Biking is a fun, healthy, and often an essential form of transport. And it’s not just for adults. As your child grows older you may begin to wonder if it’s time to make the switch from a simple balance bike to a kids electric bike.
To answer this question, let’s explore the factors you need to consider before making your decision.
Kids Electric Bike vs Regular Balance Bikes: The Differences
The similarity between electric bikes for kids and regular balance bikes is that they are both bicycles for children. This means the factors we use to evaluate the type of bike that’s most suitable for our kids are comparable.
Kids Electric Bike vs Regular Balance Bikes: Physical Ability
The first factor we can consider to decide whether they are ready for a kids electric bike is their physical abilities and capabilities.
If your child is still in the midst of developing their motor skills, a balance bike is a great option to go with. Balance bikes are designed without pedals, allowing children to practice sitting and balancing upon the bike, while using static pedal props. This is an excellent way to teach your child how to balance on a bike before eventually transitioning to a pedal bike.
However, if your child already has proper motor skills and basic bike skills, then a kid's electric bike will be able to provide a more exciting experience. If you believe they are ready to take on more challenging terrain - something that is not flat and smooth, unlike the floor in your home or the pavements around your neighbourhood - you may want to consider switching to a kids electric bike.
Kids' electric bikes do not solely rely on your child’s fitness. Since these bikes have a motor that provides assistance to your child when they are pedalling, the amount of physical effort spent by your child is less than a regular one, making electric pedal bikes an excellent type for children who have mastered the balance bike.
Electric bikes allow kids to adjust the level of assistance provided by the motor, so they can choose to pedal entirely on their own or let the motor do most of the work. This flexibility allows them to customise their riding experience to their own physical abilities and comfort level.
Kids Electric Bike vs Balance Bikes: Age and Preference
Younger children tend to have less attention span compared to older children, while older kids prefer a more challenging experience than those younger. This means, the older your kids are, the more likely they are to find kids’ electric bikes as a more exciting bicycle than your regular selection.
After all, for younger children, the difference in the experience of riding a balance bike vs kids electric bike can be significant, as they may not yet have the coordination or experience to take on the pedalling required with electric bikes.
For older children who enjoy cycling but may want to move onto pedalling, switching to a kids electric bike can be the next big step for them in further developing their motor skills.
How to Know If They Are Ready?
There are three tell-tale signs that your child is ready for the big switch.
They Have Mastered the Balance Bike
There is a lot more to mastering the balance bike than just balancing and riding on flat ground. Your child should be able to complete complex turns, ride up and down slopes and use their breaks to prevent crashes.
They Have Developed Their Motor Skills
As your child gets older they will begin to grow their motor skills, meaning they are able to properly balance and shift their weight on the bike to complete turns and sudden stops. Steering and balance is already quite a lot for a young kid to handle, so it’s important they are fully confident in these skills before introducing them to pedals.
They Want to Start Pedaling
If your kid is enjoying themselves and keeps asking to move onto using pedals, it may mean that they are finally ready to move onto electric bikes. Ensure they have mastered the balance bike and developed their motor skills fully before making this decision.
The Key Takeaways
At the end of the day, the decision to switch to a kids electric bike depends on your children’s own skills, mastery and confidence of their biking skills. If you’re interested in further exploring how you can support your kids in their biking experience, get in touch with our friendly team at Pirez Electric Bikes, or browse our catalogue of kids’ electric bikes here.