Balance-to-pedal bikes donated to Pittsburgh elementary schools
Some students at two elementary schools in Pittsburgh got some sweet news about some sweet rides on Thursday.
Twenty-four balance-to-pedal conversion bikes were donated to Grandview Elementary School.
"It has no pedals, so truly they just learn how to walk with the bike, get comfortable with it," Nichole Buchholz of All Kids Bike said.
The students learn how to balance first. After that, the teachers will put stride-around pedals on the bikes.
"Then they'll naturally be putting their feet up on those pedals and then truly start to pedal because they're already masters at balancing," Buchholz said.
The HDR Foundation donated the bikes.
"We worked with the superintendent and ultimately they chose the schools," said Chad Davis, the area manager for HDR.
Grandview is one of two schools getting the bikes this time around. West Liberty Elementary School is the other.
"We've given over $800,000 on these grants for bikes like these across the last three years," Davis said.
A lot of the people who spoke today say this is about giving access to a key childhood experience.
"To be able to get up and just get on your bike — it was almost like my car back then," Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said.
Kyra Brown only spent minutes on one of the bikes Thursday. It's already making a difference.
"I was nervous at first but my nervous start to go away," she said.
