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I had a four year old who wanted to learn how to bike! Of course, our first inkling was to go to Walmart to buy a cheap starter bike. We came home, it had wobbly training wheels on and we were all excited. Until, we weren’t. Between the wobbly training wheels (that couldn’t be corrected even by a professional bike shop), and the uneven sidewalks in our neighborhood, we were off to a rough start!
I finally had her going on the training wheels, but how were we supposed to move on from that? I had people tell me to just take the training wheels off and let her go, others to take the pedals off and let her do a balance bike and after we both got a little frustrated, I turned to YouTube! YouTube told me to do the balance bike, but my searches also led me to the Guardian Bike ads, which totally sold me (thanks to their 1-year money back no questions asked policy).
Below, I am going to review our totally awesome experience with a Guardian Bike, and how it transformed the ‘learning to bike’ process from a stressful mess to a super positive experience for all, and a confidence building moment for my child!
Table of Contents
What are Guardian Bikes?
Guardian Bikes are bikes that are made lightweight and easy for your children to learn how to start riding a bike. Their bikes also allow children to use them as a bike and/or a balance bike (all dependent on whether or not the pedals are attached). They have a large range of sizes, so this could be the first bike/balance bike that your child rides and they can size up as they grow, and/or it could be a bike for an older kid that wants a more manageable bike.
They even provide a ‘how to teach your child how to bike’ guide on their website that is a great tool to help you get started!
How do Guardian Bikes Compare to Other Bikes?
There are six main differences with the Guardian Bikes that are the most obvious:
- They are significantly more lightweight than other kids bikes.
- They are easier for your kids to handle and manage, which results in them getting going quicker. They learn to bike on their own quicker, get the bike started quicker (with that initial push), and can even move the bike around easier (like walking with it or holding it up to get the kickstand up or down correctly).
- You can easily go back and forth between a bike and a balance bike.
- The braking system is different and gives the kids more control (which ends up resulting in more confidence). There is no backpedaling to break on these bikes, they are braking with a hand break on one side.
- When you order the bike for your child, you are customizing the bike size to the current size of your child. There is a measuring guide that is really great and removes the hassle of estimating what is the right size for your child.
- There is a one-year money back guarantee (regardless of how much the bike has been ridden). Imagine that – your child can ride the bike as much as they want, and if it isn’t a fit for your family, you still have the opportunity to return it.
Our Experience Using Guardian Bikes
I got the 16″ bike (after researching and matching her up with the sizing chart on Guardian’s website) and took the pedals off for one week so she could use it as a balance bike. I set up a small obstacle course outside our house and had my daughter practice for like 10 minutes per day for at least five days, before the moment of truth came!
I’m not even kidding, the very first time I put my daughter on the bike with pedals, she biked. Like, for real biked down the street. Wobbly, sure. But, she biked!!!!!
And, then in that same bike riding session, she had already gotten to where she could ride a half block on her own, without stopping. Then, a few sessions later, she was getting started on her own. Then next, she was going a block on her own and I had to run to keep up with her! It was such an awesome experience, and so empowering for my daughter!
After we were so excited about our success, I called my sister to tell her about it because she has two children similar in age to me, and she immediately bought the Guardian Bikes, and had the same success as we did!
Now that we are one year later, my daughter has sized up to the 20″ bike, and her initial Guardian bike went to her brother who is one year younger. I repeated the same balance bike process with him for 1-2 weeks, and then he was off riding! The same success with the same Guardian bike, with a different kid!
And, now I have a 4 and 5-year old that can bike on their own, and we can even all go on family bike rides together! It’s so awesome!
Pros
- It actually works!
- It’s easy to assemble out of the box
- It’s easy to adjust the seat height
- You don’t need training wheels (but they can still be added onto the bike if you/your children prefer them)!
- There’s a kickstand that the kids can manage on their own
- The bikes are way lighter weight and also easy to navigate side to side
- It’s super easy to put on/take off the pedals, in case you were hoping to do the balance bike option first
- There’s a 1-year money back guarantee
Cons
- It’s pricey. (A lot pricier than a cheap Walmart bike with wobbly wheels, but the amount of time and stress that you save is worth it!)
Do Guardian Bikes Actually Work?
Yes! The best part is that they work so well, that the kids don’t even realize it before they are off biking down the street on their own! Instead of being such a stressful time teaching your child how to bike, and them being frustrated trying to learn how to bike and balance and steer and brake all at the same time, these bikes remove such a great amount of stress and turn learning to bike into such a positive experience for all involved!
Conclusion
If your child wants to learn to bike and you have the means, buy one! These bikes will save you the headaches of wobbly training wheels, kids trying to navigate heavy bikes, and all of the patience needed and frustration that comes along with those things (from both child and parent)! This is something that will empower your child, and make the goal of learning to bike fun!
How to Buy a Guardian Bike
Guardian bikes are sold in stores, but I would recommend buying from their website, or at least looking at their website to understand the sizing guides and the different options that are available, as well as any checking for discounts as they do have sales going quite often.
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