
The 12in aluminium rims with sealed bearings continue the lightweight theme, topped off with some chunky pneumatic tyres that will tackle most terrain a toddler throws them at. The saddle is a Brooks-esque faux leather affair with brass-effect rivets it looks pretty damn cool, but will probably impress parents more than the kids. The aluminium stem and steerer complete the cockpit components and keep the weight down to a minimum. Talking of headsets, the Alley Runner has an integrated threadless one, which will keep things running smoothly for long after your little one has finished with the bike.
#Easy rider bikes full
Once they become a bit more au fait with the concept of steering, the O-ring can be unhitched to give them the full freedom of the headset. This helps less experienced riders with their steering and keeps them on the straight and narrow. It can be looped around a bolt on the fork to create an elastic limit to how far the bar can be turned. The bar also has a neat steering limiter consisting of a rubber O-ring bolted to the underside of the down tube. A fairly niche upgrade, but it might be useful for some. These cost £30 and come with comfy padded bar tape and wooden bar ends. If your young rider wants to get a little more aero then there's the option to buy a drop bar from the Early Rider online store. More alarmingly for a kid's bike, there's no bell! Though some parents might be glad about this. There's no brake, which isn't a deal breaker, but rear brakes on balance bikes are increasingly common.

It's dead straight with no sweep back, and black rubber grips with end stoppers help stop small hands from sliding off. The simple flat bar measures a reasonably narrow 340mm wide. It means that nippers can manhandle and control the bike with relative ease. That's super-light for a bike like this more commonly they're made of cheaper and heavier components. The frame, the curved and tapered fork, and the steerer are all constructed from lightweight aluminium, and along with a set of alloy rims this means the bike tips the scales at 3.4kg. The frame is constructed with classic looking diamond shaped geometry, with a steeply sloping top tube making it fairly easy for kids to climb on and off. As the child grows with the bike the saddle can be adjusted to suit, and there's also the option of upgrading to a 14in wheelset to increase the lifespan of the bike. The bike is aimed at riders from two to five years old, and the minimum saddle height is 35cm, which is a better gauge than age for knowing if your youngster is tall enough to use it. This could be viewed as a bit of a faff, but equally could serve as a bit of a learning experience for junior as they see how the bike is constructed and the start of a beautiful relationship with the humble Allen key. It just required the bar, front wheel and saddle to be fitted with the supplied Allen key. Out of the box, the Alley Runner comes semi-constructed. The frame has simple, clean lines and considered decals, perfect for the style conscious toddler in your life. It's a really sharp looking steed with a brushed aluminium frame trimmed with black finishing kit and a brown faux leather saddle. The Alley Runner is Early Rider's do-it-all balance bike. Find your nearest dealer here Buy this online here Early Rider's choice of 12 really demonstrates the company's passion for the business of getting kids on two wheels. The selection is comprehensive compared with other brands in this sector of the market, where there are usually one or two bikes aimed at these ages of rider.

Its range of 12 different bike models caters for kids up to six years old and as young as six months (yes, six months!), and they're all constructed of either superlight aluminium or Grade A birch ply. There are plenty of bog standard options out there, but what if that's not enough? What if they require something a little bit special? Ladies and gents, may I introduce the Early Rider Alley Runner.įor those who are unfamiliar with Early Rider, it's a British brand specialising in the design and manufacture of children's bikes. Nowadays there's a whole range of bikes for them to choose from before they're even as old as most of the opened jars in the average fridge.

Kids today, hey? When I were a lad we were lucky to have a hoop and a stick.
