The Stampede Charger 12″ (also available in a 16″ and 16″XL size) is one of our favorite balance bikes for young riders. It is beefy and tough, without being too heavy (our 25 pound 2.5 year old can easily handle it on her own).

The geometry of the bike allows riders to have a low center of gravity, which helps especially with timid riders, to feel confident and stable.

The Charger has THE widest tires on a balance bike that we have seen. This allows for easy trail riding and comfort on loose gravel too. It also adds a little extra weight to the bike, but nothing that unreasonable.