Kids bikes are a major purchase – both in terms of cost, and the amount of excitement that comes with them. But how do you know you’re buying the best bike for your child, that will still be loved once the summer months are here? Fear not, here’s the Cycle Sprog guide to buying a kids bike.
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Cycle Sprog is an family run, reader supported, website. We belong to several affiliate schemes so may receive a small commission from sales made from links on our site. We do our best to be impartial and recommend products on their quality not whether they are in a scheme.1. Bikes can be difficult for a child to manoeuvre
Children’s bikes should be light enough to lift and handle easily. Generally, an aluminium frame will be lighter than a steel one. If you struggle to lift the bike, then think how hard it is going to be for your child to control.
It’s not just the material of the frame, but the design that is important too. A low step-through frame allows a child to get on and off the bike without difficulty. This is particularly important for smaller children who are on balance bikes and first pedal bikes, or for older children who are less confident cyclists.
Kidvelo balance bikes are one of the lightest balance bikes with air-filled tyres.
Top tube height is worth checking if you’re buying a first road bike or mountain bike – you don’t want a frame that is too high for them to get their leg over easily.
The Frog Road 58 is one of the smallest kids road bikes available. A road bike has a high top tube and this can cause issues for smaller kids, so make sure your child is ready for the move up to a road bike. You can read the Cycle Sprog review of the Frog Road 58 here.
2. Choose the right type of bike for your kid
I know this sounds obvious, but as your child gets older, the type of cycling they’re doing will influence the type of bike they need. From 20″ wheels and upwards this choice becomes very important. Don’t buy them a mountain bike if they’re going to do most of their cycling on the road. Don’t buy a road bike with skinny road tyres and drop handlebars if they’re going to ride muddy trails or go to the BMX track!
If they’re going to do a mix of different cycling and you’re only in the market for one bike, then a hybrid, such as a B’Twin Riverside, Frog Bike or a Specialized Jett, is your best bet.
Alternatively, a mountain bike like the Cube Acid AllRoad can be a great all round choice even if you’re not going to be riding serious downhill routes.
3. Kids bikes need to be sturdy (not heavy)
Kids bikes are bound to get thrown onto the ground when it’s time for dinner, not to mention a few crashes here and there, so the sturdier the better. As mentioned above, sturdy doesn’t mean heavy. It means well made. If not protected steel will rust, so expect steel frames, seat posts, nuts and bolts to corrode quicker than their aluminium counterparts.
You can see the rust starting to form on the steel seat post on this balance bike. Read our blog on why the type of bike you buy for your toddler really makes a difference.
4. Gears and gear shifters can cause problems
The smallest kids bikes don’t need gears as they confuse young riders and just add weight. Our advice would be to avoid gears until they reach at least the 20″ wheel size – and even then consider if they’re really necessary.
Once your child is tackling hillier terrain, then of course gears become important. Start simple – a triple chainset at the front, providing 21 or more gears, will just confuse a 7 year old and add unnecessary weight. By the time they’re riding a 26″ wheel mountain bike, then you do need to think about the best gear ratios to get them up and down the trails and tracks.
It’s surprising how many gear shifters are difficult to operate. Good quality kids bikes will fit child sized components that can be operated more easily by small hands and thumbs. There are various types of shifter available, so make sure you know which type is on the kids bike you’re buying. The alternative is lots of moaning as they have to push up hills.
5. Brakes on kids bikes need to be useable
Again, brake levers come in different sizes. Some kids bikes come fitted with adult levers that are far too big for small hands to reach and operate. Check that the bike you’re buying has child friendly components, or there’ll be tears when they can’t stop the bike.
woom bikes in smaller sizes come with a green rear brake lever so you can tell your child to use the green brake and there’s no chance of them getting their left and rights mixed up.
6. Chainguards can save tears
A chainguard will protect little hands and legs from the bike chain, keeping your child from injury and reducing the chance of clothes being ruined.
This Cube Cubie 160 16″ wheel kids bike has a chainguard to protect your child from injury and their clothes from oil stains
7. Stabilisers aren’t always necessary!
Fewer kids are actually using training wheels (stabilisers) these days, as they move from balance bikes straight to pedal bikes. However, if your child prefers to pedal earlier, but wants the stability that comes with training wheels then these can come as standard on bikes up to 16″ wheels.
8. Accidents do sometimes happen
Most parents prefer that their children wear a helmet when riding a bike (although in the UK there is no legal obligation). Always ensure that the cycle helmet you’re buying meets a relevant safety standard, or it won’t offer the protection required.
The Hornit cycling helmets meet safety standards and provide some fun too!
For mountain biking, BMX and jump parks it’s especially important that your child wears a helmet as crashes are inevitable. Some kids also wear elbow and knee protection that help minimise cuts, grazes and knocks.
9. Remember little hands and feet get cold
If you’re buying a kids bike during the winter months, it stands to reason they’re going to want to go out and ride it IMMEDIATELY! This time of year it can be really cold, so a pair of kids sized winter cycling gloves can be a useful stocking filler.
The Polaris Hoolie gloves keep small hands warm when cycling during the winter
With competitive price and timely delivery, habibi sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
Check out our post on keeping kids warm when cycling during the winter for more useful ideas on kids sized kit designed for winter.
The rest of the year a pair of fingerless cycling mitts is an excellent way to prevent scraps should they fall off.
10. Be seen, be safe
Remember, if your child is cycling in low light conditions they need to be visible to vehicles and pedestrians. Bike lights don’t need to cost a fortune, neither does a hi-visibility vest.
11. Lock it, don’t lose it
If you’ve spent your hard earned cash on a bike for your child you don’t want it getting stolen. Purchase a bike lock and teach your child how to use it! The weight and thickness of the lock you need will depend on how much you spent on the bike and crime rates where you’re riding (and locking) it.
12. A good quality kids bike should last for years
If you’ve bought a good quality kids bike then keep it clean and maintained and it should be grown out of and be in a good enough condition to be passed on or sold second hand to recoup some of your costs. Teaching your child how to look after their bike will reap you these rewards.
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Karen and Chris.
Kids Bicycle
Choosing a kid's bicycle is no child's play. Whether it's their very first bicycle or their subsequent ones, each one of them has to be carefully selected. You are not only buying their very own set of wheels and teaching them about the joys of cycling, but you are also building memories and experiences that would stay with them forever.
Finding the perfect bicycle for your kid can be confusing with the multiple available options. Remember, kid's bikes are not all alike, or 'one size fits all.' You have to find the right and best bicycle for your child to enjoy a positive and safe cycling experience. We've put down fourteen considerations that you must employ when you are choosing your child's bicycle.
A properly sized bike will be easier for kids to handle, safer, and more fun to ride. Kid's bicycles will typically have the wheel size mentioned to fit the different height range of kids, unlike frame size for adult bikes. Each wheel size corresponds with your child's height and their inside leg measurement like this sizing chart.
Don't be tempted to buy a larger size, thinking they'll grow into it. That may work for clothes but not bicycles. Remember, as the cycle size increases, so do its weight, making it difficult for your child to maneuver. Besides being uncomfortable to ride, it could be unsafe as well. While the sizing chart is indicative, the best way to match the best-fit bicycle size for your child would be to check the stand-over height. Have your kid straddle the bike with both feet flat on the ground and ensure a gap of 1-2 inches between their groin and the bike's top tube.
At the same time, ensure that they can comfortably grip the handlebar without the need to overstretch. There should be a slight bend at the elbows. They should also be able to pull back the brake levers comfortably. The proper riding position is when your child is slightly leaning forward so that their arms and torso form a 45-degree angle. Ensure that your child's knees never go above the handlebars while cycling. Accordingly, adjust the seat and the handlebar height to get to the proper riding position. Additionally, at the bottom of the pedal stroke, their legs should be slightly bent.
Children's bicycles, especially for the younger ones, should ideally have a chain guard to keep loose shoelaces, inquisitive fingers, feet, clothing ends, or other things from getting caught in the chain. It protects the young rider and the chain as well. Ensure that the brakes are of good quality, responsive, and meant for the tinier fist of a child to reach and grip them easily.
Check the paint covering the bicycle frame is non-toxic. You don't want your little ones to get sick from ordinary chemical-laden colours. A helmet is not exactly a part of the bicycle, but you should think of it as part of your bicycle purchase a well-fitting helmet of good quality.
Expect that the bicycle will be thrown onto the ground, a crash here and there, and experimental stunts going wrong. The bicycle frame must be strong enough to withstand a child at play, albeit it could be a bit rough at times. Durability and rustproof are what you should be looking at for the bicycle frame.
A single-speed bicycle is less complex to operate and is lighter in weight, making it an ideal bike for a kid. You do find geared bicycles for kids but valuable only if some serious off-roading and hill climbs are involved.
A lighter bicycle is convenient for maneuvering, ease in riding up slopes, even when you need to lift it for storing or similar reasons. The thumb rule on a child's bicycle weight should preferably be under 50% of your child's weight. So if you have an eight-year-old weighing approximately 25 kgs, make sure the bike you purchase is 10-12 kgs or lower.
Look out what the manufacturer is offering when it comes to warranty. It is common to get a lifetime frame warranty and a limited warranty on parts.
Full suspension or a suspension fork in the front of the bike is valuable only if your child is into mountain biking. Suspensions add weight to a bike, making it difficult to maneuver on slopes.
Most kid's bikes do not have suspensions; therefore, wider tyres are preferred to provide a little extra cushioning. Also, wide tires are multi-purpose, smooth on paved surfaces, and work well for a bit of trail riding
The saddle, the handlebars, and the pedals These are the three contact points of the bicycle with your child. Make sure that the quality of each is superior and appropriate.
Check that the saddle is adequately cushioned and comfortable. Most kid's bikes feature flat handlebars, and the grips will influence how the child handles and controls the cycle. As a critical touchpoint, make sure the grips are not too thick for small hands and can easily be held onto and have adequate cushioning so as not to leave an imprint on your child's hand from merely gripping it while riding. Pedals should preferably have a rough surface so that feet don't slip off, and that should be the case on both sides of the pedals.
Make sure your child's hands can operate them. The brake levers should be easy to reach and easy to press. Coaster brakes are different from handlebar brakes and are activated by pedaling backward. They are not very popular and not preferred as the kid would have to still learn to use handlebar brakes
Most kids' bicycles have training wheels. They are great in providing stability, inspiring confidence, especially to young riders during the initial stage of learning to ride. As the child progresses and is more confident with pedaling and maneuvering, the training wheels should be gradually raised to a point where they can almost do without them. And as the child progresses further, they can be removed.
If you're buying it for a kid, it has to reflect the rider's personality. Young, energetic, bubbly, and yes, it has to have kid-appealing colours in the least. Add attractive decals, and it takes it up a notch. Don't forget about the water bottle cage, reflectors. Accessories like tassels, baskets, bells, etc. could be added to make your kid's biking experience even more fun and something that they can be proud of and fondly remember years later.
The training wheels, if already there, would have to come when your child is confident with pedaling and maneuvering. Check for an option to add a kickstand, then. It is handy to have and avoids the bike getting dumped on the ground post use or when stored
What you finally buy all comes down to the budget. Think ahead here. Our suggestion is never to make the budget the deciding factor. Remember, a cheap bicycle may not give your child a fun time, a pleasant riding experience, or even have the required safety features. A more expensive set of wheels, yet having all the features that would make the young rider enjoy and feel safe, could be resold or handed down once the child has outgrown the size. So, remember to keep it in good condition and don't throw away training wheels, spares, reflectors, instructions, or other items that come with the initial purchase.
Now that you're familiar with the options available in a kid's bicycle, you can make a few decisions. Our advice is to buy the bike at a bike store, whether online or at a dealer. Though attractive with their cheap pricing, department store bikes are not built with the high quality you should be looking for in a bicycle. Check out the premium bicycle range 'Little Champs' brought to you by Ninety One bikes known for their safety, comfort, superior features, and kid-appealing looks. Visit their online store or their nearest dealer if you prefer to do a hands-on check and a test drive.
We wish your kid a Wonderful start to their Cycling Journey!
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Children Ride On Toy Bike.