The first big boy bike that I got for Griffin was from a consignment sale. It was blue and crazy cheap so I decided to go for it.
Unfortunately that was a mistake. Although Griff liked the look of the bike, it was way too heavy for him. The weight made it hard for him to balance on his own, and almost impossible to lift up by himself to get on.
That led to a lot of frustration for both him and myself when it came to learning to ride a big boy bike. Although he had the balance part down pat thanks to the Strider Balance bike (which I talk all about in the blog post here) he needed extra help with the weight of the big box store bike.
Thankfully that realization led me to research and then purchase the woom bike. The woom GO 2 bicycle is for children aged three to four that are just starting out on their bike riding journey, and it’s so lightweight that it is perfect for young toddlers that are early in learning to ride.
My research showed me the weight equation, which I will now explain to you.
An average four year-old weighs about 35-40 pounds, and a typical children’s bike weighs 22-26 pounds. That means a normal bike is over sixty percent of your child’s total body weight! That is like a 150 pound adult trying to learn how to ride a bike that weighs ninety pounds.
Something that heavy is clunky, impossible to steer and can’t be managed once it starts to tip.
In contrast, the woom bike has a high-quality aluminum frame and components that make its weight only eleven pounds! That is less than half the weight of a big box store bike.
The next benefit of the woom bike is their “green brake”. It’s a lever on the right handlebar that acts as the brake, as opposed to most big box bikes that use coaster brakes where the child pedals backwards to stop the bike.
Unfortunately for most kids learning to ride, they need to adjust their feet and regain stability which tends to push the pedals backwards and instantly locks up their bike. Your kid can end up going over the handlebars or at the very least be dealt a jarring stop that ruins their momentum and confidence.
Instead, when teaching to ride with a woom, you just yell “squeeze the green brake” and your child will easily stop their bike instead of running into something. My husband ran into a fence back in his learning to ride a bike days, and for my sister it was me at the bottom of the hill. We didn’t run (pun intended) into any of those problems when learning with a woom.
Now woom doesn’t just take an adult bike design and scale it down, but instead they design every single touchpoint specifically for a child.
- Low Center of Gravity that allows kids to sit on the saddle and easily plant both feet on the ground.
- Super Narrow Grips that are designed for tiny hands so they can actually squeeze the brake.
- Ergonomic Saddles that are custom-shaped to fit a child’s pelvis.
The only thing that might stop you from purchasing a woom in your research is the hefty price tag. Yes, woom bikes are an investment. But they are also a resale gem!
Woom bikes hold their value better than almost any other kid gear on the market. You can make $300 back in a matter of hours by reselling on FB Marketplace, with groups dedicated solely to woom bikes.
If you have multiple kids then the value is even more pronounced. You get multiple years worth of rides prior to making money back. And they last crazy well, especially compared to the big box bikes that rust all over after only a couple months in the elements.
In summary, the woom bike is the way to go for beginning riders! Purchasing a woom will result in less tears (for both you and your child) as your child gains confidence and independence learning to ride.
After you purchase the woom GO 2, your child can advance to the woom GO 3 and then the woom GO 4. Once you go woom you won’t go back!
Have you tried a woom bike? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
