“Alexa, teach my 7-year-old to ride a bike.”
If only it were that simple. Sadly, while technology has come a long way, it hasn’t come quite that far.
Like most parents, I bought my daughter her first bike when she was an itty bitty 5-year old. It had training wheels and there was no “teaching” involved. She just got on the bike and pedaled her little heart out.
Little did I know, as soon as those training wheels came off, she’d refuse to get back on because she was too afraid of falling. When I did convince her to at least straddle the bike, she couldn’t seem to find her balance.
Fast forward almost three years: my soon-to-be-8-year-old daughter still couldn’t ride a bike—until we tried a Guardian Bike, that is.
Now that I’ve seen her get used to one of these innovative, buzzed-about bikes, I have some honest thoughts on whether they’re a worthwhile investment for parents and kids alike.
A Bike Made with Kids in Mind
Guardian Bikes are designed specifically for kids. Before I could order one, I had to input my daughter’s height, and biking experience to ensure I got the appropriate size (which ended up being the 20” small in pink and teal…it’s adorable). This tool also informs you how long that bike will last your child before they need to size up.
After it arrived, I saw how the lightweight frame made it easier for her to maneuver. With a lower step-over height and a wide wheel base, she can finally get on the bike without struggling. In a world where most bikes for kids are just adult versions made smaller, this was a refreshing change of pace!
A Super-Safe Hand Braking System
When I was learning to ride a bike, the biggest struggle was remembering which hand brake went with which wheel. I struggled to get my tiny fingers over the too-big brake lever, and it made stopping stressful every time. I was afraid I was going to fly right over the handlebars at a moment’s notice.
No wonder my daughter was nervous once she lost the training wheels!
With this in mind, Guardian has designed a super-safe custom braking system specifically for kids. It’s called SureStop, and it relies on a single-lever hand brake to intuitively and safely stop both wheels.
SureStop even adapts to the terrain kids are riding on to safely bring them to a stop faster than traditional braking systems on kids’ bikes—this eliminates the risk of them going over the handlebars.
The SureStop brake handles on my daughter’s Guardian Bike are nice and small so she has no problem stopping on a dime. Sometimes she’ll even slam on the brakes just to hear the tire screech on the sidewalk, like some little speed racer. That’s a big change in her confidence!
A Whole New Way of Learning to Ride
Once upon a time, I thought training wheels were the best way to instill confidence in my little girl. When I found out that Guardian Bikes suggests not only foregoing training wheels but also foregoing pedals, I was intrigued.
When we received my daughter’s bike, all we had to do (and by we, I mean my husband) was attach the handlebars and pedals. Following the brand’s instructions, we left the pedals off to start. My husband was skeptical, but I chose to trust the process.
I mean that literally. Guardian recommends a 3-step process for helping kids learn to ride a bike. Step one: straddle the (pedal-less) bike and walk with it; Step two: learn to coast on the bike with feet up (this took some getting used to); Step three: put the pedals on.
Even though step two took some practice, once she got the hang of coasting, she was so much more confident staying balanced by the time we put the pedals on. Why didn’t I learn to ride a bike this way?!
Bottom Line: My 7-Year-Old Figured It Out in Less Than 4 Hours
The speed with which our little girl learned to pedal up and down our street confidently made my husband and me major fans of Guardian Bikes. Given how timid she was with her old bike, I was not expecting her to figure it out so fast.
I had read online that some kids could learn to ride via Guardian’s recommended method in a day, but I was ecstatic when my baby was cruising around in less than 4 hours!
Either my daughter is incredibly talented, or this system is a game-changer. Maybe both things can be true! Regardless, with Guardian’s innovative, safety-oriented technologies and kid-friendly design, I know which bikes she’ll be riding until she’s at least in high school!
