What Size Bike Should I Get For My Child

How to Buy a Bike for your Child

Kids Bicycle Sizing and Best Bikes for Kids

So, your child is interested in bikes - time to welcome your little ane into the sport you love! Whether your child is just three years erstwhile and prepare for their commencement bike, or they're fix to explore roads or trails, nosotros have put together a few tips to make buying your child a bike a petty less confusing.

Unlike bicycles for adults, children's bikes are not sized based on the frame tiptop or length. Instead, they are offered in sizes based on cycle size. Beneath is a chart you can apply to decide the approximate size your child would need. Although children who are taller for their age may exist able to size up to a larger cycle, they may non be equally well equipped to deal with other changes every bit the bikes go larger: like multiple gears and hand brakes instead of coaster brakes. Sizing charts are a good place to beginning when choosing a bike for your child, just not a definitive answer. In one case your child is over 4'10" (147 cm), they can ride an adult size bike with 26, 27.5, 29 or 700c wheels.

Your Child'due south Offset Bicycle: Balance Bike VS Grooming Wheels

When y'all become to purchase your child'south first wheel, you will have three options: tricycle, training wheels or residue bicycle. What's the deviation? Nosotros will break it down for you:

Tricycle: A cycle with three wheels! Children'southward tricycles are usually very low to the basis and therefore very stable. However, unlike a cycle, trikes exercise not develop the skill of balance and are a bit difficult to maneuver. They certain are cute though!

Training Wheels: An addition office that can be attached to a two-wheeled bike. For a lot of parents, this is how you lot learned to ride a wheel. Preparation wheels sound like a great bargain because the child can learn to ride with the training wheels on and when the time comes to popular the training wheels off, you take a regular cycle. The downside of training wheels is that the kid does not learn to balance, just instead relies on those actress wheels similar a crutch. Training wheels can also be a bit unstable for young riders.

Residuum Bikes: With only two wheels and no pedals, these bikes crave the kid to sit on the saddle, scoot, and balance. Many resource say balance is the hardest part of learning to ride, and then transferring to a pedal bicycle is easier for children that kickoff out on a balance bike.

Ultimately, the pick is upward to you and your family. Your local bike shop can also assist you brand the right conclusion for your child.

Need help teaching your child how to ride a bicycle? Check out our guide Hither!

Buying a Bike for a Growing Child

Children are constantly growing! Yous dress them in the morn and in the afternoon it looks like their clothes have shrunk. How are you supposed to purchase a cycle for a child when they won't stay the aforementioned size?

Although buying a bike that your child can "grow into" might seem like an economical choice, there are some major disadvantages when trying to cut costs when purchasing a bike for your kid.

Safety: If your kid cannot touch the ground when standing over the pinnacle tube or cannot comfortably attain the handlebars or brakes, then the bicycle is not safe for them to ride. They volition not be able to adequately control, stop and steer the bike. Likewise, if a bike is too small for your child you volition detect they are striking their knees on their handlebars and await crunched on the wheel. A bike that is too small tin can seem out-of-control and unstable.
Comfort: Although kids are a bit more resilient than adults sometimes, think about what it would be like to ride a bike that did not fit properly. If you are not comfy, you are less likely to ride the bike. The same goes for your child. Yous want cycling to be enjoyable so that you can all ride together, but if your child is riding a bike that doesn't fit, information technology will not exist quite as fun for them.

If y'all do not have the extra funds to purchase a new bike every year (who does?) at that place are some slap-up ways to relieve money while still giving your kid a fun and rubber bicycle. Many bike shops will sell used bikes and offer a footling trade-in coin that could become toward your side by side wheel buy for your kid. Proceed in heed that equally one kid grows out of a wheel, there is ever another child growing into that size bike… fifty-fifty if it is non your ain. Make friends with other parents in your biking community or donate your child'due south gently used cycle to someone who actually needs information technology.

Buying a Cycle as a Gift

Alright, you are armed with tons of knowledge well-nigh kids' bikes and at present y'all are ready to go purchase them ane to put nether the tree this holiday or tie up with a bow for their birthday! Right? Well, maybe not quite yet.

When your child is old plenty, it's of import for your they are involved in the wheel-buying process. Taking your child to the bike shop for a exam ride is a slap-up way to find out what fits best and what kind of riding they are most interested in doing. The employees at your local bike shop are experts on how your child should fit on a bike, what kind of bike they volition need for the riding they will be doing, and they can salve you tons of time scouring the internet for answers.

However you decide to give your kid a wheel, make certain you lot plan ahead for this purchase. Some wheel shops may non accept the exact cycle you are looking for in stock, but they tin definitely order it if you give them enough time.

Don't want to risk ownership your child the wrong bike? We don't blame you! Why not wrap upwardly a new helmet, a new kid's cycling outfit, or a fun cycle bong? "Surprise, beloved! We're taking you to the cycle shop to go your very ain wheel!"