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Buying your child’s bike can be such a big milestone, and yet such a headache – there are so many bikes to choose, and getting them the right bike that encourages their love of biking and learning hard things feels so stressful, important, and exciting all at the same time.
Let me make it easy for you – the balance bike is the way to go, and an Hornit AIRO bike is the perfect starter bike for little adventurers.
Beautiful Brown Adventures has reviewed many balance bikes, including the woom, Strider, and Specialized bikes. I got to try the Hornit AIRO bike for our three-year-old hoping she would learn skills to start riding a bike and would ultimately learn to love bike riding. Here’s my review of the AIRO 12″ balance bikes.
What is a balance bike?
A balance bike or pedaless bike is a bicycle designed to be ridden without pedals.
A child sits on the bike with the seat set low enough for them to touch the ground and push the bike to move it forward with their feet—Flintstone style. Their feet propel the bike forward, and when they pick up enough speed the rider can raise their legs to practice balancing while the bike is in motion.
This method of learning how to ride a bike is considered by many bike enthusiasts to be the best way to teach your kids to ride quickly because they learn the balancing skills needed to ride a pedal bike first.
Why use a balance bike instead of training wheels?
Training wheels give your child a chance to learn how to pedal while the bike weight is supported by the wheels, allowing the rider to pedal forward without having to master balancing first. Ideally the rider will eventually learn to balance without depending on the training wheels, so when the training wheels are removed they will be ready to ride on two wheels. This is how most of my generation learned to ride a bike.
If you try a balance bike first, your child learns to balance on the bike before they start pedaling. Some believe that the balance part is the trickiest element of riding a bike, and if a young rider can master that component, adding pedals to the equation will be easier.
An easier ride = happier rider. We all want our kids to be able to learn this skill quickly and as painlessly as possible. So, if you buy a balance bike instead of something with pedals, probably big enough for them to “grow into” it, your kid might have a harder time learning to ride a bike.
Many bike companies, such as Guardian Bikes and woom Bikes advertise that a child can learn to ride a bike in a day using this method and their lightweight bicycles.
Key Features of the Hornit AIRO Balance Bike 12” - Why You Should Consider Buying One
Equipping your child with the right bike goes beyond aesthetics and price tags.
1. Ultralight magnesium alloy frame –
The bike experts at Two Wheeling Tots say that a child’s bike should be less than 40% of a child’s weight.
Hornit’s AIRO 12″ Balance Bike is one of the lightest bikes out there, with their 12” bike weighing about 6.5lbs. This is about the same weight as our favorite balance bikes on the market – woom and Strider.
Light weight bike companies claim the reduced weight of their products allow children to develop the balance needed to master the ride on two wheels more easily.
The light weight frame was helpful for my more petite three-year-old. She had no problem picking the bike up, balancing, and riding it right out of the box.
2. Integrated footrest – designed for coasting
Hornit AIRO 12″ offers a built in foot rest that is an integrated part of the bike. The foot rest is placed in the middle of the frame to allow for little feet to rest while coasting. It is conveniently lined with grip tape so the rider’s feet will not slip off the foot rest, causing them to fall.
Even though our little rider has been using the Hornit AIRO 12″ balance bike for a few months and hasn’t used this feature yet, I can see how useful it will be once she manages to pick up some speed. I see kids all of the time racing down hills on a balance bike and holding their legs straight out because there is no where to put them! The foot rest would be super helpful for those long, downhill coasts that are key to learning how to balance.
3. No need for training wheels –
Hornit AIRO (sizes 12″ tires) is a balance bike and has no pedals. It is designed to teach your child how to balance on a bike first before you add pedals.
Yes you heard me – you can teach your kid to ride a bike without training wheels – and it somehow is easier. Oh the things our kids will never know, like having one computer or TV in the house, and dial up, the list goes on…
4. Set up is fast and easy –
Hornit AIRO arrives ready to ride!
The instructions were very clear and straight forward. The box was even cute, with adorable little messages that made us giggle and no single use plastic! It took about 30 minutes to put air in the tires and adjust the handle bars and presto – it was all done.
Due to UK regulations, the tires did not come with the covers to the air intake ports because they were a choking hazard. You can purchase your own, although we didn’t put any on and the air isn’t coming out of the tire.
Age & Size Recommendations
The Hornit AIRO comes in two sizes – a 12″ and 14″ tire. The seat is adjustable.
The 14″ is only available for UK shoppers.
Size recommendations:
- 12″ bike – designed for a child with inside leg measurement of 11.8″-18.1″/30-46cm or approximately 18 months to 4 years of age
- 14″ bike – designed for a child with inside seam of 15.7″-20.8″/40-53cm or 2-4 years of age
Pros & Cons of the AIRO Balance Bike
Our 3.5 year-old loves her AIRO balance bike, but here’s the grown-up’s review.
Pros of the Hornit AIRO
- Set up is super easy and fast
- Lightweight – at 6.5lbs, the Hornit AIRO is easy for small kids to pick up and maneuver
- 6 fun colors – getting your kid’s buy-in on the look of the bike is key to the joy of biking
- Adjustable seat – the bike can grow with your kid
- Footrest – allows kids a place to put their feet while they coast
- Lifetime warranty – the frame and forks are covered by a lifetime warranty, so you can pass the bike down or resell!
Cons of the Hornit AIRO
- No steering limiter – so kids could over turn and lose control of their bikes
- No hand brake – kids must use their feet and won’t get to practice braking during this learning phase
- Not a quick release seat – requires a tool to adjust the seat
- The larger size is not available in the US – why Hornit, why??
Comparison: Hornit AIRO vs woom 1
Here’s how the 12″ Hornit AIRO measures up to the other popular lightweight bike on the market – woom 1.
Overall the two bikes are very similar in weight and style, although the woom 1 is more expensive. Main differences here are that the woom 1 provides a rear brake that allows new riders to practice braking, while the AIRO offers a footrest for fast riders to cruise comfortably.
I would recommend you try out both bikes and see what you think would be better for your child to have at this early stage of their riding journey. We used the woom 1 with our older child who loved using the brake, while our younger chlid was not interested in practicing that and always used her feet to stop. Is the brake worth the extra cost?
Having tried two of the most popular light weight kids’ bikes out there, woom, Strider, Hornit, and Guardian Bikes. I can confidently confirm that the lighter the bike, the easier it is for your kid to ride.
Our child was one of those kids that learned how to ride a bike in one day on a woom 3. It is the truth!
Thanks to that experience, every morning, my kiddo runs down the stairs to hop on her bike to ride to school, while I, her doting mother, ride happily alongside her with my youngest in a cargo bike.
We are officially a bike riding family, and I am so grateful we spent the money on a balance bike to give my daughter the right start to her biking journey.
Have you tried Hornit bikes? What are your thoughts? Share in the comments below.
Happy biking!
Adrienne S
Adrienne is your friendly neighborhood Leo, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She’s always looking for fun: new food & drink spots, an excuse to dress up, and supporting all sorts of arts (both performing and visual). She’s learning how to introduce her kids to these experiences so they can enjoy these together. Reach out to her on IG: @eydreeehn
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
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