The Prevelo Alpha Zero is a next-level balance bike for young kids. We started our first child on another brand of balance bike (Strider) when he was about 20 months old, and although he took off on it and enjoyed it, when we switched to the Prevelo, the difference was incredible.
The pneumatic tires, hand brake, and geometry gave our already avid rider the extra boost of confidence he needed to really fly. (Although according to him: “Mom, I’m a boy riding a bike, not a plane“).
Before we knew it, he was riding green singletrack, pump tracks and skate parks. He was standing up out of the saddle, and learning to skid his tires when stopping–at just 2.5 years old!
Although a little pricier than many balance bikes, our experience with the Prevelo Alpha Zero has been so positive that we would spend that money again in a heartbeat.
We’ve also already noticed the durability is much better. Our first kiddo blew out the back bearings twice on his old balance bike before we switched, and the Prevelo is currently on our second child without any need for new parts.
Several of the features of the Alpha Zero made our son’s transition to a pedal bike before his third birthday very smooth. He was off and riding in about 20 minutes since all he had to master was the pedals themselves. Our 16-month-old daughter quickly took over the Alpha Zero and was gliding with feet up within a week or two.
Read on to learn more….
Review in a Nutshell
Pros:
- Setup was super easy
- Pneumatic tires with good traction
- Hand brake is adjustable
- The geometry
Cons:
- The frame where a kid naturally puts their feet to glide isn’t wide enough to cover the brake, which led to our son often resting his foot on it, affecting the function of the brake
- Seat doesn’t drop quite as low as some other balance bikes
Price: $239
PNEUMATIC TIRES
The 12″ pneumatic (air-filled) tires were a game changer compared to the more common foam wheels on most balance bikes. After taking a couple of rough wipeouts on tar due to lack of traction on his Strider balance bike, our son Blake became a little more timid.
When we switched to the Prevelo, he immediately recognized how much better his traction and control were and quickly was back to riding as hard, and then harder than he was before his wipeout. He was also able to transition to single track and still have plenty of traction for the dirt.
All the components of the wheels are very high quality, and our Alpha Zero is currently on our second child and has had no need for any repairs or upkeep. As mentioned earlier, we had another brand of balance bike with foam tires, and due to both the lack of shock absorption from the foam and the quality of the bearings, we had to replace the back tire twice in the approximately six months we had it.
The aluminum wheels and spokes on the Prevelo Alpha Zero are lightweight, and the bolts are not exposed.
THE HANDBRAKE
The easy-to-pull v-brake handbrake is another more unusual balance bike feature that not only made the riding experience better but also allowed for a very smooth transition to a pedal bike, as he had one less thing to learn/worry about when learning to pedal.
It does a fantastic job of stopping the rider, despite only having one brake. The reach is adjustable, so for our daughter who started using it at 16 months and has smaller hands than her brother did, we were able to adjust it to fit her hands, which made the bike a great fit for her.
THE FRAME
The Alpha has a lightweight aluminum frame with a beautiful paint job that weighs just 7.4 lbs. Overall, the frame is super sturdy and has held up great; however, there are a couple of issues that could be improved.
The bike does not have a foot rest or foot pegs, and the frame where a rider naturally puts their feet while gliding is very narrow and has the brake cable routed through it. This led to Blake often unconsciously resting his foot on the cable and brake calipers. This would cause the brake cable to kink and would affect the stopping power.
He eventually learned (with lots and lots of reminders from us!) to not only make sure he was resting his feet on the frame and not the brake but also how to un-kink the cable himself. A slightly wider piece of frame in that area or foot pegs would easily solve that issue.
The other unimportant but worth mentioning issue is that because of the lack of foot pegs or protruding wheel bolts, a large portion of the frame makes contact with the ground when a child drops it, so portions of the paint job become scratched really fast. This obviously doesn’t affect the rider’s experience or the actual durability of the bike itself but is just a small detail that we notice.
CAN BE USED BY SOME OF THE YOUNGEST RIDERS
Because of the lightweight frame, the wheel size, and the geometry that allows a rider to be in a slightly more forward-leaning position, the balance bike can easily be used by children younger than the recommended 18 months.
However, the fact that the minimum inseam is 12″ makes it harder for the really young riders. (The Woom 1, for comparison, accommodates a 10″ minimum inseam).
My husband was able to pop the seat post plug to drop the seat a little farther, but that results in the seat post hanging out from the base of the frame.
The mid-range reach, with a maximum saddle height of 14.6 inches, would also make this a bike that can be used through 3-4 years depending on the size of your child. Our almost three-year-old, who is on the taller end, was still very comfortable on it when he transitioned out of a balance bike.
Adjustable handlebars would be the only feature that the Alpha Zero is lacking that would make it a little more comfortable for those riders on the older end.
OTHER NOTABLE FEATURES
Other quick features to note: The saddle seems very comfortable and doesn’t interfere with the child’s ability to stride well. The seatpost has a quick-release collar, allowing you to easily adjust the seat height while on the go. The grips are a good size for small hands and have ends to keep tiny riders’ hands from moving.
While some parents may disagree, we really appreciated the fact that the Prevelo doesn’t have a steering limiter. We feel like that gives our kids the chance to learn proper steering technique while they are riding at slower speeds and closer to the ground, rather than having to learn it when they get older and are riding faster, harder, and farther from the ground.
TRADE-UP PROGRAM
Prevelo has a great trade-up program, where they give you a 40% credit to trade in your bike for the next size. This has actually seemed to keep most of the Prevelo bikes off the used market as people seem to just trade them in, so it’s hard to tell what the resale value for a used bike is.
We have three kids, so have not made use of the trade-in program as we’re just passing them down; however, for families with just one child, children that are farther apart in age and/or different riding interests or abilities, the program is a huge asset!
They also have an outlet where they sell the bikes that have been traded in. We purchased our son’s first pedal bike (the Alpha One) from the outlet, and we’ve been very happy with it. They give each bike a grade, so you’re able to know the condition it’ll come in, and the price reflects that condition.
BOTTOM LINE
There are definitely cheaper balance bikes out there, and they will most likely do the job of teaching your child to learn to balance and stride. However, for families like ours that want our children to love to ride and are excited to get to the next level of riding as a family, the price is absolutely justified for the quality and features you get. We credit the Prevelo Alpha Zero for helping our son to love riding and transition to a pedal bike before his 3rd birthday.
There are also lighter weight bikes out there. Our Strider was only 5.6 lbs, which made us think we may need to start our daughter on that first; however, even as a smaller 16-month-old, she was completely able to pick up the Alpha Zero on her own, so for us, the Prevelo is light enough to work for our kids through their whole balance bike experience.
I recommend this bike to everyone wanting to get their young ones started! If you’re still on the fence about the price, keep an eye on the outlet, especially in the spring as others start to trade in their old bikes for new ones.
Learn More About Balance Bikes
About The Reviewer
Kelley Asbury is a mom of three and enjoys mountain biking in Minnesota with her husband and kids. In addition to riding and writing, Kelly is a professional photographer at KelleyJoImaging.com.
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