You want to get out and enjoy summer biking with the family. You don’t want to waste time returning a bike that either broke down or that doesn’t fit your child’s needs. Here are some of the pointers I learned while looking for a bike for my son. Considering how quickly kids grow at younger ages, an adjustable seat post can help tailor the fit of the bike to your child and extend its usage. Dewey noted that the child’s toes should be touching the ground when they’re seated, but they shouldn’t be flat-footed since that indicates the seat is too low. Typically, you can raise the seat post about 4 to 5 inches before hitting that line.
To help your child have fun and stay safe while on the road, here are a few highly rated and expert-recommended bike options that are in line with guidance we received from our cycling experts. We listed different types of bikes for kids of varying ages and sizes based on our experts’ advice (we go into detail on the types of kids bikes below). We also noted the wheel size, suggested ages and weight of each one based on the bike manufacturers’ recommendations.
The Huffy saddle is longer and more narrow, which bothered our 8-year-old tester. Size is the most important feature to get right when choosing a bike for your child. Unfortunately, one of the primary difficulties with bikes under $100 is that they aren’t built in the right proportions for a child. The positioning of the handlebars can also make quite a difference. When the handlebars are too high, it limits overall control and maneuverability. Both Huffy and Dynacraft are a little cramped but aren’t the worst offenders we’ve seen by far.
Teaching your child to ride a bike is one thing, but helping them find the right bike can be an entirely other challenge. To help you get started, we spoke to cycling experts about how to find the right bike for your child and what to consider when it comes to identifying the correct size, weight and type of bike. We also compiled a list of highly rated and expert-recommended options that are in line with their shopping guidance. This may sound silly and obvious, but a kid needs room to ride a bike. Too often super value bikes don’t provide enough space between the handlebars and the bike seat (wheelbase measurement), so a child’s body gets crammed together as a result. It’s uncomfortable, and it makes it much more difficult to pedal efficiently and to control the bike.
It’s an excellent way to get the kids active, and it promotes family togetherness. My husband and I have always loved biking, and now that the kids are old enough, we’re getting them involved as well. In fact, it’s become one of our frequent family activities. The kids love to get out and see the world fly by, and they love to be doing big kid activities with mom and dad.
It’s available in five colors, including red, blue, green, yellow and purple. While the Huffy Pro Thunder comes in 3rd place, it’s still a decent bike for riding around the neighborhood. We loved how lightweight it was compared to the others. Additionally, its minimum seat height is the smallest of any of the three, so a younger, shorter rider can still touch the ground with his tippy toes. Our 6-year-old tester chose to ride this bike on many occasions and zipped happily up and down the street.
Its mid-rise handlebars allowed their arms to extend properly and maintain proper control of the bike. Although this bike is by far the heaviest, if you have a confident rider, at this price point the smooth ride outweighs the heaviness. However, if you have a timid rider, heavy bikes will always be more difficult for them to get and maintain balanced.
Co-op Cycles also offers a 24-inch version of this mountain bike for older kids and teens. It features a durable and lightweight alloy frame and high-grip tires to handle dirt roads and off-road cycling, Fuji Bikes says. Made from lightweight dynacraft klds bike aluminum, the Woom 4 bike weighs under 20 pounds, making this the lightest option on this list for kids above 6 years old. When shopping for a kids bike, you want to make sure you’re getting a bike that will actually fit your child.
I hope this year, he will practice enough so he will have the confidence to ride without them. It could be the motivation he needs to try harder this year. I like the sporty look of the dynacraft klds bike bike, and he looks happy riding it. When you get right down to it, almost any small bike with training wheels could be called a child’s bike, but does that make it a good child’s bike?
Carolynn loves spending time outside and staying active, and now that she’s about to be 3 – the perfect gift idea for her? If you are shopping for last-minute gift ideas for little ones aged 3 to 5, this 12″ bike comes in a variety of styles and is the PERFECT holiday gift this season. Since your child is sitting most of the time they are on their bike, a comfy saddle can go a long way! The saddle on the Kent Chaos is the widest, softest and most comfortable, with the Dynacraft not too far behind.