Carson has a new hobby–Skuuting. Every free moment of Spring Break, he spent Skuuting and he’s been doing it since. This bike had to come with us on our vacation last week, and he brought it to “bike day” at his camp. Today he’s begging to Skuut. (darn rain!).
Skuuts are balance bikes, a bike without pedals that teaches balance, coordination, and steering, as well as confidence. Learning on a balance bike enables a child to gain the skills to transition to a big kid bike, without the need for training wheels, or the fear of falling.
Skeptical? We were, but Carson was all about trying one once he saw a few kids Skuuting and gliding. A balance bike gives the kids an opportunity to learn to ride through 4 natural steps: walking, riding, skuuting and gliding. Each night, he asked for a new goal and in less than one week, Carson was gliding and steering. There were a few falls, but there were no pedals in the way of getting his feet to the ground to steady himself. And when he did crash into the ground, Carson’s confidence was still strong, and he got right back on.
Skuut arrives unassembled, but it took my husband and son only a few minutes to assemble. Its a light weight and thin bike (no pedals to take up space) so it easily fits in the trunk of a car for commuting to a park. And in all the fills and wobbles, and tosses to the side when he’s finished riding, the Skuut’s held up very nicely. The wooden body shows few nicks and scratches — I expect the bike to last through at least my two boys. And the light weight (less than 10 pounds) makes it simple for a child to pick up and keep riding, move out of a tough spot, and climb out from under if he falls.
Certainly, you’ll want to do your research before buying. Check out the faq page as well as the videos and testimonals on Skuut’s webpage.
While the child in the photo is not, I do recommend a helmet when riding a Skuut. Falls are imminent when riding a bike, plus its great to teach good habits to the young.
Save 10% on your purchase using code MWS2008.
07
Jul 2008
Skuut on over here!
By 2 Comments
Love the Skuut’s, but they’re a little expensive. The Plim Swiss Roadie Runner is another wooden balance bike and it makes my wallet (and my little cousin) happy.
there are so many learner bike options out there. Reading another review of the Skuut mad me think that perhaps i need to touch and feel the different options before buying. They all look fairly similar, but i suspect that there is one that will fit my child best.