfully informative printed step-by-step instructions and website videos. The best bikes come perfectly adjusted to ride right out of the box. Handlebar headsets—a crucial element of any bike—are often not adjusted correctly, but the best did not need any adjustment.
• Price: The best balance bike for most people falls in the $110 to $150 range. Bikes in this range will offer a good blend of quality and performance, and be lightweight without compromising on ease of build and quality components. But you’re unlikely to find, for instance, an easy-to-squeeze rear linear-pull hand brake, which helps kids move toward a pedal bike as well as hyper-kid-specific componentry, à la Woom, in this price range.

The best balance bikes grow with your kid.

• Availability: A bike should be broadly available—especially in North America—with delivery in a reasonable amount of time to Manhattan, Topeka, or Fairbanks.
• Buying experience: Being able to access resources online (like instructions, for instance), contact customer service, and return a product should be easy.
• Brakes: Though most kids can stop just fine with their feet, a brake is still a desirable safety feature, especially if the bike will be ridden in hilly areas, and they’ll have learned a useful skill for pedal bikes. The most effective and safest brake is a rear hand style that features linear-pull brakes (commonly known as V-Brakes, which is actually a trademark of the Shimano Corporation). These engage by squeezing the rims and are like those found on the Woom 1 and other higher-end balance bikes. Strider offers an effective foot-actuated add-on, which can help kids learn to use coaster brakes (these are on nearly every US-sold pedal bike due to regulations). We do not recommend common, inexpensive band-style rear hand brakes, like those we found on the Easy Glider. They’re too hard to engage and aren’t very strong when they do. To test the effectiveness of a rear linear-pull brake for your toddler, you should be able to stop the bike with a pull of your ring finger or, better still, a pinky. A front hand brake, like that found on the LittleBig 3-in-1, is not a necessary feature for most kids because building the coordination to use it takes time. In fact, to prevent wipeouts, a front linear-pull brake should be loosened considerably or disengaged until your kid is ready for it.

The LittleBig 3-in-1 has high-quality, linear-pull hand brakes in the front and the rear, which are suitable for more experienced kids. Photo: Quinn Dixon

• Overall construction: The fit-and-finish of various components, such as bearings bolts and headsets, should be tailored dimensionally to tykes. Seat covers are best if bonded instead of stapled and, well, urine-proof. Fixed elements, like the welds that join the headset tube to the frame, should be smooth and of high quality. Nuts and bolts should not be exposed, or should at least be rounded off, lest they bruise your kid in a fall or get hung up on a pant leg during a long stride.

Aluminum V-brakes and rounded, recessed Allen bolts at the wheel axle were nice touches on the Woom 1. Photo: Quinn Dixon

• Wheel size: For beginners from ages 2 to 6, 12-inch diameter wheels are generally the best call. Any smaller and they can be twitchy and provide little gyroscopic balancing force. If they’re bigger, the bike is likely too ungainly for smaller kids. With that said, if you’re getting a first balance bike for a kid bigger than roughly 4 years old, consider moving into the 14-inch size. In that case, we have you covered with one of our picks, the Strider 14x Sport.

Note the difference in wheel—and bike—size between the Strider 12 Sport and the balance/pedal hybrid Strider 14x Sport. Photo: Quinn Dixon

• Tires and wheels: The best tires are air-filled rubber ones because they dampen bumps and grip better on smooth surfaces like concrete and wood floors, although they are susceptible to flats. Next on the list are foam tires because they don’t require pumping and have good traction outdoors. But they can be slippery indoors. We found that the best foam tires—like those on the Strider 12 Sport—were made of a grippier and marginally softer material than those on the Banana or Kazam bikes. The dealbreaker wheel-wise is hard, plastic tires, often found on the cheapest balance bikes. These are way too slick and offer no shock absorption. The best-thought-out air-filled wheelsets feature metal air valve stems angled outward instead of pointing straight at the axles. This is important because, unless a stem is angled, not all tire pumps (especially the hand pumps you’d use out on a ride) can fit between axle and rim to inflate the tire.
• Bells and whistles: Rear brakes, a shrill bell, a good steering limiter (that offers a wide turning radius but still prevents a full 90-degree lockup), and footrests and rubber tires are all good extras.

How and where we tested

Our 3-year-old tester atop the Woom 1, our 2-year-old aboard the Kazam, and our 6-year-old on the Strider 12 Sport. Photo: Quinn Dixon

For our testing subjects, we enlisted our friend’s adventurous little kids, including 2-year-old Elle, 6-year-old Luke, and 7-year-old Fleet here in Charleston, South Carolina. We tried to have another friend’s son, Asher, who is almost 2, test bikes but he helped us realize balance bikes are not for all little kids (Asher will ride a tricycle and push himself around on his knees aboard a skateboard, fearlessly falling on his face again and again, but he wants nothing to do with the balance bikes). River, who is 3 and a proficient balance biker, took to our fleet with enthusiasm. My 8-year-old son, Fritz, is obviously out of the age and size range for this guide, but at 51 inches tall and 55 pounds (and with an avid love of local singletrack on his 20-inch mountain bike), he could still rip around on several of the bikes on their highest settings and had plenty to say about how even the smallest bikes handled.

We tested the bikes around a flat neighborhood over a few weeks. During that time, 2-year-old Elle went from being a bit overwhelmed to quite comfortable striding around. We also did sprint races along my paved driveway and street and visited the James Island County Park, which has several miles of rolling paved and dirt bike trails that wind up and down through moss-draped Lowcountry oak forest and along the edge of Forrest Gumpian salt marsh.

Our pick: Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike

Photo: Quinn Dixon

Our pick

Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike

The Strider 12 Sport is strong, lightweight, a cinch to assemble, and the most adjustable option for kids age 18 months to 5 years.

After testing 13 of the most popular balance bikes on the market, we decided the Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike combines the best of all things: kid-friendly, high-grade design; affordability; wide availability; proper geometry; and very little we didn’t like. It’s one of the top-selling bikes out there and we see why: It was easier to assemble than almost all of our other picks, features a wider range of size adjustability than our other bikes, and hits an affordable price. Rounding it out is strong-yet-light steel tubing that results in a very light overall weight of 6.7 pounds. Combine all this with top-notch customer service and wide availability, and you have the iMac of the balance bike world.

The Strider 12 arrived well-padded and protected in its box. It also was nearly assembled right down to its pre-attached wheels, which were perfectly tightened so they spun freely without any play. Step-by-step instructions, both printed and online, were easy and fun and never frustrating. Final assembly consisted of fitting a couple of nylon bushings that comprised its super-tough and simple steering headset, then tightening the quick-release levers that raise and lower the seat and handlebars. The quick-release levers are even notched where they’re supposed to sit. The 12 Sport also comes with a six-page Learn to Ride guide—also available on Strider’s impeccably maintained website—that clearly lays out how to teach your child to ride a balance bike, the science behind how a child learns to balance, and best practices for transitioning from a balance to a pedal bike.

Geometry-wise, Strider 12 Sport is designed from the top down to be a bike for kids. In addition to being light, it features a very low step-through height—the height of its main, or top, tube—of 8 inches. This made it the third-lowest of our test bikes and well-suited for a 2-year-old. It’s also key for short riders who have a much harder time righting a downed bike with a tall top tube. (Recall your own awkwardness and tumbles when you rode a too-tall bike as a kid. )

Note the grip tape on the rear fork to provide a foot platform, the straight handlebars with thin grips, and the kid-wide seat of the Strider 12 Sport (left) versus the Woom 1 (center) and the much larger, but still 12-inch wheeled Ridgeback Scoot. Photo: Quinn Dixon

The Strider’s straight, mountain bike–style handlebars are a kid-size 14.5 inches wide, which makes the bike very responsive, while the tapered grips are toddler-friendly at 2 to 2.5 inches in diameter. Like most balance bikes sold today, the grips feature bulbs on their ends that prevent not only torso impalement from jackknifed handlebars but also scraped fingers from inevitable visits to gravel or pavement. The narrow seat allows for easy mounts and dismounts and features a gentle tilt downward from front to back to help keep your child saddled. Its surface is not too slick and not too sticky and comprises a durable yet just-soft-enough foam rubber. The bike comes with two easily interchangeable seat tubes—one short (8. 6 inches) and one long (11.5 inches)—allowing adjustment heights from 11 to 20 inches, the widest range of any bike we tested and among the widest of any balance bike. Combined with handlebars that can rise nearly 5 inches on their own, you have a tiny bike that could be comfortably ridden by our 2-year-old tester and even my 8-year-old son.

Elle strides with the Strider 12 Sport. Video: Quinn Dixon

The Strider 12 Sport’s functional design carries over into its very lightweight plastic wheels and foam rubber tires that never need inflating. We tested a few bikes with foam tires and found all—including the Strider’s—slid out far more easily than inflatable rubber tires on smooth surfaces like wood or tile floors. But the Strider tires appear to be made of a marginally softer and grippier material than our other foam-tired bikes, which helped mitigate some slides and handled bumpier dirt trails reasonably well. Our testers also liked the footrests, which are basically cutouts of skateboard-style grip tape glued atop the slightly lengthened rear chainstays (the lower fork that holds the back wheel), when they were cruising around with their feet up and attempting bunny hops.

Thousands of parents around the world—from Japan to England to the US—love this brand for its Strider Cup races, a national championship balance bike series for 2- to 5-year-olds. These Fred Flintstone-powered criteriums were, not surprisingly, the brainchild of Strider founder and avid motocrosser Ryan McFarland. The zeitgeist of these races is nicely captured in this story and video by The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay, “The End of Training Wheels,” who describes a cross between Sesame Street and Mad Max. For this great Outside story, “Inside the Cut-Throat World of Toddler Bike Racing,” writer Ian Dille’s son actually competed in the race Gay was covering.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The Strider 12 Sport comes without a rear linear-pull hand brake—the ideal kind for a balance bike. Though a hand brake isn’t of much use (and indeed we’ve even found it to be an occasional hindrance) to a beginner-level balance biker, once a child gets the coordination and the basics of “striding” down, a kid-size hand brake does become a desirable safety option. Most kids can indeed stop a balance bike even on moderate hills with nothing more than their feet or simply step off the back of the bike, but a good squeeze of a hand brake can stop them faster. Strider does sell a $20 simple add-on foot-operated brake, which can also help teach coaster braking skills. This is an important safety feature for hilly terrain, but we’d love to see a hand brake option.

Two other shortcomings are foam tires and the 12 Sport’s narrow handlebars. While we did find that Strider’s foam formulation is stickier and a bit softer than the foam tires on the Kazam or Banana, it still doesn’t offer the traction or rebound of old-school inflatable rubber. Our tester feedback has us split on the Strider’s narrow handlebars: They do allow the bike to turn more quickly, but some testers felt they made it harder to balance. And although the bars can be nicely adjusted for height, because they aren’t curved, we couldn’t tilt them away from the bigger kids’ knees, as we did with the Strider 14 Sport and the Co-op REV 12.

Runner-up: REI Co-op Cycles REV 12 Kids’ Balance Bike

Photo: Quinn Dixon

Runner-up

REI Co-op Cycles REV 12 Kids’ Balance Bike

This aluminum-framed balance bike costs more than our top pick and is less adjustable, but it comes with shock-absorbing and indoor-friendly rubber air-filled tires.

If our top pick is sold out, or if you want the cushioning and traction of rubber tires, particularly for indoor riding or bumpy surfaces, the REI Co-op Cycles REV 12 Kids’ Balance Bike is an excellent choice. Even though it usually costs $30 more than the Strider, we liked the bike’s Strider-like geometry, its ease of assembly, light weight, wheel setup, and relatively low price, as well as REI’s reputation.

Like the Strider 12 Sport, the REV 12 features a very low step-in height of 8 inches—a key aspect for a balance bike—and its seat height is adjustable between a very respectable 13. 5 and 18.5 inches. The seat also has a neat little “grab handle” at the back for when the grown-ups need to give it a lift. While our younger tots gravitated toward the Strider and its narrower handlebars, our bigger testers liked the added stability of the Co-op’s slightly wider bars (16.5 versus 14.5 inches), and we appreciated the ability to change the handlebar angle with an Allen wrench. Though the bars can only be raised about 2 inches via the stem (compared with nearly 5 inches for the Strider), angling the bar upward provides an additional half inch of height. The bars are not quite an inch wider in diameter than those on the Strider with about a 3-inch grip, but they’re definitely still kid-size.

The REV 12 also gets high marks for what may be an even easier assembly than the Strider. It basically comes pre-assembled. Turn the handlebar into the correct position, tighten it down with the included Allen wrench, and adjust the seat post height, and your child is ready to roll.

While its air tires, alloy wheels, and standard (and very strong) ball-bearing headset make it slightly heavier than the Strider 12 Sport at 9 pounds, the REV 12 is still acceptably light. Our test kids generated slightly greater speed with the REV 12’s fat, inflatable tires, which are semi-knobby and offer good off-road traction. The bike’s 24-inch wheelbase, common to most of our picks, gives the bike a good mix of stability and agility. The tire valve stems also feature child-resistant valve caps—which you push down to turn like a child-safe lid on a bottle of pills—to keep your toddling tyke from mistaking them for raisins. The kids also liked the customizing sticker pack that came with the bike—letters, numbers, and illustrations of dinosaurs, birds, bunnies, and robots.

Our complaints: It would be nice to have a quick-release seat post option; we’d like a simple footrest for gliding like that found on the Strider; and angled tire valve stems to make filling the tires easier. And while the Rev 12 is relatively light, it’s not as light or easy to heft as the Strider, particularly its front half (owing to its heavier headset and wheels), and kids will be lifting by the handlebars to shuffle it into position. Like the Strider, the REV 12 also lacks a rear brake, but unlike Strider they don’t offer a rear brake option. At this price point, a brake would be a nice addition.

Still, the REV 12’s fit and finish are top-notch, it’s fun to ride, and the support and availability you’ll get from REI, both in their brick-and-mortar stores and online, makes this bike a solid backup choice.

Budget pick: Banana Bike LT V2

Photo: Quinn Dixon

Budget pick

Banana Bike LT V2

Though not as polished as the Strider or Co-op, this lightweight, low-slung bike will get most kids up and happily gliding along—and won’t bust the budget.

Buying Options

$64* from Amazon

*At the time of publishing, the price was $58.

We looked at 20 bikes in the under-$100 price range and decided that the best budget bikes for most kids is the steel-framed Banana Bike LT V2. With most bikes around this price, you’ll likely compromise on weight, component quality, ease of assembly, and/or geometry. But this affordable bike from a small UK-based company offers what we consider the most important features for beginning kids: low stand-over height, kid-friendly geometry, and a light weight without compromising on too much else. It’s readily available from and highly reviewed on Amazon. It does lack the fit and finish, ease of construction, brakes, and quality componentry of its spendier cousins.

Geometry-wise, the Banana is very similar to our runner-up pick, the Co-op Cycles REV 12. The curved frame is well-engineered with a very low step-in height of 8.5 inches. The handlebar grips are marginally kid-scale with a grip circumference of 3. 5 inches, and the seat is also right at the edge of what a little kid would need at a large 5.5 by 8 inches. You can easily raise and lower the seat via a quick-release lever from a minimum height of 12.25 inches to a max of 15.5 inches (a shorter max height than both our main pick and the runner-up) while you can raise the handlebar stem 3 inches. The Banana’s super-light foam tires and wheels work fine on paved and carpeted surfaces, but were quite slippy on kitchen linoleum and hardwood floors.

In terms of construction, the Banana Bike was nowhere near as easy to build as our other picks. It arrived in a very small box. To make this possible, it ships without the wheels attached. It comes with axles and accompanying hardware pre-threaded and attached, but the trick was attaching them to the front and rear forks so that they weren’t too loose or too tight. This required some attentive wrenching with two wrenches (the bike came with only one) and paying close attention to the diagram on the instruction sheet. The bike also arrived with its headset a bit too tight, making it notchy when you turned it. You can use a bigger wrench (again, not included), yet even without loosening, the too-tight headset wasn’t a dealbreaker because you can still turn the handlebars and they would loosen a bit over time anyway. The basic, skateboard-style cartridge bearings also worked fine as soon we loosened the axle nuts slightly. The bike is nonetheless handsome, and it performs well once it’s dialed in, allowing a kid to start and stop comfortably, ride easy or hard and fast, and to bail without issue in the inevitable wipeout.

Upgrade pick: Woom 1 12-Inch Balance Bike

Photo: Quinn Dixon

Upgrade pick

Woom 1 12-Inch Balance Bike

Agile, simple to assemble, and sporting a useful rear hand brake, this is the balance bike for bike enthusiast parents who want their kid to have a pro-level tyke bike.

If you’re confident that you can persuade your youngster to give push biking a go (and money is a secondary concern), the aluminum-and-stainless-steel Woom 1 is a work of industrial art. With a featherweight frame and rubber-tired wheel set, custom-built and -selected componentry, a powerful hand brake, ideal geometry, and solid customer support, the Woom 1 is the perfect balance bike for kids age 18 months to 4 years.

Our great experience with the Woom 1 began with the arrival of a slightly oversized box that allows the bike to be shipped from Woom’s facility in Texas with its wheels and hand brake already attached and perfectly adjusted. Assembly was thus reduced to snapping and screwing in the headset using the included 6 mm Allen wrench, setting the seat height with the quick-release levers, and handing the bike to our eager young tester.

We were impressed right off with the beautiful paint job and flawless welds on the Woom’s super-light aluminum frame. At 7.4 pounds, this is the lightest bike we tested with air-filled rubber tires, a feat made possible by Woom’s lightweight, proprietary alloy wheelset, which also relies on a mere 16 stainless steel spokes per wheel (the Co-op Cycles REV 12, by comparison, uses 28). The smooth-rolling rubber tires have just enough knobbiness to grip in the dirt. Axles are secured to the bike via a set of rounded, recessed Allen bolts and recessed mounting points that make it essentially impossible for a child to snag a pant leg on or suffer a bruise from in a wipeout.

Geometry-wise, the Woom 1 offers a very comfortable upright riding position for most kids and a very low step-through height of 7 inches, the second lowest of any bike we tested. The seat adjustability—between 10¾ and 15¾ inches—is also impressive and will easily suit children ages 2 to 4. The medium-long wheelbase of 24 inches (comparable to that found on the Strider and the Banana) gives the bike nicely stable handling. There’s also plenty of space on the rear fork for your child to prop up their feet if so inclined. To mimic the approach of Strider, you could also add a couple of strips of grip tape to the rear fork.

Component-wise, the Woom 1’s headset and stem are beautifully designed and integrated with the curved, kid-proportioned (3-inch-diameter grips), mountain-bike-style handlebars, with a tapered aluminum crown and an oval window in the stem that lets you precisely adjust the handlebar angle upward as your kid grows. The handlebar bar height itself is not adjustable via the stem—only by rotating the bar. This can give only around an inch of rise, and thus the one thing we’d change about the Woom 1 would be more height adjustability (à la Strider or Co-op Cycles) via stem spacers or an adjustable stem, which could enable the bike to last at least a bit past its upper-limit, 4-year-old size.

The Woom’s beautifully cast aluminum forks are attached to a unique steering limiter, which is little more than a strap and a thick O-ring bushing. The limiter offers progressively greater resistance once the handlebar approaches a 90-degree angle, preventing the rider from making jarring and potentially over-the-handlebar stops. When your kid no longer needs it, simply pop off the O-ring and let it dangle.

We were also impressed with the Woom’s rear aluminum V-brake hand brake, which is built for little hands and stops the bike with authority. A 2-year-old can easily squeeze the proprietary brake lever, and you can adjust the grip reach effortlessly via a small knob. The comfortably cush seat is right for a little kid (at 4.5 by 7 inches) and even features scuff-proof sides for when it’s laid over on the pavement.

We also really like Woom’s upCYCLING program. Return your Woom 1 (shipping prepaid) to the company within two years of purchase, and Woom will put 40% of the returned bike’s original purchase price toward the next bike, one size up. (In this case, either a Woom 2 or a Woom 3.) You pay a one-time enrollment fee of about $60, but the discount would be renewed up to your purchase of a 26-inch-wheeled Woom 6.

Also great: Strider 14x Sport Balance Bike

Photo: Quinn Dixon

Also great

Strider 14x Sport Balance Bike

Slightly bigger with easy-to-install pedals, the Strider 14x Sport can also be used as your kid’s first pedal bike, making this an all-in-one solid investment.

If your beginner kid is old enough or large enough to graduate from a 12-inch balance bike to something bigger that will balance now and pedal later, the Strider 14x Sport should merit your serious consideration. Along with the also impressive but more expensive LittleBig 3-in-1, the Strider 14x Sport comprises half of a tiny market in 14-inch bikes that easily convert from a balance bike to a no-compromises first pedal bike. We were highly impressed with the 14x Sport’s under-$200 price, comfortable geometry, wide adjustability, the sheer genius of its add-on pedal/sprocket setup, and its excellent printed and online instructions and technical support. More than a good balance bike, it’s an ideal bike for learning the pedal basics.

Like our 12 Sport, the 14x arrived nearly constructed. With Strider’s excellent step-by-step instructions (here’s a video), buildout was a simple, 10-minute matter of slipping on a few nylon washers at the headset, sliding on a self-aligning clamp, and inserting and tightening the handlebar assembly. They’ve created a terrific booklet that goes with the 14x that not only explains the how and why behind teaching your kid to go from striding to pedaling but also includes a few games you can play along the way to make the process as fun and natural as, well, riding a bike.

As far as geometry and weight, the 14x Sport is meant for older kids, from the late 3s up to 6 or 7. The 14x weighs 12 pounds without pedals, 15.5 pounds with, which is pretty light for a 14-inch bike, but double the weight of the 12 Sport. Like its smaller cousin, the 12 Sport, the 14x Sport offers key features, in this case a low step-in height, of 10 inches; a long, stable wheelbase of 28.5 inches; a bottom bracket that’s only 5.8 inches high, lowering the center of gravity; and a remarkable seat-height range of 15 to 22 inches. Couple that range with a handlebar stem that can be raised nearly 4 inches and a bar that can be tilted upward and forward nearly 4 inches, and you have an incredibly versatile and maneuverable little people mover. When I raised the bars to their maximum and rotated them halfway forward, even my 8-year-old had a blast whipping around the driveway with his friends without bumping his knees. It fit our 6-year-old and 3-year-old just fine, too.

A nicely narrow Q factor—the distance between the cranks—keeps a child’s legs from splaying out while on the pedal and allows them to generate power more easily.

Unlike the smaller Strider, the 14x gives nods to traditional bicycle construction. It features the same, simple nylon headset assembly as the 12 Sport, but because the handlebar itself is curved, its angles are thus adjustable like the bars on a BMX bike. This is desirable for a more customized fit and will help keep your child’s knees clear of the handlebars as legs lengthen. The 14x also features smooth and shock-absorbing air-filled, semi-knobby tires on lightweight 16-spoke alloy rims. Without the pedals, the Strider works great as a push bike. It has a removable footrest, and its wheelbase gives it plenty of speed and stability for medium- to bigger-size kids. For our experienced 6-year-old rider, Luke, it was a cinch to bunny hop.

Once kids have mastered striding, it’s time to attach the pedal setup, which like everything else Strider, is extremely clever. The pedal assembly arrives in a box that advises parents not to open it until your child is ready to pedal. Once they open it, attaching the pedals is stupid easy. An included Allen wrench removes the single Allen bolt that secures the footrest. That same Allen bolt then attaches the pre-built sprocket assembly, which also comes complete with a correct-length loop of chain. Unlike most bikes, the 14x Sport’s rear fork/chainstay is designed with a tight inward angle at the front sprocket that allows the chain to be fixed in place without even removing the rear wheel—a brilliant modification. There’s also a chain guard that completely covers the chain to protect fingers and feet and prevent clothing entanglements. It snaps into place with nary a bolt or screw.

Removing the 14x Sport’s chain and pedals to turn it into a balance bike is a snap.
Photo: Quinn Dixon

First, unscrew the single 17 mm Allen bolt at the bottom bracket. Photo: Quinn Dixon

Remove the pedal/sprocket assembly—you don’t even have to remove the wheel. Photo: Quinn Dixon

Voilà, a balance bike. Photo: Quinn Dixon

Removing the 14x Sport’s chain and pedals to turn it into a balance bike is a snap.
Photo: Quinn Dixon

When it’s set up, the Strider’s pedal assembly is engineered with very narrow cranks and pedals—half as wide as you’d see on any other bike. These are key because when most kids transition from a balance to a pedal bike, they’re hardwired to use their feet as brakes—especially if their balance bike didn’t come with hand brakes. The narrowness of this setup allows them to continue to stride and brake like Fred Flintstone until they develop the coordination to engage the pedal and coaster brake in concert. Other bikes with wider pedals will catch kids in the leg if they put their feet down.

When kids do pedal, the 14x is designed to get up to speed quickly. It climbs hills easily and takes off quickly. Its short, 76 mm crank arms and high gear ratio translate to a lack of top speed that you’d find on, say, a bigger BMX bike. (Indeed, a big kid can stride it faster than pedal it.) But this makes it perfect for easy first pedal strokes. The 14x also has a nicely narrow Q factor—the distance between the cranks—of 5.9 inches, which keeps a child’s legs from splaying out while on the pedal and allows them to generate power more easily. The other bonus of the 14x’s “half-width” pedals and short cranks is that even with the bike’s low, 5.8-inch-high bottom bracket, a child can lean the bike pretty hard into a turn without the inside pedal scraping the ground and potentially throwing the child off their bike. These are features other pedal bike manufacturers would do well to consider.

Brake-wise, we would like to see the 14x Sport come with a non-coaster setup such as hand brakes and a freewheel, allowing a child to “pedal backward” when they need a quick stability check (while climbing hills, for instance). But due to US regulations, so-called sidewalk bikes—the simplest, smallest type generally ridden by little kids—must be equipped with friction coaster brakes. Modern V- and disc-style hand brakes are superior because they allow a child to stop with the pedals in any position—potentially important in an emergency stop situation. The 14x’s closest competition, the hybrid LittleBig, which is manufactured in Ireland, sells its 3-in-1 model as a hand brake–equipped balance bike and offers its freewheel pedal/sprocket assembly as a stand-alone option. In the US, North Carolina’s Glide Bikes does the same thing with its 12-inch Mini-Glider. The 14x Sports sold in non-US markets (keeping up with international bike standards) will, in fact, feature a freewheel and linear-pull hand brakes.

The competition

The gorgeous, aluminum LittleBig 3-in-1 is a hybrid balance pedal bike like the Strider 14x. It is a step up in quality, weighs less (11.2 pound without pedals, 14.5 with), and has excellent front and rear hand brakes and an ingenious system that allows you to flip the midpoint of the frame. The pedal installation process is not as simple as the 14x, though, and its geometry is more aggressive, which makes it agile but not quite as comfortable as the Strider.

Hybrid-wise, we also tested the under-$100, footrest-equipped 12-inch Glide Bikes Mini Glider, which our advanced riders really liked. But the rear drum-style hand brake didn’t work well and weighed the bike down unnecessarily. The Mini Glider also came with a freewheel (no coaster brake) pedal option, but with the marginally effective brakes, we couldn’t recommend the add-on.

The Yedoo TooToo is a small, remarkably lightweight (8.2 pounds) steel bike with air tires, steering limiter, and a strong linear-pull hand brake (great for hilly areas). Its step-through height (10 inches) was a bit high, its seat adjustment range wasn’t quite as wide as the Woom 1 and the 1. 1-inch-diameter bar grips were too wide for our smallest brake-grabbing kids.

In the upgrade category, the Ridgeback Scoot is a solid, bigger 12-inch model. Made by a UK-based company, it’s a really nice bike, but it didn’t have quite the attention to detail as the Woom 1, yet it cost the same. (It’s also hard to find in the US.)

We also tested the budget Kazam v2e, which features the lowest step-in height of any bike we tested, at 6 inches, and a wide, comfortable footrest. We had issues with the width of its rear tubes, which rubbed our tester’s legs. The foam tires were quite slippery. If you go Kazam, choose the air-tired v2s.

Trek’s Kickster offers similar features and geometry as the Strider 12 Sport, but costs more. But we like that if you go with Trek at a local shop, you can utilize its 50 percent credit trade-up program.

Specialized’s Hotwalk is a solid bike, but for $175 it offered no hand brake, and the boys’ version had an unnecessarily high top tube.

Giant’s Pre is on a par in most respects with the Co-op REV 12, including the price, but it’s available only in bike shops, making it harder to find.

Cannondale’s $225 Trail Balance bike (it comes in boys’ and girls’ versions, which are identical apart from the colors) is unique, with its single-sided lefty-style fork, made famous on Cannondale’s big mountain bikes. But feature-wise, you’ll get more for your money from Co-op.

Getting started

You can get your kid started with balance biking as young as 15 months with a light bike with a low seat so they can simply sit, hold the handlebars, and walk around (or at an even younger age, with Strider’s rocking horse attachment, which only works with the 12 Sport).

To maximize the chances that your kid will come to enjoy balance biking, Strider’s McFarland, bike guru John Bradley, and fellow Wirecutter editors recommend the following.

• Make sure the bike is adjusted properly. The seat should be at least an inch below the child’s crotch and the handlebars should be around tummy height with the child standing. If the seat is set at the lowest height, the handlebars should be, too. When sitting, the child should be able to put their feet flat on the floor, and nearly all the child’s weight should be on the saddle. The child should be fairly upright while seated on the bike and holding the handlebars, neither leaning back or hunched over the handlebars.
• Helmets are key and if the child thinks it’s cool and comfortable, they’re more likely to wear it. It must fit the head snugly: not too tight and not too loose so it flops down to one side, or worse, over the eyes.

You can get your kid started with balance biking as young as 15 months with a light bike with a low seat so they can simply sit, hold the handlebars, and walk around.

• Show the child the basic stance by using your own bike: Lower your seat way down and demonstrate how to hold it up and walk with it. Don’t push the kid on his or her bike or hold them up by the handlebars. It’s very important that the child learns to propel himself or herself, first by simply walking along, and that they correct any tipping by themselves. If you do it, they’ll come to think the most stable position is leaned over to one side. Should they need encouragement or help, simply walk alongside them or give a gentle hold onto the back of their shirt. Encourage them to look forward and not down. Also don’t encourage them to sit on the seat; they’ll come to this naturally.
• Don’t rush it. Ease them in—even if that means simply standing there for a mere 30 seconds until a scooter, butterfly or sippy cup provides a new distraction. A kid may not develop the coordination to actually glide on a bike with their feet up until age 3. And stay off the hills until the child is a solid glider and knows how to put their feet down to stop and/or operate their hand brake.

When sitting, the child should be able to put their feet flat on the floor, and nearly all the child’s weight should be on the saddle.

• As with anything with kids, make it fun. Play follow (or chase) the leader. Have the child try to weave through a set of cones. Draw a chalk line along the ground and have them follow it. Play rocket ship blast-off, or Simon Says (Simon says, “Go!” and Simon says, “Turn the handlebar.”).
• Don’t transition your kid to a pedal bike until they’re ready. This can mean striding for a few years. Pedaling adds a new and potentially dangerous element to the mix. When we accidentally let our balance-bike–loving 2-year-old son see the 14-inch Hot Wheels pedal bike we had stashed in the garage, there was no keeping him off it. Because the training-wheeled bike was so tall, I ditched the training wheels and removed the seatpost, taping the seat to the top tube so Fritz’s feet could rest on the ground. Fritz learned to pedal quickly, but stopping was another matter. He was far too young to coordinate with the bike’s coaster brake, so naturally, he’d just put his feet down and the pedals would crash painfully into his feet and ankles, occasionally leading to wipeouts. This scenario could prove more dangerous on hills or along a busy road.

Choosing a balance bike over training wheels

Ryan McFarland, John Bradley, WeeBikeShop’s Ivan Altinbasak, and most everyone I interviewed consider training wheels to be about the worst thing you can put on kids’ bikes. Training wheels are antithetical to learning how to balance on a bike. Making a turn with training wheels with too much speed can throw a kid from their bike. Typically, too, training wheels encourage parents to buy bikes far too big for their kids.

John Bradley added that once you take training wheels off a bike, a kid is starting back at square one. “What they have learned [pedaling] will not serve them when they need to balance,” he said. “You’re only adding to the experience with a balance bike. You learn the balance, then you add brakes, and then pedals. ”

In his 2004 book Bicycling Science, MIT engineering professor David Gordon Wilson wrote: “It’s hard to see how training wheels can inculcate any of the desired balancing habits, unless they are off the ground.” Instead, he suggested “the commonsense idea of having those learning to ride a bicycle adjust the bicycle’s seat low enough to plant their feet on the ground and practice by coasting down gentle, grassy slopes.”

This article was edited by Ingela Amundson and Christine Ryan.

Sources

1. John Bradley, former editor in chief of VeloNews, phone interview, August 25, 2017

2. Watts Dixon, owner of Revolution Cycles, columnist for Dirt Rag, and father, phone interview, August 26, 2017

3. Ryan McFarland, president of Strider Bikes, phone and email interviews, August 30, 2017

4. Katie Bruce, director of marketing and communications for the National Sporting Goods Association, email interviews, September 27, 2017

5. Toby Hill, managing editor of Bicycle Retailer, phone and email interviews, September 27, 2017

6. Ivan M. Altinbasak, owner of WeeBikeShop, email interviews, November 7, 2017

About your guide

Chris Dixon

Further reading

• The Best First Pedal Bike

  by Chris Dixon

  After spending 30 hours testing 13 pedal bikes, we’ve picked the fun, no-fuss, Co-op Cycles REV 16 Kids’ Bike as the best first pedal bike for most kids.

• The Best Kids Bike Seats

  by Caitlin Giddings

  A kids seat mounted to your bike is a good way to begin to nurture your child’s own love of riding for transportation—or just for fun.

• The Best Bike Handlebar Bag

  by Sam Schild

  After spending the winter testing dozens of bike handlebar bags, we’ve chosen five that can carry all your riding essentials, no matter where you’re headed.

• The Best Bike Racks and Carriers for Cars and Trucks

  by Eric C. Evarts, Rik Paul, and Jack Smith

  After testing 75 bike racks—including hitch, trunk, and roof models—we recommend the Küat Sherpa 2. 0 hitch rack as the best way to carry your bikes on a car.

Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing to save people time, energy and money when making buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). Subscribe now for unlimited access.

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Strider Balance Bike Review – Cycle Sprog

Strider, a name synonymous with balance bikes, has been doing pedal-less bikes for kids since 2007. From modest beginnings, Strider has grown into a global community, sold millions of balance bikes worldwide and have even hosted the Strider Cup World Championships!

We were therefore really pleased when The Bike Club asked our 3 year old reviewer to put the Strider Sport balance bike to the test to help our readers decide whether this is the balance bike for their Cycle Sprog.

Cycle Sprog were sent the Strider Sport to review by The Bike Club, who run an affordable and hassle-free monthly rental scheme for quality kids bikes. We were not paid to write this review and all opinions are our own.

Cycle Sprog is a reader supported website. When you buy through links on this page we may earn an affiliate commission.  Learn more here 

Reviewer details:

Age – 3 years  Height – 95cm Inside leg – 36cm

Bike details:

Model – Strider 12 Sport
Colours– Blue, Green, Pink, Red, Orange, Yellow, and Black
Child age range – 18 Months – 5 Years
Inside leg measurement – 30cm to 51cm inseam
Weight – 3.0kg
Max. Rider Weight – 27 kg (60 lbs.)
Cost – £4.49 per month to lease
We like – leave your tools, pump and worries at home with this fun, lightweight and low maintenance balance bike.

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Overview

Strider prides itself on simplicity, low weight and very little maintenance. The ‘Sport’ model uses a steel frame and weighs in at 3.0kg.

The Strider 12 Sport will fit riders as young as 18 months and keep going to 5 yrs (approximately).

One of the more striking features of the Strider is the plastic wheels which define the Strider ‘look’, harking back to 80s BMX fashion.

The tyres used on the Strider are a ‘solid’ foam material that provides the grip and cushioning, which means it’s impossible to get a puncture and the foam keeps the weight down.

With quick-release levers adjusting saddle and bar height, the bike can easily be adjusted to fit as your child grows, or if you want to swap between children.

For those with more confidence, there are footrests on the frame so little feet can get up and freewheel on the downhills!

Other nice touches are the small rubber grips for little hands, a comfy saddle and a padded handlebar cover to take the sting out of any accidental collisions.

Riding the Strider Sport 12

First impressions from my little tester were enthusiastic, with the bright red colour winning him over early on.

The crucial factor for any balance bike is weight, and the Strider is certainly lightweight. At just 3kg it is easily picked up and pushed around by my 3yr old.

This low weight allowed my tester to approach the bike in a toy-like fashion and we happily played with the bike in the house, as he explored it and got comfortable on it just messing about.

As an indoor bike it works well, and if you have space it’s fun to get accustomed to the bike inside.

Strider also offers a funky ‘rocking’ base which turns it into a stationary rocking horse/bike to play on if your child is a bit too young to master the scooting action of the balance bike.

Starting at the smallest settings it is easy to get the seat very low and for little legs to experiment with getting on and off.

This low height is party due to the ’12 inch’ wheels actually measuring nearer to 11 inches, and partly due to the low frame.

This means the Strider is more accessible to small riders than some other 12 inch wheeled balance bikes.

The saddle doesn’t require any tools to adjust, so any adjustment can be done rapidly with the quick-release lever.

The only downside is that fiddling hands like to play with the lever and can undo the seat if you don’t do it up snugly.

The lowest seat height is 29cm and rises to 40cm.

Handlebar height is also changeable from 46cm to 56cm with another quick-release lever.

This means as the child grows the bike can increase in both saddle and handlebar height.

Again the handlebar lever is easy to undo but it also holds the fork and front wheel on the frame.

I had a ‘dismantling’ incident when the lever had been helpfully undone by my tester and I picked the bike up and the fork fell off.

So, again, making sure they are done up snug is helpful.

In this photo you can see the Strider balance bike in the smallest configuration, with the lowest saddle height (29cm) and lowest handlebar height (46cm):

This second photo shows the bike in maximum setting, with the saddle at 40cm and the handlebars at 56cm:

Just riding around the house, my tester found the bike instantly engaging to move around on, and the low seat and frame meant he could lift the front wheel off the ground when stationary to point the bike in the direction he wanted to roll/walk.

Out of the house and hitting the streets, the Strider rolls fast thanks to the firm foam tyres.

What they don’t have is very much in the way of ‘give’ and the bike is very rigid which is felt every time you put the bike down with a clunk.

That said, for a small child this doesn’t seem to be an issue at all, and knowing that you’ll never have to fix a puncture is liberating.

If your little rider starts to push the limits of cornering traction, or wants to get out and about on really muddy surfaces, then the tyres will struggle as they do not offer as much grip as an air-filled tyre.

Essentially the Strider is a fast bike – you can see what’s possible if you watch the racing on YouTube and the speeds that the kids go at!

Ultimately I don’t think the stiff ride bothers the riders at all and the efficiency simply helps them roll faster and further.

The handlebar pad gives a handy place to put some branding and endless fun for small hands to undo the velcro repeatedly.

I initially felt it was unnecessary until I realised how high the bars can go!  It is possible to have the bars very high (which I wouldn’t recommend) but this would increase the likelihood of head butting the bars.  Either way, having a bit of padding may help if the need arises.

Those who have done the balance bike thing before will know that it’s not only how the bike rides but how it feels when your rider deems it is time for a walk/snooze/tantrum and you end up carrying the bike!

The good news here is that the Strider is light and easy to carry and balances happily just by holding the saddle.

It’s also light enough to be hooked onto the handle of a pram or stashed underneath if you have space.

I definitely saw the benefit of a high handlebar on the bike, whether walking the bike or scooting along it gives appears to give more confidence to the rider.

My rider simply liked the handlebar being high up, so it’s great to have that level of adjustment.

The footrests are a welcome addition for confident riders, but I found his feet tended to rub on the wheel. It would be good to have a small lip on the footrests to stop heels touching the tyre.

One consideration is for the tyre and seat materials which seem to be an attractive prospect for nails, teeth and claws, be it animal or child.  The saddle now has teeth marks in it (the case remains unsolved).

The low maintenance is certainly a win, but I would have liked to see some bearings in the headset rather than plastic inserts.

On adult bikes, you would find bearings to allow the fork to turn in the frame, but the Strider simply uses plastic inserts, which work fine, but not a perfect engineering solution.

Ultimately the Strider is a classic bike, which has been around for years, and has many fans – it does its job of getting young children onto two wheels with a fun cycling experience.

However it’s now up against a lot more competition with a good number of high-quality bikes having been released in recent years.    The Strider is simply less polished and now seems quite expensive (£119) by comparison to newer options on the market if you’re buying one brand new.

If you’re looking to lease though, the Strider is the cheapest option, with prices starting at just £4.49 per month.

Alternatives to the Strider Sport

The Bike Club have a range of other balance bikes which you can lease for a low monthly fee, but they’re all more expensive than the Strider. Models like the Frog Tadpole and Islabikes Rothan come with air-filled tyres and are dialled down versions of their larger pedal bikes.

If you’re looking to buy new, then a good alternative at a similar price point is the Hornit Airo which gets air-filled tyres and headset bearings – read our review here.

Other options for cheaper balance bikes with solid tyres include the Vitus Nippy.

Overall

There is a lot to love about the Strider and it’s easy to see why it has been a popular choice for years. It’s lightweight, easy to adjust and it will fit very small children.

I will, however, always be drawn to kids bikes that use more conventional bike parts such as air-filled tyres, metal wheels and bearings in the headset, but I can also see some advantages of such a simple design.

The Strider is a low or no maintenance bike, the sort of reliable bike you can grab and go no matter what.

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90,000 how to tame, how to saddle, how to feed

Table of Table of

• 1 Straider in minecraft: MOBA review
  • 1.1 behavior
  • 1.2 Span
  • 1.3 Characteristics
• 2 How to tame a strider in minecraft?
• 3 How to get on and ride a strider?
• 4 What to feed a strider?
• 5 How to breed Striders in Minecraft?
• 6 What drops after death?
• 7 How to spawn through creative mode?
• 8 Secrets and tips

As you progress through Minecraft, the character will have to visit not only the ordinary world with the so-called “End”, but also spend a lot of time on the territory of the “Lower World”. And it is distinguished not only by its gloomy, sometimes even frightening atmosphere, but also by local residents. On the other hand, despite all the danger of this world, there you can meet not only hostile and neutral mobs, but also friendly / peaceful creatures.

Unfortunately, the “Lower World” cannot boast the same large number of peaceful mobs as the “Upper World”. Because in the Nether there is only one kind of just such creatures. However, they are still incredibly useful as you explore and explore this world.

These are striders, which are also often referred to by players as lavomers. Their Russian-language name is justified by the fact that it is thanks to these mobs that you can safely cross huge spaces with lava. In other words, striders are used as vehicles in the Nether.

In addition, lava meters have been added to Minecraft not so long ago – since version 1.16 of the game. Thus, if you still don’t know anything about these creatures, how to interact with them, and what kind of loot you can get from them or how to tame them, then we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the material described below. This guide contains detailed information about all the nuances and features of striders.

Strider in Minecraft: mob overview0045 . And this is one of the key differences between striders and many other Minecraft creatures. On top of that, if a lava stick gets a speed buff, then that speed boost will only apply when those mobs are moving on lava.

They are vulnerable to all types of water . Due to the fact that striders are exclusively lava creatures, they will take serious damage from rain, water, and even water flasks that explode. Moreover, a thrown water flask or half a second of water/rain interaction deals 1 damage to lava gauges, which is equivalent to half a heart. At the same time, even if the strider is in lava, then it will still continue to receive damage caused by rain. However, if we are talking about a cauldron that is full, then the lavomer will not receive any damage. Well, snowballs along with snowfall will not cause any damage to striders.

Behavior outside lava . Another important point is that if the lava gauges are outside the lava, then they literally begin to shake. And besides that, they will also change their color to blue. Although they will not receive any damage from such a panic state. However, it should be understood that moving on any other blocks, if they are not lava, striders will be much slower.

• Behavior towards character . In the event that one of the zombified piglins sits on the strider, then after the attack from the latter, the lavomer will begin to pursue the character. In addition, absolutely all representatives of these creatures will peacefully follow the character if he has either a “Fishing Rod with Distorted Fungus” or the usual “Distorted Fungus” in his hands.

Spawn

• Spawn world and time . As you know, all representatives of the striders appear only exclusively on the territory of the “Lower World”. In addition, the spawning process always takes place on lava blocks and at a certain height, which is usually either 31 blocks down or up.
• List of biomes where spawns. In total, there are seven biomes on the territory of the “Lower World” where striders can appear. Thus, this can happen in the territory of: Crimson Forests, Warped Forests, Basalt Deltas, Soul Sand Valleys, Nether Wastelands, Lava Seas, and regular Deltas.
• Cubs and other features . The first thing to know about baby striders is that they will never spawn next to the adult representatives of these mobs during the spawn process. In addition, there is a certain probability that the children of Lavomers or zombified Piglins will initially spawn while riding these mobs. And if this happens, then such a strider will initially have a saddle.

Stats

Due to the fact that striders are peaceful mobs, they don’t have many different stats. For example, in addition to increased movement speed on lava blocks, they only have distinctive details only in terms of health and size.

So the amount of health of lavameters is 20 units, which is equivalent to 10 hearts. As for the dimensions, the height is 1.7 blocks, and the width is 0.9blocks. The cubs, of course, differ in size: the height is 0.85 blocks, and the width is 0.45 blocks.

And the last thing is the speed of lavameters. Since the speed of movement above the surface of solid blocks is slower, it is 1.74 blocks per second. But on the surface of the lava, the speed of the strider is already 4.14 blocks per second.

How to tame a strider in Minecraft?

As is the case with certain other mobs in the Minecraft world, it is not possible to tame Lava Tumblers in the usual way. In other words, they lack a full-fledged taming mechanic. However, on the other hand, they can be lured with food and used. In principle, the lure mechanic works the same way with striders as it does with pigs. Because they will follow the character if he is either holding Warped Fungus or holding a Warped Fungus Fishing Rod. And finally, the strider, if desired, can be tied to the character using the “Leash”.

How to get on and ride a strider?

To begin with, you need the main tool for being able to move around the world – this is a saddle. And like the pigs again, the movements and their directions on top of the lavomers are determined by exactly where the character is looking, who will hold in his hand the main object for movement – the “Distorted Fungus Fishing Rod”. In addition, you should be aware of a number of other facts:

• Movement speed . If the lavomer moves with the current that goes against it, then this mob will move noticeably slower. However, the strider’s speed can be increased with the help of a character. However, in this case, the strength of the fishing rod will begin to deteriorate. And this will happen regularly for exactly 1 unit.
• Differences between game version “ Java Edition ” and “ Bedrock Edition ” . It lies in the fact that in the first version presented, the strider will not move on its own when the character is holding the created fishing rod in his hands. While in the second presented version, the lavomer behaves in a completely different way – it moves, but it is impossible to control its movements without a fishing rod.
• Fall from a great height . If this happens, then the character will not fly out of his saddle. On the one hand, this is good, since the strider itself will not die and at some point will get out of the lava. On the other hand, the character can die from too much lava damage.
• Interaction with lava pillars . In fact, in this regard, mechanics is no different from water. Since the lavomer will climb such a column in the same way as a character can climb a column of water.
• Interaction with other riders . Another important point is that if a representative of zombified piglins or another character is riding a lavomer, then the mob will not pay attention to other distorted mushrooms or to fishing rods with them.

What to feed a strider?

The only thing that Lavomers will take as food with a special appetite is distorted mushrooms. However, they won’t eat anything else. And they will not accept anything from the ordinary world that other peaceful animals eat.

How to breed Striders in Minecraft?

Striders have been known to consume corrupted fungi as food. At the same time, the same resources are needed for breeding striders. However, it should be understood that baby striders will not be able to give experience or threads. And for breeding, it is enough to feed a couple of such representatives of mobs so that they subsequently begin to produce offspring. Of the other details that should also be taken into account in the breeding process, it is worth noting:

• As usual, it takes 20 real minutes to grow one small strider, that is, the process takes 1 day in the game.
• With the help of again distorted mushrooms, in addition, you can also speed up the growth rate of small lagometers.
• After a pair of striders has created offspring, it can be done again, but after 5 real minutes.

What drops after death?

• You can get “Threads” . This resource will always drop out in an amount from 0 to 5 units. However, their number can be influenced by the enchantment for “Production”. Moreover, for each level of extraction, 1 more resource will fall out. Thus, with “Loot” level 3, you can get up to 8 threads.
• “Saddle” available. Of course, if a character puts a saddle on a strider, then in case of death it falls back with a 100% guarantee. However, sometimes lavomers appear initially with a saddle. And in this case, the chance of falling out is 8.5%. Although this chance can again be increased with the help of the “Prey” enchantment. For each level, the chance increases by 1%. As a result, in the case of level 3 of this spell, the chance will be 11.5%.
• You can get “Experience” . And finally, from these creatures you can get from 1 to 2 spheres of experience. The only requirement for obtaining is that the character must kill the mob either by the character himself, or tamed wolf . Otherwise, experience will not be gained.

How to spawn through creative mode?

Just in case, it is worth noting in advance that if suddenly the command does not fit in the chat window, then, as an option, you can use a special command block. Its advantage lies in the fact that a command can be written in it and activated using a signal that comes from a red stone. However, the usual way to activate a team via chat is as follows:

• First of all, open the chat window using the English key “T”;
• After that, in the field that opens, you need to write without quotes – “/ summon minecraft: strider”;
• At the end, all that remains is to fix the result by pressing the “Enter” key.

Finally, you can also summon a lava tester using a special summoning egg. Since it is impossible to create an egg in the usual game way – neither with the help of a workbench, nor with the help of the character’s inventory. In any case, in order to get a spawn egg, you need to do all the same steps described above, but just write another command – “/give @p minecraft:strider_spawn_egg” (also without quotes). In addition, at the end, through the “Space”, you can additionally specify the number of summon eggs received by the character.

Secrets and tips

• Thanks to the lava meters, you can get three achievements at once: the first is “You carry me through the lava” (to do this, you need to ride a mob on the lava), the second is “Romantic Dinner” (breed a couple of these creatures), the third – “Happy Farmer” (since striders are part of this massive achievement).

• Lavomers are the only mobs in many places in the Nether. Only they are friendly here, only with the help of them you can move around the lava, only they appear in absolutely every biome, and only they in this world have initially seat . In the latter case, they are considered the second such mob (the first is a ravager), but at the same time the only one that can even be tamed in this way.
• If you decide to ride a lava machine using the console command, then the character will begin to take periodic fire damage.
• The developers decided to make striders with threads in order to answer the question of where piglins get threads for their own crossbows, which they carry in their hands.
• Initially, the animation associated with the swaying of the lagomer while walking was a mistake. However, the authors felt that she was quite funny and unusual, thanks to which she remained in the game.
• In addition, initially the authors planned to make distribution on the gender of the striders, but a little later they still abandoned this idea, since gender does not matter in the game.
• The original plan was to make striders with legs when they hit land, so they would jump and take damage until they died. However, this detail was also decided to be cut out, since it seemed rather sad, rather than funny and unusual.

Based on all of the above, we can conclude that if you decide to go to the territory of the “Nether World”, then the first thing you need to do is to get a hand-held strider in order to seamlessly cross the huge lava oceans. Since lavomers make it much easier to move around this world after the release of update 1.16.

From now on, there is no need to build special structures or dig endlessly – just tame one of these creatures. Plus, in terms of food, they are as picky as possible, which also greatly facilitates the task of taming or even breeding them.

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Walkthrough Minecraft (Minecraft): How to find and ride a strider in Minecraft

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With the release of patch 1.16 in Minecraft a new mob was added – Strider. It is ideal as a mount for traveling through lava biomes. However, to capture and tame it, you will need additional items that you first need to craft or find.

You must have a fishing rod, a distorted mushroom and a saddle. Since the mob is friendly to the player, it will not run away and should not be feared. In addition, finding them is quite easy, as they spawn quite often. Creatures mostly prefer to be in lava, they move on it at a speed of 4 blocks per second. For all other blocks, their speed is 1.5 blocks per second. Also keep in mind that these are hellish creatures, and they take damage from falling into the water.

To ride a strider, you need to throw a saddle on it, and climb yourself by pressing the right mouse button. And with the help of a fishing rod with a distorted mushroom at the end, you can set the direction in which the mob should move. Thanks to this, you can safely navigate the lava. At the same time, do not forget about other monsters of the Void, which are capable of inflicting damage on the lavamer. If she dies while in the lava, then the character will begin to sink.

It is worth noting that Striders can be bred. If you find two adults and click on them with a distorted mushroom, they will begin to mate, and after one in-game day, the first offspring will appear. In addition, for breeding these creatures, the character is awarded a little experience.

Read also : Walkthrough Minecraft (Minecraft): How to find and defeat the phantom in Minecraft .

See also : How to tame a fox in Minecraft .

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Quest to get Strider – Little Wings Big Adventure – Lineage 2 – L2Vika.ru

To complete the quest for a strider, you must have a Hatchling dragon and it must be above level 55. The dragon can be bought from the players, or you can complete the quest to get it: Dragon Quest. After completing the quest for a strider, you will receive a strider of the same type that the hatchling was – that is, if it was wind, then you will receive wind, and in no way will you get star or twilight.

The quest took place on a java assembly from alfalfa, since now only it has characters of the appropriate levels and an easy level. I suspect that there will be differences on tps, which I will discuss below.

So, you have upgraded the dragon to level 55, and you can take the quest for the strider. I pumped summoners, but here I changed the cat breeder to forty, yet the magician, as it turned out later, could not have changed. The quest is taken from Elder Cronos in Hunters. The dragon must be summoned.

Kronos sends us not very far, namely to Fairy Mimyu, which is located in the Enchanted Valley, where we already were in the previous quest, but if someone did not pass it, you need to rush to the northern entrance and run along the corridors to the first clearing.

Fairy will give four green leaves and say a bunch of different words, if you want, read. In general, the leaves should have different names, but in Java they piled four identical ones into one pile. Not the point.

After that, we collect a bunch of people. In general, this quest can be called a healer quest, since we have to heal everything. Who will we need? First, someone with nuke, slip, and heal to summon and control the dragon, hit or slip tree guards. Secondly, a separate healer, in order to heal a tree, he should not be distracted by anything. I took EE. PPshka for buff. Well, then, as it turns out, I took the database just in case.

From Hunters we run to the Hunters Valley location, we run along the right side of all Karul Bugbears, there will be an ascent, we climb and immediately to the right, past the raid boss Thief Kelbar (he always stands there), and behind him we will see a stone arch, behind which stands the first quest tree. In addition to the inscription that this is a quest monster, it is clear that the tree has very bright leaves, it cannot be confused with others.

I immediately flew under the arch with all my spells, and all the guards immediately aggravated me, while I stuck what and how and whether it was possible to beat them now, they took half my HP from the magician lvl 52. She killed the guards, moved away and began to buff. We remove the claws from the dragon so that it does not cause heavy damage to the tree, and buff it only for defense plus hast, since it is important here that it does not hit hard, but quickly. Everyone got buffed, I killed the guards (everyone falls from one nuke) and sent the dragon to beat the tree (we don’t turn on the pet’s nipples). HER at that time took the tree to the target to heal it. You need to heal the tree through the control, like a normal mob. The little dragon was a bastard, even without a buff, he critted almost through a blow, so HER did not remain without work. The main charm that controls the dragon, I watched the respawn of the guards, at first I began to stick them together, as everyone advises, then I noticed that their rep was not so fast, and just started nuking them. Here it is quite possible that the guard respawn time depends on the build, so it is advisable to kill the guard first and see how long it takes to respawn. If it’s 15-20 seconds, then you can nuke, if it’s much less, you will have to allocate a separate character for the guard slip.

What do we need from quest trees? You need to beat the tree with a dragon until the one leaf disappears. Here it is desirable to turn on the sound louder, since when the leaf disappears, no messages are given in the chat systems, but there is a sound signal, you should hear it. After the signal has passed, we press “stop” on the dragon, it runs back to us, and we can go to the next tree. Just in case, check your quest inventory to see if the leaf has disappeared.

The second tree is a little to the left, there are already aggressive mobs nearby, so as not to interfere, kill them all. We are already buffed, so we immediately fly to the tree, bring down the guards and send the dragon to beat the tree. Do not forget to heal the tree with EEshka (well, or whoever you took with you there). In general, it is quite inconvenient to move around here, there are a lot of trees around, the view is constantly closed.

We do our dirty work, the second sheet disappears, goes further down the slope. As you have already noticed, we are constantly approaching the fort, and the last two trees are much closer to it than the first two.

The last tree stands generally directly next to the fort.

When all four leaves disappear, you can return to Hunters. Char, who controls the pet, rushes with him again in the Enchanted Valley and runs to the fairy. The first time we talk to her with the called pet, then we call it back and speak again. The flute is taken away from us and given out Dragon Bugle – a horn for calling a strider. Do not forget to buy food for the strider, well, we can already frolic.

When the trees were being beaten, one of their guards spawned behind a tree, and I unsuccessfully took the target and nuked not the guards, but the tree itself. It was then that I suddenly felt sick – the arms and legs do not obey, some glitches run in my eyes. But seriously, when you hit a tree, a defaff will hang on you – the curse of a fairy, which you can remove with a fic, after the quest I had to go to the MDT and kill myself against the wall, only then it disappeared. If you still managed to hit the tree, don’t despair, it will respawn after a while. It took me 20 minutes to do all four trees.

That’s it – the quest is done, the strider is received, everyone is happy and clapping:

Strider can be transformed into a wyvern at special NPCs and fly over the world of Elmoreden. Just do not go down low, otherwise they will knock you out and knock you out. Of course, the wyvern spits fire, but I had a case – I was running around Varka somehow, and one bastard from Olya Zarema’s clan clung to me, also spat magic at me, I had to fug him with a series of crits so much that he fell from the sky for a long time to the ground and swearing hard. That is, the wyvern does not protect against attacks from other players.

The material was prepared at the request of Evgenia aka Royal Jester.

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lineage 2 quests

npc_strider – Valve Developer Community

Contents

• 1
• 2 Dedicated console variables
• 3 Key parameters
• 4 Flags
• 5 Inputs
• 6 Outputs

Description

Strider

Striders are the largest known creatures in the Combine’s arsenal. The mere passage of a Strider across the street can already instill a sense of unease in the player. He is clumsy and can only be attacked after great precautions and analysis of the situation. Striders on every corner – a great way to destroy the effect of them!

Strider has three types of attack: a minigun that moves slowly from target to target. A disintegrator that vaporizes all dynamic entities it touches, and finally its legs, with which, depending on the situation, it can stomp on NPCs and ‘immolate’ or impale and impale them. Striders can only attack NPCs; to force them to attack parts of the environment or other non-NPCs, use npc_bullseye_(en).

Striders are very large and require a lot of room to move. You need at least 300 units to fit them on the ground, and about 540 in height. They do not require open space, yet their long legs allow them to step over almost any obstacle that is not higher than them.

Scanners can be used by a strider to support its LOS_(ru) if the flags are correctly set. They take pictures of the location of all NPCs all the time and broadcast them to the nearest strider, who act accordingly.

In Episode One, the Striders received a new type of attack. They are able to shoot faster and more accurately than they did in Half-Life 2. They track the player’s movements better.

Note: Some key values, flags, inputs or outputs may not work for NPCs based on modified NPC code.

Dedicated console variables

• npc_strider_height_adj (Default: 0)

Adjusts its base z-coordinate.

• npc_strider_shake_ropes_magnitude (Default: 150)

???

• npc_strider_shake_ropes_radius (Default: 1200)

???

• sk_strider_health (Default: 350)

Strider’s initial health.

• sk_strider_num_missiles1 (Default: 5)

The number of rockets required to kill a strider on EASY difficulty.

• sk_strider_num_missiles2 (Default: 7)

The number of rockets required to kill a strider on MEDIUM The number of rockets required to kill a strider on HARD difficulty.

• strider_always_use_procedural_height (Default: 0)

Use computed weight if not explicitly set.

• strider_ar2_altfire_dmg (Default: 25)

???

• strider_distributed_fire (Default: 1)

Switch targets one at a time.

• strider_eyepositions (Default: 0)

Draws 3D crosses at the eye position when standing and crouching.

• strider_free_knowledge (Default: 0)

???

• strider_free_pass_cover_dist (Default: 120)

• strider_free_pass_duration (Default: 2)

???

• strider_free_pass_move_tolerance (Default: 320)

• strider_free_pass_refill_rate (Default: 0)

???

• strider_free_pass_start_time (Default: 3)

???

• strider_idle_test (Default: 0)

Disables the minigun and instructs to stand idle. Unused: Strider sacrifice mode switch.

• strider_pct_height_no_crouch_move (Default: 90)

Percentage used when calculating ideal crouch height.

• strider_peek_eye_dist (Default: 1)

Eye distance.

• strider_peek_eye_dist_z (Default: 4)

Eye z distance. Gives this amount of time to the player before it starts shooting. (The player only occupies the first slot). 9 Gives this amount of time to the player after being attacked before it starts shooting. (The player only occupies the first slot).

• strider_show_cannonlos (Default: 0)

Display the weapon sight beam.

• strider_show_focus (Default: 0)

Display 3d crosses at the target’s origin.

• strider_show_weapon_los_condition (Default: 0)

Show weapon damage field (conditions).

• strider_show_weapon_los_z (Default: 0)

Show the weapon’s damage field (z coordinate).

• strider_test_height (Default: 0)

Sets the ideal height of the strider to this value if it is greater than .1 .

Only works when strider_always_use_procedural_height is enabled .

Key parameters

• targetname

The name by which other entities refer to this entity. The angular orientation of this entity in space (also used for entities with angular effects).

• renderfx

Letter value	Description
0	Normal
1	Slow pulse
2	Rapid pulsation
3	Slow continuous pulse
4	Fast continuous pulsation
5	Slow fade
6	Fast fade
7	Slow emergence
8	Quick appearance
9	Slow flashing
10	Fast flashing
11	Fastest blinking
12	Slow flicker
13	Fast blinking
14	Permanent shine
15	Distortion
16	Hologram (Distort + Fade)
17	Zoom in
22	Light spot effect
23	Selection by distance (TEST)
24	Disappearance in long pulsations

• rendermode

Used for non-standard rendering modes of this entity. See also ‘FX Amount’ and ‘FX Color’.

Letter value	Render mode	Description (Additional information here)
0	Normal	Default display.
1	Color	Obsolete.
2	Texture	Plain, opaque.
3	Glow	No Z-buffer check. Fixed size on screen .
4	Solid / Alphatest	Obsolete. (Use alphatest features instead of deprecated.)
5	Additive	Obsolete. Add the color of this entity to what is behind it.
7	Additive Fractional Frame	Obsolete? Blending between animation frames.
8	Alpha Add (Not in FGD.)	To do: Write description.
9	World Space Glow	No Z-buffer check. Fixed size in space (the opposite of “on screen”).
10	Dont Render / None	Do not display.

• RENDERAMT

FX AMOUNT (0 – 255) – as well as this is 9090 0. is completely opaque). Doesn’t work if key value rendermode is set to Normal or Dont Render .

• rendercolor

FX Color – What color will this entity be rendered in (to the extent that renderamt is set).

• disablereceiveshadows

Disables receiving shadows for this object. The name of an entity filter that controls which entities can damage this entity.

• ResponseContext

The response system context for this entity. The format should be: ‘key:value,key2:value2,etc’. When this entity speaks, the list of keys and values ​​is inserted into the response rules system. Used to disable dynamic shadow casting from this entity.

• target

If set, this is the name of the path that this NPC will take after spawning.

• squadname

NPCs that have the same squad name will share information about enemies, and will take turns attacking and covering each other. Group hintgroup used by this NPC. Used to limit the search circle of hint points to a subgroup of all hint points on the map. Only hintpoints with a group name equal to this parameter will be visible to this NPC.

• hintlimiting

Restricts the NPC to only use the specified group of hints for navigation requests. But does not restrict local navigation. Keeps the NPC in a sleep state until the specified event occurs. See also ‘Wake Radius’ and ‘Wake Squad’.

Letter value	Description
0	No
1	Expect danger
2	Wait for PVS
3	Wait for input, ignore PVS
4 (in all games since )	Auto PVS
5 (in all games since )	Auto PVS after PVS

• wakeradius

Automatically wake up if the user approaches the specified distance.

• wakesquad

Wakes up all NPCs in the specified squad if this NPC is awake.

• physdamagescale

Value by which damage received by this character from physical objects is multiplied. With a value of 0, this NPC will not take damage from physical objects.

• [ 8 ]: Throw the first -aid kit

• [ 16 ]: Effective
  does not acquire enemies and avoids the scene 9000 9,
• [ 128 9036]
  • [ 256 ]: Far vision/shooting
  • [ 512 ]: Hide corpse
  • [ 1024 ]: Think Outside PVS (Player Visibility Field)
  • [ 2048 ] : NPC Template
    This entity is the template for npc_template_maker . This entity will not automatically spawn when the map is loaded. Appears only after pointing through this entity. ( Not can appear via point_template .)
  • [ 4096 ] : Do alternate collision for this NPC (Player yields)
  • [ 8192 ]: Do not throw weapons
  • [ 16384 ]: Ignore the player's pressure (in all games starting c)
    Can not give in to the player

  9000. trample the player

Inputs

• Kill

Removes this entity from the game world.

• KillHierarchy

Removes this entity and all of its children from the game world.

• AddOutput

Specifies the key value/output for this entity. This can be very dangerous, use with care.

Format:

Format:

:::: 9fireuser See User Inputs and Outputs.

• Color

Sets the rendering color.

• Alpha

Sets the rendering intensity.

• SetDamageFilter

Sets this entity as a damage filter. Insert an empty string to clear the corruption filter.

• AddContext

Adds a context to this entity's list of response contexts. The format must be 'key:value'.

• RemoveContext

Removes a context from this entity's list of response contexts. The name must match the value of 'key' prior to this added context.

• ClearContext

Removes all contexts from this entity's list of response contexts.

• DisableShadow

Disables the shadow.

• EnableShadow

Enables the shadow.

• SetRelationship

Changes the relationship of this entity to another entity or class. (Acts like the ai_relationship entity, the subject ("Subject" field) of which this NPC is.)

Format:

Possible values ​​:

Letter value	Description
D_HT	Hate
D_FR	Fear
D_LI	Like
D_NU	Neutral

• SetHealth

Sets this NPC's health.

• SetBodyGroup

HACK: Sets the body group for this NPC (from 0 - n). You must know what you are doing!

• physdamagescale

Sets the amount by which the damage energy received by the character from physical objects is multiplied.

Note: 0 (zero) means this feature is disabled for backwards compatibility.

• Ignite

Sets on fire

• Break

Breaks into pieces.

• StartScripting

Enters the script execution state. In this state, NPCs ignore various stimuli that can take them out of the scenario: They ignore dangerous sounds, ignore +USE, do not give "idle speech", and do not respond to other NPCs' "idle speech", etc. .

• StopScripting

Exits scripting state.

• Assault

Start an assault. Parameter passed in should be the name of the rally point.

• SetSquad

Sets the squad name ("Squad") for this NPC. The latter will also be automatically removed from any previously assigned squad. Leaving this option blank will remove the NPC from any previously assigned squad.

• Wake

Wakes up the NPC if he is sleeping.

• ForgetEntity

Clears the NPC's memory of the specified entity.

• GagEnable

Enables the gag flag. NPCs will not speak outside of choreographed scenes.

• GagDisable

Disables the gag flag.

• IgnoreDangerSounds

Ignore dangerous sounds for the specified number of seconds.

• HolsterWeapon (in all games since )

Causes an NPC to holster his weapon. Ignored if the NPC is running the script, if the NPC's weapon is already holstered, or if the NPC is not using a weapon.

• HolsterAndDestroyWeapon (in all games since )

Identical to HolsterWeapon, only the weapon is destroyed after being stowed and hidden. (except the weapon is destroyed once it has been holstered and concealed.)

• UnholsterWeapon (in all games since )

Causes an NPC to get his weapon. Ignored if the NPC is running the script, if the NPC's weapon is already drawn, or if the NPC is not using a weapon.

• ForceInteractionWithNPC (in all games since )

Causes an NPC to use dynamic interaction with another NPC.

Parameter format:

• UpdateEnemyMemory (in all games since )

Updates (or creates) memory of NPC's location and location of this enemy.

• SetMinigunTime