Burley MyKick Review

We discovered the Burley MyKick at the Outdoor Retailer show this summer, and jumped at the opportunity to try one out.

P (age 3) is fully on pedals now, but he does still love to ride a balance bike just for fun or when he is more tired (and doesn’t want to have to think about pedaling.)

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Why the Burley MyKick

The MyKick is a fairly simple balance bike with no hand-brakes or foot platform, but maybe that is what drew us to it in the first place. It’s solid, but still fairly lightweight which is key to smaller riders.  

While this is NOT the bike you would give your 18 month old, it’s great for kids aged 2.5+ (recommended age – 3+).  In fact, it’s our top pick for balance bikes for kids in this age range.

Burley doesn’t skimp on the things that make a difference like adjustability, quality materials and a good and comfortable seat.

The Burley MyKick Breakdown

It also has bumpers on the end of the hand grips which help keep little hands where they should be AND protect children when they inevitably take a spill or two.

We loved that this bike comes completely assembled. It requires only a loosening, re-adjusting and then tightening of the headset.

The MyKick has unique rubber honeycomb tires which means you get the benefits of a flexible rubber tire for good traction (which is far superior to EVA foam polymer), and don’t have the hassle of dealing with flat tires.  

They are also a little heavier than the aforementioned EVA foam tires, but we think the trade-off is worth it, especially for off-road use.

The My Kick does not have a handbrake like some larger balance bikes do.

Truth be told, our kids have been on many balance bikes with hand brakes and never used them. It’s certainly another step and requires a hand large and strong enough to implement them.

Most kids just revert to stopping with their feet (so be ready to go through a couple pair of shoes!)

I always hoped having a hand brake would be a good learning tool for the future when they are on a bigger bike and have to use them, but I am not sure if they are necessary or not.

Burley MyKick Stats

Minimum seat height: 12.5″

Maximum seat height: 16″

Bike weight: 11 lb.

Maximum capacity: 50 lb.

What we love:

– Wide plush seat (for some reason this is a big one for our kids)

– Adjustable seat (via quick release) and handlebars (with the use of a wrench)

– Adjustments allow the bike to be used by a wide range of rider sizes (for kids wearing size 2T-4T is a safe bet)

– Comfortable geometry

– Fun colors (green, pink or red)

– Light and maneuverable for kids aged 2.5+ (11 lb.)

– Durable and quality construction making it easy to steer

– Rubber honeycomb tires for great traction and no worry of flat tires

– Great hand grips

What we aren’t so crazy about:

– We would love a quick-release on the handlebars

– There is no platform for little ones to put their feet while they coast. Not a huge deal, but naturally many kids look for somewhere to rest their feet and even a small one is nice for them.

– No handbrake (mostly for older and bigger kids who are practicing using a hand brake before moving on to a bigger bike)

The Bottom Line:

This is an excellent balance bike for kids aged 2.5+. It’s built very well, rides smooth, and is very low maintenance. Burley has certainly taken the little details into account.

At $129, it’s a bit pricey for many families to spend on a toddler, but we think it’s some of the best money you can spend on a little one (for physical AND emotional benefits.) And, with balance bikes – you get what you pay for. We highly recommend the MyKick!

Win a Burley MyKick!

We are celebrating Balance Bike Appreciation month for all of March, including some awesome giveaways just for you!

As usual, please use the widget below to enter to win. The winner will be emailed and announced on this post in the widget. Have questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact me at amelia(at)talesofamountainmama(dot)com so I can help!  Sorry, this giveaway is open to the U.S. only.

Per our request, Burley generously provided us this gear in order to facilitate this review.  However, as always, the opinions expressed here are completely and honestly our own. A few of these  links are affiliates.  Thank you so much for clicking through them to make your purchases – it helps offset the cost of this blog in a (VERY VERY) small way! You can find my full disclosure here.

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