Learning to ride your First Bike! (Giveaway Closed)

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People always say, “It’s as easy as riding a bike!” However, when one has a kid, parents realize that it is not so easy to teach your kids to ride a bike. (Keep on reading as there is a Giveaway for Readers!)

Personally, I was a late developer, and I had to have my friends teach me how to ride a bike, when I was 23yo. Yes…U read it right…I only learnt to ride a bike when I was a full grown adult (I know…loser right!) Thankfully, I finally learned the art of riding a bike, after 2 hours of hard work and perspiration at East Coast Park!   However, my late development also means that I did not have much knowledge to impart to my kids. These worries were erased, when I was introduced to First Bike!

Most parents think that in order to teach our kids to ride a Bike, we need to get them a pair of trainer wheels, and attach them to the Bike. However, the trainer wheels actually teach our young ones the wrong principles of Bike riding. First Bike – which is like a Bike without pedals has a answer to these problems.

The most important ingredient in learning to ride a bike is BALANCE! And this is what First Bike teaches. With one’s feet able to touch the ground, the kids can kick off, and learn how to glide and balance. (This principle walks for adults as well) With this confidence, they learn how to attack a slope, and glide downhill. These are essentials, when learning to ride a bicycle. In contrast, trainer wheels or a 4 wheeler give cyclists a false sense of confidence. To make matters worse, kids cannot take a turn on a 4 wheeler by swaying their body side-to-side (like a GP Rider), and they therefore waste the opportunity to learn to balance, when making a turn.

Check out this video, and watch the First Bike in comparison to Training Wheels (4 Wheeler)

Truly, I was a bit of a sceptic, when I first heard of the concept. But when I sent my kids to Bike School, they learnt to ride on their first push off! That was AMAZING! I expected them to fall and have a few bruises, but I did not have to experience that at all. I was very impressed with the benefits of First Bike, and it is truly as simple as “Riding a Bike!”

Who and What is First Bike?

Designed by a German (I mean…are you surprised, it is a German), these Bikes are lightweight and so easy to use, that it helps kids learn without the stress.

The Fibre Glass frame is lightweight and it comes with a Lifetime warranty. This means that it is so durable that we can pass the Bike down to our nephews and nieces. With the fact, that it is durable and weather proof, it is definitely a Sound Investment for any Singaporean Parent! (This will surely strike a chord with my fellow Singaporean Fathers!)

First Bike is suitable for which Age Group?

Kids from as young as 2 years old to 5 years old! However, my son is 6yo, and as we Asians are smaller, he can still use the First Bike. If your kids are less than 2yo, First Bike allows you to lower your Bike, so that the younger kids can use it too (Ya..If Daddy goes to JB to modify his car, he can also modify your children’s Bike ) Therefore, as long as your kids are still in Pre-school, they can  use the First Bike.

Is the First Bike easy to Bring Around?

This Bike is so light as it weighs only 3.9kg. In urban Singapore, where there are lots of stairs, kids will have no problem, carrying it up and down the stairs. It is so small, that it can fit into the Boot of a Citroen Grand Picasso. This MPV’s small boot when it is in 7 seater mode, is equal to a Toyota Wish or a Honda Stream. Personally, I bring the Bike where ever we go, (I leave it in the Boot) and the kids love to ride it at Changi Airport. They just love the empty spaces and the Air Con environment!

How does First Bike Compare to its competitors?

First Bike has rubberised treaded tyres, they can be inflated.  It is also one of the only Balance Bikes, that comes with a Brake. This makes the transition to a real Bike much easier. With it’s lifetime warranty on the lightweight frame, it is to no surprise that it has won the the National Parenting Centre Seal of Approval in America. Personally, I feel that these features make the competitors pale in comparison.

First Bike Retails at $205 (Basic Model), but they are offering a 15% discount off the Bike when you head down to their events. This will also be a good opportunity to come for a test drive with the kids, and as they say…You need to see it to believe it!

1) ST Classifieds Bike Event – November 17, 2013

Location: Zouk at 17 Jiak Street.

2) The British Club Christmas Fair – November 26-27, 2013

Address: 73 Bukit Tinggi Rd, Singapore 289761

Like the First Bike Facebook Page to get the Discount Coupon for these events.

And before you go, this is the GIVEAWAY that you have been waiting for:

1 Winner will walk away with a First Bike!!!

All you need to is:

1. Comment on this blog post, and tell us why you love the First Bike?

2. Join and LIKE the First Bike Facebook Page and  ED Unloaded Facebook Page , if you have not done so.

3. Share this blog post on your Facebook Wall (For those who are new to this process, you can do this, by copying the internet address of this page and pasting it on your FB status update. Do help me by TAGGING me as well, so that I know that you have done it.)

(Closing Date 24 November 2013, 2359hrs)

*Winners will be notified by email, and non-collection of prizes will mean that the prize will be forfeited. The Editors decision is final.

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Many thanks to everyone for your overwhelming participation in this Giveaway!

And here are the results that you have been waiting for…

The Winner of the First Bike is none other than:

Cass Z.

First Bike will be in touch with you shortly, about the collection of your prizes!

For the rest of the readers, we are conducting a lot more Giveaways, so stay tuned!