About Us

Janelle Scruggs, owner of Portland Balance Bikes, and her son at 20 months, when he became a Strider rider.

Janelle and her daughter at just 16 months old, learning to ride a balance bike.

My name is Janelle and I am the proud mom of two kids. As the youngest of four girls, I grew up hiking, bicycling, fishing and camping with my family.  Some of my fondest childhood memories include family bicycle rides, which often ended up at a nearby ice cream shop for a treat!  As an adult, have I continued a lifetime of fitness, including running the Portland Marathon and riding Cycle Oregon.

After becoming a parent, I wanted to teach my children the value of outdoor pursuits, physical activity, and find budget-friendly ways to enjoy our time together.  When my son was 20 months old, I saw a little toddler cruising around on a bike without pedals, and no gears or chain.  I had never seen anything like that before, so I ran up to his mom and asked her where she found a bike like that. At that moment, I fell in love with the Strider and knew I had to get one for my son! Just two weeks later, my son was learning to ride his first bicycle!

I am excited to be an authorized Strider dealer and introduce your family to the joys of a toddler riding his or her very own bicycle.  Gone will be the days of waiting for your slowpoke toddler to catch up on their tricycle, because soon they will be riding circles around you! Since Striders are built tough and have such a huge range of adjustable seat and handlebar heights, they should last your child from 1-5 years old. After several years of riding happily, your child will likely be able to transition straight from their Strider to a bicycle without training wheels.  The Strider could then be donated or passed down to younger siblings or friends to enjoy. I'm thrilled to offer other families a budget-friendly toy with such a long lifespan!

As a way to help local kids, I will donate 1% of all sales to The Molly Thompson Memorial Fund. This fund is named for Mighty Molly Thompson, a four-year-old girl from Oregon who lost her battle to cancer.  The Molly Thompson Memorial Fund raises money for the Child Life Program at Emanuel Children’s Hospital, bringing toys, activities, parties, wishes and fun to children while they are hospitalized. Visit www.milesfrommolly.org for more information, or check out my links to the left.

Wherever your travels may take you, to the local park, dirt trails, or an ice cream shop, I know that you will be creating your own lasting family memories that your children will cherish.

Happy Riding!