Balance Bike

The Banana Bike is a low-cost way to see if your toddler is interested in riding without spending premium balance-bike money. It has a low standover height, a simple frame, and is one of the lighter balance bikes available in this category.

That makes it useful as a first balance bike. If your child is mostly scooting around the driveway, garage, or smooth sidewalks, it can do the job. The low seat height helps younger riders get both feet on the ground, which matters more than almost anything else at this stage.

The limitation is the tires. Like many budget balance bikes, the Banana Bike uses EVA foam tires instead of pneumatic rubber ones. The appeal is that they are flat-proof, but they do not grip as well on slick surfaces or roll as well on uneven ground. That can show up quickly if your child takes tentative first strides on wood or tile floors. That was the issue in our house. Our son started with laps around the kitchen on a balance bike with foam tires, and the lack of grip made it hard to keep the bike upright when turning. Once he moved to rubber tires, he found his balance much faster.

If you want the cheapest reasonable entry point, the Banana Bike makes sense. If you already know your child is interested in riding, or you expect them to ride anywhere beyond smooth pavement, it is worth considering a balance bike with pneumatic tires.