Strider Sports Australia
Why Strider?
NO TRIKES OR TRAINING WHEELS The Strider™ RUNNING BIKE teaches children balance and coordination in a secure learning situation. The bike's low seating allows children to place both feet firmly on the ground, providing them confidence and control. The running bike's light weight adds to this feeling of control. Because kids feel secure, their natural curiosity kicks in and they quickly learn to steer and to balance. They are not afraid, but enthusiastic and eager to try new skills and to push themselves. With the Strider™ there are no "trike tip-overs" or "training-wheel wobbles" to create fear, hesitancy, or rejection of biking. Remember your first training-wheeled bicycle? The bike wobbled from side to side and you were so high up that you couldn't touch the ground. It was terrifying. With the Strider™, the need for tricycles or training wheels is completely eliminated, along with the accompanying fear factor. The Strider™ is the only vehicle you will ever need to teach your child or grandchild how to ride a bike and to instil in him or her a deep love of biking.
FUN FAMILY FITNESS The Strider™ is more than just a teaching tool. Long after your child has learned to ride a bicycle he or she will still turn to the Strider™ for sheer fun! Due to the Strider™'s puncture-proof, foam tires, it can go over any terrain-rocks, grass, logs, etc. - not just a paved bike path. The Strider™ can be ridden in the backyard, on the bike path, in the bush, virtually anywhere you walk. Once accomplished on the Strider™, your child will be confident on hills, forest trails, even small jumps. The Strider™ will turn family outings from drudgery to total family fun. No longer will you have to wait for a dawdling toddler. With the Strider™ you are guaranteed a brisk walk and often a jog. In fact, your Strider™ rider may often ride circles around you. There will be no more having to carry a tired, frustrated child back to the car. With the Strider™, everyone can attain fitness from family outings. Lightweight and with no grease, cables, pedals, or chain, the Strider™ is a snap to throw in the back of the family car.
STRIDER SCIENCE The original motivation for the creation of the Strider™ running bike 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 centre of gravity so our tiny riders felt safe; our seat height starts as low as 27.9cm, 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 skidmark, which our young test riders really love!) And finally, our low seat, low handlebars, and low centre 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 60cm when running on foot to a metre and a half 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 centre 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'.
DURABLE DESIGN The Strider™ was designed to be educational and to be effective at speeding the transition to pedal bikes and dirt bikes, but, above all, it was designed to be
FUN! That means maintenance has to be minimal, and every aspect of the design must complement the fun factor for the young operator. Puncture-proof, foam tires mean no flats, no inflation problems, and no delays from "hitting the road". Adjustable seat and handlebars make the 2 year old as comfortable as the 4 year old. Light weight allows even the smallest rider the opportunity to ride. Ball bearings keep the wheels rolling; and simple, lightweight plastic bushings protect the steering headtube. The Strider™ is the perfect design: simple, virtually maintenance free, and fun, fun, fun! With just a little care, the Strider™ will serve several small riders in their quest for freedom on their own two-wheeler. The optional foot brake improves safety, but above all it allows the rider to leave that tremendously important skidmark on the sidewalk or in the dirt.
SUPERIOR SAFETY We have done our best to make the Strider™ as safe as possible by getting rid of chains, cables, sprockets, pedals, and most of the protrusions that can cause pain. The low centre of gravity, the light weight, and the unique optional foot brake all combine to make the Strider™ a safe machine. True safety, however, depends on the proper training of the rider and the vigilance of the parents. As with all two wheelers, riders of the Strider™ should learn the importance of protective clothing. We recommend a properly fitted helmet, and full coverage shoes at the minimum. However, kids love to wear "the gear" associated with BMX and motocross racing, so being dressed with gloves, goggles, jerseys, etc. is not only safe, but also great FUN! Children should not ride alone or in busy traffic areas; and, of course, they should be taught common rules of safety. Gear up, hop on, have fun! It's Strider™ time.
Here's a video that was always bond to happen with such a durable little bike.
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