Van Nicholas releases €999 titanium balance bike

Titanium two-wheeler for tiny tots

This competition is now closed

By Stan Portus

Published: January 30, 2023 at 2:34 pm

Titanium is probably the most lauded frame material, with advocates waxing lyrical about its ride feel and shock-absorbing qualities.

As the ninth most abundant element on planet Earth, you may expect more bikes to be made from titanium. However, the difficulty of working with it means it's a rare and exclusive choice amongst cyclists – and even more pleasing as a result.

Van Nicholas brings this exclusivity and desirable ride feel to kid's balance bikes with the new Ventus JR Titanium balance bike.

The best titanium road bikes tend to cost a lot of money and the Ventus JR Titanium bike follows suit, costing €999.

Although this is a premium price tag, Van Nicholas isn't the first to price a balance bike this high. In 2020, Specialized released the Hotwalk Carbon balance bike, which cost a similar £999 / $999.

Despite Specialized opting for a full carbon frame, the Ventus doesn't weigh much more than the Hotwalk. Van Nicholas says the bike weighs 2.3kg, only 200g more than Specialized's balance bike.

The Ventus JR Titanium is suitable for kids aged 3 to 5 years, whereas the Hotwalk is for ages up to 18 months.

Van Nicholas says the carbon fork and wheels help keep the bike's weight down. This is beneficial for early riders because it makes controlling the bike easy.

Alongside easy handling, Ralph Moorman, general manager at Van Nicholas, says titanium makes sense for a children's bike because it is "tough enough to handle the rough treatment it will inevitably receive".

The bike has small-diameter grips with large bar ends to suit small hands.

There is a padded seat for comfort and you can adjust the saddle height to keep up with growth spurts.

Van Nicholas has incorporated foot platforms. As a child's confidence on the bike grows, they can rest their feet while freewheeling.

Moorman says the Ventus JR Titanium could be "around for a very long time", thanks to the longevity of titanium.

While your little one may spend a short time on the Ventur JR, between being in a child's bike seat and graduating to another children's bike, Van Nicholas stresses the Ventus JR Titanium will be suitable not just for your child but "their children… and their children's children…".

Teaching a kid to cycle is a great life skill and balance bikes are an excellent way to introduce them to life on two wheels.

Unlike a bike with stabilisers, these pedal-free machines develop balancing skills early on – key when they move to a bike with a drivetrain.

The Van Nicholas Ventus JR may be one of the pricier ways to get tiny tots into bikes, but at least you’ll be pairing a valuable skill with a lesson in appreciating the finer things of life.

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Content editor

Stan Portus is BikeRadar's content editor. Stan works on everything from content strategy and breaking news to evergreen updates and long-form features on environmental and social issues in cycling. Stan started working in the bike industry in 2018, writing content for some of the sport's biggest brands, including Chris King, ENVE and Castelli. He has worked as a freelance writer and journalist for over seven years writing reviews, essays and interviews for many art, design and literature publications as well as appearing on radio. A road cyclist at heart, he can be found zooming along the lanes and roads of the South West and undertaking foolhardy pursuits such as overnight audax rides.

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