Are you comparing Balance Bikes?Look for the answers to these questions and read more about the Skuut on our Info page.Are the wheels air-filled pneumatic tyres?Foam tyres will mark and dent, and do not give your child the smooth ride that they will get with a Skuut. Plastic tyres have awful traction and EVA rubber tyres are decent, but do not absorb the bumps quite like the Skuut’s fully pneumatic tyres. Also check the wheels - wheels with spokes can be quite harmful to little fingers - particularly to younger brothers and sisters.Is the steering limited and the front fork space protected for little fingers?When learning to ride a balance bike, it’s really very important to have a limited “turning circle” as this avoids jack-knifing and crashing. And make sure that whichever balance bike you choose, that there is no space for little fingers to get caught between the body of the bike and front forks. Spokes are not a great idea for a little kid bike either, even more so if your rider has younger brothers or sisters.What about the convertible Playskool Glide-2-Ride version available at the big stores?Do try lifting the thing - a child of the right age could lift it barely an inch. The chain housing means the rider has to have their legs wide apart when they ride, which isn’t good. The front fork/handlebars have an unlimited turning cirlce, setting your kid up to spin out (jack-knife) and flip over. I have found that my kids, even though they can now both ride a regular bicycle, still often choose to ride the Skuut. At their age, I feel safer with them on a Skuut if I’m walking along suburban streets with driveways etc - they really do have much more control with their feet. The Skuuts can also be thrown in the boot (or even in your kids footwell in the car) without putting on the bike rack or worrying about room for all the rest of the junk we tend to cart everywhere. And if you need to carry the Skuut under your arm, it’s no biggie - my kids actually carry their own when they cross roads with me etc. Going camping with the Skuut is a blast - my kids can go anywhere on a Skuut - places that are far too tricky to navigate with a regular bicycle at their age. How does the seat adjust? Is the seat low enough for your youngest rider, and high enough for several years of use?(the Skuut body can be attached up-side down and then be ridden by toddlers from the age of 18 months or so). The Skuut will fit almost all 2-5 year olds, and most six year olds. My eight year old still rides his, but he looks too big for it. Contrary to what you might read on a competitor’s website - The Skuut’s height range is equal or better than any wooden balance bike on the market.Are the tyres non-marking?Skuut tyres won’t mark your floors – they’re safe indoors! What about hand-brakes?I’m biased, of course, but I don’t like hand brakes for little kid balance bikes. Little kids can’t use them anyway, and they’re not as reliable and secure as feet. They get in the way and clutter up what should be an elegant design. A kid who is trying to get their tiny hands around a brake lever is one who isn’t concentrating on where they’re going and is having trouble balancing with only one hand working at the handlebars.Are spare parts available?You should never need spare parts for a Skuut, but if you break something and it’s your fault, we will provide them for actual cost and shipping cost only (no profit involved). If it’s our fault and within the first year, we ship your parts free, as it should be.Can you contact the company? Is there a mailing address and phone number to make contact with a real person easily?I can be reached on 0410-513-013, or by mail at PO Box 1004, Pasadena, SA 5042. My name is Sam(antha). Do leave a voicemail or text if I’m on another call or busy with my kids.Are you supporting a local business?While no balance bikes are manufactured in Australia (I tried to, but at $400/bike cost price I didn’t think I’d sell any at retail price!) who are you actually buying from? I am a local Mum living in South Australia who started this business because I fell in love with balance bikes for my own kids and wanted to share them. I’m also backed and supported by the US based International Company, Skuut LLC.
