When children prepare to ride a bike, it’s best to do it without a pedal and chain. Saddle, handlebars and two wheels: ready is the running bike. Running bikes have become popular toys for toddlers: They introduce children to cycling without overtaxing them. They deliberately do without pedals and a chain, because they are propelled by pushing their feet off the ground. Used correctly, running bikes can train body control and prepare children for safe behavior in traffic.
Riding a running bike
“The running bike optimally prepares children for riding a bicycle later on,” says Martina Abel, executive director of BAG Mehr Sicherheit für Kinder in Bonn. “The children learn to keep their balance, to orient themselves in space, to brake or swerve in time. They gain responsiveness and motor confidence.”
The right starting age for running bikes depends on the child’s individual development. Some running bikes are already offered for two-year-olds. In practice, however, this usually proves to be too early, as the children do not yet have sufficient control over their movements and cannot control the speed at which they ride. Only from the age of two and a half to three years are toddlers ready for a running bike.
Do not use the running bike in traffic
To avoid accidents, children should only get on a running bike in safe environments, such as a playground or pedestrian zone. On the sidewalk next to the road, children are quickly overwhelmed when they have to react to other road users and avoid obstacles. Also, if the path is sharply downhill, children should not use the running bike because they can quickly lose control at high speeds.
“Parents are best off practicing running wheel riding with their children in large, flat areas,” says Martina Abel. “Children should never ride unsupervised. A helmet is also advisable, not only because it protects against injury, but at the same time prepares them for riding a bicycle with a helmet. Parents should practice clear rules with their children, such as dismounting near a road.”
Quality when buying
When buying a wheel, it pays to look for the GS mark. With poorly processed models broke the handlebar fork, also the wheel suspension is not always sufficiently stable. In addition to the quality of workmanship, the child-friendly design counts: the entrance should be as low as possible, the saddle and handlebars should be height-adjustable. The child should also find a good grip on the saddle – best to test the device in the store!