Learning to Ride with Woom Bikes

Timing is everything, they say. After lots of practice with her dad, Millie took her first official ride on her own on Father's Day earlier this year. A pretty special moment for the two of them, on the perfect day, no less. But as she'd been using training wheels for a while, we quickly realized she had outgrown her bike and would need a new one.

The search began, and it didn't take long to discover woom bikes (probably because they're on countless "best kids' bike" lists, including Bicycling & Outside Online). This family-owned company first began in Europe, and its US branch was formed when one of the family members moved to Austin, Texas. So take European style and innovation blended with bikes shipped out of the good ol' USA, and that's a pretty awesome combination.

There's a lot to love about Millie's new bike, and I'll start with a few of her favorites: first, she loves the gears! As someone who didn't figure out how to use gears until adulthood (EEK), I fully understand this makes for an added bonus, as she can really take ownership of her ride based on the terrain. Millie also likes the ability to break with her hands, as she feels more in control of the bike that way. The handlebars are ergonomically designed, cushion-y while also being easy to grip.

Aesthetically speaking, Millie loves the bright green color (woom sticks to basic primary colors, which I love - you'll have to search for Elsa elsewhere), and the fact that she can easily pick it up if need be -- it's so lightweight! This makes getting it in and out of an apartment building, over street curbs, etc. a smooth & stress-free process.

Based on her height, Millie is using the woom 5 for ages 7-11 (woom bikes are made for one year olds through teenagers!) with an adjustable seat that we'll move up as she grows.

When purchasing a woom bike, customers in the U.S. can consider an UpCycle membership ($59), which makes a lot of sense if your children are growing like weeds (that'd be all kids, right?). Membership guarantees that when your child is ready for their next bike, you send in the used bike (thus "upcycling") and receive 40% of the returned bikes cost good toward your purchase of the next size up (includes free shipping). UpCycled bikes are donated to nonprofits around the country that focus on youth bike riding. Love!

Helmets by MELON are also offered on woom's site. So pleased with this one, and having tried a few already, it's easy to compare and contrast. First, the helmet is sturdy but lightweight (having heard lots of complaints about heavy helmets, this was a relief). It comes with several adjustable cushion attachments to make a perfect, secure and safe fit, which is most important. I've also been really happy with the magnetic closure, which makes it so easy to take on and off (if you've ever accidentally caught a piece of your child's chin while securing a helmet, you know what a relief this is!) Two thumbs up, MELON, and love all the fun colors and designs, too!

I love the confidence this bike has given Millie. She took to riding right away, and it's been so much fun seeing her improve and become more self-assured each time we take it out. On that topic, I love that woom offers an expert tips page on bike riding on their site. We'll definitely be consulting it as Vivian heads down the same road.

Keep woom in mind if a new bike is on your child's Christmas or Hanukkah list!




Disclosure: I was provided with a bike and helmet for purposes of this review. All opinions herein are my own.