4 too old for balance bike?

[EmilyPie]

It will soon be my son's 4th birthday. We never got round to getting him a balance bike and I was thinking I'd just go straight to getting him a normal bike with stabilisers. However, according to the internet stabilisers are the devil's work. Is 4 too old for a balance bike? Are stabilisers really a bad idea? Should I just give up and accept he will never ride a bike? I really don't want to end up shelling out loads of cash either. All words of wisdom gratefully received!

Edited to say that he's smallish for his age, if that makes any difference?

[etta166]

It's not too old, but he may be big enough to have a pedal bike with the pedals off. You can use it as a balance bike for a few months and then put the pedals back on. Or get stabilisers... It will probably take longer to learn to ride a bike properly but it's the way most of us did it after all!

[snowboarder]

My just 4 year old is definitely too big for his balance bike now, but I think you can buy larger ones? Anyway, despite having a balance bike since he was 2, he never loved it, only ever walked with it between his legs, and loves his big boy bike with the much maligned stabilisers!! My older son was similar, and now aged 6 is a fearless cyclist!

[EmilyPie]

Thank you both, really helpful. It hadn't occurred to me that you could take the pedals off a normal bike is that easy to do? I like the idea of having stabilisers as a back up. Both in case the boy doesn't like the balance bike approach and in case I can't work out how to get the pedals off! Am not the most confident rider myself so approaching the whole subject with slight trepidation!

[etta166]

Sustrans and Southwark both do cyciling lessons for adults as well as children. At my son's school, the Dr Bike team from Sustrans usually expect to have children from reception age up cycling in a single session. It might be worth a go.

It is very easy to take pedals off a bike and put them back on again, but you need a pedal spanner (I've never tried without one because I have a pedal spanner, but a normal spanner might work too). You can also get your friendly local bike shop to do it for you too. They can also advise on the right size bike, etc. Try Bon Velo in Herne Hill or Balfe's Bikes in ED.