Community Heroes: I organise balance bike events for kids. Here's why I'm passionate about nurturing young cyclists

Blazing a trail is never an easy endeavour.

It all began with a simple gift: A balance bike for my oldest son's fourth birthday in 2018. Little did I know, this humble beginning would launch a fulfilling journey.

Balance bikes are small bicycles without pedals. Children use their feet to propel the bike forward, allowing them to focus on their balance and coordination.

Back then, balance bikes were not so popular, as people were more accustomed to using training wheels for children learning how to cycle. 

It was my wife who first took our son to community gatherings and play dates with like-minded parents, who believed that positive values and good character could be nurtured with balance bikes.

I was sceptical at first, but I soon noticed the joy in my son’s eyes when he was out with his mother, making friends from various cultures and backgrounds. 

That spurred me to take him to more gatherings and eventually take part in competitions both here and abroad. 

His first competition was in November 2018 in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. 

Balance bike competitions are usually organised by age, for those from as young as two years old. 

They typically follow formats adopted from cycling or motorsport disciplines, with a podium prize presentation for each age category. 

Such competitions not only allow children to aspire for top honours, they also teach them fairness, respect and to accept defeat with poise.

In 2022, we joined many families from all walks of life, exploring destinations in Indonesia and Malaysia, while others went as far as China, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand. 

These trips became more than just vacations; they were opportunities to reconnect and rediscover the joy of spending time together after the Covid-19 pandemic.

As our journeys continued, so did the growth of the balance bike scene, both in Singapore and abroad. 

We joined other families in organising community gatherings and competitions of our own to raise the scene here and invite families from abroad to compete in Singapore. 

Then, I saw a gap in the cycling ecosystem here — not much was being done to retain children in cycling as a sport once they had learned how to ride.

Today, cycling is not a recognised sport under the Direct School Admission scheme and there are few events for children to explore it. 

This leads to a loss in interest for cycling as a child goes through primary school.

So, my wife and I took the leap and founded Balance Bike SG (BBSG) in March 2023.

Drawing from my background in strategic planning and organisation development, and supported by my wife’s expertise in social media engagement, we saw ourselves as providers of a space for children to acquire gross and fine motor skills through balance bikes.

At the same time, we thought that this was a way to inculcate good character, life skills and active citizenry in them. 

At the heart of BBSG lies active parental involvement.

Together, our community's children have participated in prestigious events like this year’s Chingay Parade and Dad’s Day Out. 

We have also organised grassroots initiatives that have resonated far beyond Singapore's borders. 

One such initiative is our Community Day, typically held once a quarter, where we set up a basic track for children to navigate through with their peers. 

Such events usually attract around 40 to 50 children — more if organised during the school holidays. 

Competitions, on the other hand, attract more than 150 children and their families from Singapore, as well as from places such as China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Currently, BBSG does not have a permanent venue. We collaborate with grassroots organisations such as People’s Association, as well as the Singapore Cycling Federation, to bring such events closer to the community. 

Through social media and our community WhatsApp chat, we've connected with families from as far as South and North America. 

Our WhatsApp community now has more than 300 members, with a core group of about 10 to 15 volunteers in Singapore.

Our journey hasn't been without challenges. Time is a scarcity for many parents and most prefer to volunteer on an ad-hoc basis.

Managing a dedicated group of volunteers requires grit, sacrifice and collaboration. But it's a small price to pay for the joy we've brought to countless children, including my own. 

We have had several successes that I am proud of, among them being recognised by the Singapore Cycling Federation as one of its key partners in nurturing the next generation of national cyclists.

In future, I hope to strengthen our partnership with the federation to develop evidence-based programmes that could further the cause for a Direct School Admission programme for cycling.

I also plan to collaborate with the federation to help balance-bike “graduates” become eligible to join the national cycling team when the Southeast Asian Games are hosted in Singapore in 2029. 

In the end, it's the smiles on the children’s faces as they take their first steps on balance bikes and the jubilation of families celebrating podium victories that remind us why we persevere. 

With each revolution of a balance bike wheel, we're reminded that sometimes, tiny steps may lead to big aspirations for a child.

ABOUT THE WRITER:

Muhammad Hafiz Abdul Khalid, 37, is an organisation development manager at AMP Singapore, and the co-founder of Balance Bike SG, a ground-up initiative dedicated to developing gross-motor skills, fostering good character, and building life skills in children through the use of balance bikes. He is also a father of five.

To volunteer at upcoming balance bike events, write to sgbalancebike [at] gmail.com or send a direct message on Instagram to @balancebike.sg.

Balance Bike SG is supported by Bagus Together, an initiative that helps changemakers and ground-ups start and sustain their work.

If you have an experience to share or know someone who wishes to contribute to this series, write to voices [at] mediacorp.com.sg with your full name, address and phone number.