Woom Wow Balance Bike Review

We’re big believers in getting kids on bikes as early as possible, and the Woom Wow is a nifty little bike designed to do just that.

It’s the only self balancing bike currently out there, and allows little ones to tip slightly (wobble) before returning them to an upright position. In this way, kiddos can start to get the feel of riding a real bike early on.

We’ve had this bike for close to a year and have loved so many things about it! But, there was one glaring issue that marred our experience a bit: the size. While the bike is marketed for babies as young as 9 months, in our own experience, it is a little big for the youngest riders.

Overall, Woom thought of all the details with this bike, we just wished it was even smaller! Read on to learn more.

You may also want to check out our list of the best bikes for 1-year-olds.

Review In A Nutshell

Pros: 

• Self-balancing features makes it feel more like a real bike than a ride-on-toy or trike
• Comes fully assembled and unboxing is part of the experience
• Lots of thoughtful details for young riders and their parents
• Ability to buy replacement parts

Cons:

• Too big to be advertised for the tiniest riders 
• Price is expensive than most other options in this age range

Price: $199

Use code WOOM25 for $25 off! 👇

Comes Fully Assembled And Ready For FUN

The unboxing was a fun part of receiving the Woom Wow. Woom thought of all the little details to make it an experience for your tiny rider.

From a cute little riding “Buddy” to a box that breaks down into an “obstacle course” and more, it was fun for both parents and baby to open! This extra touch also means the bike would make a really thoughtful, beautiful gift.

The bike comes fully assembled and rolls out of the box, which is the best case scenario for impatient little ones. 

Self Balancing

The coolest thing about the Wow, and what sets it apart from any other bikes out there, is the self-balancing feature.

It gives the kiddos a much more natural feel compared to a ride-on-toy, with the ability to wobble or tip a bit but still end upright. In this way, little ones can start to learn balance and learn how to actually ride a bike at a much younger age than they would on a trike or four-wheel ride-on-toy.

For example, our little tester has been riding the Retrospec Cricket for a while, but now prefers the Woom Wow because he self balancing feature allows more side to side movement.

The one drawback is that if the child isn’t tall enough to have both feet flat and firmly planted on the ground, as soon as the wobble starts, the kid’s feet lift. I’ll discuss this more a little later on.

Smooth Rolling Wheels

Another thing that has allowed our tester to get more enjoyment out of the Woom Wow when compared to the Retrospec Cricket is the smoother rolling wheels.

The wheels are extra-wide, silent glide and made from EVA, and roll really smoothly on both indoor floors and smooth pavement. They’re not as great on grass, but they still work. The ability to ride the bike outside can’t be said for many of the other bikes designed for very young riders.

For indoor riding, the tires are non-marking on your floors which we always appreciate!

Adorable Look

The Woom Wow is an adorable looking bike, and comes in fun pastel colors. The aesthetic design is definitely one of the biggest things the bike has going for it.

One thing I did notice, most likely because it’s meant to be more indoors, the paint job and plastic did scratch and ding faster than I was hoping given the price point. 

Handlebars

The handlebars are well shaped to keep the rider’s hands in the correct place so they don’t slip off the ends. I also love how wide the handlebars are. I’ve noticed that most baby and toddler bikes have narrow handlebars that don’t do much to support good posture for the rider.

I do wish the protective rubber endcaps were either permanently attached, or more securely attached. We lost one before our kid even started regularly riding it because they just pop off. 

Age Minimum Is a Little Misleading

There are so many things to love about this bike, but a glaring issue is the size, which was very disappointing for us.

Despite being advertised for little ones as early as 9 months old and 27 inches, our tester (who is currently 31 inches and average for her age in both height and inseam) wasn’t been able to comfortably use it until she was 17 months old.

Because of the self-balancing feature, your kiddo needs to be able to have both feet flat on the ground to really start using this bike.

We’ve had two other “baby” balance bikes, both of which our tester was able to use significantly earlier than the WOW. On the Retrospec Cricket, she was riding around on at 11 months.

We were pretty bummed about the wait, because I think this bike could be SO good for starting out and has lots of features that would help even the youngest riders learn good technique, it’s just simply too big.

Below is a picture that shows the size difference between the Wow and the Cricket.

Once your child actually fits on the Wow, it’s great! The maximum height recommendation is 39 inches and weight limit 44lbs.

Helpful Features For Parents

It’s always nice when you can tell that the designers have been parents of kids themselves.

Woom knows that if you have a tiny rider, odds are you’re gonna be carrying the bike at some point. For that exact situation, the Wow’s handlebars turn and lock into position parallel to the frame, giving you an easy, ergonomical way to carry that bike back home.

We love this feature! It also makes it quite a bit easier to fit in the base of a stroller, or the back of a trailer!

Other Features To Note

Another advantage to the Wow when compared to other toddler bikes out there is the ability to buy replacement parts. We appreciated this option given how expensive the bike is. 

It’s nice to know that if anything happens you can fix it instead of having to fully replace it, especially if you’re hoping to hand it down through multiple children. Also along this vein, the Wow is made of 98% recycled material. 

All the rounded corners of the bike are a thoughtful way to make falls and spills less painful. The saddle seems comfortable and long enough to keep riders from falling off. 

There are no foot pegs, or any place to rest your feet, no brakes, and the seat is not adjustable, so once your child really gets gliding on this bike you’d most likely want to move right into a real balance bike. 

The Price Could Be A Deal Breaker

The price stops me a bit. While we’re firm believers in spending money on things that get our kids active and started biking early, the $200 price tag feels like a lot considering how short a time your child will use this. The Early Rider Velio, for example, is just as expensive but can be used a little sooner.

While the bike will likely continue to be fun for indoor play for quite a while, if you’re serious about getting your kid biking, you’ll want to graduate from this “baby” bike as soon as they’re balancing/gliding and tall enough for a balance bike. (Something like the Prevelo Alpha has an inseam minimum of just 12 inches).

Because of that, I wouldn’t see our daughter using this as her primary bike for more than a few months, and for that reason alone I don’t know if I could justify the price. If it was much smaller, and got our kid on the bike months sooner (such as the age range advertised for), I could see a really big benefit. However, as it is currently designed it’s a short lived bike.

Another factor could be handing it down to multiple children, which may make the price feel more worth it. 

Woom does have a “Woom Exchange” which is a little like a Facebook Marketplace for Woom bikes. You list it, choose the price, and communicate and set up pick up with the buyer yourself.

You can choose to receive 70% of the sale price in cash, or 100% of the sale price in Woom store credit. Woom says that you can typically get about 50% of the retail price of your bike, so this could be an option to recoup some of the price after you’re done with it!

Bottom Line: A Fantastic First Bike For Kids Who Fit And Parents Who Can Afford It

If you’re looking for a first bike for your kiddo, and are willing to spend a little more for something fun and durable to hand down, this bike might be for you. Because it’s so pretty and the unboxing experience is so special, this could also make a really lovely gift.

However, keep in mind that for most 9 month olds this will not work, even if they are the recommended/average height of 70cm. The earliest I’ve seen other reviewers mention a kid using it is around a year. If you’re hoping to get your kid to a real balance bike as early as possible, I’d suggest going the route of a cheaper baby bike to get them going as soon as they can.

If, however, you’re not on a tight budget, or have a child with a longer inseam and you don’t want to wait for them to have the coordination for a balance bike, then this is a pretty nifty option.

More Articles You May Find Helpful

• 10 Best Balance Bikes For Your Toddler
• Best Toddler & Baby Bike Helmets
• Biking With Baby: From Newborn To Infant To Toddler

About The Reviewer