GOMO Balance Bike Review – The Way to Fun and Fitness is to Ride!

GOMO Balance Bike Specifications

• Product: GOMO Balance Bike
• Price: Current special at -23%, $69 US
• The Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon USA
• Age Range: 18 months to 5 Years
• Frame: Steel
• Tires: EVA Foam
• Wheel Size: 12 Inches
• Seat Height: 12″ – 17″
• Maximum Rider Weight: 60 lbs
• Weight: 7.1 lbs.
• Warranty: 2 years
• Footrests: Yes
• NO Brake
• My Rating: 9 / 10

With so many choices available in the world of balance bikes for kids, there are some wonderful options out there for parents and carers to find a balance bike that really does suit the needs of all families and their unique little riders.

GOMO Balance Bike is without doubt, from our research of the research, rated very highly if not #1 when it comes to the best budget-friendly balance bike on the market. The GOMO, Get Out More Often brand really does a great job in bringing some premium balance bike options into the budget price zone!

In our extended review of the GOMO Balance Bike for kids and Toddlers, we will be riding into the following product details with you,

• What we liked about the GOMO 12″ Balance Bike
• What we didn’t like
• how this compares to other budget balance bikes on the market, and
• our final conclusions

So, let’s strap our helmets on and take an in-depth, non-biased look at the GOMO Balance Bike for Kids!

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GOMO Balance Bike Summary

What we really like about the GOMO

• lightweight
• neat, tucked-away footrests
• extended wheel-base provides greater stability
• easy, tool-free seat and handlebar adjustment
• wide range seat height adjustment
• durable steel frame
• steering limiter helps to prevent over steering and accidents
• steering grips are comfortable, practical and functional (they also look pretty cool!)
• five rocking colors to choose from, and
• super budget friendly price point

What we didn’t particularly like about the GOMO

• foam tires offer less traction and not as comfortable ride, especially off-road
• no brake
• plastic clamps used for seat and handlebar adjustment making these less durable nor user-friendly
• plastic rims provide less durability and stability
• steering limiter is not removable

GOMO Balance Bike Comprehensive Review

Let’s now dive into the above points in greater detail.

The GOMO balance bike looks attractive, you can easily see the materials, components and features provided at a glance but due to the price point, you can be misled into thinking that you are not getting a great value balance bike.

Well, as with many things in life, sometimes what you see is not what you get, and that’s what we love about the GOMO. So, let’s get into the finer details to help you better understand the characteristics, both good and bad about this balance bike.

What We Liked and Why?

Lightweight Frame

Weighing in at a mere 7.1 lbs, this is certainly not the lightest balance bike option on the market (this prestigious award may go to the Cruzee Balance Bike at 4.1 lbs!).

Essentially, the GOMO is still light, providing a more than adequate weight for little riders to nurture their coordination, balance, gross and fine motor skills and not become overly tired or frustrated with a cumbersome bike.

The frame quality is at a high standard, not only providing a really smooth ride but the slightly extra weight is suitably justified in the better-than-most performance for balance bikes in the budget category.

Footrests

Balance bikes are designed to encourage our little riding champions to walk, push and eventually glide over greater distances as they become more proficient and confident in their balance bike prowess.

The GOMO has well designed, small, unobtrusive and sleek looking footrests that unimpede the rider’s handy footwork, yet still allowing for easy access when needed. These don’t stick-out much further than the seat yet are more than suitable for the rider to place their feet upon when cruising along.

Overall, we really like this feature. The GOMO footrests won’t obstruct your child’s natural stride while riding and they provide an additional feature that encourages the development of balance and gliding skills.

Extended Wheelbase and Durable Frame

Most budget friendly balance bikes have a smaller wheelbase (this is the length between the front and rear axles).

The GOMO has a much larger wheelbase in comparison, which makes for a more stable ride, but also allows adventurous riders to attempt tricks or jumps with greater confidence, as they simply have more bike to play with that is providing additional durability, firmness and control.

The frame, as mentioned earlier is made from a lightweight durable steel.

A key element to the GOMO frame design that we like is this longer length. Because of the extended wheelbase, the GOMO allows more room between the handlebars and the seat for the little rider. This extra room extends the arms of the rider, providing an upright, yet not overly cramped position that is simply more comfortable and safer to ride.

Essentially, it encourages a natural ride position and for us, is a key winning feature for the GOMO balance bike.

Tool-free and Wide-Range Seat and Handlebar Adjustment

Another real winner for this budget balance bike is the user-friendly, tool-free seat and handlebar adjustments that feature brilliantly in the GOMO design.

Both are easily altered with wide, plastic, quick-release clamps. You can simply open and close these using 2-3 fingers. The ease of use we have found to be unparalleled in the budget friendly balance bike world.

Essentially what we are saying here is that this feature is, in a word par-excellence.

The handlebar allows for 3″ of height changes and the seat post a whopping 6″ (11″ – 17″) of height variation.

These are wonderful features, as this provides ample room for changes as your little rider’s appear to grow like mushrooms overnight, allowing for greater longevity and bang for your buck!

Steering Limiter + Functional Grips

Another big tick in favor of the GOMO is the addition of a steering limiter, rarely seen in the budget balance bike market. Steering limiters, while not essential, do add another safety element to a learner rider’s arsenal.

GOMO Balance Bike – functional grips and steering limiter are noteworthy additions

The intention for the steering limiter is simple. This is to prevent riders from jackknifing (basically, over steering and forming an acute angle between the front wheel and the bike frame), which can lead to accidents for the inexperienced or overly aggressive rider.

To eliminate this risk, the steering limiter stops the front wheel from turning any further than approximately 45-50 degrees from a perfectly straight wheel position. As mentioned, this is perfect for beginner riders to ensure the basic balance bike skills are mastered, before upgrading to a balance bike or peddle bike that has an unlimited steering mechanism.

In addition to the steering limiter, the GOMO rocks some really comfortable handlebar grips. These are comfy, practical and come with a larger knob, or bumper at the end to help prevent hands from slipping off the grip all-together, provide protection from falls and from any objects the handlebars may give a little nudge to while out riding.

These grips are visually appealing, aka cool looking, functional, tacky, and readily absorb moisture from sweaty hands, making these a super addition.

Wonderful Color Choice and Family Budget Friendly

The GOMO is available in six pretty cool, 2-tone color combinations. Creative color designs, which include safe ABS plastic finishes that help prevent scratches to the bike are yet another design winner that we particularly liked.

GOMO Balance Bike – Cool Color Options!

The Budget Friendly Comparison

We have mentioned throughout this article that the GOMO is a budget friendly balance bike. But exactly what does this mean and how does this compare to other bikes on the market?

Well, quite simply any balance bike under $100 is considered a budget balance bike. Currently, as of the time of this article, the GOMO is available at Amazon for $69.99 (List Price $89.99). This is amazing value for the quality and features available with this bike.

Let’s take this one step further and compare the GOMO price and features with other bikes on the market, so that you can get a better idea of exactly where the GOMO fits in terms of quality, features and price point.

Balance Bike	Seat Height Range	Weight	Frame Material	Brake	Steering Limiter	Quick Release Seat post	Adjustable Handlebars	Air Tires	List Price
GOMO	11”-17”	8.5 lbs	Steel	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	$69
Banana Bike GT	13.5”-18”	10.3 Lbs	Steel	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	$75
Radio Flyer Glide & Go	14.5”-18”	6.8 lbs	Steel	No	No	Yes	No	No	$99
Retrospec Club	12”-16.5”	9.2 lbs	Steel	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	$69
Schwinn, Coen & Elm	14.5”- 16.75”	8.5 lbs	Steel	No	No	Yes	No	No	$89
Strider Classic	11” – 16”	6.4 lbs	Steel	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	$119

You can see that the GOMO compares nicely to other low-end aka budget balance bikes out there on the market. If you have a quick glimpse at this table, the GOMO, on paper at least, appears to hold its own in comparison. However, it’s the functionality of this product that clearly stands out above the rest.

For the price point, the GOMO difference lies in the quality design, the extended wheelbase, the ease of quick-release lever adjustments over an extended range for both handlebars and seat, the kid-cool colors, the small yet practical footrest and last but not least, the durable yet relatively lightweight frame.

What Didn’t We Like and Why?

Steering Limiter Not Removable

What you will find at the more high-end balance bike market is that if a steering limiter is provided, this is usually removable. The benefit is that once your little champion rider has gained confidence and the necessary skills of balance and coordination, the limiter can safety and easily be removed, allowing the rider to progress in their riding development.

The GOMO’s steering limiter is unable to be removed however, and this may restrict older, more confident rider’s as they grow and wish to challenge their new skills.

Grips Have a Wide Diameter

Overall, we love the GOMO handlebar grips. These are grip-awesome, colorful and have a nice sized bumper or bulb at the end which helps to prevent hands slipping off and/or offering protection from the ground or obstacles.

One component of these grips is worth noting. These practical handlebar grips have a diameter that is wider than most.

As we have mentioned in previous articles, for example see our What Are The Best Balance Bikes For Kids 2022 Review, your child is unique, therefore selecting the right bike for your little rider is super important.

The wider diameter grips on the GOMO may restrict a strong, functional grip for kids with smaller hands. Therefore, we recommend just making sure the grips feel secure and safe for your child before purchasing.

Plastic Components

We have mentioned already the usefulness and practicality of the plastic clamp design for the seat and handlebar adjustments. These are absolutely functional. However, if left outside, we would be a little concerned that the integrity of these plastic components may be compromised over time.

Plastic Rims and Foam Tires

One final point is worth mentioning regarding the GOMO’s features. As you would expect with a budget balance bike, the GOMO rolls over the road on EVA foam tires and plastic rims.

That being said, these are 12″ puncture-free tires that provide a relatively smooth ride, particularly on smooth surfaces such as pavements and bike paths. Keep in mind these won’t provide as comfortable a ride nor the same traction as air tires and certainly would not be a safe option to be used on off-road terrain.

Yet overall, the plastic rims will generally do just fine for smaller, less adventurous riders. These plastic rims weigh less when compared to metal, making the GOMO nice and easy to handle and learn on. So, while not our preferred option for tires, these do provide an advantage with their overall cost and weight savings.

Overall Final Opinion

Let’s wrap up our review with a quick summary and final thoughts.

Overall, we believe the GOMO to be the best value for money budget balance bike on the market!

Yes, this is a big call, yet we are confident in our review of the reviews that has complemented our own research into this balance bike, that we firmly stand behind this claim.

We are pleased with the GOMO’s build quality, extended wheelbase, upright geometry design, relatively low-weight, super-cool color options, functional footrests, steering limiter, grippy grips and extensive handlebar and seat adjustments, that we think this bike is hard to beat coming in at under $100.

Some final notes. We would recommend a lighter budget bike, such as the Radio Flyer Glide & Go for smaller, lighter kids and for the more adventurous riders who like to ride off-road, the Banana Bike GT might be a better option.

As always, we do encourage you to take your time when making your choice of balance bike to ensure you best match the bike to your unique little riding champion.

If you have any questions or comments that you would like to ask about this topic or anything to do with the wonderful world of balance bikes, please leave these below. We love to hear from you at ilovetoridemybike.com.

Safe and happy riding 🙂