When choosing a bike for your young toddler child in Singapore, you have to check out first bike Singapore for the list of suitable bikes - they are usually either the balance bike or a bike with 2 training wheels known as stabilisers. So there is a question of which bike is suitable for the child's first bike. Some may prefer the balance bike. Some do the bike with stabilisers.
Given Singapore is a busy city state with lots of congested roads, foot paths, walkways and even bicycle tracks around, there is a considerable amount of thought to put in when choosing either of the 2 bikes. As a parent, or an elder sibling or relative, you might be wondering what is the better way to teach your kid to ride a bike.
Actually, nowadays, there is more emphasis placed on balance bikes. The balance bike is without pedals. For a young toddler who has just developed his sense of physical and mental development, for example in walking and light running, the balance bike can come in handy for him. It is recommended for the toddler to reach at least 18 months of age before he can try on the first time.
By using the balance bike, the young kid can use his legs to push the bike forward. There are friendly sites in Singapore for toddlers to do so. Other than from your home, you can bring the kid to the void deck and some walkways with relatively lesser crowd to try.
Alternatively, you can train your young toddler kid with his first bike with the bike with stabilisers. The stabilisers are 2 training wheels fitted to the sides of the bike frames at the rear with means of tightened bolts. As this bike type is definitely held upright, unless the wheels are loosened, the child can worry less about wobbling over.
The bike with stabilisers is still the perfect bike to use in Singapore as a very good alternative to the balance bike. The kid can cycle around a playground park in the residential area. Whether it is a HDB flat, a condominium or a semi detached neighbourhood, there is always a playground zone for kids to practise the biking.
However, there is an additional step to do for a bike with stabilisers compared to a balance bike - you need to do adjustments of the seat height so that the child can fit comfortably when he sits on it. As the bike with stabilisers has pedals, it will help the child to familiarise himself better with bike riding. Once the kid is ready enough, the stabilisers can be dismantled so that the kid can ride the bike like a normal bicycle. In fact in Singapore, the stabilisers can be removed with tool free methods, which means they are without means of spanner or screwdriver.
Whether it is a balance bike or a bike with stabilisers, both bike types are equally adequate to train the kid in cycling. Let the kid learn at his own pace. In Singapore, there are many kid friendly zones to train kids in cycling too.
Read more about balance bikes vs training wheels - https://www.cyclingweekly.com/group-tests/balance-bike-vs-stabilisers-465789