woom WOW first impressions review: the perfect introduction to cycling for your baby!
This article is kindly sponsored by woom. It also contains affiliate links, which means that when you buy through links on this page, we may earn an affiliate commission.
When a bike brand as respected as woom launches a product designed for the very earliest stage of a child’s cycling journey, it’s worth sitting up and paying attention. Enter the woom WOW, a balance bike-style ride-on for babies and toddlers, designed to help them toddle, glide and build their balance from as young as 9 months old.
In the world of ride-ons, the spectrum is wide: from simple plastic toys to premium pieces that combine play and developmental engineering. Many will be outgrown rapidly or treated as a fun novelty; others are built to last, to grow and to support a child’s physical development. The woom WOW aims firmly at the latter end of that spectrum.
Why does that matter? Because many ride-on toys are rigid, simplistic, or more concerned with visual gimmicks than true functional support. The WOW is designed deliberately to support toddlers' early development, deploying a format that encourages their balance, coordination and confidence from day one, while also providing a lot of fun, with their new friend Buddy along for the ride!
woom WOW key data:
Price - £160.00
Weight - 2.7kg
Inside leg range - Min 26cm
Rider height range - 70 to 100cm
Age range - 9 months to 3 years
Colours - Pop peach, dreamy sky (blue) and soft sprout (green)
Pros - Clever self-balancing design with a fun toy to start your little ones cycling journey full of joy.
Cons - The premium design and build comes with a high price tag.
What is the woom WOW?
The woom WOW is a cross between a balance bike and a ride-on, in that it's stable enough to stand by itself, but teaches them all the balance and coordination skills they need to move onto a proper balance bike later down the line.
It's a tiny balance bike, so stable that it can stand by itself.
Ride-on bikes are perfect for babies and toddlers before they are coordinated enough for a balance bike. They can support their early walking and balance skills in a fun way- and are designed primarily for use inside.
Woom brand overview
woom has cultivated a reputation for producing some of the best children’s bikes in the world, featuring ultralight, quality components and built around how children actually move. Their philosophy has always been to support the progression from first balancing to confident pedalling.
Over the years, Cycle Sprog has tested and reviewed several woom models: the woom Original 3, woom 3 Automagic, woom OFF 4, woom OFF AIR 5 and the woom NOW 5. Each impressed us with high spec components, lightweight design and how much fun they gave our little reviewers! The WOW pushes their design thinking even earlier in the timeline, into infancy and toddlerhood, signalling woom’s ambition to become part of every child’s cycling story, from the very start.
Woom WOW first impressions
If you want to know how thoughtful woom's design is, just take a look at the packaging that the WOW came in. Not only is it really compact and neat, but it doubles up as a photo backdrop, has a little cardboard bike for Buddy and some cones for your little one to practice cycling around.
Pulling the woom WOW out, the setup was minimal. A quick straighten of the front wheel (no tools required) and the bike was ready to roll. That “out of the box, ready to ride” experience is exactly what you want for a baby gift: no faff, no confusion, no delay to getting your excited child riding!
On first lift, the WOW felt heavier than many plastic ride-ons, which is understandable and not a criticism - more on this shortly. The bike feels solid, the lines are clean and sleek with impressive attention to detail, and the whole bike oozes that premium simplicity that woom is known for. I can readily picture a toddler’s eyes lighting up as they first see it, then clamber aboard with delight.
And then there’s Buddy, the adorable soft toy sidekick. With velcro hands, Buddy can latch onto the frame and ride along with your child. It’s a small but magical touch, turning the WOW into a more personal, interactive experience. A friendly companion can make gliding feel more like an adventure.
Woom WOW specifications
The woom WOW is packed with clever design touches that set it apart from the usual “toys on wheels”. Every feature has been carefully thought through with both child and parent in mind:
Self-balancing bike: helps toddlers find their feet and develop balance gradually, giving them confidence from their very first ride. The design of the bike focuses on a low centre of gravity, helping your child to balance, but importantly, like a real bike, if it’s leaned too far, it will still tip over. This is intentional; it teaches children the true dynamics of riding. The design is slightly heavier than other plastic ride-on bikes, but this is to keep the weight low and stable, to keep the bike balanced.
Steering support: the integrated steering damper keeps the bike heading straight, reducing frustration for little riders and reducing the chance of the wheel folding underneath them, as well as helping stability. When you’re carrying it, the handlebars click to the side, making it much easier to carry.
Parent-friendly design: the WOW is just as easy for adults to handle as it is for toddlers to ride. Carrying by hand or attaching it neatly to a pushchair has been thoughtfully designed into the product.
Sustainability focus: the WOW has been created with sustainability and reparability in mind, meaning it’s built to last, with materials and design choices that reduce waste.
Toddler-friendly design: a low frame but long seat means your child will easily find a comfortable seating position. The handlebars' ends are finished with rubber bar ends that protect your child, as well as things around them, when the bike inevitably gets dropped or scraped along the walls or furniture! The tyres are soft plastic, offering a smooth, quiet ride while being completely puncture-free- designed for indoor riding but will last outside too.
What Cycle Sprog thinks of the woom WOW
From our first impressions, the WOW lives up to its name. The WOW feels like it bridges the gap between “toy” and “development tool” in a way many ride-ons do not. It carries the appearance and spirit of a balance bike more than a simple ride toy, which gives us confidence that the transition to a regular balance bike (when the time comes) will be smoother and more intuitive for the child.
Design-wise, it nails the balance of minimalism and magical touches: Buddy the cuddly toy is adorable, the build feels premium, and the little details (tool-free setup, smart packaging) show that woom has thought through the user experience, not just the ride.
For parents looking to gift something meaningful, the WOW is it: it will bring them a lot of fun, while helping in their early development. It’ll help your toddler begin their journey on two wheels with confidence and glee.
What’s next for the woom WOW?
Next, the woom WOW heads to one-year-old Indy, who already spends time riding in the Kids Ride Shotgun Pro Evo seat on their parents’ bike. Indy is eager to start riding independently and the WOW will give us a chance to see how it performs in real-world toddler use: how easily they mount, push, glide, stop and how quickly they seem to build balance and confidence.
We’ll report back on stability, wear, usability over time and whether it truly lives up to being a “first ride companion”.
Overall thoughts on the woom WOW
The woom WOW strikes me as a thoughtful, premium first ride-on that not only provides a lot of fun to little ones, but also nurtures their early development of motor skills, balance and coordination, making it a really great first step in their cycling journey. For parents who want something beyond a toy, something that looks beautiful, works intuitively and scales with their development, the WOW is an enticing choice.
If you're looking for a gift that’s more than a gimmick, one that plants the seeds for a lifetime love of cycling, the woom WOW is a strong contender.
Other articles you might be interested in:
- Woom kids bikes – a comprehensive guide
- Cycling with babies and toddlers: Everything you need to get started
- Best balance bikes
- Best bikes for a 1 year old
- Why you shouldn’t buy a REALLY cheap new kids bike
- How to easily measure your child for a new bike
- Best bike helmets for babies and toddlers
- How to assemble a kids bike out of the box
- Does my child need stabilisers?
- How to start cycling with a small child in a bike seat, cargo bike or trailer
Comments