Kidvelo Rookie 12 Balance Bike Review

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A balance bike, such as the Kidvelo Rookie 12, is a brilliant way to introduce your child to the joy of cycling, and set them up for a smooth transition to pedalling when the time comes.

Kidvelo specialise in making premium balance bikes, and have years of experience in what makes a good balance bike.

The Kidvelo Rookie 12 is the smallest bike in Kidvelo's range, and is rated as one of the best balance bikes in our buyers guide.

Our three-year-old reviewer was eager to put it to the test to see how its impressive lightweight design and frame geometry perform compared to other balance bikes on the market.

Disclosure: Cycle Sprog were sent the Kidvelo Rookie 12 to review. We were not paid to write this review, and all opinions are our own. We do use affiliate links, so may get a small commission if you choose to buy through the links on this page. This funds the website, and we thank you for your support.

Kidvelo Bikes is a new-ish brand, but the owners are far from new to the balance bike world. These bikes are designed by the former Strider Distributors in Australia and the UK, and they have a huge amount of experience with balance bikes and getting kids on bikes.

They have poured all their knowledge and experience into making their ultimate balance bike, the Rookie 12 which aims to get kids riding bikes and putting smiles on faces...

"A child’s first bike is far more than just a bike. It opens up a window of adventure and exploration, an independent transport method and hopefully a love of the outdoors and exercise. We take the responsibility, of your child’s first two-wheeled experience, very seriously." (Kidvelo)

Kidvelo also sells a range of cleverly designed balance-to-pedal bike conversion bikes, including the Kidvelo Rookie 14 and Kidvelo Rookie 18.

If you want to hear more about the evolution of the brand then take a listen to the Balance Biking episode of The Family Cycling Podcast for an interview with Kidvelo founder Karen Wood.

The Kidvelo Rookie 12 is a 12-inch wheel balance bike. This is the most common size of balance bike and this bike will fit children with a 30 - 48cm inseam, which generally equates to about 18 months to around 4.5 years old.

Kidvelo has gone down the 'less is more' route for the Rookie which gives the bike a clean, easy-to-understand feel for new riders.

What I mean by this is that it hasn't got a brake, or extra gadgets or gizmos, just the core element of the bike. Personally I like simplicity in a balance bike.

One of the key characteristics of the Rookie has to be its weight, which is a highly competitive 2.89kgs, placing it at the lightest end of the balance bike market.

What's more, it's also coming in at £130, making it competitive with other lightweight balance bikes out there.

Do you want colours? Well, you've got green, blue, red and pink to choose from, which covers a good range.

In the small print, you'll be pleased to find a 30-day money-back guarantee, free delivery on balance bikes and a lifetime warranty.

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Assembling the Kidvelo Rookie 12

Assembling the bike was easy, with just a few steps to work through with the aid of a clear manual.

Tools are included and the main jobs are attaching the front wheel and handlebars which are clearly communicated with the instructions. After that, the seat can slot into place and be adjusted to the correct height with a quick release.

Do make sure you follow the instructions in the manual, as you also have to tighten the stem bolts underneath the neoprene cover and you might miss these otherwise.

First impressions of the Rookie 12

There is a lot to like about the Kidvelo Rookie 12, not simply the classic aesthetic of a skinny tubed bicycle. The bike is solid despite its lightweight and there is an attention to detail that isn't always noticeable at first glance.

The frame is curved with no edges or tubes that may catch on fast-moving legs, and small touches like the smooth-ended wheel bolts or the absent valve caps (choke hazard) add to the whole package.

The frame dips low between the wheels which looks like it will keep the centre of gravity low, and also allows for the seat to get really low but is also has a nice long seat tube so the inevitable growth of children is catered for easily.

At the front of the bike, there is a nice high, handlebar, which in my experience improves confidence for little riders. There is also a spacer under the stem so they can be raised or lowered by an inch.

The handlebars have a rise to them, which allows for some rotation back or forward to further fine-tune the fit of the bike.

Elsewhere on the bike, we've got a nice set of footrests integrated into the frame which have the addition of grip tape to keep little feet in place.

Footrests like these are always a good idea so when the confidence grows they can scoot along then coast with their feet tucked up out the way. It also works when pushing them along too, when legs get a bit too tired...

Other small touches include the padding on the stem to take the sting out of any close contact with a lumpy bit of metal, and it's nice to see a bell come with it too, always a winner for my kids.

If I'm going to get picky, which is my job after all, I'd love to see some tidier welds on the fork. While the frame looks very neat, the lower welds on the fork look a little agricultural in comparison. This will have no impact on strength or function, but hey, it's good to strive for perfection!

The aluminium wheels are light, look cool with their 12 spokes plus they spin on proper bearings meaning no grating noises that you can find with some balance bikes.

The tyres are 'air filled', rather than cheap solid tyres, which makes for a more comfortable ride and offers more grip.

The bar and stem offer some adjustment to fine-tune the fit, and spacers under the stem allow for raising or lowering the bar height.

The forks spin in the frame on bearings which again suggests longevity and reliability.

Throughout the test period, I've not touched anything other than topping up some tyre pressure. It's been extremely reliable.

First up I'll mention the weight. For me, a light weight is one of the defining features of a good balance bike, as it allows little riders to immediately engage with the bike and have ownership or their steed.

The Rookie 12 is one firmly in the lightweight camp, and this showed. Straight out the door, my tester jumped on and was up to speed.

Now they may not be the most discerning of 3 yr olds, but I would certainly be told if they didn't like riding it!

So thankfully all was good, and it's been an enjoyable riding experience ever since.

The smooth tyre profile works great for getting up to speed, and it's a very nippy little bike. Again that low weight allows riders to pick it up and turn around on the spot.

Playing off-road on the grass, the Rookie holds its own and the geometry of the frame and fork give good confidence to play on the rougher stuff.

The high front end of the bike is good, and something I look for in a balance bike to give further confidence - balance bikes don't need to be aerodynamic.

Pumptrack riding has been great, and the Rookie can be used for pretty much anything.

There is no brake, which could be important for some, but I find that feet work equally well, especially for younger children - it's one less thing to think about so they concentrate more on the riding and there's no risk of them suddenly braking too hard.

The footrests are neat and tidy but don't offer a huge amount of space for feet once kids get a bit bigger. It's a tough balance, as you don't want foot rests impinging forward motion. I think Kidvelo have found a good compromise in their design and the grip tape makes sure feet have some purchase.

As my tester has grown, I've moved the saddle up and the handlebars have risen a couple of centimetres. This has kept them happy to the size they are now of about 104cm tall.

We've now reached that point where trying pedals seems like a good idea!

This Kidvelo Rookie 12 review was originally published in 2022 after our 3-year-old tester enjoyed riding it for many months.

The great thing about the Rookie 12 is that it's so well made it will be outgrown many times.

We've tested out its longevity by passing the balance bike amongst our review panel.

It's been used by a couple of different families and their toddlers at the beginning of their cycling journey!

Three-year-old, Cassie has used the Kidvelo Rookie 12 balance bike for 9 months. She loves the lightweight design which means she can enjoy carrying it up and down the stairs in her garden.

Her family are avid cycle tourers, which means the bike is often strapped to the trailer, so the lightweight design is also very appreciated by her parents!

The large volume tyres means she can happily ride it when they're going on adventures off-road on gravel tracks.

The Kidvelo is equally at home on the tarmac or grass of the local park making it the perfect balance bike choice for a keen cycling families, or those who want a long lasting balance bike that can be handed down to many younger siblings.

The Kidvelo is firmly at the quality end of the balance bike market, with price tags north of £130. There's clearly been a lot of obsessing with the finer details of the design that we'd expect from a team with so much experience in the balance bike market.

The Hornit AIRO (£139/2.89 kg) is probably the Rookie's nearest comparable rival. Aesthetically these bikes are very different and I suspect you'll naturally gravitate to either the skinny "retro look" tubes of the Kidvelo Rookie 12 or the more modern design of the AIRO.

Quality wise, the Kidvelo Rookie 12 is far superior to the Strider Sport 12 (£130 / 3kg) which is what the team behind this bike set out to achieve. We particularly noticed this with the quality of the bearings and the wheels, and the use of pneumatic tyres.

At £130/2.89 kg the price of the Kidvelo Rookie 12 is much lower priced than the similarly obsessed over Islabikes Rothan 12 was when it was available new (£200/3.1kg). Since Islabikes went out of business the Rothan 12 is now only available secondhand. The Rothan does have a brake, which some parents like for helping transition older kids onto a pedal bike.

If a brake is a deal breaker for you, then the new Hoozar Cruz 12 comes in at £139/3.2kg so price wise is more comparable to the Rookie, but doesn't have the same attention to detail on the frame design.

If your child is older or taller, then the Kidvelo Rookie 14 bike could be a brilliant alternative. With a similar balance bike design, the bike is also convertible, meaning you can add pedals when your child is ready, this will save you some money in the long run, but is important not to get a bike that's too big for them just to save some ££!

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