Vitus Smoothy Balance Bike Review

Vitus is a world leader in the manufacture of stunning and high-quality two wheelers. The company is French and this is very clear in the superior design and performance of its bicycles.

The Vitus Smoothy balance bike is one of the company’s latest bikes for kids. It is called Vitus Smoothy because of how easily and smoothly it moves when pushed off.

The bike can move effortlessly and for a long distance because it is supremely designed and it features extremely lightweight construction.

With under $100 you can get an average or aggressive rider on a balance bike so that they can glid their way into happiness, making it too a good budget balance bike worth buying.

Read our full review to get useful insights, expert ideas, and more details on why the Smoothy is worth entry into your final contenders list of balance bikes.

Specifications

Frame material: magnesium alloy

Weight: 7 pounds

Weight capacity: 55 lbs

Recommended age range: 2–5 years

Seat height range: 12.25”–17.5”

Tire type: Air

Best buy for: Average all the way to aggressive riders (wearing size 2T -4T pants)

Vitus Smoothy Balance Bike: An In-depth Expert Review

Is there such a thing as a high-performance balance bike for kids? Yes, there is and it goes by the name Vitus Smoothy.

This bike is designed by French engineers to be as smooth riding as possible. In fact, any kid that climbs on this bike needs just to push themselves off a tiny bit to enjoy next-level gliding.

Three things make the Vitus Smoothy one of the best balance bikes ever.

First, its lightweight magnesium frame construction, which provides virtually zero resistance to gliding. Second, its superior hub construction, which ensures effortless rolling of the wheels once the least amount of force is applied. Third and lastly, its broad and wide air tires, which ensure stability and better balancing.

So, if you want your kid to start gliding and balancing on a bike like a pro, this is the bike to go for. And the very best thing about this bike is that it is a budget balance bike that costs less than $100.

What we like about this bike

When we finally had the chance to test and finally review the Vitus Smoothy, we were wowed with a bunch of features. We could not wait any more and had to research online to see what other parents were saying. It turned out that our happiness with this balance bike was shared across the board. Our likes were other parents’ and experts’ likes and so did our dislikes.

Here are a few things that stand out for this perfect balance bike.

Lightweight magnesium frame

Most balance bikes are made of either steel or aluminum frames. The Vitus Smoothy is one of the few featuring a magnesium frame.

Like aluminum frames, magnesium frames are super lightweight. The frame used to make this bike weighs only seven pounds.

It is one of the lightest balance bike frames currently available on the market. Because it is so light, any kid (boy or girl) can easily pick it up and glide with it.

One more thing about this lightweight magnesium frame is that it makes gliding very easy. Your kid can effortlessly glide for several dozen feet before coming to a stop. They just need to push off a bit. And if you take them to a bike park or pump-up track, they will be able to maneuver with ease thanks to the bike’s lightness.

It is also important to note that the lightness of this frame makes the Vitus Smoothy very easy to carry. This is perfect when you take your kid somewhere to ride. And the engineers were very careful to include a handle right into the frame, which makes it easy to carry around.

This is very convenient because it makes carrying this bike very easy for parents. So, if you’ve owned a balance bike before and it was difficult to carry back home after your kid got a boo-boo or got tired, you will find this bike much easier to carry.

Wide handlebars

The Vitus Smoothy’s handlebars are 16 inches wide. They are about two inches wider than the typical balance bike.

Because they are wider, they make this bike much easier to control than most balance bikes. So, if you are looking for a balance bike that will teach your kid next-level bike control, this is the bike to go for.

Moreover, the wide handlebars also make it much easier to ride over bumps and unpaved surfaces.

The position of this bike’s handlebars is mid-range; they are neither too high nor too low.

High or tall handlebars are perfect for timid riders because they can hold them sitting straight on the saddle in a natural position. But they are not great for riders who want to lean in and be aggressive.

On the other hand, low or short handlebars are perfect for aggressive riders who want greater control but not ideal for timid riders.

Therefore, the mid-range position of Vitus Smoothy handlebars is perfect for both timid and aggressive bikers.

Comfy and adjustable seat

The Vitus Smoothy comes with a very comfortable child-size seat. The saddle is comfortable because it is lightly padded. It is covered with a durable yet comfortable material that can take the beatings of the elements and maltreatment from the kids. Your kid will really love the comfort provided by this seat aka saddle.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about this bike’s seat is the fact that it is adjustable. You can adjust its height from 12.75 inches to 17.5 inches. This is approximately 5 inches of growth.

The only issue with this adjustable seat is that you need an Allen key to adjust it. So, in case you want to adjust the bike a fair distance from home, you will have to go back home to get the Allen key. That is if you conveniently forget the Allen key at home – an avid cyclist will never forget one though!

You will notice that the Vitus Smoothy saddle comes with a raised back, which looks like a scoop. Well, in comfort terms, the scoop is meant to prevent the riders from scooting too far back on the bike, which also trains kids on maintaining a good cycling posture.

A convenient footrest

Balance bikes have no pedals. Their design is meant to enable young riders to focus on learning how to balance without having to worry about obtrusive or distracting pedals.

Nevertheless, not all kids like pushing themselves off and not having somewhere to rest their feet. This is why several bike manufacturers make some balance bikes with a footrest.

The Vitus Smoothy is one of the balance bikes from Vitus featuring a footrest. Its footrest is very well designed.

It is very well-designed in the sense that it is not obtrusive at all. In fact, your kid can use this bike for weeks without even noticing it if they are not keen. Nevertheless, if they want to use it, all they need to do is to put their feet on it to enjoy the ride.

Air tires

Usually, you only expect to see air tires on balance bikes costing more than $150. However, despite costing less than $100, the Vitus Smoothy has air tires.

Its air tires provide great cushioning. Your kid will feel very comfortable riding this bike. Much more comfortable than they would be riding on a bike with foam tires.

The air tires also offer great traction. This makes this two-wheeler less likely to skid or slide when moving over a smooth surface.

What we absolutely adore about these air tires is the fact that they are 2 inches wide. They are much wider than the typical tires on balance bikes.

Their width makes this bike more stable. In fact, you will find it difficult to find a balance bike that is as stable as this one on the market.

What we don’t like

Well, anything you like will at least have some flaw. In the case of Vitus Smoothy, the only flaw we discovered was the lack of handbrake. But who needs handbrakes in a balance bike anyway? It is a flaw that one can live with and enjoy all the other merits that come with purchasing this balance bike.

No handbrake

The only thing we do not like about this Vitus machine is the fact that it does not have a handbrake. This makes it slightly less safe than bikes with a handbrake. However, let’s face it since balance bikes are not pedaled, they do not move fast enough to require a handbrake. All balance bikes can easily be brought to a stop using feet.

So, the fact that this bike does not have a handbrake is not exactly a big deal.

Final Verdict

This is a supreme lightweight balance bike. It has wide handlebars, big air tires, a convenient footrest, and a comfy seat, making it one of the best balance bikes. And the very best thing about it is that despite all its excellent features it is a budget balance bike that goes for less than $100.