Ottawa Balance Bikes - a Strider Prebike Dealer Canada
About Us
We live in Barrhaven, Ottawa and I am a mother of 2 young boys who has fallen in love with the Strider™ PREbike and what it can do for a child. When my child was 3 we went to countless bike stores and tried many tricycles and training wheel bikes. Everytime my child sat on one he would say “Push me”. My sister mentioned balance bikes to me one day and after a few you tube hits we were sold. This was perfect. He would get to ride and we wouldn’t have to push.
From day one he loved it and it was insane how fast he learned to master it. In a few days he was gliding, running and cruising over everything. His favorite thing to do was to take it off road and go over anything he could find. In one month he was cruising up and down the local toboggan hills and riding over 2km most nights. He could keep up to us on our bikes and we were all getting exercise and having fun. He rode so fast most people thought he was on a pedal bike. His little bike and his size would turn heads wherever he rode. Sometimes we would explain that it doesn’t have pedals. Since the bike was so small and lightweight we could easily carry it if we were walking or hang it from the back of our bike trailer if we were biking.
After only a few months we were sure he would be able to ride a big kid bike but we couldn’t find one small enough that he could reach the ground on. After 5 months on the balance bike and some leg growth he got his big kid bike. He rode for 2 days with training wheels to get used to pedaling and because mom was out of town and didn’t want to miss the big moment. When we took the training wheels off he was riding on his own in less then 5 minutes. It was one of our proudest parent moments yet. We held the seat for him to get on and then he was off on his own. After 10 minutes in the driveway he biked all the way to the local school without stopping. By the end of the hour he was starting stopping, cruising and making skid marks. The next night we was sticking his feet out and trying to do stunts. He was only 3 ½ years old.
My oldest is now 4 1/2 and loves to bike. He loves it so much has has wore through his 12 inch tire before the summer hit. He graduated to the 16 inch and after 3 months of BMX racing he's on an 18 inch racing bike. He still rides the Strider™ when he wants to practice tricks, do pop-a-wheelies or just cruise with his brother. His Strider™ brought him so much confidence of different terrains that he can ride his pedal bike over pretty much anything. He goes over jumps, curbs, grass and sand. His favorite thing to do is hit a jump at the local park on his pedal bike and it's only a good one if both tires come off the ground. He figures if he can do it on the Strider he can do it on his other bike and he can.
My youngest started riding a Strider at 22 months and in 1 week on his Strider™ he is picking up his feet, gliding and striding. He really turns heads on his 2 wheeler. He loves to bike with his brother. His second day on it he biked “stradling it and walking it over 1 km to his brother’s school and back. It took us all morning but he wouldn’t let me carry him since he was having too much fun. I was worried we wouldn’t be back in time for the bus but we made it. 1 week later he was keeping up with us on our family ride to the park over 1km away. After a month on it he was cruising the entire BMX track with his brother. He's now standing up on the footrests and trying to jump like his brother. When he wakes up one of the first things he asks is to "go around the block on his blue bike".
I truly believe this is the easiest way to teach a kid to ride a bike. It is also the safest and most fun way for everyone. They learn the skills all on their own. You don’t have to instruct them, prod them, push or hold them. Just encourage them. The joy, confidence and fun it brings to a child is an amazing thing to witness. I wanted other parents and kids to feel this joy so I decided to make them more available in Ottawa.
Please email at info@ottawabalancebikes.com or call 613.843.8435 if you would like to purchase a Strider™ or if you have any questions, would like to test ride or see a demo.