Baby & Family · Head-to-head
Strider 12 Sport vs Retrospec Cub 12
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Balance Bikes: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Strider 12 Sport is the proven standard: 6.7 pounds, a fit range Strider rates for ages 1 to 4, and flat-free tires that never leave you stranded. The Retrospec Cub gets you most of the way there in the budget tier.
Strider 12 Sport
Buy itThe category's best-known bike: light steel frame, easy-adjust clamps and a fit range Strider rates for ages 1 to 4.
- 6.7 pounds assembled, light enough for a toddler to pick up and steer.
- Easy-adjust clamps, a seat height of 11 to 17 inches, an inseam fit of 12 to 18 inches and a 60 lb maximum rider weight.
- Flat-free foam rubber 12 inch tires, a padded seat, mini-grip handlebars with a safety pad and built-in footrests for gliding.
- The mid-range price buys a bike a child outgrows in two to three seasons; strong resale softens that, but the entry price is still above the Cub's.
- Foam tires never flat but grip and cushion less than pneumatic tires on rough ground.
- No hand brake, which matters less at this age but is the premium feature on the woom.
Retrospec Cub 12
Buy itA proper steel balance bike in the budget tier: step-through frame, 11 inch minimum seat, real geometry.
- The budget tier pick in a deep color range, and a real bike rather than a toy pretending to be one.
- Hand-built high-tensile steel step-through frame that Retrospec describes as lower and narrower than most, with a comfort seat adjustable from 11 to 15 inches, rated for 18 months to 4 years.
- Flat-free EVA foam tires and a maintenance-light build with ball-bearing hubs.
- Retrospec lists no weight on the product page, so check it before you buy; the Strider (6.7 lb) and the woom (6.4 lb) both publish theirs.
- The seat tops out at 15 inches against the Strider's 17, so taller four-year-olds outgrow it sooner.
- Foam tires skid more on loose ground than rubber treads; check bolt torque and headset before the first ride.
Side by side
The 6 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Strider 12 Sport Our pick | Retrospec Cub 12 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Most families' first balance bike: the default buy for ages 1 to 4 and the bike that gets handed down. | Budget-conscious gift buyers and families who want the balance-bike effect without the Strider price. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Frame / wheels | Steel frame, 12 in foam tires | High-tensile steel step-through, EVA foam tires |
| Weight | 6.7 lb | Not published |
| Fit range | Ages 1 to 4 (inseam 12 to 18 in, seat 11 to 17 in) | 18 mo to 4 yr (seat 11 to 15 in) |
| Hand brake | No | No |
| Learning curve | The proven glide-to-pedal path | Good, budget-friendly |
| Best for | The default first bike | Budget gift that still works |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Strider 12 Sport if
most families' first balance bike: the default buy for ages 1 to 4 and the bike that gets handed down.
Know before buying: the mid-range price buys a bike a child outgrows in two to three seasons; strong resale softens that, but the entry price is still above the Cub's.
Pick the Retrospec Cub 12 if
budget-conscious gift buyers and families who want the balance-bike effect without the Strider price.
Know before buying: retrospec lists no weight on the product page, so check it before you buy; the Strider (6.7 lb) and the woom (6.4 lb) both publish theirs.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Strider 12 Sport - The category's best-known bike: light steel frame, easy-adjust clamps and a fit range Strider rates for ages 1 to 4. Choose the Retrospec Cub 12 instead if budget-conscious gift buyers and families who want the balance-bike effect without the Strider price.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Balance Bikes: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).