Compare the best brands of children’s bikes
Honorable mentions
Photography: Adrienne So
Linus Roadster for $349: We tried the 20-inch Roadster and it’s a small kids’ bike, with coaster brakes and no gears. The range is also a bit far for a 7 year old. However, he East a beautiful bike, with an aluminum alloy frame and beautiful vegan leather handlebar grips and seat. You also receive a bell and a crutch.
ByK E-450 for $191: This first pedal bike has an alloy frame that weighs an incredibly light 18 pounds. It’s also cheap for all you get: a big saddle, a bell, and coaster brakes and hand brakes.
Best accessories
Getting the bike is the first step. Here are some bicycle accessories that my children use daily. For more accessories, check out our summaries of Best bicycle helmets And Best Bike Lights.
Photography: Michael Venutolo-Mantovani
Nüdl Unicorn Helmet with Mips for $60: Nüdl helmets are equipped with Mips, which is a helmet integrated system which protects against rotational impacts and reduces the risk of concussion. For added peace of mind, Nüdl helmets also feature a new technology called Twiceme, which is a chip embedded in the helmet accessible by simply tapping the helmet with a smartphone. There, friends, passers-by and even first responders can instantly access critical medical information such as emergency contacts, allergies or essential medical notes in the event of a bicycle accident. Of course, my kids don’t really care about Mips or Twiceme. What interests them are the fun, child-friendly creations from Nüdl. —Michael Venutolo-Mantovani
Giro Luminaire II Helmet for $75: We’ve tried just about every headset available. Style-wise, my kids tend to prefer skateboard-style helmets, like the Little Linus ($69). But personally, for my peace of mind, I prefer to put them in the Giro MI helmet, more comfortable and versatile for camping and mountain biking. The vents are bigger and it’s a bit lighter.
Ottolock Sidekick Lock for $36: Children’s bikes are indeed stolen, but for little ones you may want to consider the trade-offs in weight and cost. The Sidekick has three keys so you can give one to your child to teach responsibility, keep one at home, and always have a spare on your own key ring. It also has a nice soft silicone cover that greatly reduces the chances of your child needing another tetanus shot.
Thousand Front Traveler Magnetic Bike Light for $35: Again, the considerations when purchasing bicycle lights for children are different from those when purchasing bicycle lights for adults; my 8 year old doesn’t bike 12 miles in the dark at 25 mph without me. I want bike lights that are affordable and easy to remove and store in a bag or pocket. This is my favorite light for my kids’ bikes, but if the bad reviews scare you, we also like these. I also bought a pack lights for your bike wheels from our neighbor, which are fun, if not so durable.
FAQs
How to size a children’s bike?
Bikes are expensive. It’s tempting to future-proof your purchase by purchasing a bike a size or two larger, so that your child doesn’t quickly outgrow it. Don’t fall into this trap! Not only is it uncomfortable, it’s dangerous. How You do you expect to control a bike twice too big for you?
Sizing by age group is also risky; for example, my 10-year-old daughter is half the size of some of her classmates (sorry, honey). To find the right size, you will need to either measure your child’s height or their minimum inseam length. Children’s bikes are measured by wheel size, so a 12-inch bike refers to a bike with 12-inch wheels, and so on. When you receive the bike, check if your child can comfortably stand on the frame with their feet flat on the ground. Make sure your child can get on and off easily and that their hands can reach the brakes and gear levers if the bike has them.
What features should I look for?
- Brakes: Most kids start with coaster brakes, also called pedal brakes. They allow you to stop while pedaling backwards. An older child may want hand brakes so they can pedal backwards like mom or dad. Rim brakes are cheaper, but a disc brake will help them stop faster.
- Controllers: Once your child is old enough to understand basic physics, an intuitive shifter will help them keep up with mom or an older sibling. I still hear my 8-year-old son’s gear stick slamming frantically behind me and his sister on the way to school.
- Suspension: Are you considering taking your child mountain biking with you? Then you may be considering a bike with shock absorbers. However, this will add considerable weight and expense to the bike. Children are also usually light enough that the suspension may not work. If you plan to do a lot of off-road driving as a family, I suggest you prioritize bigger wheels and better brakes.
When should my child receive equipment?
From my personal experience, children start wanting equipment around the age of 6. This is about the age where their hands are big enough to get around the handle and move. This is particularly relevant if you’re cycling in hilly terrain or with family: they’ll definitely want to follow you. I recommend twist grip shifters, like on the Woom, for little ones.
How much should a children’s bike cost?
I think around $400 is a reasonable price for a brand new kids bike. Don’t buy the cheapest new bike at a big box store; I’ve done this before and ended up carrying small bikes to the nearest store to get replacement parts. There is a healthy secondary market for children’s bikes that children have outgrown. You may want to check Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or ask your neighbors.
Should I get training wheels?
If you want to teach your little child to ride a bike, especially if they are desperately trying to keep up with an older sibling, it’s very tempting to just screw on a few training wheels and think you’ll teach them later. This is even more tempting because you don’t want your child to be completely discouraged from riding a bike.
However, if you are a child who learned to ride a bike with training wheels, it is very frustrating to take them off and learn to balance from scratch. I highly recommend skipping the training wheels altogether and letting your child understand that they can ride on two wheels on their own. This video is a good summary of the process (although they call the bunny hop the “frog hop”, which I disapprove of, because bunnies are much cuter than frogs). A well-fitted bike also goes a long way in ensuring your child feels comfortable.
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