As a father of two little ones I need all the help I can on saving my back. This became evident when I started showing my oldest one how to ride a bike. After a lot practice and a seriously sore back I decided to look into something to help make this rite of passage smoother. This is when I discovered and fell in love with the Balance Buddy. The Balance Buddy refers to itself as “a step above training wheels” and is basically an adjustable, removable handle. It is “designed to provide greater safety to both the parent and child throughout the process of teaching balance and riding skills on a bicycle.”

The Balance Buddy quickly attached to the bike frame and mounts to the outside of the back wheel . It was easy to install and very easy to remove. Since it’s adjustable it’s comfortable to use. The child hops on the bike and you hold on to the handle for stability. The handle is sturdy, strong and allows you to easily control the bike in case the little one starts to head into trouble.

I found that since you are casually walking behind the child they don’t notice that you have let go until you tell them and then they get excited and crash.

From a small independent study I conducted (aka the other 2 dads on the street that purchased a Balance Buddy after my glowing reviews), everyone agreed his or her child seemed to learn how to ride a bike much quick than using the other old school method.

Pros:

Easy to install and remove,
Adjustable and sturdy
Child learns how to bike faster

Cons:

None, worth every dime and more

Rating: 5/5 stars

Price: $20 at Amazon