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Every spec (well, maybe not the box size) defines a great piece of equipment ... one that ensures the Strider is safe, comfortable, FUN, and built for long-term use.

The original motivation for the creation of the Strider Pre-bikes was to provide a safe and easy transition to a pedal bicycle. Obviously, ease of control had to be critical for our targeted rider group of 1-5 year olds. The first requirement was a LOW seat height and center of gravity so our tiny riders felt safe; our seat height starts as low as 11 inches, allowing even the shortest of legs to reach the ground.

Control is also aided by the low, straight handlebar design which allows the small rider to reach forward rather than up. That same handlebar design helps the child lift the bike over obstacles because he or she can pull up on the bars with better leverage.

As the young rider becomes more accomplished, the foot rest provides a place for both feet as the child coasts down hills. (Placing both feet on the optional brake lever also provides an opportunity at the bottom of the hill to create a great skid mark, which our young test riders really love!)

And finally, our low seat, low handlebars, and low center of gravity all combine to build confidence in riders. They soon learn to sit and push hard with their feet to attain speed and at the same time lengthen their stride (Hence, the name of our vehicle, the Strider). At speed, a small child's stride will go from approximately 2 feet when running on foot to 6 feet or more when running on a Strider. This means they're riding 3 times faster than they can run.

Tricycles tip over, scrape ankles, and have terrible pedal leverage ratios. Training-wheeled bicycles are tall, heavy, tippy, complex, and downright scary for really young riders. Both have great potential for injury. Not true with the Strider. Due to the low center of gravity, low seat height, low handlebars, and light weight, the rider has much better control. The absence of pedals, sprockets, chain, and cables further reduce the likelihood of injury. The Strider is the 'right tool for the job'.

By Ryan McFarland Founder and Chief Enthusiast, Strider Sports International

I spend a good bit of time each day answering questions about the Strider Pre-bikes as it compares to other models or about certain features that it has. I thought I'd try to hit some key points here that I seem to discuss regularly.

Better seat height adjustment... Strider offers 11" to 16" in any increment you want... you can even buy longer seatposts to raise the seat even highersince it is a standard BMX spec tubing. Wooden bikes that I've seen don't allow the seat to go as low, adjust in only a few set increments, and don't go as high. This limits the useable life of the bike.

Better saddle ergonomics... Strider offers a regular bicycle saddle with a molded plastic shell with a traditional saddle design of narrow nose with wider rear seating wings plus padding and vinyl cover all scaled to fit a small rider. Wooden bikes that I've seen have basically a piece of curved plywood that is not very ergonomically engineered. I don't know of any adult that would want to ride on a similar plywood design on their bike. The bicycle industry has spent millions of dollars on saddle design and development. Our saddle design most closely resembles what has become the norm for a bicycle saddle.

Better handlebar fit... Strider offers 3" of height adjustment in any increment you want. Wooden bikes that I've seen have a fixed height with no adjustment. Strider handlebarsalso have rearward 'sweep' built into the bars for a better ergonomic fit... as do nearly ALL bicycle and motorcycle handlebars. Again, these industries have invested millions of dollars on handlebar design and ergonomics. Our design most closely resembles what has become the norm for mountain bikes, BMX bikes, and dirtbikes/motorcycles. The wooden bikes that I've seen are simply straight across, no sweep.

Footrests! This is huge. Only the U.S. Patent Pending Strider design has footrests positioned directly under the saddle, the natural location that allows for rider weight to be shifted to the rider's legs and even allows the rider to ride standing up, to wheelie, and to bunny-hop. The wooden bikes are missing the footrest feature entirely, and therefore can not even offer children the ability to learn these advanced riding skills. Why buy a bike that has only a fraction of the educational and performance possibilities for your child! Footrests also dramatically reduce the weight/pressure on the groin area when compared to trying to hold your legs up in the air while gliding. As a parent, try this experiment on your bike... coast along for a few minutes with your legs dangling off the pedals... I guarantee your tender parts will be screaming for you to put your feet back on the pedals and relieve the pressure felt from the saddle. When your feet rest on pedals or footrests, half the weight of your legs transfers from the saddle to the pedals or footrests relieving pressure in the groin area. Now take it to the next extreme... ride off a curb with your feet dangling... I didn't think so! :-) We wouldn't want to do this so why make our kids. With the Strider PREbike, my son can be coasting down the sidewalk, relaxed, feet up on the footrests... if he comes to a bump or a curb, he stands up on the footrests and rolls right over it and absorbs the bump with his knees, just like I do when I stand up onthe pedals on my bike.

I hope this is helpful. I really believe we offer the most feature-rich bike on the market and offer the best value running/balance bike on the market.