Includes Them In Family Fun
Tricycles also allow toddlers and smaller kids to feel like they are part of family adventures. When older kids and parents are riding their bikes, toddlers wont feel excluded because they will have their own wheels too. Trikes are also a great introduction to cycling and will equip your little ones with special skills such as balance and co-ordination that will later be needed for cycling.
What To Look For In A Good Toddler Trike
- Age specifications
You need to think about what kind of tricycle you want and the age of your child. If you have a small child, you might want to consider a grow-with-me type trike. These models are able to adjust and adapt as your child grows and can last them until they are around 5. While these models might be a bit pricier upfront, they will save you from having to keep replacing the trike as your toddler grows.
- Durability
Opt for a model that has been constructed with strong materials that can withstand the elements. Look for stainless steel, air-grade aluminium, and other strong metals and durable materials. A robust model will mean that your tricycle will last longer and will ultimately be safer for any child as it wont break mid-ride.
- Safety Features
Since your little ones safety is your top concern, it is important to opt for a model that has adequate safety features. Look out for models with 3-5-point safety harness seatbelts, higher backs for infant support, and safety bars. If you have a smaller infant, choose a model that has a parent-steering feature.
The Croco Balance Bike
This is one of the best models for basic starters. In case your kid falls in love with it, which is likely to happen, dont worry, you dont have to move to another model, at least for a while. It has adjustable handlebody and seat height so it can follow your kid growing up up to around age 4.
Without pedals, but with a non-slip grip handle design, and soft seat, it combines safety and comfort, which are the most important thing for youngest riders. It is designed for both boys and girls, depend on the colour you choose.
Pros and The Croco Balance Bike:
- Comes with helmet
- Can take up to 70 lbs
- Weighs only 4.8lbs
Why We Liked It Great design, and comfort is what we liked the most. Its hard to find more comfortable item than this on the toddler bike market.
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Best Toddler Bikes For Your 1 2 Or 3
If youre looking for a toddler bike, but arent even sure where to start, this article is for you. We know that it can be a bit confusingespecially if this is your first childto know what bikes are best and how to get your little one started. Thats why weve created this guide.
We share the different types of toddler bikes, our top picks, why biking is important for toddler development, and what you should consider when choosing a bike for your little one.
Your Kid’s First Bike: Balance Bike Vs Training Wheels
When you go to purchase your childs first bike, you will have three options: tricycle, training wheels or balance bike. Whats the difference? We will break it down for you:
Tricycle: A bicycle with three wheels! Childrens tricycles are usually very low to the ground and therefore very stable. However, unlike a bicycle, trikes do not develop the skill of balance and are a bit hard to maneuver. They sure are cute though!
Training Wheels: An add-on part that can be attached to a two-wheeled bike. For a lot of parents, this is how you learned to ride a bike. Training wheels sound like a great deal because the child can learn to ride with the training wheels on and when the time comes to pop the training wheels off, you have a regular bike. The downside of training wheels is that the child does not learn to balance, but instead relies on those extra wheels like a crutch. Training wheels can also be a bit unstable for young riders.
Balance Bikes: With only two wheels and no pedals, these bikes require the child to sit on the saddle, scoot, and balance. Many resources say balance is the hardest part of learning to ride, so transferring to a pedal bike is easier for children that start out on a balance bike.
Ultimately, the choice is up to you and your family. Your local bike shop can also help you make the right decision for your child.
Need help teaching your child how to ride a bike? Check out our guide HERE!
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Early Rider Belter 16in
Early Rider
- £359 / $439
The 5.9kg Belter from Early Rider is a fantastic first pedal bike.
Early Rider has chosen to spec a Gates rubber belt where youd normally find a chain. This is a great idea on a kids bike because the belt requires no oiling and wont get dirty like a regular chain.
The shiny aluminium frame looks good and is lightweight, and overall this is a bike thats been built with care and attention to detail.
The 16in Vee mountain bike tyres look the part at 2in wide and are perfect for carving on those thrilling muddy slopes, rolling over roots or zooming across gravel. There are also powerful Tektro v-brakes front and rear, with special short-reach levers for small hands.
Latest deals
Orange
- £400
A great transition from striding to pedals is the 16in Orange Pop. Its a proper shrunken mountain bike for the promising young ripper.
The frame follows the same long, low and slack mantra of Oranges big bikes. Its a singlespeed, so there are no gears to struggle with or break, and the proper 2.15in Kenda tyres are another highlight. The frame comes in either the orange shown or a blue colour.
Skøg Black Mountain Bikes
- £399 / 477.95
Like its little sibling the Pinto, the Skøg works essentially like three bikes in one.
The bikes are designed to be light and therefore easier for smaller people to ride, and have good-quality brakes with levers designed for small hands.
Its available in four bright colours purple, neon green, sky blue and orange.
Balance Bikes Buying Tips
Detailed Descriptions of our Top Picks
**Click blue age group to jump down to a specific section**
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How To Shop For A Kids Bike
The most obvious difference between child and adult bikes is size. The size of an adult bicycle is based on the frame, while kids bikes follow wheel size, explained Ken Tashoff, manager of Dannys Cycles. When shopping, you want to make sure youre getting a bike that will fit your child. Typical wheel sizes for kids bikes range between 12 and 24 inches, and the bigger your child is, the bigger their bikes wheels should be. Another way to measure bike size is by your childs inseam, which is the length from the floor to your childs seat. Most bikes will offer multiple sizes, and bike maker Schwinn offers estimates as to which size to buy, depending on your childs age:
- 1 to 4 years old: 12-inch wheels
- 3 to 4: 14-inch wheels
- 3 to 7: 16-inch wheels
- 5 to 9: 18-inch wheels
- 7 to 13: 20-inch wheels
- 10 to 15: 24-inch wheels
There are also different types of kids bikes, noted Alison Dewey, education director with the League of American Bicyclists, a bicycling advocacy organization.
Pay attention to weight, as well, said Dewey. A bike thats too heavy for your child will make it difficult for them to navigate and exhausting to ride long distances. Danny Sonnentag, bike training lead for Trek Bicycle, recommended finding a bike with a frame no more than 50 percent of your childs weight, as lighter bikes are easier for your child to maneuver. Safety is also important make sure your child is wearing a helmet and youre planning your family bike trips accordingly.
Balance Bikes And Age Ranges
Children can start riding balance bikes when theyâre around 18-months to two years old, and little ones up to around the age of five enjoy them. In most cases, children will move on to a bike with pedals at around the age of four. There isnât a top-end restriction on age, though, and you can even get balance bikes for adults .
Itâs important to remember that balance bikes need to be the correct size for their rider: bike fit is just as important for kids as it is for adults. Of course, children grow quickly between the ages of two and five, so ideally youâll want to select a bike that is adjustable.
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What About Kids Bikes With Stabilisers
You probably learned to ride by using stabilisers, and most professional cyclists probably did too. Stabilisers are a great way to get kids comfortable riding, and to get them hooked on the feeling of freedom that only a bike can provide. Theyre a good choice for kids who are too big for a balance bike or simply need a bit more time to gain confidence.Pro tip: when teaching your child to ride, remember that the emphasis should be on balance, not pedalling. As soon as your child is comfortable with the thought of removing their stabilisers, its time for them to go!
Weight Lighter The Better
The lighter the helmet the better. Babies and young toddlers have weaker neck muscles and it can be difficult for them to support the additional weight of a helmet if its too heavy. If youre looking for a full face helmet for a toddler, they are extremely heavy. The Strider Full Face helmet is a good, lighter weight option.
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Choosing A Bike Based On The Childs Height
We talked earlier about the importance of purchasing a bike for a child that will fit his/her physical dimensions right from the moment he/she starts riding it. In light of that, it is important to note that there are specific wheel measurements that work best depending on the height of the child who will be riding the bike.
According to Icebike.org, the reason why we want to focus on the height of the kid and the size of the wheel is because those components factor significantly into the bicycles other dimensions.
wheel size and the height of your child
Are Balance Bikes Better Than Training Wheels
You might be thinking about training wheels or stabilizers depending where in the world you live. After all, the majority of adults learned to ride a bike with stabilizers. What we have forgotten though is that the stabilizers held us back.
With training wheels fitted, we become reliant on them to help us with our balance. So when you take the training wheels off your childs pedal bike, they have to learn to balance, which is one of the hardest skills of cycling. They also have to learn how to steer all over again. Effectively, your child has gone back a step.
If you start with a balance bike, your child only needs to learn to pedal and, depending on the balance bike you had, brake. These are fairly easy skills, and the transition will take less than a day. Some children will even manage it first try.
In the battle of balance bike vs training wheels we would say that the balance bike wins.
- Categories
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Best Toddler Bike Australia: Hornit Airo
The AIRO is a fantastic balance bike, looks good, is super lightweight, all aspects for safety are taken into consideration. My little boy took to it straight away, he LOVES it its hard to get it off it!
Rachael W.
- Suitable for ages: 1.5 to 5 years old
- Seat height: 11 inches 17 inches
- Weight: 2.95 kg
- Forks & Frame: Magnesium alloy
The best first bike for kids is definitely a balance bike. This Hornit AIRO balance bike is a great learning step before moving to a normal bike. The Hornit AIRO could make the best girls or best boys bikes for ages 18 months up to five years old. This range is available in six fun colours: orca white, magma red, hammer yellow, Tuvalu turquoise, flamingo pink, and mavericks blue.
This balance bike has 12.5 in air filled rubber tyres. It has no brakes as these arent needed on a balance bike. For added protection and comfort, it has a padded stem and an adjustable seat which can be adjusted from 29 to 44 cm.
It weighs 2.95kg lighter than similar competitors and can carry kids of a max weight of 30 kg. If you think your child will enjoy a lightweight, colourful balance bike, check this one out.
What we love:
My 15 month old LOVES this bike!!! She plays with it all over our house. Shes very petite and on the lowest setting of the bike, she can go anywhere with ease.
Ben
- Suitable for ages: ages 12 to 24 months
- Seat height: 8.5 11 inches
- Weight: 2.7 kg
- Frame: Bamboo
What we love:
What we dont love:
Don’t Buy A Heavy Bike Shaped Object
There are two types of children’s bikes – those that are designed by bike companies and those designed by toy companies. The latter are commonly known as “bike shaped objects”. There is a BIG difference between the two.
I haven’t got room to go into why you shouldn’t buy a Bike Shaped Object here but . They’re poorly made, incredibly heavy and can be unsafe. You’re likely to end up with a very frustrated child and wishing you’d spent that little bit more on a proper bike.
Bike Shaped Objects tend to be associated with cartoon characters, pirates and princesses, handlebar streamers and other gimmicks. They are usually sold in supermarkets, discount stores and large warehouse stores. They always seem to be a very good price, until you have a broken bike and upset child on your hands!
The best test of whether it’s a bike shaped object is to ask your child to pick it up. If they can’t move it then avoid!
Good quality children’s bikes tend to be gender neutral, with child sized components. They are lightweight so can be moved around easily by a young child .
Before you start take a moment to GRAB YOUR FREE KIDS BIKE BUYING CHECKLIST which will help you record all the information you need to find the perfect bike for your child.
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What Size Bike Does My Child Need
The size that your child needs is roughly based on age, but more specifically it depends on their height and inseam length . You want your child to be able to sit on the saddle and still touch their feet or one foot off the ground for balance.
For parents who want to increase the amount of time that their child can use the bike, consider a bike option that allows you to add spacers or make handlebar stem changes. Next, we will look at how to buy a kids bike.
Get From Point A To Point B In Style With The Joystar Totem Kids Bike
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Theres nothing quite as fun for a kid as going outside and cruising around the neighborhood on their bike. Bike riding is fun, offers great exercise, helps develop gross motor skills, and promotes independence. Plus, it’s an activity theyll be able to enjoy into adulthood.
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Suitable Age Means Suitable Bike
Getting the right bike for your kids depends on their age and that is the key to a perfect purchase. We have showcased the bike size chart for kids at the start of the guide. You just need to follow those instructions!
If you are looking for a 20-inch bike then the right age for that is around 6-9 years, after that you should look for a 24-inch bike.
Another helpful tip is checking your kids inseam length before looking for a bike, once the perfect height has been determined, you can move on to shopping!
What To Look For In Toddler Bikes
Toddlers as young as 18 months are old enough to handle a balance bike or a tricycle. These days the trend is to start kids on balance bikes, eventually graduating to a regular bicycle without training wheels. The idea behind a balance bike is that children learn to properly balance from the outset, eliminating the need for training wheels once they graduate to a big kid bike. Balance bikes come in sizes suitable for 18-month-olds all the way to adults but traditionally are best enjoyed by kids up to age 5.
When selecting a toddler bike, the most important thing is size. If the bike you choose is too big , its going to be hard for your child to ride. Unlike adult bikes, which are sized by seat height and frame, the size of a childs bike is determined by the wheel diameter, ranging from 12 to 24 inches. To find the proper wheel size for your child, measure their height and inseam. Kids who are 210 to 34 or have an inseam of 14 to 17 inches require 12-inch wheels.
Also worth noting is the weight of the bike. Ideally, a toddler bike shouldnt be more than 40 percent of their total body weight. Do your best to find the lightest bike within your price range, as itll be less cumbersome for your little one to handle.
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