FirstBIKE Balance Bike Review & Giveaway

My son Ryan will be 5 in April.  He’s a little mini daredevil and is good at athletic activities (unlike the rest of us in the family), so I knew he would be interested in riding a bike earlier than the other two were.  Don’t get me wrong, they had little trikes and bikes with training wheels.  But, Ryan sees his older siblings (14 & 10) on big kid bikes & being on a “baby bike” just isn’t good enough in his mind.

When I was asked to review the FirstBIKE Balance Bike, I jumped at the chance.  I ordered Ryan the Street FirstBIKE in red. When the box arrived, he couldn’t wait for me to put it together.  I worried that it would be difficult to put together but it really wasn’t!  It took about 20 minutes to get it all together (might not have taken as long if there wasn’t “help” involved from Ryan lol “What’s this?” “Can I do that?” “Ryan! Bring the wheel back!” “That’s called an allen wrench and if you don’t bring it back, your bike will never get put together!”)

After putting the bike together, we took the FirstBIKE outside & I showed Ryan how to get on it.  After that, he didn’t need any more help or prompting.  The FirstBIKE Balance Bike let Ryan get the feel of a big kids bike but also helped to feel confident that he wasn’t going to tip over.

So, what makes the FirstBIKE Balance Bike different than a typical bike?  Well, the first thing you will notice is that there are no pedals.  This bike helps kids develop the skills to balance, like they would on a regular two-wheeler. But that’s not all that different.  Here are some of my favorite features:

• Tools-free seat, which means you can adjust the seat up or down just by turning a knob, sliding the seat up or down & tightening the knob again
• The “horse saddle” shape is very comfortable, plus the shape of it ensures that a child won’t slip off when riding downhill
• The frame is flexible (but still very strong!) and that allows for shock-absorption and protection of your child’s spine
• The frame is made from a high-tech, injection-molded composite frame.  It won’t scratch, splinter, swell or rust
• There is a hand-controlled rear drum SafetyStop™brake that ensures gentle & gradual braking.  Plus, the braking power can be adjusted.
• There are no sharp edges or protruding screws anywhere on the bike
• There is a steering limiter in place so younger rides can’t over steer and fall
• The FirstBIKE Balance Bike eliminates the need for training wheels, which are actually counterproductive and do not support proper posture or spinal development
• FirstBIKE is designed for ages 22 months to 5 years. You can order the Lowkit™ lowering kit, which allows kids to ride FirstBIKE from an earlier age (starting from 22 months old).
• You can basically customize your bike since you can choose style, color, add a bell, basket, the lowering kit and even a MonoSki™ ski attachment!

I was worried that Ryan wouldn’t be able to brake but he got the hang of it real quick.  Watch the video below to see his review on it but remember two things before you do. 1). He isn’t wearing a helmet and I am fully aware he needs pads & a helmet (buying those very soon!). 2). I am a moron that can’t turn her phone the correct way to take a video so sorry for that!  I could redo it but I don’t think I’d get the same reaction and I love hearing him talk about his bike.

You can visit FirstBIKE on their site to check out all the styles, colors & accessories. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ & Youtube.

One very lucky reader will get a FirstBIKE of their own!  You will get a Street Bike just like Ryan’s in your choice of color (Red, Green, Blue or Pink).  This is a $160 value! Please enter below on the Rafflecopter & GOOD LUCK!

Congratulations to our winner, Kimberly!