Compare Top Kids Bike Brands
Honorable Mentions
Photograph: Adrienne So
Linus Roadster for $349: We tried the 20-inch Roadster and it’s a little kids’ bike, with coaster brakes and no gears. The reach is also a little far for a 7-year-old. However, it is a beautiful bike, with an aluminum alloy frame and gorgeous, vegan leather handlebar grips and seat. You also get a bell and a kickstand.
ByK E-450 for $191: This first pedal bike has an alloy frame that puts its weight at an insanely light 18 pounds. It’s also cheap for everything you get—a big saddle, a bell, and both coaster brakes and hand brakes.
Best Accessories
Getting the bike is the first step. Here are a few bike accessories my children use every day. For more accessories, check out our roundups to the Best Bike Helmets and Best Bike Lights.
Photograph: Michael Venutolo-Mantovani
Nüdl Unicorn Helmet with Mips for $60: Nüdl helmets come outfitted with Mips, which is an in-helmet system that protects against rotational impact and reduces the risk of concussion. For extra peace of mind, Nüdl helmets also have a new technology called Twiceme, which is a chip embedded in the helmet that can be accessed by simply tapping the helmet with a smartphone. There, friends, passersby, and even first responders can instantly access critical medical information such as emergency contacts, allergies, or essential medical notes in the event of a bike crash. Of course, my kids don’t really care about Mips or Twiceme. What they do care about were Nüdl’s fun and kid-friendly designs. —Michael Venutolo-Mantovani
Giro Fixture II Helmet for $75: We’ve tried pretty much every helmet out there. Style-wise, my kids tend to prefer the skateboard-style helmets, like the Lil Linus ($69). But personally, for my own peace of mind, I prefer to put them into the Giro MI helmet, which is more comfortable and versatile for camping and mountain biking. The vents are bigger and it’s a little lighter.
Ottolock Sidekick lock for $36: Kids bikes do get stolen, but for little ones you might want to consider the tradeoffs in weight and cost. The Sidekick has three keys so you can give your child one to teach responsibility, keep one at home, and still have a spare on your own keyring. It also has a nice soft silicone cover which dramatically lessens the chances of your kid needing another tetanus shot.
Thousand Front Traveller Magnetic Bike Light for $35: Again, the considerations when purchasing bike lights for kids are different than when buying adult bike lights; my 8-year-old is not biking 12 miles in the dark at 25 mph without me. I want bike lights that are affordable and easy to take off and stash 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 picked up a pack of these lights for your bike wheels from our neighbor, which are fun, if not that durable.
FAQs
How do you size a kids’ bike?
Bikes are expensive. It’s tempting to future-proof your purchase by buying a bike a size or two bigger, so that your kid won’t outgrow it quickly. Do not fall into this trap! Not only is it uncomfortable, it’s unsafe. How would you expect to control a bike that was two sizes too big for you?
Sizing by age range is also risky; for example, my 10-year-old daughter is half the size of some of her peers (sorry, sweetie). To find the correct size, you’ll either have to measure your kid’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 forth. When you get the bike, see if your child can stand over the frame with flat feet comfortably on the ground. Make sure your child can get on and off easily and that their hands can reach the brakes and shifters if the bike has them.
What features should I look for?
- Brakes: Most kids start with coaster brakes, also known as pedal brakes. They let you stop by pedaling backward. An older kid might want hand brakes so they can pedal backward like Mom or Dad. Rim brakes are cheaper, but a disc brake will help them stop faster.
- Shifters: Once your child is big enough to comprehend basic physics, an intuitive twist shifter will help them keep up with Mom or an older sibling. I can always hear my 8-year-old’s shifter frantically clicking behind me and his sister on our way to school.
- Suspension: Are you planning on dragging your kid mountain biking with you? Then you might be considering a bike with shocks. However, these will add considerable weight and expense to the bike. Kids are also usually light enough so suspension might not work. If you plan on doing a lot of off-road riding as a family, I would suggest prioritizing bigger wheels and better brakes first.
When should my kid get gears?
From personal experience, kids start wanting gears around 6 years old. This is about the age when their hands are big enough to get around the grip and shift. This is especially relevant if you bike in hilly terrain or as a family—they are really going to want to keep up with you. I recommend twist-grip shifters, like on the Woom, for littler kids.
How much should a kids’ bike cost?
I think around $400 is a reasonable price for a brand-new kids’ bike. Do not get the cheapest brand-new bike at the big box store; I have done this before and ended up carrying tiny bikes to the nearest shop for replacement parts. There is a healthy secondary market for kids’ bikes that children have outgrown. You might want to check Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or ask your neighbors.
Should I get training wheels?
If you want to teach your little kid to ride a bike—especially one that’s trying desperately to keep up with an older sibling—it’s very tempting to just screw some training wheels on and figure that you’ll teach them later. It’s even more tempting because you don’t want your kid to get turned off riding bikes altogether.
However, if you’re a child that’s learned to bike with training wheels, it’s very frustrating to have them taken off and learn how to balance from scratch. I highly recommend skipping the training wheels entirely and letting your kid figure out that they can coast on two wheels all 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, as bunnies are much cuter than frogs). A properly fitted bike also goes a long way to ensuring that your child feels comfortable.
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