 Karen is a loyal customer to the Old Fashioned Toy Shop and she wanted to contribute this excellent review to us. She was initially going to put it into the normal product reviews available on each page but we decided it deserved pride of place on this blog. So this is her full review of the PUKY LR M Balance Bike.
We got our older daughter a Porsche children's racing bike late last year. When our little son was just two he wanted his own bike but the Porsche was far to big for him. He was upset at first when he couldn't have the Porsche bike but we decided to get a PUKY LR M after a recommendation from our friends.
Visually
The PUKY balance bike is cute and nicely coloured, it is at first glance, clearly a child's bike. The wheels are small, rubber tyres. The handlebars are not too wide and the footrest is long and wide.
Application
The bike allows for an upright sitting position. Our son spent only one day cycling and using his legs either side before making great progress very quickly. The small bar and the short frame allow tight turning circles and leave enough room on even narrow pavements and paths. Although this model doesn't have brakes he was able to stop very easily with his feet. I think for older children it would be worth getting the PUKY with brakes (this one).
As something negative, I have found that the handlebars do not limit a full rotation of 180 degrees and for a two-year-old it isn't clear that they are upside down. We have made it clear where the bell must be normal, so he has learned when the handlebar is the wrong way round (the PUKY LR1Br makes it much easier to determine direction of handlebars).
The compact design is so easy to put together even a child could do it.
Our son had no problem lifting the wheel onto the pavement as its light even though its constructed from metal.
The balance bike has been borrowed on a couple of occasions, so it has already been well tested by my son and our friends kids. It's still a robust little bike, and would probably withstand a few more children!
Conclusion
It is easy to handle for a child.
For small riders, it is ideal and allows an early start to learning to ride a bike.
It's proved so popular that my daughter now wants one of the larger ones herself! |
Imaginative play is ideal for any age child, from toddlers all the way up to young adults. It gives kids the opportunity to practice and play in the adult world without coming to any harm. It gives children the opportunity to open their minds and imagine what the world will be like, while allowing them to practice communication and social skills too. Pretend games can help to trigger emotional and mental development, which are key to a child during the first years of life.
