Early Rider Alley Runner 12in Balance Bike

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

For those who are unfamiliar with Early Rider, it's a British brand specialising in the design and manufacture of children's bikes. 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.

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. Early Rider's choice of 12 really demonstrates the company's passion for the business of getting kids on two wheels.

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The Alley Runner is Early Rider's do-it-all balance bike. It's a really sharp looking steed with a brushed aluminium frame trimmed with black finishing kit and a brown faux leather saddle. The frame has simple, clean lines and considered decals, perfect for the style conscious toddler in your life...

Out of the box, the Alley Runner comes semi-constructed. It just required the bar, front wheel and saddle to be fitted with the supplied Allen key. 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.

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. 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 larger wheels will set you back £30.

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. 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. That's super-light for a bike like this; more commonly they're made of cheaper and heavier components. It means that nippers can manhandle and control the bike with relative ease.

The simple flat bar measures a reasonably narrow 340mm wide. It's dead straight with no sweep back, and black rubber grips with end stoppers help stop small hands from sliding off. There's no brake, which isn't a deal breaker, but rear brakes on balance bikes are increasingly common. More alarmingly for a kid's bike, there's no bell! Though some parents might be glad about this.

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. These cost £30 and come with comfy padded bar tape and wooden bar ends. A fairly niche upgrade, but it might be useful for some.

The bar also has a neat steering limiter consisting of a rubber O-ring bolted to the underside of the down tube. It can be looped around a bolt on the fork to create an elastic limit to how far the bar can be turned. This helps less experienced riders with their steering and keeps them on the straight and narrow. 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.

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. The aluminium stem and steerer complete the cockpit components and keep the weight down to a minimum. 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 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 straight valves combined with a tight spoke pattern can be tricky to attach a pump to; angled valves might be a consideration on future models.

The Early Rider brand has other benefits other than the hardware itself. You can register your bike online with the Early Rider Explorers, which allows you to share pics and stories with other riders and allows access to special offers and discounts. There is also a range of spares and upgrades on the website.

The Alley Runner is available directly from Early Rider's online store or from a range of large and local retailers nationwide. The RRP is a pretty steep £129.99, right at the top of the price range for a balance bike. Many are going to find a price tag that high hard to swallow, despite the fact that it's a super-lightweight bike made with quality componentry. It's a real quality build that will last the test of time and allow it to be passed on to a younger sibling or sold on with a decent resale value, but there are cheaper options out there that meet this criteria too.

Also, there are a couple of common balance bike features missing: no rear brake and no footplate. Neither is essential but both would be good to see at this price point. The wheel and bar upgrades are nice optional extras, but it's hard to ignore the fact that they add another £30 to the price tag.

Verdict

A slick looking and well built kid's steed that's ultimately let down by a hefty price tag