Prince Louis, youngest son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, has started nursery school, and done so in real Cycle Sprog style! Prince Louis (who celebrates his 3rd birthday today) was pictured riding a bright red balance bike – the Frog Tadpole Plus.

This lovely photo of Prince Louis on his Frog Balance Bike was taken by his proud mum Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge.

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The Frog balance bike Prince Louis was riding costs £200 and is suitable for children aged 3 and 4 with an average inside leg of 38cm and comes in a wide range of colours (when it’s available).

Frog also produce two smaller balance bikes – the Tadpole Mini (£170) suitable for ages 18 months and over, and the Tadpole (£190) suitable for ages 2 and 3 year old with an average inside leg of 31cm.

A balance bike is a small child’s bike, with out pedals or gearing and is a brilliant way to get a young child to learn to ride a bike.

They master the really tricky skills of balancing and steering which you don’t get using the old-fashioned method of stabilisers. When they’ve outgrown the balance bike they can transition to a pedal bike.  Check out our article 10 things you need to know before buying a balance bike for your toddler for more details.

Where can I buy a Frog Balance bike like Prince Louis?

Sadly at the moment there is a real shortage of all Frog Bikes (which predates this royal appearance!)

At the time of writing, Tredz had a few standard size Frog Balance Bikes in stock  in several colours.

Alternatively you can go on the waiting list for a rental Frog Balance Bike at The Bike Club – this is a great scheme where you pay a monthly rental fee (from just £5 per month for a Frog Balance Bike) and keep the bike for as long as it fits and then upgrade to the next size when your child grows.

Finally, Ebay is probably your best bet if you’re urgently wanting a Frog balance bike like Prince Louis rode to nursery school.  Expect to pay close to the new price for one in great condition!

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Alternative red balance bike like Prince Louis’s

If you’re not able to get your hands on the exact same balance bike that Prince Louis rode, then here are some other balance bike options that would be fit for a prince or princess.

Take a moment to GRAB YOUR FREE KIDS BIKE BUYING CHECKLIST which will help you record all the information you need to find the perfect bike for your child. 

For a standard size red balance bike, in the same colour that Prince Louis was riding, we recommend the Red Hornit Airo balance bike. At £129 this bike is cheaper than a standard Frog Tadpole, but is one of the lightest balance bikes around – we were very impressed when we reviewed the Hornit Airo balance bike recently.   We also know that they’ve just taken delivery of a new shipment, so there should be some available to buy!

A more expensive balance bike than Prince Louis rode

There seems to be a lot of comments online about how much Prince Louis’s balance bike cost. Why would you play £200 for a bike with no pedals?  These people obviously haven’t seen how much joy a  balance bike brings a young child, and how confidently they can then progress to a pedal bike.   They’ve no doubt get up in arms when they realise there are a number of much more expensive options available if you have the cash to splash.

Probably the best one is a Black Mountain growing bike.  These are very clever bikes that start off as balance bikes but can then have the pedals added to them as your child grows.   I’d argue that you’d be outdoing the Cambridge’s with one of these bikes!

However, they don’t come cheap, so you need to have a royalty like bank balance – prices start at £349 and go up to £649 for their largest balance bike – a 20″ wheel balance bike with disc brakes and suspension fork!  At the moment they only have the larger sizes in stock, suitable for ages 5 years and over.   They don’t come in red either, but who needs to copy exactly anyway?

You can read our review of the Black Mountain KAPĒL here.

Cheaper red balance bike option to the one Prince Louis was riding

If you’re looking for a balance bike like Prince Louis’s but don’t have a Trust Fund, then a much cheaper option is to lease a red Strider balance bike from The Bike Club from just £3.50 per month.

The Strider comes with a really long seat post, meaning this bike can fit a child from about 18 months through to 5 years old (Inner leg measurement: 31 – 51cm).  It has plastic tyres, which is a difference to most of the other premium balance bikes, but it’s great fun to ride, and is well known for the Strider Balance Bike World Cup which takes place every year.   You can also buy a red Strider balance bike for £110.   They’re also very popular secondhand on eBay.

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Other articles you may want to check out whilst you’re here:

• What is a balance bike?
• The best bike for a 1 year old
• The best 12″ wheel first pedal bikes for ages 2 years and over
• 10 things to consider when buying a balance bike for your child
• Choosing the best balance bike for your child (a closer look at the makes and models available)
• Big balance bikes for taller children
• Are these the 5 most desirable balance bikes ever?
• The best starter bikes – 14″ wheel kids bikes (for when they’ve mastered the balance bike and are ready for pedals)
• The best kids bikes – exploring some of the best brand kids bikes around
• The best place to buy a kids bike  – advice on where to shop to avoid buying a dud
• Does my child need stabilisers?
• Kids bikes that will grow with your child
• Kids Ride Shotgun Dirt Hero- Rider Review