As a mom of four, I know that each child learns differently and at their own pace. My 7-year-old had yet to master bike riding, but he wanted a big kid bike without training wheels.
We’ve tried the basic bikes on the market, but they were too difficult for him to use. The handlebars were too tall and too far away from the seat, the coaster brakes made it difficult to gain momentum, and learning how to balance proved to be quite challenging.
When I saw that Guardian Bikes had a different approach and claimed they could teach him to ride in just one day, I thought it sounded too good to be true. But we had to check it out.
Here are some of the key differences I noticed between Guardian Bikes and traditional bikes:
If you’re after removable pedals…Guardian Bikes
One of the reasons I think my son never took to bike riding before is because he was so uncomfortable balancing on training wheels and it made him feel unsafe.
With Guardian Bikes, you easily can remove the pedals so that kids can get comfortable balancing on their own without relying on training wheels. By walking the bike and then practicing coasting with their feet up, children quickly gain confidence and learn to keep their bikes upright.
If safety is a top priority…Guardian Bikes
The feature that I’m most surprised about liking is Guardian Bike’s patented SureStop braking system. I was a little worried that a hand brake might be too much for my son, but he loves it and I think the reason is because this unique system allows him to stop quickly and retain control of the bike when he does.
He always struggled with traditional coaster brakes because as soon as he would get going, one wrong move would completely stop him and throw off his balance. This feature alone makes our Guardian Bike a clear winner in the area of safety!
If you’re looking for the perfect size…Guardian Bikes
Traditional bikes have various wheel sizes, but they don’t consider the varying sizes of the children. With Guardian Bikes’ RideSizer tool you’ll find a bike that is perfectly sized for them. While both bikes we tried are 20 inches, my son fits more comfortably on the Guardian bike since it has a smaller frame.
If you want a good-looking bike..Guardian Bikes
You can see right away that Guardian Bikes are just built differently.
- They come in 6 different colors and are sized to fit your child perfectly with a smaller frame that sits lower so that the child’s center of gravity can aid in balancing them.
- The tread on the tires is also different since Guardian’s hybrid tires are meant for both road and trail riding.
- The last main difference is the aforementioned hand brake. Not only does this make it feel more like a big kid bike, but it’s also a huge safety feature.
When I asked him which he liked better, my son said he preferred the look of his Guardian Bike!
Guardian Bikes is officially worth the hype!
While I was more than skeptical about whether it would work for us, our Guardian Bike took the lead over a traditional bike in every category!
My son has struggled with the traditional bike and has not been successful, but after just one day spent walking and coasting on his Guardian Bike, he was able to put the pedals on and ride a bit all by himself! He picked up the hand brake system quickly and is balancing so well. I loved seeing his confidence as he improved with each attempt!
If you have a hesitant bike rider, I highly recommend this bike!
