Case Studies & Testimonials

I was impressed with the potential opportunities Balanceability offers for younger children who would normally have to wait until year six to receive any formal cycle training.

Attending a Balanceability demonstration at Welton Primary School, I was impressed with the potential opportunities it offered for younger children who would normally have to wait until year six to receive any formal cycle training. Not only does the scheme offer a logical step on the way to Bike-ability training, but it appears to equally support the requirements of the PE curriculum at Key Stage 1.

Balanceability also has the potential to fill a gap in current cycling and cycle training provision and dovetail into NGB schemes like British Cycling's Go Ride scheme. As an indoor activity it should offer leisure and community centres a great all-year-round fun activity and along with our local Avon and Somer Valley community schemes - plus the Sky Ride Bath - it is well placed to promote cycling to a wider age range.

Our schools love it!

Balanceability is a really popular programme in our schools. It supports children with developing their balance and fine and gross motor skills as well as building confidence, improving listening skills and teaching important safety messages. Our schools love it!

Balanceability offers children a great opportunity to become competent cyclists at an early age through the development of balance and control.

The Programme is made up of progressive learning experiences, with fun ways to learn to cycle on balance bikes. This programme is a foundation for cyclists of the future, through which young children can practise and achieve the balance needed to ride a bicycle, but without the encumbrance of pedals.

The recently published reports in July 2011 of both the Chief Medical Officers’ Report and the NHS ‘Physical Activity Guidelines for Children (under five years), call for an increase in physical activity for most children. The Balanceability Programme ably contributes to meeting the physical activity guidelines for healthy development as well as providing a success-orientated experience, helping to build up children’s confidence and sense of achievement

The most popular programme that we deliver to our schools in Leicester.

Giving children from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to learn to ride a balance bike and develop the essential core motor skills in Foundation and Key Stage 1 has made Balanceability the most popular programme that we deliver to our schools in Leicester. We have had great success delivering to both whole year groups and smaller targeted groups, progressing children with no experience to enjoying the freedom of riding in just a few weeks, developing confidence and a love of movement.

Balanceability is the fundamental starting point for children’s cycling and an excellent opportunity to promote active lifestyles at the earliest possible age.

I can see it also provides a natural lead into Bikeability for Schools and I would encourage all schools to give children the opportunity to use Balance Bikes.

Working with schools as a Bike It officer, I have found that there is a real gap in cycle training for children below year five who can access a Bikeability course.

Balanceability offers the perfect solution to this gap in skill development. I was extremely impressed when I observed the course at one of my Bike It schools, as were the teachers and parents. For many pupils, it gave them the confidence and enthusiasm to practice their cycling at home with their families. I have seen a very high level of cycle competency from Reception pupils and throughout this school when running my events here.

I have also noticed that since the Balanceability training, more pupils come to school with balance bikes rather than bikes with stabilisers, which I much prefer because balance bikes develop the children's cycling skills much quicker and are more fun to use. Parents were very supportive of the training and it has helped me get them more involved with the Bike It project which is fantastic.

I am delighted to work with Balanceability.

A child who enjoys riding a bike is more likely to cycle as an adult or even to become an Olympic athlete.