What to look for when buying a kids bike
Sooner or later it’s going to be time to buy your child their first bike. But with so many types and sizes to choose from it can be difficult to know what’s best. Whether for a Birthday or Christmas we’re here to give a helping hand when it comes to choosing the right bike for your child.
As a rule of thumb the best way to know what bike types to buy your child is by their size and age, this greatly dictates the type of bike that would be suitable.
Kids Bike Sizing
To better understand the range of bicycles suitable for your child you’ll need to understand that having the correct size of bike for their size and age is the key to safety and comfort. A chart will never be a replacement for simply having your child try bike sizes in person, however it does give a fairly good gauge as to what you can expect size wise and therefore the types of bike available for your kids.
Kids bike size guide
Wheel Size |
Age |
Height (Inches) |
Height (cm) |
10” |
2 - 4 |
2' 11" - 3' 5" |
88 - 105 |
12" |
3 - 5 |
3' 3" - 3' 8" |
98 - 112 |
14" |
4 - 6 |
3' 5" - 3' 10" |
105 - 117 |
16" / 18" |
5 - 8 |
3' 8" - 4' 2" |
112 - 127 |
20" |
7 - 9 |
3' 10" - 4' 6" |
117 - 136 |
24" |
8 - 11 |
4' 2" - 4' 9" |
127 - 145 |
What sort of bike should I buy for my child?
- Balance Bike - Starting out at the smallest is the balance bike. With their 10 inch wheels and no pedals to complicate things these bikes are the perfect start to their riding journey with a focus on simply having fun and learning to balance.
- 12 / 14 Inch Bikes - Moving up from a balance bike are 12 and 14 inch kids bikes. These offer a fuller range of cycling to really get them learning fast with the added benefit of having them come with stabilisers.
- 16 / 18 Inch Bikes - This size is where variety of the type of child’s bike really begins. Gone are the little kids bikes and you’ll find a broader range of bike types from mini-BMXs, kids mountain bikes and junior bikes all offering a slightly different but fun experience for your child.
- 20 Inch Bikes - You’ll find this the where the BMX comes into play. Once up to a 20” size bike, sky is the limit as this is the ultimate size for a BMX and all it can offer your child.
- 24 Inch Bikes - Here you’ll find most adult types of bikes and they are available at such a young age, good news for specialising in the right bike for the type of cycling they enjoy. From road bikes to hybrids, mountain bikes to vintage classics they can all be had in the 24 inch bike range.
So, what are you waiting for, why not check out our massive range of kids bikes today with Click Cycle.