DIY Balance Bike
Balance bikes are toys used to teach children to ride a bicycle from a young age. Children ages 2 to 6 can develop the natural balance needed to ride a bicycle on a balance bike, without the aid of training wheels or an adult's hand. (See reference 1) There are a wide variety of balance bikes on the market, but you can make your own by removing some parts from a regular child's bicycle. (See reference 2)
Things You'll Need
- Child's bicycle
- Needle-nosed pliers
- Chain tool
- 15 mm pedal wrench
- Adjustable crescent wrench
- Cold chisel
- Hammer
- Hex wrenches
Instructions
Buy a children's bicycle for your child in the correct size. Your child should be able to sit on the seat comfortably with her feet flat on the ground. (See reference 3) Remove the bicycle chain using the chain's U-shaped master link or a chain tool, depending on the type of chain. Inspect the chain to see if it has a U-shaped keeper pin on one of the links. If it does, slide this pin off the link with needle-nosed pliers and remove the link plate underneath. This will separate the chain, and it can now be removed. (See reference 4) If the bike does not have a master link, place the chain in a chain tool, with a link in the outside slot. Turn the handle of the tool until the rivet of the chain tool begins to push the pin in the link. Push the pin until it has cleared the inner part of the link, but not yet cleared the outer plate. Now that the chain has been separated, remove it from the bike. (See reference 4) Most children's bicycles are equipped with a one-piece crankset, so determine if this is the case with your bike. The crankset is the mechanism that includes the pedals, the cranks (the arms attached to the pedals) and the chainring (the gears). You have a bicycle with a one-piece crank if there is a lockring, a bolt around the base of the crank on the side of the bike opposite the chainring. If your bike is equipped with a one-piece crankset, remove the left pedal. Using a 15 mm pedal wrench, unscrew the bolt between the pedal and the crank by turning it clockwise. (See reference 5) To remove the crankset, first unscrew the lockring with an adjustable crescent wrench, and slip it off the crank. You must turn the adjustable crescent wrench clockwise. Next, remove the bearing retainer, which is the flat plate covering the end of the bottom bracket. The bottom bracket is the tube at the bottom part of the frame where crank was attached. Insert a cold chisel into the slot on the bearing retainer and tap it clockwise with a hammer, holding the crank the keep it steady. Once the bearing retainer has been completely unscrewed, pull the bearing retainer off the crank. Pull the crank through the bottom bracket to remove it from the frame. (See reference 5) Wipe the grease from the bottom bracket. Put all removed parts aside in a safe place; once your child can ride her balance bike, you can reinstall these parts and teach her to ride a bike with pedals. Lower the seat of the bike. The seat post can be lowered by loosening the bolt on the seat bolt clamp, located at the top of the stem (the tube the seat post goes into). It will either be secured with a quick-release lever or a hex bolt. To loosen a quick-release lever, simply pry the lever away from the bike. If the seat bolt clamp is secured with with a hex bolt, insert the appropriate sized hex wrench into the bolt and spin it counterclockwise. Push or pull the seat post until it it is at the right height, then re-tighten the bolt by turning it clockwise. (See reference 4)
