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?

[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!