Tyke Rider - Online050

The coolest bike on the block has no pedals. Seriously.

The Early Rider omits training wheels, or "middleman", on the quest for bike-riding proficiency, ensuring that toddlers learn how to balance and steer before they try for the real thing.

We found assembly of the classic model to be easy and quick, and the natural birch design with fat-boy rear wheel, flame detail on the sides, and faux-leather saddle makes for a good-looking ride.

It took our little testers no time at all to get the hang of the bike, using feet to move themselves along and then gliding a bit before returning feet to the ground. As their confidence in balancing grows, we expect they'll be "scooting" along, touching down just to maintain balance, which is the whole idea. Where the transition to a big kid bike is often difficult when the child relied on training wheels to learn how to cycle, having the balancing part mastered as a toddler can only be beneficial when it's time to move on.

Parents can control the range of steering motion, and adjust the seat height so the bike can accommodate kids from ages two to five. (Some models are designed for children up to age six.)

These balance bikes got enthusiastic thumbs-up reviews from little ones and parents alike, and, in fact, an outing to a park with our classic Early Rider resulted in getting stopped by many adults who wanted to know where they could get one for their toddlers. We think they're a welcome new addition to the toddler transportation selection in the US.

We're also really impressed with the Little Nutty line of helmets available on the Tyke Rider site. They're far more cushy and padded on the interior and chin strap than brands we've bought in big box retailers, and the designs are so hip that kids won't object to wearing them.