A balance bicycle is a training bicycle that helps the rider learn balance and steering. It has no pedals, no crankset and chain, and no training wheels. It can be a normal bicycle with pedals and related parts removed, or it can be purpose-built. It can have no brake, or it can have one or two hand-activated rim brakes. “Velo” redirects here. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics is the science of how bicycles and motorcycles move: balance, steer, brake, etc. ... A bicycle pedal provides the connection between the cyclists foot or shoe and the crankarm allowing the leg to be used to turn the crank. ... A Shimano Deore crankset, drive-side showing crank arm, spider, three chainrings and chainring guard // The crankset, or chainset, is the component of a bicycle drivetrain that converts the reciprocating motion of the riders legs into rotational motion used to drive the chain, which in turn drives the rear... Training wheels are a colloquial term for stabilizers used on bicycles. ...

To function properly, a balance bicycle must be small enough that the rider can walk the bicycle while sitting comfortably in the saddle, putting both feet flat on the ground.

Children as young as 18 months can learn to balance on a balance bicycle within a few hours' practice. The rider first walks the bike while standing over the saddle, then while sitting in the saddle. Eventually, the rider feels comfortable enough to run while riding the bicycle, then to lift both feet off the ground and glide.

See also

• Velocipede
• Draisine
• Mechanical equilibrium
• Countersteering

The velocipede was the predecessor of the bicycle, a human-powered vehicle introduced in the Victorian age. ... A draisine is a light auxiliary rail vehicle or trolley. ... A standard definition of mechanical equilibrium is: A system is in mechanical equilibrium when the sum of the forces, and torques, on each particle of the system is zero. ... Countersteering is the name given to the counter-intuitive technique used by cyclists and motorcyclists to turn corners. ...

External links

Video clips

• toddler learning to walk a balance bike
• 2-3yo learning to cruise a balance bike on a flat, clear slope
• toddler, an accomplished rider, cruising on turns around obstacles