Tesla's first bike has no pedals or brakes, and costs $225

Tesla's first bike has no pedals or brakes, and costs $225

The magnesium-framed Balance Bike targets children learning to ride, with five saddle positions and conspicuous Tesla branding. Shipping is scheduled to begin in mid-September.

By Peter Stuart · · 2 min read

Tesla has launched a bike, but to the disappointment of serious road racers, the $225 balance bike is for children aged two to six, and has a maximum weight of 35kg.

The pedal-free model is listed on Tesla’s online store, with shipments scheduled to begin in mid-September. Tesla specifies a maximum rider weight of 35kg.

Its key feature is a lightweight magnesium frame, finished with a Tesla wordmark along the side and the company’s T logo at the front. The black saddle offers five height positions, allowing the fit to be adjusted as a child grows.

The bike arrives partly disassembled, although Tesla includes the tools required to put it together. Being a balance bike, it has no pedals or brakes, with riders instead using their feet to build speed, slow down and stop.

Balance bikes are intended to help young children develop stability before moving to a pedal bike, and their use has increasingly become come to be considered best practice for the development of cycling skills. Keeping their feet close to the ground allows them to correct a wobble without relying on stabilisers, while the absence of a drivetrain keeps the basic riding process simple.

Tesla branding carries a premium price

At $225, the Balance Bike sits at the premium end of a category that includes numerous models priced below $100. The specification centres on the magnesium frame and adjustable saddle, but the prominent logos also make Tesla’s brand identity a large part of the product.

Stylized black-and-white lightweight racing bike illustration on a white background

The bike follows Tesla’s previous experiments beyond passenger cars, which have included branded lifestyle products and vehicles for children.

Its practical lifespan will depend on the child’s height and development, as well as the 35kg rider limit. The five saddle settings provide room for adjustment, but the recommended age range ends at six.

Tesla has not presented the Balance Bike as the start of a larger cycling range, and we doubt we’ll see a fully fledged Tesla e-bike or endurance road offering. For now, though, it offers the youngest Tesla fans a suitably unconventional first set of wheels.

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Peter

Peter Stuart

Editor

Peter is the editor of Velora and oversees Velora’s editorial strategy and content standards, bringing nearly 20 years of cycling journalism to the site. He was editor of Cyclingnews from 2022, introducing its digital membership strategy and expanding its content pillars. Before that he was digital editor at Cyclist, and then Rouleur. Before joining Cyclist in 2012, he completed freelance work for titles including The Times and The Telegraph. He has reported from Grand Tours and WorldTour races, and previously represented Great Britain as a rower.