Kids’ bikes – All you need to know!

One of my fondest memories from childhood was running down the stairs Christmas morning, ecstatic about what surprises awaited us under our tree. On one particularly special Christmas morning, the silhouette of a bicycle (obscured by our tree and wrapped as well as one can wrap a bicycle) evoked an unparalleled sense of joy. 

If you would like to recreate this magical feeling for your child or loved one, in this author's view, there is still no better gift than a bicycle. 

For some, purchasing a bicycle for a child might feel straightforward; for others, it can feel a touch overwhelming. Am I purchasing the right size or style; will they be able to grow into it; is it safe; is it good quality; what types of brakes should kids' bikes have; should we put training wheels on it?  There is a good bit of information to be aware of before making a purchase on a child's bicycle. It can therefore be intimidating.  In this article, I'm going to help you navigate all those questions and more. 

How are kids' bikes sized? First and foremost, the size of a child's bike is the single most important element to get right. There are other important factors, such as hand brakes vs pedal brakes; however, proper sizing is vital. Kids’ bikes are sized much differently than adult bikes. Where adult bikes are usually sized based on the frame, kids' bikes are sized based on the wheels. The smallest kids' bikes usually start at a 10-inch wheel and work their way up to 24-inch wheels. After that, anything larger is technically a small adult bike. 

When should you buy your first kids’ bike? I’ve been teaching kids to ride bikes for years–including my two daughters. In my experience, the earlier one’s child gets on a bike, the easier it is for them to learn. Additionally, data indicates that the earlier people start riding bicycles, the more likely they are to continue to ride throughout their life. If you're a rider yourself, what better way to spend time with a youngster than side by side on bicycles? In short, the earlier, the better! 

Balance bikes are the new norm. Years ago, most of us learned to ride bikes with training wheels. A notable flaw with this approach is that training wheels are a crutch. While they do work, they don’t truly enforce the balancing component of bicycle riding. This is why I recommend a child's first bike be a balance bike.

What is a balance bike? A balance bike is a very small bicycle, built for young children, that doesn’t include any pedals. This allows a child to “scoot” along, and catch themselves if they are going to tip over. This promotes learning to balance the bike through steering and leaning into turns, which simply isn’t possible with training wheels. Balance bikes predominantly come in two sizes: 10-inch wheels and 12-inch wheels, and will work for a toddler up to about 5 years old. If your child is beyond the balance bike size but has still not learned to ride, taking the pedals off of their well-fitting existing bike is a great hack to teach them to balance on two wheels. Once they master balance, put the pedals back on, and away they’ll go!

Now that your child has mastered the balance bike, what’s next? It’s time to throw on some pedals. Although some balance bikes can be retrofitted with pedals, most likely your child is ready to size up into a 16 or 20-inch bike. Because kids grow so fast, it is tempting to think about trying to buy a bike your child can grow into. Although sometimes this approach is ok, typically, at this stage of the game, it is not advised. A properly fitted bike will inspire confidence in the child which goes a long way toward mastering the two-wheeler. Building trust is more difficult on a bike too large for a child, as its size can be intimidating. It only takes one bad experience, like a painful fall, to turn a kid off of cycling altogether.