In the past decade, more parents have opted for the balance bike instead of traditional training wheels to teach their kids how to ride a bicycle.
Using these low-to-the-ground bikes with no pedals, children can get themselves accustomed to balancing on two wheels without having to worry about pedaling.
The growth of balance bikes has become so big that The Wall Street Journal just went in-depth into the newest craze involving them: competitive racing. The most prevalent balance-bike racing series is the Strider Cup, which consists of several co-ed groups separated by age, generally ranging from 2 to 5.
While balance bike racing began very casually with children challenging each other to races, it quickly spread throughout the country and is now a world-wide phenomenon with events in countries such as Japan and Thailand.
It is yet to be seen whether children who compete in these races will go on to become successful cyclists or Tour de France participants. But it has become harder over the years to argue with the success balance bikes have had when it comes to training kids to ride two-wheeled bikes.
Check out some of these youngsters in action:
Read the feature in The Wall Street Journal for a detailed account.
