Best Balance Bikes for 4 Years Old: Guideline & Reviews

Last Updated on August 16, 2022 by Editorial Staff

One of the proudest moments as a parent is watching your kid take charge of the wheels. Besides, the health benefits associated with riding, the latter also instills an invaluable sense of independence and freedom in your child. Balance bikes are designed to develop your child’s balance, coordination, and steering. The basic premise behind these bikes is that they allow your kid to control the vehicle in a pedal-less manner. This way they prepare him to undergo a very smooth transition to the traditional bicycle.

Desirable features include adjustable handlebars, maintenance-free tires, mini-saddle and a footrest. These features ensure rider’s safety and make the overall riding experience exciting. Here is a short rundown of the all top bikes for 4-year-old kids, abuzz in the market today.

Comparison & Reviews of Balance Bikes for 4 Years Old

Name of Balance Bike Ranking Weight (lbs) View on Amazon
WAYPLUS 12″ Best pick 7.7
Bixe Aluminum Runner-up 4.0
Radio Flyer Glide & Go Budget pick 6.6
Banana GT 12″ Also great 7.9
FirstBIKE Limited Edition Recommended 8.5
KaZAM v2e 8.0
Burley Design MyKick 10.4
Chillafish Bmxie² 5.48
JOOVY Bicycoo 12.0
Name of Balance Bike Ranking Weight (lbs) View on Amazon

1. MyKick Balance Bike


This balance bike from the house of Burley comes equipped with great features to give your child a safe and fun-filled riding experience. Its exterior is elegant and exudes a minimalist charm that comes across as a fresh change from all the gaudy versions out there. In addition to that, its puncture-free tires incur nil maintenance and come with the promise of performing superbly on rough terrains. The pneumatic tires are honeycombed. That simply means their superior grip and shock-absorbing ability are superior to the regular foam or pneumatic rubber tires.

Also, if your kid has a tendency to be careless with his arms, then the handlebars of MyKick are perfect for him. This is because they have rip-resistant rubber grips that offer secure grip during rough riding. The presence of a steady quick release button on the seat allows you to adjust the seat height comfortably and according to the height of your child. In essence, you can rely on this balance bike to last throughout the early learning years of your child.

The major drawback with this model is that it’s devoid of handbrake and footrests. This limits its utility to adventurous rides, where considerable gliding and turning is involved. All in all, the MyKick Balance Bike is a wonderful tool of a vehicle to help your kid to master the fundamentals of motor skills like balance and steering so that he finds it easier to ride a regular pedal bicycle soon enough.

Key features

  • Rip-resistant rubber grips
  • Flat-free tires ensure longevity
  • Adjustable seat height and handlebars can be adjusted easily
  • Spoked wheels with aluminum rims
  • Total weight is 10.4 lbs

2. KaZAM v2e No-Pedal Balance Bike


For people who haven’t seen a balance bike in life, the KaZam balance bike’s unique design may seem unusual to newbie viewers. The KaZam v2e sports a new and improved frame design that complements its ergonomic footrest and allows for proper feet placement. Its classic yet contemporary appeal triggers your tiny tot to take on the bike without feeling fearful! The flat-free EVA tires incur no amount of maintenance and vouch for your child’s safety on uneven terrains.

At just 8 pounds, the bike is lightweight and easy to maneuver at the sudden turns and bends of roads. Both the mini-saddle and the handlebars are adjustable, thereby letting your kid grow into the bike effortlessly while learning to maintain a steady posture during the ride. The only complaint with this bike is that it’s a bit too pricey. However, the price is really worth it as the KaZam ve2 has been designed with high standards of safety and quality.

Key features

  • Special footrest design
  • Comfy seat and handlebars are easily adjusted according to kid’s height
  • Has puncture resistant EVA tires
  • Total weight 8 lbs

3. Joovy Bicycoo Balance Bike


The Joovy Bicycoo is trendy, racer-style balance bike that doesn’t compromise on quality for appearance. With a strong aluminum frame and a weight of 8.75 pounds only, it’s lightweight and easy to glide, especially along the uneven terrains. This particular feature also helps your child to control his vehicle better. The tires are pneumatic and thus offer suspension for a smoother ride. A concise handbrake for the rear tire has been thoughtfully incorporated to ensure better control over the acceleration during balancing.

Additionally, the Joovy Bicycoo Balance Bike is adjustable and easy to assemble. It can be put together in merely 15 minutes and once your kid grows, it can be adjusted accordingly to support a weight of up to 55 lbs. The presence of a plush, wide seat makes for a comfy ride. In fact, some children have reported riding this bike for 10 miles continuously without feeling fatigued!

While everything about this balance bike, right from the eye-catchy design to the functional balance support, is great, people do have a few complaints with this model. To start with, they don’t really approve of the grips that are small and made from foam instead of rubber. Secondly, the seat post isn’t very flexible. However, if you are looking for a durable, stylish and functionally superior option, look no further. With this bike, you can tick all your boxes.

Key features

  • Has unique handbrake for more safety
  • Aluminum frame ensures more strength
  • It also has adjustable saddle height
  • Pneumatic and wide tires which are refillable

4. Radio Flyer Glide & Go


Who hasn’t heard of the Radio Flyer before? While it started out as a popular wagon, at first, this brand has quickly ushered into the scene of the best kids bike. The Radio Flyer Glide & Go has been designed specifically for kids who are just about learning to ride. Being a two-wheel bike, it requires your child to balance rather than pedal to make his way through uneven terrains and sudden turns.

With a frame of solid steel, it is built to stand up to the rigors of time and use. Like any other balance bike, this one includes an adjustable seat too. However, unlike other models, the seat is padded, comfy and comes in eye-catchy colors that infuse a zest of interest to the learning experience. Radio Flyer Balance Bike’s tires are traction tread. This means they allow your child to keep moving without tripping over when riding on the sidewalk or the main road.

When it comes to accessories, the Radio Flyer is well-endowed. Its elegant bell attached to the handlebars enable your child to have fun while riding and even keep you aware of his movements. Who knows, maybe down the road one of the happiest memories that you’ll have of your child is him riding while ringing his bell!

Key features

  • Long lasting and lightweight steel frame for stability
  • 12 inch air tires ensure smooth ride
  • Comfortable cushion seat which adjustable height options
  • Ringing bell attached to the handlebars
  • Soft hand grips

5. Tykesbykes 12″ wheel

Tykesbykes Balance Bike - 12 inch Wheel
With the brand new balance bike from Tykesbykes, you can forget about all the skinned knees and falls that come with bike riding. This particular bike is designed in a way to let your kid balance himself by straddling and propelling using his feet, akin to walking. Needless to say, children excel only by learning a single skill at a time.

The Tykesbykes balance bike allows your child to learn how to balance before pedaling. Now once he figures the balance part, he can head straight to a standard bicycle, thereby saving you the expense of purchasing a tricycle bike.

Among the benefits of using this model are affordable pricing, maintenance-free air tires, and a lightweight construction, that allows for a very hassle-free experience at balancing and riding. The major complaint with this model is that it is known to under-perform on rough terrains.

Key features

  • Very easy to assemble
  • Coloring comfortable saddle with adjustable seat height
  • Long lasting air tires
  • Total weight of this bike is 11 lbs

How to find a good balance bike for 4 years old?

With tons of brands and models out there, it may be tough to decide the best one for your child. Here’s a bird’s eye view of all the features you should look for in your prospective balance bike.

Seat height

To start off, you need to ensure that the seat height measures up to your child’s size adequately. Their feet should rest comfortably on the floor, so that they don’t find it difficult to push themselves on the bike with their feet. You can get an idea of this parameter by measuring your child’s inseam. Just ask him to take off his shoes and measure the length from the floor to his crotch. The value you get is his inseam. Ideally, the right size of seat height is around 1-1.5 inch less than his inseam.

Flexibility

Children grow rapidly in their early years. Therefore, if you wish to buy a balance bike that lasts for at least a period of two years, you’ve to note this factor. Everything about the bike, right from its seat height to the handlebars should be adjustable, so that they can essentially, “grow with your child” and make the ride comfy.

Wheel size

Another factor to consider with the kid balance bike is the size of the wheels. Mostly you will see balance bikes with 12″ or 16″ wheels. A reliable way to determine the appropriate wheel size for your child is by noting his height. If it’s 114 cm or above, it’s probably best to opt for a 16″ wheel size. On the other hand, smaller children should be fine with a 12-inch wheel size. Basically, if your child looks taller than the typical 4-year-old, it’s safest to go with 16-inch wheels.

Tires

You may shun this off as a redundant element, but the type of tires can either make or break your child’s riding experience. The best tires for kid’s bike are pneumatic, flat-proof and preferably, honeycombed. This provides protection against falling or tripping on rough terrains. Moreover, as children of this age are largely casual in nature, you’re better off with choosing tires that have a superior grip and do not incur heavy maintenance.

Conclusion

To summarize, the bike for 4 years old is one that compromises on neither appearance nor performance. Apart from sporting an eye-catchy design, it should incorporate important detailing, in the form of adjustable handlebars, footrests, brakes as well as pneumatic tires to ensure a smooth ride, regardless of the nature of the terrain.

All of the models above include these desirable features and much more. In addition to that, they come with an affordable price tag, thereby making the transition to the standard bike, easier, cheaper and even more exciting than ever!

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