The KTM ST3 Strider Bike - Your Kids will Love It
If you in the showroom of your local KTM dealer and look at the KTM ST3 you're probably asking yourself, where were these when I was a kid? The KTM ST3 'Strider' weighs less than 3.2 kilograms, has a beginning seat height of 279mm and sports one-piece molded wheels with no-flat EVA polymer tires.Getting my start in life on a self created 'off-road' bicycle taught me that good bike skills transfer directly over to motorcycles, so before my son could walk I got him a strider bike. As soon as he could waddle he was pushing his KTM ST3 'strider' around the house, then when he was tall enough he began actually sitting on the seat and moving about slowly.
The KTM ST3 is designed without cranks, pedals or a chain, it allows the child to easily push around and get an early feel for balance. Training wheels don't teach a kid to balance properly, instead they promote leaning to the inside of a turn with the bike complete upright, which is totally wrong. Since my kids feet are always near the ground, they don't ever feel like they are going to tip over.
Before I knew it my little boy was flying along and occasionally holding his feet off the ground for a few seconds at a time, balancing on two wheels. By this second birthday he could hold his feet up on the frame and coast as far as the grade was long. He'll never know what it's like to high-side with training wheels! He falls occasionally on his KTM ST3 'strider', but since his feet are always near the ground it isn't a big deal, and of course he always has a helmet on.
The handlebar on the KTM ST3 is skinny in diameter for small hands, and the crossbar pad saves teeth. The maintenance factor is nearly zero, and if you plan to teaching your kids to ride a bike or even a motorcycle, I highly recommend getting them a Strider bike.
I know my son is safer on his KTM ST3 than a bike with training wheels and could coast on two wheels before he was two years old!
