balance bike

One of Oscar's birthday gifts was a new shiny red bike. For the better part of the last year Aubrey and I went back and forth trying to decide if Oscar should have what I considered traditional toddler bike or a balance bike. (See this site for a great explanation on them plus some videos)

So how did we come to decide on a bike with no pedals? When I saw a child on the street with a balance bike I would run over to the Mom and ask her opinion. Always the response was the same - that the kids loved it, and that if they had older kids, they skipped the training wheel stage.

Prices on balance bikes seemed pretty high which contributed to my hesitation on getting one - until I happened across a Radio Flyer Balance Bike and fell in love. The fact that it was Radio Flyer (a brand I really liked from my days working at a toy store) and the price was right, made me feel a lot more comfortable taking a leap. Anyhow, here is the little guy on his way down the street.... :) (He'll get the hang of it)

Helmet from Spokes in Toronto. 

Ps., I appreciate he's not really riding it - but for his second time out I think he's pretty good. :)