Should you get Strider vs Woom balance bike? This article is for those who are evaluating Strider and Woom 1 balance bike for their kids.
Learning to bike is both exciting and nervous for kids. Luckily, a balance bike is a superb tool to help assist in this transition. If you are not already familiar with them, Strider and Woom are two of the most popular brands for balance bikes.
If you can’t make up your mind on which one to get, it’s a good idea to understand the pros and cons of Strider vs Woom 1 balance bikes, and How They Are Different from each other. You can also jump to the Product Review section to read about each bike.
Read More: Strider Classic vs Sport Balance Bike
Our Final Verdict
Winner: Strider Classic Balance Bike
Adjustable, never-flat tires, cost-effective (but no brakes)
Best High-End: Woom 1 Balance Bike
Features a brake system, air tires, comfortable, luxury
Why Do You Need A Balance Bike?
A balance bike is a transitional bike for kids to learn how to balance their bodies when riding a bicycle. It is for toddlers and kids who are ready to move on from training wheels.
Most babies start using a pushbike at the age of 9 months. Toddler push bikes are multi-stage bikes with training wheels in the back. Most toddlers transition to the last stage and ride the pushbike independently around 2 years. After that, they will move on to a balance bike.
That’s why a balance bike is typically for kids between 1.5 and 4 years.
If you are interested in pushbikes, you can find the best options from the top two brands: Radio Flyer and SmarTrike.
Comparing to a regular bike, a balance bike doesn’t have pedals. This design makes it quick and easy for kids to put their feet on the ground for support. Once your child learns how to support his body on a balance bike, he can then start learning a regular bike for long-distance rides.
Why Choose Strider vs Woom Balance Bikes?
As we mentioned in our article Strider Balance Bikes Comparison, Strider is a brand that specializes in toddler balance bikes. They claim to be “The boss of balance bikes”. Strider offers several models of balance bikes: Classic, Sport, and Pro.
What about Woom? Woombike is a US company that specializes in designing kids’ bikes, biking accessories, and apparel. Besides balance bikes, they have a broad selection of products ranging from regular bikes, gears to clothing.
Woom bikes series include Woom 1, Woom 2, to Woom 6 depending on the age of your child. Today we will be comparing Strider with Woom 1 because Woom 1 is the only balance bike that is also suitable for toddlers and small kids.
How to Compare Strider vs Woom Balance Bikes?
Before we jump into the comparison section, let’s take a look at what factors we should consider when comparing Strider vs Woom balance bikes.
Comparison of Strider vs Woom Balance Bikes
In this section, we will compare Strider vs Woom 1 balance bike and list their similarities and differences.
1. Suitable Age
Similarities: Both Strider vs Woom 1 balance bikes are suitable for toddlers between 1.5 and 3 years old.
Differences: Woom 1 balance bike has a longer age range of 1.5 to 4 years. However, most toddlers grow out of a balance bike well before they reach their 3rd birthday.
A special case is that if your child starts to learn biking at a later age, then Woom 1 will be a better option.
In terms of the suggested child’s height, Strider classic is suitable for toddlers with an inseam length between 12 to 17 inches. The inseam is the distance between the ground and the crotch. Woom 1 balance bike is for kids measuring between 31 to 40 inches. The ideal inseam length for Woom 1 users is 10.04 to 14.37 inches.
Now let’s take a look at the weight limit. Strider is intended for kids up to 60 pounds (27 kg) and Woom 1 is for kids under 110 pounds (50 kg)
As you can see, Strider will be a better fit if you have a tall child and Woom 1 will be a better choice if your child is heavy.
2. Size, Weight, Adjustability
Similarities: Both Strider Classic and Woom 1 are 12-inch balance bikes. In case you don’t know, 12 inches is the diameter of the wheels.
Additionally, as balance bikes, neither Strider Classic nor Woom 1 come with pedals.
Strider and Woom both weigh around 6.5 pounds.
Differences: The overall size for Strider Classic balance bike is 28 x 7 x 13 inches whereas for Woom 1 is 23.35 x 12.6 x 19.88 inches. These numbers may not mean much to you. For practical purposes, let’s take a look at the useful data below.
The handlebar height for Strider is between 18 to 22 inches. That means you have the ability to move the handlebar up and down as your child grows. Disappointedly, the handlebar height for Woom 1 is fixed at 18.7 inches.
As for the saddle height, the seat on Strider Classic can be adjusted between 11 to 16 inches and the seat on Woom 1 can be adjusted between 10.04 to 14.37 inches.
We can conclude that in terms of size and adjustability, Strider offers much more flexibility.
3. Tires
Differences: The type of tires is another major difference between Strider vs Woom 1 balance bike.
Strider Classic balance bike sports flat-free and puncture-proof foam rubber tires that don’t need to be inflated and will never go flat.
Woom 1 balance bike uses lightweight tires that offer low rolling resistance and they have valves for inflation. We have seen quite a few complaints from parents that the tires go flat easily from time to time.
Therefore, Strider Classic will require much less maintenance on the tires.
4. Brake Systems
Differences: You may find it surprising but the Strider Classic balance bike doesn’t come with any brake system.
To use the Strider Classic balance bike, your child will use his feet to push and stop the bike.
Contrarily, Woom 1 comes with a rear brake and a lever on the handlebar. This helps kids learn to use a brake to control the speed of the bike at an early age.
5. Comfort
Differences: Strider Classic is the basic version of Strider balance bikes. Therefore, it comes with a standard saddle and grips. If you prefer a Strider bike that is more comfortable, you can consider Strider Sport, which comes with a performance padded saddle and toddler mini grip.
Now let’s take a look at Woom 1. Woom 1 balance bike features woom Ergogrip that are easy for toddlers’ hands. The handlebar ends with an extra-large diameter to prevent slipping. Additionally, the saddle on Woom 1 features side protection in case your child leans the bike on a wall.
6. Pricing
Differences: Strider Classic costs around $90 whereas Woom 1 balance bike costs around $200.
If you are interested in the upgraded version of both bikes, then you can get Strider Sport Balance Bike for $110 and Woom 1 Plus for $269.
However, keep in mind that your child will not be using a balance bike for too long. They will most likely outgrow a balance bike in 6 to 12 months. That’s why Strider is a more popular option on the market today.
Which One Is the Best: Strider vs Woom Balance Bikes?
So which balance bike is the best: Strider vs Woom 1? There is not a clear-cut answer because it depends on what you are looking for.
Our recommendation is that Strider is the best option for most parents because it is adjustable, cost-friendly, and also suitable for tall kids. But it doesn’t come with a brake system.
If you are looking for a premium balance bike that offers features as a regular bike does, you should consider Woom 1 because it comes with brakes, air-inflated tires, and is more comfortable to use.
Product Reviews
1. Strider 12″ Classic Balance Bike
Top Pros:
Top Cons:
If you are new to balance bikes, it is hard not to talk about Strider Classic Balance Bike. As the most popular balance bike on the market today, Strider Classic enjoys a 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon by more than 2,000 reviews.
Why is Strider Classic so popular? As we have explained at the beginning of this article, Strider is a reputable brand that specializes only in balance bikes. Additionally, you can easily see from our comparison guide that Stride Classic has a lot going for it.
The most attractive aspects of Strider Classic are its flexibility, worry-free tires, and a friendly tag price.
Strider Classic offers the flexibility to change the height of the handlebar as well as the saddle. Plus the saddle height has a wide range so that tall kids or kids with long legs can also ride the bike comfortably.
Another scoring point is the tires. Even though the tires are made out of rubber, they are not prone to puncture and you never need to service them.
The only disappointment about Strider Classic is the lack of a brake system. But many parents look past it because the main purpose of a balance bike is for kids to learn to stay balanced. Therefore, they can use their foot to power and stop the bike.
Who Is It for?
Strider Classic Balance Bike is the best overall balance bike for most parents.
Production Specifications
- Dimension: 28 x 7 x 13 inches
- Weight: 6.7 lbs
- Tire: Never-flat rubber tire
- Brake: No
2. Woom 1 Balance Bike
Top Pros:
Top Cons:
Woom 1 balance bike is more than twice the price of Strider Classic, why would someone want to consider Woom 1?
Woom 1 is not a standard balance bike for kids to play with, but a high-end balance bike that can give toddlers and kids a full preview of what an adult bike is like.
Woom 1 comes with a brake system on the rear tire. The hand levers for the brake are designed for tiny hands with limited strength. The addition of the brake system makes it possible to train your child how to stop a bike properly and how to slow down the bike gradually.
Woom 1 also comes with air tires with car-type valves. Some parents don’t like this design because the tires get flat easily and it takes time to inflate them. However, some parents loved it because it gives their kids the chance to understand how to maintain and service tires.
Though Woom 1 balance bike costs a premium, toddlers and small kids are proud to own a “grown-up” bike like this.
Who Is This For?
Woom 1 Balance Bike is a luxury balance bike that offers a complete range of bike features.
Production Specifications
- Dimension: 23.35 x 12.6 x 19.88 inches
- Weight: 6.6 lbs
- Tire: Air tire
- Brake: Yes
Final Words
With the above comparison, we can clearly see that Strider vs Woom 1 balance bikes have some major differences and a different targeted audience. For most parents, we recommend Strider Classic Balance Bike because it offers all the necessary features and is much less expensive. For parents who prefer a full-fledged high-end balance bike, Woom 1 is our top recommendation.
Cecilia Yeung is a successful entrepreneur and product researcher. She has a background in psychology and children’s education. As a working mother of two, she loves to write about children’s education and development.
