Balance Bikes & Micro

Balance bike and BMX Micro: the first laps on the track

Before the first gate comes balance. A balance bike teaches exactly that: rolling, turning and stopping without having to manage pedalling at the same time. That is why most clubs take children from 2 or 3 years old on a balance bike, often on a shortened track, before moving them onto a pedal bike at around 4 or 5.

Balance bike or pedal bike: how to decide

The marker is not age but inside leg and confidence. On a correctly set-up balance bike, the child should place both feet flat on the ground, legs slightly bent, sitting on the saddle. As long as they push with their feet without lifting their legs on a descent, they are still learning; the moment they roll in balance for several seconds with feet up, they are ready for pedals. Skipping this stage usually costs more time than it saves.

Wheel sizes, from 12 to 16 inch

• 12 inch: the first balance bikes, from around 2 years and 85 cm
• 14 inch: more developed balance bikes, often with a rear brake, at 3 to 4 years
• 16 inch: first pedal bikes, at 4 to 5 years, before the race format
• 18" or 20" on 451 rims: the competition BMX Micro, the last step before Mini

Weight matters more than anything else at this age. A 15 kg child cannot pick up a 9 kg bike: an aluminium frame and light rims transform how independent they are on the track.

From Micro to Mini: the sizing chart

A 108 cm child already confident at the club is better off going straight to a BMX Mini than buying a Micro for half a season. Conversely, a 110 cm beginner gains confidence on a Micro, which is shorter and lower.

What to look at on a track balance bike

Minimum saddle height is the first criterion: it has to sit below the child's inside leg, measured barefoot. Then come total weight, handlebar width — narrow, or the child controls nothing — and grip diameter, which has to match small hands. A rear brake is useful from 14 inch upwards, provided the lever is a small-hand model with adjustable reach. Finally, pneumatic tyres rather than solid ones make a real difference over bumps.

The gear that goes with it

Even on a balance bike, the track requires an approved full-face helmet with a peak of at least 10 cm (UCI rule 6.1.081), full-finger gloves, long trousers and a long-sleeve jersey — five items, not four. Knee and elbow pads sized for small riders complete the set. This is also the age at which the habit forms: a child kitted out from the balance bike stage will not argue about a helmet in Mini.

The BMX RACING advice

Send us the child's height, their inside leg and how confident they are: we will tell you whether they still need a balance bike, a Micro, or can already move to the race format. The next steps sit in the BMX Junior section, and every size in BMX bikes and frames. Dispatched within 24 to 72 hours, you can spread the cost over 2 or 3 payments.

What age can a child get on a track, and what does a first club session look like? The answers are in how to start BMX racing.