BALANCE BIKES & TODDLER TRIKES
Balance Bikes
Pedals can wait. Balance comes first
A balance bike teaches the hard part of cycling, steering and staying upright, while both feet stay near the ground. Most children who start here skip training wheels entirely. This collection runs from the Leg&Go transformable system, made in Europe, to wooden classics and simple steel starters.
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Made in EuropeThe Leg&Go bike system
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Standards on each pageEN 71 and ASTM where tested
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Free shippingAcross Canada
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Pay in 4Klarna and Afterpay
Before you decide, three things worth knowing
THE FOUR TYPES
Which bike suits your child
The Leg&Go transformable
One frame, made in Europe, that starts as a balance bike and converts as they do. The tricycle, pedal bike and downhill add-ons bolt onto the same frame, so you buy stages rather than replacement bikes. See the 3 in 1.
The wooden 2 in 1
FSC certified wood and tested to EN 71, ASTM F963 and ISO 8124, as stated on its page. Converts between two riding modes and looks at home in a Montessori room rather than a garage. See the wooden bike.
Steel balance bikes
Adjustable seats, no pedals, nothing to configure. The most affordable way to find out whether your child takes to gliding before committing to a bigger system.
Trikes and ride alongs
For children not ready to balance yet. Three wheels, pedals and a stable seat build the habit of steering first, and the 4 in 1 designs convert as confidence grows.
THE PART PEOPLE SKIP
Sizing, and the first ride
A balance bike only works if both feet reach the ground, so the seat height matters more than the age on the box.
- Measure the inseam, not the ageAt the lowest seat setting, your child should sit with both feet flat on the ground and knees slightly bent. Each product page lists the seat height range, so measure before ordering.
- A helmet from the first rideThe habit forms with the bike. Fit one from day one, even for slow glides down the hallway.
- Check both weight numbersThe weight limit says who can ride it. The bike's own weight says whether a toddler can pick it up and steer it, and lighter is easier. Both are on the product page.
BEFORE YOU BUY
The questions parents actually ask us
What age is a balance bike for?
We do not set our own age ratings. Each manufacturer states an age range and a weight limit for their bike, and that is listed on the product page. Fit matters more than the birthday, which is why we point you at the seat height and inseam rather than the age on the box.
Balance bike or tricycle first?
They teach different things. A balance bike teaches balance and steering, which is what makes pedalling easy later. A trike gives a stable seat and pedals first, which suits children not ready to glide. Many families do trike then balance bike, and the convertible designs cover both paths.
When do the pedals go on?
When they are gliding with both feet up and steering confidently, not at a particular age. On the Leg&Go system the pedal add-on bolts onto the same frame when that day comes, so nothing gets replaced.
Do balance bikes skip training wheels?
That is the idea. A child who can already balance and steer usually moves straight to a pedal bike without training wheels, because the only new skill left to learn is pedalling.
What are they tested to?
It varies by manufacturer. Where a bike has been tested to a standard such as EN 71, ASTM F963 or ISO 8124, it is stated on that bike's product page. If it is not listed and you want to know, email us and we will find out rather than guess.
Do they arrive assembled?
Most arrive flat packed with fixings and instructions included, and assembly detail is on each product page. Balance bikes are usually a short job. The convertible systems take longer the first time.
Will I be charged customs?
No. There is no customs duty on orders shipped within Canada or to the United States. Delivery times and regional exceptions are in our shipping policy.
WHAT GOES WITH IT
Finish the setup
Balance is a skill they practise indoors all winter too. These are what families pair a bike with.
Not sure which bike fits your child? Email hello@truelittlenorth.com with their inseam measurement and how they play, and we will tell you what we would pick. We are a small family business in Toronto and these come to us directly.