Skuut Wooden Balance Bike Review

UPDATE: Diggin Active no longer manufactures the Skuut. However, you might be able to locate individuals selling them on sites like eBay or Amazon.

The Skuut is a wooden bike designed and manufactured to help small children from two to five years of age ride a real bike without the dangers inherent in riding a metal bike with many points of contact that can hurt them. It has no pedals or training wheels. The child gets onto the seat and pushes herself along with her feet until the bike is coasting along.

This eco-friendly bike has classic good looks that adults and children will appreciate. The Skuut wooden balance bike is manufactured in the United States by Diggin Active, a company manufacturing toys since 2006.

It was started by sports lovers who wanted to encourage children of all ages to pursue an active life and find love for sports by introducing them to activities in a non-threatening manner.

The Skuut was one of the earliest balance bikes manufactured and sold in the US. It features a design used by early riders of Scandinavian pedal-free bikes that started the current trend of balance bikes for children.

Who Needs The Skuut Wooden Balance Bike?

The Skuut bike is an excellent toy for children from two to five years because it helps them learn balance, steering coordination, and independence. It can carry up to seventy-five pounds in weight. The seat is adjustable, so you can change the height as your child grows.

This toy will help your child learn the coordination and control required to ride a real bike without training wheels. When they get onto a bicycle, they’ll have the self-confidence to ride without training wheels.

This toy can help your child learn to balance without the pedals getting in the way, allowing him to safely learn to coast up and down and develop good eye-hand coordination.

Lightweight Balance Bike

This bike is made from Birchwood and protected by a layer of non-toxic clear lacquer veneer. Birch is a lightweight wood used by several toy manufacturers. It is portable enough even for small children to lift and move.

It weighs less than eleven pounds making it a pound lighter than its closest rival, Smart Gear Classic. The whole product is kept firmly together by flat metal fasteners.

Natural products such as wood are comfortable and last long, but they are not resistant to sun and rain and should always be stored inside when not in use.

An occasional lick of lacquer will keep this toy looking good for years. For tire longevity, you should limit the use on gravel roads.

Overview of the Skuut Balance Bike Features

Here are some features of the Diggin Active Skuut Wooden Balance Bike:

• Most bikes are complicated to assemble, not so the Skuut. This bike shouldn’t take you more than ten minutes to put together. The fasteners partially assembled parts, and wrenches required for assembly are included in the box. It also has simple instructions on how to assemble the bike.
• It weighs just 10.8 pounds, so it is easy to carry.
• Remarkably this wooden frame is made entirely of timber and has no sharp edges on which your children can hurt themselves. There are also no nuts or spokes that can cause injury.
• This product is the winner of numerous awards, including the Creative Toy Top Toy of the Year Award and the Oppenheim Gold Seal Award, so parents can have confidence that the product is well designed and safe for small children.
• It’s made from Birchwood and has rubber tires. It has a padded vinyl seat which is easy to keep clean.
• The environmentally conscious parent will be happy to know that the manufacturer has partnered with Trees for the Future and plants a tree for every bike sold.
• It is equipped with rubber pneumatic 12” tires that you can pressurize up to 40 psi. 20 to 25 psi is considered the best pressure for optimum shock absorption. Rubber tires offer superior grip on smooth surfaces and more flexibility in rougher terrain. Many of the competitor products have foam-filled tires. This is not the best solution for smooth surfaces as they do not grip well.
• The inner tubes and tires are easily replaceable.

Skuut Safety Features

• The Skuut balance bike has a limited steering radius, with a mechanical stop between the wheel and steering column that will prevent the child from turning too sharply.
• Non-toxic lacquer – good for the environment and good for your child.
• Flat disc wheels – the absence of spokes means your child is unlikely to injure themselves by entangling their feet in the wheels’ spokes.

Pro’s and Cons of the Skuut balance bike

Pro’s

• The Skuut balance bike is relatively inexpensive and is good value for money.
• No spokes where little feet can get stuck
• Rubber tires pneumatically inflated give good grip, unlike hard plastic or foam-filled tires that can slip and slide.
• Lightweight, so it is very portable
• Easy to assemble
• Good handle grips
• It is a good-looking little bike in the classic mold
• The adjustable seat means that your child can continue to use it as she grows
• Wood is durable and will last for many years if properly maintained

Cons

• The warmth and comfort of wood are great features, but it will not stand up to the elements and require frequent maintenance.
• The bolts must be re-tightened often as regular use can cause them to loosen. The lacquer finish will also need regular attention.
• It cannot be left in the sun. Remember to instruct your child from the outset not to leave the bike out in the sun or rain, as it will undoubtedly warp.
• The Skuut is not quite as adaptable as some of the competing products. The seat has a limit to which you can adjust it. At its lowest, the seat is 13” high and 16.5” at its highest. The bolts have to be removed to adjust the seat height, so this is not something you will want to do regularly.
• The Skuut also does not offer a range of replaceable parts to customize the product to the child’s needs. You cannot change the seat and grips to different sizes if they are unsuitable for your child.

Final Recap

Teach your child balance with this award-winning toy

If you’re looking for a wooden balance bike. Skuut is the answer.

Its classic good looks and safety features make this inexpensive bike an excellent birthday or Christmas gift for your child.

Carefully chosen toys make learning fun. This toy builds confidence while teaching balance and coordination.

Has this balance bike review helped you make up your mind? Leave a comment below and let us know.