I will try to tell you how the idea of ​​doing pipers came about - handicrafts from pipes. And, in particular, make a balance bike with your own hands.

In 2012, my family and I were vacationing in Slovenia. My son turned one and a half years old there - a holiday, like. We took him to the Ljubljana Zoo (the capital of Slovenia, who does not know). And in the zoo, on the central alley, some uncles and aunts grabbed the children and put them on plywood bicycles without pedals. That was when I first saw a balance bike. But what this crap is called and what it is for, I found out only a year later. Because at that moment I was not impressed at all.
A few days later I saw a couple of four-year-olds on balance bikes, they are also called RunBikes. They confidently kept great speed and looked very organic on balance bikes. And when we drove up to the cafe, we braked effectively: some with heels, and some with a rear brake, that also with a skid. All this looked somehow very dexterous and at ease for such kids. And this picture has already impressed me. And it stuck in the brain: Venya and I approached them, sort of like walking, but in fact we studied the structure (see photo below).

A year later, in a fit of affection for my son, I ordered a balance bike. First bike. Perhaps, this time, I was the most patient Internet shopper in the world: I honestly waited two weeks - when the Russian dealer will figure out where and who will deliver the order to me. And then the Moscow office did not get in touch for another two weeks. But the balance bike came, and the dealer paid for the delivery himself - to compensate for his sluggishness.

I chose the first bike because of its low weight, brake availability and resistance to rain and mud. But what is most important is vandal resistance. Yes, kids are, sometimes, such vandals.
While I was waiting for the package, my friends were really crazy about the cost and waiting time. In the order of chatter, they discussed making with their own hands. I considered making, only from plywood, tk. the first runbike I saw was plywood. It seemed to me easier to make from plywood.
But then, almost simultaneously, messages came from two friends: one suggested using polypropylene pipes to build a balance bike, the other sent a link to the project of the Spaniard Bruno Gavira: he made balance bikes from sewer pipe and wheels from a cargo wheelbarrow. The project was called “Pipe Bike”.

As far as I am in the subject, I believe the weight turned out to be in the region of 4 ... 4.5 kg. Mostly because of the wheels. heavy, of course, but not yet critical.
In general, a start was made - I threw in a sketch, determined the main dimensions of the balance bike and went to look for materials. It took two weeks of intensive search to find all the materials. The most difficult thing was to find wheels: I found used wheels for 500 rubles in a children's store. A week bargaining and finally bargaining, which was almost withdrawn from the sale. Quickly ceasing to get pissed off, took over full cost.

It would seem that polypropylene is not plywood, but there was an abundance of debris.

The impossibility of using serious equipment, technologies and materials gave rise to the concept - to do only from commercially available things and from technologies available in everyday life. And this already made a requirement for the overall thoughtfulness of the design. It is necessary to make a reservation - the welded seams of propylene, practically, do not allow to achieve a good presentation. But at the same time - it is excellent and cheap stuff for rapid prototyping and one-to-one production.

In general, polypropylene is quite difficult to process, and work-related injuries are possible. Although foolishly you can break the horseradish.

Hence the name for the balance bike: Piper CutFinger.
The seat from the iron corner, of course, turned out to be traumatic. My boy, rolling, with his bare ass hit the edge of the seat. But here is the fate of all test pilots.

In general, the boys liked the run bike. Later he was presented to his nephew Ilya for a lifelong test of reliability. It just so happened that all the children around me are reluctant testers. Which, however, have not yet complained about.

P.S. While writing a post and looking for a photo of a Spanish balance bike, I found

A large number of synonyms are used for this type of child transport. It is called a bicycle scooter, a bicycle scooter and many other similar words. But they mean one thing - a bicycle without pedals. This sophisticated type of children's transport has gained immense popularity around the world. The balance bike is quite easy to operate and has a positive effect on physical development child. You can read about all its advantages and selection rules in this article.

What is a balance bike?

It was invented back in 1817 and was called a "running machine", but it gained popularity only in the 21st century. This was facilitated by the German designer Rolf Mertens, who made a balance bike for his two-year-old son. Then he, together with his brother, founded a company and began to actively sell the product. In 2010 children bicycle without pedals won consumers in the USA and Europe, after which it reached Russia. Today, the balance bike is included in the list of must-have purchases that contribute to the physical development of the child.

In design, it looks more like a regular bicycle, but without pedals. And for mechanical control - on a scooter, since you need to move on it with the help of repulsion from the ground. This type of transport is the first step to mastering the bicycle. On it, the child will learn to set the direction of driving with the help of the steering wheel and maintain balance.

Benefits or harms of a balance bike?

Due to the absence of pedals, movement on this vehicle is possible only with the help of repulsive movements from the surface. Riding like this does not create fear, unlike cycling. The child is always in contact with the road, making it easy to keep balance. And the presence of a seat evenly distributes the load on the spine. Thus, the balance bike contributes to the development of the vestibular apparatus and improves coordination of movement, strengthens the muscles and gives positive emotions to the child.

Also, the scooter will be useful for the parents of the baby. It weighs much less than a regular bike, which allows it to be carried in the hands when needed. Its weight ranges from 3 to 5 kg, depending on the design. Also, buying a balance bike can save your family budget well. It will delight you for several years if you choose a model with adjustable steering wheel and seat heights. And a child who is keen on riding will be less likely to ask for hands.

How to choose the right balance bike?

When buying a baby transport, you need to focus on two main criteria: the step size and the age of the child. These parameters will help you choose the right balance bike.

Step size - to determine it, you need to measure the inside of the leg from the groin to the floor. When riding the balance bike, keep your child's feet in bent position... To do this, subtract 2-3 cm from the length of the step size. If the selected model has an adjustable seat, then you should focus on the minimum height.

Balance bikes, depending on the age of the child, are divided:

• For 1 year old - the most light model, Weight Limit her up to 3 kg. Such a balance bike has three or four wheels.
• From 2 to 2.5 years is the most optimal age for mastering this type of transport. This model weighs up to 4 kg.
• 3 years and older - the weight of such a product is up to 5 kg.

Which wheels are better?

There are 2 types of cameras for cycling: air, like on a bicycle, or foam concrete, which does not need to be inflated. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Airless - such wheels do not need to be pumped up, they are not punctured and have a long service life. These tires are quite light in weight and are suitable for off-road driving. But if the tire is worn out, it will be necessary to install a new wheel.

Air - this type of wheel is able to smooth out uneven road, which provides a comfortable and soft ride. But they can puncture or tear during the trip. Also, air wheels are quite heavy compared to airless ones.

DIY wooden balance bike

In Europe and Japan, the popularity of products made from ecological materials has increased. Therefore, plastic and wooden balance bikes for children are most in demand there. They are no less popular with us. A distinctive feature of wooden balance bikes is their unique, original design. Although there are many rumors around this product about their fragility. But this is not reality. Runbikes are constructed from many layers of Baltic birch glued together, which gives the product its strength. Compared to solid wood, which can crack from temperature or humidity changes

Thanks to its popularity, the price of a bicycle without pedals has increased significantly. Therefore, many parents have learned to craft it on their own. A runbike is easy to make from improvised means, plywood products are especially relevant. You can make a two- or three-wheeled wooden balance bike.

It is usually made from birch, which is known for its strength and lightness. Such a product weighs from 4.1 to 5.4 kg. To make a wooden balance bike, you need to use 10-12 layers of Baltic birch plywood and a good sealant that will protect it from water. But do not use such vehicles in the rain.

Materials needed to make a balance bike:

· 12 mm sanded plywood sheet.

· A set of bolts.

· A piece of hairpin or rod.

· A piece of 4-5 mm plywood for making a seat.

· Foam rubber 50 mm.

· A piece of leather or fabric for the seat.

· Wheels.

Then the balance bike is assembled according to the given drawing. After the product is done, you can decorate it.

You can make a wooden balance bike yourself, or you can use the described recommendations and buy. In any case, the presence of such a transport in a child will only have a positive effect on his physical development. Judging by the reviews, wooden balance bikes are gaining popularity every day.

I have long wanted a running bike for my little one, I found a bunch possible options to implement and create his own model for his son, but he is still small and the work has not begun.

I want to share with you what I have found and what ideas can be implemented, here is one of them. I stumbled upon it completely by accident on VKontakte, but could not help but write to the author to hear a detailed story about the balance bike.

History of creation:

Vladislav Kondrashov and his son Kostya

“It all started with the fact that once again, while wandering around the Internet, I accidentally came across a picture of a bike ride.

I got interested and began to scour the forums, in order to find reviews of those who had already bought a similar type of developmental transport for their children. The key factor was the information that the balance bike, or run bike, as it is also called, uh then great way bypass 3-wheeled led and 2-wheeled with additional on the sides, and at the same time the child learns to keep balance and does not constantly look at the pedals, stuffing himself with bumps.

And before that, we bought my son a car with a similar principle of movement, and he fell in love with it, but he grew up with it, and does not want to pedal on a 3-wheeled bike, so the idea came up to purchase a similar type of alternative children's transport.
The creation of the runbike itself began from the beginning based on financial considerations, then the idea grew into the creation of an exclusive runbike. Since the prices for materials in the building materials market are so high that it would be possible to buy a ready-made balance bike, but part of the materials was purchased and therefore it was decided to create it by custom - (English custom - made to order).
Like everything that is done by human hands, I started with simple calculations and a sketch. The first sketch was drawn first, but after reaching the process of cutting the plywood and estimating the height of the balance bike and the height of the child, who is the "customer", it became clear that either feet to the floor will not get it, or you will have to disfigure the balance bike model by cutting off the excess.

So I made a decision and, having little artistic skills, drew sketch number 2, which was later brought to life.

It was bought to create a custom:
- plywood 150 * 150cm, 10mm (thickness) - 1 sheet;
-wheels 12 inches (pneumatic on the spokes) - 2 pcs;
-furniture fittings:
-pipe 2.5m, 25mm,
-connecting corners - 4 pcs,
-supporting flanges -2 pcs;
- sheet of metal 50 * 50cm, 2.5mm (thickness);
-bolts, nuts, washers, grovers, screws, rivets;
-spring and support bearing (for the front fork);
-leather (for the seat);
-finishing automobile filler NOVOL;
-painting: white (instead of soil), beige (ivory), black, red (NUTON aerosol enamel in cans);
-and some junk from the garage (little things);
- patience and good mood.

its price for me was about 2330 rises. rubles or 75 dollars, for this money you can buy a German or Italian factory run bike made of metal. My idea was to create an exclusive for my son this time, and two times this structure will be equipped with an electric motor, but probably on next year, let him learn to keep the balance first. "

Kostyan is rolling in his balance bike. On May 28 he will be 3 years old. As Vladislav told me: "the son was embarrassed at first to ride on the street and invited others to ride."

The guys live in a small village where there is nothing special, so the balance bike attracts the eyes of the kids too.

“Children of his age try to ride, but they don't understand right away on the footboards, they don’t fully understand the footpegs, and I put them on the motor with a long-range sight, all the more it doesn’t interfere with the ride but confuses the children. The older children did not try, we all have about the same age, those with whom the small one is friends with others does not give, says my gin gin.»

I will try to tell you how the idea of ​​doing pipers came about - handicrafts from pipes. And, in particular, make a balance bike with your own hands.

In 2012, my family and I were vacationing in Slovenia. My son turned one and a half years old there - a holiday, like. We took him to the Ljubljana Zoo (the capital of Slovenia, who does not know). And in the zoo, on the central alley, some uncles and aunts grabbed the children and put them on plywood bicycles without pedals. That was when I first saw a balance bike. But what this crap is called and what it is for, I found out only a year later. Because at that moment I was not impressed at all.
A few days later I saw a couple of four-year-olds on balance bikes, they are also called RunBikes. They confidently kept great speed and looked very organic on balance bikes. And when we drove up to the cafe, we braked effectively: some with heels, and some with a rear brake, that also with a skid. All this looked somehow very dexterous and at ease for such kids. And this picture has already impressed me. And it stuck in the brain: Venya and I approached them, sort of like walking, but in fact we studied the structure (see photo below).

A year later, in a fit of affection for my son, I ordered a balance bike. First bike. Perhaps, this time, I was the most patient Internet shopper in the world: I honestly waited two weeks - when the Russiandealer will figure out where and who will deliver the order to me. And then the Moscow office did not get in touch for another two weeks. But the balance bike came, and the dealer paid for the delivery himself - to compensate for his sluggishness.

The first bike was chosen because of its low weight, brake availability and resistance to rain and mud. But what is most important is vandal resistance. Yes, kids are, sometimes, such vandals.
While I was waiting for the package, my friends were really crazy about the cost and waiting time. In the order of chatter, they discussed making with their own hands. I considered making, only from plywood, tk. the first runbike I saw was plywood. It seemed to me easier to make from plywood.
But then, almost at the same time, messages came from two friends: one suggested using polypropylene pipes to build a balance bike, the other sent link for the project of the Spaniard Bruno Gavira: he made balance bikes from a sewer pipe and wheels from a cargo wheelbarrow. The project was called “Pipe Bike”.

As far as I'm in the subject, I think the weight turned out to be in the region of 4 ... 4.5 kg. Mostly because of the wheels. heavy, of course, but not yet critical.
In general, a start was made - I threw in a sketch, determined the main dimensions of the balance bike and went to look for materials. It took two weeks of intensive search to find all the materials. The most difficult thing was to find wheels: I found used wheels for 500 rubles in a children's store. A week bargained and finished bargaining, which was nearly withdrawn from the sale. Quickly stopped getting pissed off, took it at full cost.

It would seem that polypropylene is not plywood, but there was an abundance of debris.

The impossibility of using serious equipment, technologies and materials gave rise to the concept - to do only from commercially available things and from technologies available in everyday life. And this already made a requirement for the overall thoughtfulness of the design. It is necessary to make a reservation - the welded seams of propylene, in practice, do not allow achieving a good presentation. But at the same time it is an excellent and cheap material for rapid prototyping and one-off production.

In general, polypropylene is quite difficult to process, and work-related injuries are possible. Although foolishly you can break the horseradish.

Hence the name for the balance bike: Piper CutFinger.
The seat from the iron corner, of course, turned out to be traumatic. My boy, rolling, with his bare ass hit the edge of the seat. But here is the fate of all test pilots.

In general, the boys liked the run bike. Later he was presented to his nephew Ilya for a lifelong test of reliability. It just so happened that all the children around me are unwillingly testers. Which, however, have not yet complained about.

P.S. While writing a post and looking for a photo of a Spanish balance bike, I found

All photos from the article

In this article we are going to get acquainted with the construction of a rather unusual vehicle- running bike. It is intended for training bikers and cyclists at the very beginning of their "career" - between two and four years. We will find out how the balance bike is arranged, what size it should be and how to make it out of wood with our own hands.

What it is

A bike ride (or runbike, from the English runbike) outwardly resembles an ordinary children's bike, but it completely lacks pedals and any kind of transmission. You can move on it by alternately pushing off the ground with your feet ().

There are only three movable fasteners in its design:

1. Front wheel axle;
2. Rear wheel axle;
3. Steering column.

However: the market offers models with a handbrake. In practice, the child does well without it: the speeds developed by this transport are quite safe and allow, if necessary, to easily brake with their feet.

The following materials are used for the frame:

• Metal. Metal balance bikes are the most durable, but somewhat heavier than competing solutions;
• Plastic;
• Wood and plywood.

Disputes about the advantages of this or that material on the forums of buyers do not subside. However, the tree has one definite advantage: it allows you to assemble a toy for your child yourself.

Indeed: even if you have welding and the appropriate skills, the structure welded from a water pipe and a corner will turn out to be excessively massive; well, and an extruder for the manufacture of plastic parts of complex shapes can hardly be found in a home workshop.

Why do you need to create a balance bike yourself if the modern market offers a variety of models of all shapes, sizes and colors to choose from?

There are two reasons:

1. The price of a new balance bike is at least 4000 rubles. Meanwhile, a limited budget after the birth of a child is more the rule than the exception for a young family. Self-made toys will significantly save money;
2. In addition, the product can be made absolutely non-standard. You can, for example, turn it into a custom bike that will gather all the boys from the surrounding yards on the first ride, or a sport bike that is no less popular.

Structural elements

How and from what exactly is the easiest way to assemble ours?

Wheels

In this capacity, you can use:

• Wheels from a broken or unnecessary children's bike;

• Garden cart wheels for 10 "- 12" diameter.

Rolling bearings are encouraged: they will reduce rolling resistance and reduce wear on the wheel hub. Pneumatics or foam rubber will be under the tire - it does not matter: the loads on the wheels are so small that the difference in the quality of damping does not play a special role.

A pin or bolt threaded through the frame elements is used as an axis. Frame contracted with inside nut and washer.

Frame

The most practical material for the frame is FC plywood 12-15 millimeters thick. The frame is double, with a gap between the sidewalls corresponding to the width of the wheel, taking into account the nuts locking the axle.

Seat

The fixed saddle is attached to the double frame with a pair of corner pieces. It is advisable to sheathe it with leather or leatherette with foam rubber pad; the sheathing is attached with a furniture stapler or glued from the back.

The instructions for creating an adjustable saddle are not much more complicated: the rack is assembled from a couple of layers of thick plywood with glue; the seat is again attached to the rack with furniture corners. Then a number of holes are drilled in the rack and frame with the same distance between them. Countersunk screws are used to fix and reposition the saddle.

Steering wheel

The steering column swivel assembly can be implemented in different ways.

Here are two of the simplest ones:

1. A shovel handle is used as a stand. It is oiled to reduce friction and is secured to the frame cross member with two steel clamps; at the same time, the plywood is again locked with nuts on both sides;
2. Instead of a shank, you can use a piece of smooth reinforcement. In this case, both the clamps and the fixing bar of the lining are made of thick plywood.

Conclusion

Hope that exotic look transport will please your child. The attached video in this article will help the reader to learn more about its design.

We are waiting for your comments and suggestions in the comments. Good luck!