New Bike Day – What you need to know when purchasing a bike for your child

There are many different types of bikes for our young ones, from a balance bike through to a full suspension mountain bike.

Apart from the size of the bike there isn’t a lot different to adult bikes.

All have 2 working brakes, reflectors, and rear red light/reflector. These are legal requirements for bikes to be on our roads. Obviously, a balance bike doesn’t fit into the plan here, but all the rest will.

With kids bikes rather than frame size we use wheel size, measured in inches.

	12” Wheel Balance Bike Age: Under 2 Height: Up to 95cm View Cruzee balance bikes here Good for: Ideal first bike, learning balance without any complicating factors
	16” Wheel Kids Bike Age: 3 - 6 years  Height: 84 - 112cm View the Norco Coaster kids bike here Good for: Ideal size for a child's first pedal bike once balance is achieved, learn to coordinate pedaling with using a single rear brake.
	18” Kids Bike  Age: 5 - 7 years Height: 95 – 115cm  View the BYK e350 18" kids bike here Good for: Coordinating front and rear braking patterns with pedal cadence.
	20” Kids Bike  Age: 6 - 9 years Height: 125 – 148cm  View the GT Stomper Ace 20" Kids bike here Good for: Learning first gear changes with a simple 7 speed twist shifter
	24” Kids Bike  Age: 8 - 12 years Height: 125 – 148cm  View the Haro Flightline 24" Kids bike here Good for: Developing skills for riding on different surfaces and gradients
	26” Kids Bike  Age: 10 years+ Height: 145 – 160cm View the Apollo Neo 26" Kids bike here  Good for: Gaining speed on larger wheels

The above chart should only be used as a guide. A bike that may fit one 7-year-old may be too big for another 7-year-old with shorter legs. Also, bikes with the same-size wheels may also vary between bike manufacturers.

Should I buy a bike for my child to grow into?

You are probably thinking you want to buy a bike that the child will “grow into” and that’s understandable. Bikes are not cheap, and it can be frustrating when you have to constantly upgrade bikes as the child grows too fast.

But a concern with buying a bike to grow into is that the child risks falling from that bike if it is too big, and take it from someone who teaches children cycle skills both on and off road, this can be more detrimental to them than not riding at all. A child will lose their confidence very quickly with a good tumble and then good luck getting them back on it. A properly sized bike will be easier for kids to handle, a lot safer and more fun to ride.

Three important things to look at when sizing the bike to your child:

1. Height of child. Can they stand over the bike with their feet on the ground while sitting down on the seat? The reason for this, comfort and safety.
2. Reach. Can your child reach the handlebars safely while sitting down? Can they pull in the brake? Their arms should not be fully extended. A small kink in the arms is the go-to.
3. Seat height. Can they sit upright and still turn the pedals while holding the bars? Ideally there should be a small bend in the knee.

Keep Kids Safe with a Helmet

Don’t forget!!! If you are buying your child his or her first bike or even if they already have a bike, it’s a good time to check or purchase a good quality helmet. Head to the bike shop to get the team to check it if you’re not sure, especially if the helmet is over a couple of years old or is dropped on the concrete regularly!

View the kid helmets we recommend here - these are strong, well designed helmets, that are highly adjustable for heads between 48 - 54cm. We have a larger range in-store including styles popular with teens and skaters.