Best Kids Bikes from Top Kids' Bike Brands

What’s the difference between a good and a not-so-great bike for a kid? It’s simple; one is made to suit a child’s ergonomics while the other is merely a shrunken-down version of an adult bike. Through research and experience, we can advise you on the best kids’ bikes on the market so that you don’t blunder when on the hunt for a good bike for your child, grandchild, or whatever child it is.

Great bike brands usually study children’s wants and needs, consider their proportions and go a step further to monitor the differences between adults and kids riding. They then proceed to make bikes that are more appropriately sized for kids and correctly administer to these needs to create the best bikes for kids of different ages.

You can still find, and we bet that you have come across subpar kids’ bikes. These are bikes with poor geometry, heavy frames, poor-quality components, and everything wrong you will find in a poorly designed kids’ bike. And even though they cost less, you end up in a sea of regrets even before your child outgrows them.

Luckily, you came to the right place as you begin your search; we can tell you that you will understand what a good kids’ bike sports, by the end of this guide. We are kids’ bike gurus; call us geeks or nerds. We are the go-to kids’ cycling resource because we advise you on how, where, and why to find the right bike that will make outdoors ever beckoning for a generation so glued on gadgets and nothing else.

The opinions we give here follow many tests, surveys, in-depth research, and objective writing to advise but let you choose whatever tickles your inner spirit.

Comparison Chart of the Best Kids Bike Brands

Classification of Kids’ Bikes

As you read through KiddingZone reviews and guides, we will often mention different types of kids’ bikes. Well, this is just the general classification of kids' bikes to make it easy to get a bike that meets your kid's needs.

Neighborhood Bikes

We’ve noted that except for avid trailheads and commuters, most kids will fit into the needs for neighborhood bikes. These are bikes that are functional and practical everyday riders.

Neighborhood bikes are casual bikes that kids ride around the neighborhood, whether on paved surfaces, murram roads, playgrounds, or lawns. They are not only limited to the neighborhood, but they are also suitable for biking to school or cruising around town.

In matters of convenience, neighborhood bikes with no suspension or shocks and sleek tires perform better than heavy suspension bikes with knobby tires that are only fit for dirt trails.

Road and XC Bikes

During stage 7 of Tour de Britain 2021, a full-kit racing cyclist kid joined the breakaway and stole the show, leaving Pascal Eenkhoorn of Team Jumbo Visma to have no option but to gift him a water bottle impulsively. To cycling aficionados like us, it was quite a show to behold.

So many kids are beginning to love both road cycling and cyclo-cross riding. If your kid bothers you often for either of these bikes, they are headed the right way.

The best you can do is to get them a good cyclo-cross or road bike. Although it is hard to find a kid-sized road or cyclocross bike with drop bars, when you do, you will fulfill your child’s dreams, and who knows, they might be the next pro cyclist.

Mountain Bikes

For the trailheads, little shredders, or kids who have a passion for stunts on trails, you can always get a real mountain bike capable of handling the rugged surfaces, dirt trails, jumps, and sometimes ski-lifts. A proper kid’s mountain bike sports quality knobby tires, air suspension with a lockout, dropper post seat (you can always upgrade), hydraulic disc brakes, and have a reasonable weight so that the little shredder can kick out their inner mountain biking demons on the trails.

However, if your kid is a light rider who wants a bike, they can take it to the bike park and enjoy; you can go for good quality neighborhood bikes, the likes of Guardian and Woom bikes.

Check out our guide on how to inspire your child into mountain biking. Also, read more about how to choose the best mountain bike for your kid.

Dirt Jumpers

Although dirt jumpers are part of the mountain bike larger family, they have unique features that make them stand out.

These are the stunt mountain bikes that kids use to do dirt jumps at the pump-up tracks and skills park.

They are best suited for pre-teens and teens who can control, balance, and execute different skills while on a bike.

BMX Bikes

With the option of freestyle and race BMX bikes, kids' BMX bikes leave you spoilt for choices. The freestyle BMX bikes are smooth operators on skateparks, while race BMX bikes belong to the tracks. So if your child is into BMX and stuff, get them either of these that their heart wants.

As you will note on our Kids’ BMX buyer’s guide, BMX bikes are sized differently from regular kids’ bikes. Therefore, it depends on the type of riding and the most suitable BMX bike that achieves a bike fit with your kid.

Read more about our Freestyle and Race BMX bikes: 12- and 16-inch BMX Bikes.

Balance Bikes

Balance bikes are no-pedal bikes that kids use as their first bike. They are a suitable type for kids who are beginning to learn cycling. They help kids develop control, handling, and balancing skills on the bike. We highly recommend balance bikes over bikes with training wheels because of the value they give and the shorter learning curve for kids who are learning to ride a bike.

Check out our guide on how to select a good balance bike for your kid. And when decided, you can narrow down your option by looking at our review of the best kids’ balance bikes. We also have single reviews for balance bikes from different brands.

A Deeper Look into the Leading Kids Bike Brands

When we talk of kid-specific bike brands, we mean brands that invest, innovate, and improve their efforts to deliver the best kids’ bikes on the market. Unfortunately, the competition has been getting stiff lately. It is almost an end of an era for the cheap big-box store bikes because the era of quality kids’ bikes is with us and here to stay forever, or so we pray.

Our guide entails an assortment of different highly-rated kids' bike brands, all evaluated by our test editors and then proven on the roads by our crew of little testers. These bikes are lighter and safer from balance bikes to first pedal bikes and even 24” mountain bikes and will get your kid always excited for a ride. In addition, they possess modern geometry, higher-end components, and the right color choices.

Thanks to their direct-to-consumer sales models, you can purchase the bikes from these brands from their respective websites; we have included direct links to their websites for easy navigation.

Woom Bikes

Making the debut for our list is the Austrian-based Company, Woom Bikes.

Woom specializes in making environmental-friendly bikes for kids as young as eighteen months old to as old as fourteen years; however, they are renowned for their expertise in making balance bikes.

These bikes teach the most essential skills for riding; balance and steering.

Woom bikes started with a search for the perfect bike by two Austrian cyclists, Christian Bezdeka and Marcus Ihlenfeld.

The ideal bike for toddlers was thus created and dubbed Woom 1. The Woom 1, one of their most exceptional creations to date, is characterized by turning limiters, pneumatic tires that offer excellent grip on all surfaces, and color-coded brake levers, which make it stand out from other beginner bikes.

You can quickly tell that their bikes aren’t made haphazardly. Their frames are constructed with high-quality aluminum, while the other components of the kids’ bike are tailored to fit a child’s anatomy.

The aluminum construction of the bikes makes them one of the lightest you will find in the industry. In fact, they weigh 40% less than the conventional bike! This figure is quite baffling, especially if you consider its impact on a child’s ability to ride a bike.

Notably, kids learn how to ride earlier and 30% faster on Woom bikes than on average bikes. So it is no wonder their waiting list is ever full, and they fly off the shelves like crazy. And if you find a local second-hand, it maintains a higher resale value.

Plus, the bikes can be handed from child to child as they have adjustable seats and handlebars or traded in for the next model, thanks to their Woom Upcycle program.

To crown their excellent production is fantastic customer service that will leave you satisfied with your purchase! We insist that Woom Bikes makes the favorite kids’ bikes. So, if you want the best bike for your kid, a Woom of their measurement will work the magic.

We have an entire dedicated article on why parents and kids love Woom Bikes.

With a meticulous design and incredibly light frames, the woom 2 (14 inches) and woom 3 (16 inches) bikes are the lightest first pedal bikes on the market. As the bikes advance in size, the evolution signifies a brand that cares about the cycling needs of kids as they grow – the bikes maintain simplicity yet tuck good performance features to make rides enjoyable.

Check out our Reviews: Woom 1 12-inch (balance bike), Woom 2 (14-inch pedal bike), Woom 4 (20-inch pedal bike), Woom OFF, and Woom OFF AIR.

Cleary Bikes

You know you are on the right track when purchasing from a company that makes bikes exclusively for kids.

Cleary Bikes prides itself in its ability to inspire the next generation of riders through its meticulously-built bikes with child-specific components, unique steel frames, and highly durable design.

Top at the merits that set Cleary bikes apart is their sleek, elongated, and lightweight design in spite of their steel construct. The elongated nature makes for a much stable and less wobbly ride for youngsters. At the same time, a lack of extraneous components achieves an elegant design. Just like that, a well-made bike comes together for little riding enthusiasts.

However, the company doesn’t just create bikes for toddlers. On the contrary, they cater to both sides of the age spectrum. The Cleary Gecko, for instance, is one of the tiniest first pedal bikes that you will find in the market. At the same time, you can find a range of 24” and 26” mountain bikes for older kids.

Having one of the tiniest pedal bikes in the market means that the youngest tots who are ready to pedal are not left out of the fun.

And with an array of top-shelf components, you can trust that by the time your kid is done with their first Cleary bike, they’ll be far more skilled than they would be on an average bike! In addition, the rugged design and slightly aggressive geometry are perfect for kids who want to ride the backcountry roads and light trails.

Guardian Bikes

Guardian bikes are another US-based bike brand that actually delivers! As the name suggests, Guardian Bikes are not like any other ordinary bike brand as they take on a rather protective role.

In 2013, the company initiated a proprietary braking system known as the SureStop braking system. This technology differs from the rest in that braking power is distributed to both the front and rear wheels through a single brake lever.

Why exactly is this good news for young riders and parents? Because this system makes braking simpler than traditional braking systems, more fun, smarter, and safer as it significantly reduces head-over-handlebar accidents. Thus, this makes their bikes ideal for kids in the learning stages of riding characterized by poor hand-eye coordination.

Accident-free technology aside, Guardian Bikes also produce a wide range of bikes, including 16” and 24” bikes through two lines; the Guardian Original/ Airos and Guardian Ethos.

The Ethos line is a more affordable option than the Premium Original line. However, the two differ in that the former is constructed with a steel frame. At the same time, that latter is made of a premium aircraft-grade aluminum frame. This translates to the original line being two pounds lighter.

The original line further has a premium shifter, while the Ethos line has a harder-to-engage standard shifter.

On top of having two pricing options to suit a parent’s pocket, Guardian bikes also have multiple sizing and design options. Through a tool known as RideSizer, you can easily find the right size for your kid.

Ultimately, what we love about this company sure remains that they make safety a priority, and they bank on it!

Find out why kids and parents love Guardian Bikes.

Prevelo Bikes

While the name Jacob Rheuban may not ring a bell to many of you, Prevelo bikes, the company that he and his family founded, has quickly gained momentum in the bike industry.

No matter your child's age and the type of riding your family does, you can be sure to find a Prevelo bike that suits them.

This new kid on the block has made a name for itself by specializing in creating bikes with one of the lowest minimum seat heights you will find out there. The result is that the little riders are conveniently placed at a lower center of gravity, thereby having a more stable ride.

All Prevelo bikes are built to last as they are made of custom-formed 6061 aluminum tubing. In addition, they are designed to enable little ones to ride sooner, faster, and safer thanks to a ton of smart features, including child-specific geometry, custom cranks with ultra-narrow q-factors.

Prevelo bikes offer some of the best pint-sized mountain bikes on the market.

Like Woom, they too have a trade-in program to upgrade to the next model easily. Like Guardian Bikes, this kids-exclusive bike brand comes in two series; the Alpha and the Zulu.

The Alpha series is ideal for all-purpose riding and more on paved roads, while the Zulu series is ideal for off-road adventures.

The Zulu line is more suited for dirt roads as it has a higher bottom bracket to provide additional clearance on the road. However, both lines have lightweight frames and narrow q-factors.

Prevelo bikes don’t just have the best kids’ bikes in the industry; they also have the best customer service!

Pello Bikes

Pello bikes company is literally the embodiment of the statement; simplicity is key.  

Similar to Prevelo, Pello bikes is another newer kids-only bike brand whose formula is simple; beefy tires held onto a sturdy pink or orange frame.

The owner of Pello bikes, Shane Cusick, presses that a kid’s skills and attitude play a fundamental role in their experience of their bikes and we couldn’t agree more!

He further ensures that the geometry of their bikes’ frames is geared towards making the ride easier for kids.

Being longer and having a generally lower bottom bracket and seat positioning allows young riders to quickly get on and off the bike and experience a more stable ride than riding with store bikes.

Pello bikes are also notorious for having brand-name components, including Kenda tires and a Cane Creek headset.

With Kenda tires that perform exceptionally well on dirt roads and a lengthy wheelbase that makes for a less twitchy ride, nothing could be better for aggressive riders than this brand.

But the one thing that makes Pello bikes stand out is that despite having such competent components, they are quite affordable.

They have a hand-checked pre-ship checklist to ensure that you don’t miss out on any of the bike’s components.

Ultimately, the proper structure for kids and an affordable price tag have made this a trusted bike brand for kids.

Frog Bikes

Frog Bikes is a U.K-based kids’ bike company.

Although they are not as popular as they are at home, it would be a crime to overlook this brand as they offer young riders the best of the best bikes.

Frog bikes have some of the best first pedal bikes you will find. Their bikes are well-designed with lightweight aluminum construction, a factor that makes them very easy for kids to handle.

This brand prides itself in having one of the largest lines of any kid’s bike brand. Kids between two and twelve years can pick from the 10-inch balance bikes to the 26-inch hybrid, road, and mountain bikes available at the company’s website.

This means that no matter your kid’s preference, you are sure to get what they like.

Here’s more good news; even with all these appealing features and light, perhaps the greatest selling point for Pello bikes is that they also come in a wide range of exciting colors!

Spawn Cycles

If you are a mountain bike lover, you need to do yourself a favor and get your little one a bike from Spawn Cycles.

Spawn Cycles is a family-owned and Canadian- based Bike Company that had its first release in 2012 after a year-long search for a lightweight bike and high-quality bike.

As the founder’s kids grew, so did their skills and interest in riding, which prompted and inspired the succeeding models.

Suppose your child is between three and ten years old and they have a love for mountain biking. In that case, they will appreciate the fact that these bikes are engineered to succeed in the different aspects of mountain biking, including cross-country, dirt jumping, and downhill riding.  

What makes them different is that these bikes are cut-cross for kids and engineered with a sturdy frame, sloping down tube, and aggressive tires, making them ideal for mountain riding.

Furthermore, their light nature makes them easier to pedal uphill.  

They also have excellent service, so it’s an equal and satisfying trade for mountain bike parents and the company at the end of the day.

Schwinn Bikes

If you haven’t heard of Schwinn bikes, then you must be living under a rock!

Schwinn bikes take the cake for being one of the longest-serving bike companies in the industry.

The journey of inspiring confidence and freedom for riders began in Chicago, Illinois, in 1895 by German-born mechanical engineer Ignaz Schwinn. Key at the aims of the brand was to produce bikes built to be a workhorse, yet they were still available at a budget-friendly price.

The first Schwinn bikes were characterized by high-rise handlebars, banana seats, and sturdy frames. Through dedication to quality and innovation, the company perfected its craft and has since released over 100 models throughout the years.

You can easily monitor these improvements from the Schwinn Cycle-truck released in 1939 and popularly used for deliveries thanks to their front carriers to the Schwinn American model released in 1955 that was a middleweight and wholly made by features assembled in America to a more lightweight model of the Schwinn fastback released in 1966.  

From the word go, these bikes were innovative. The fact that they dominated the bike industry for decades speaks of how well-crafted and highly functional their bikes are!

If you and your child enjoy the vintage feel offered by Schwinn bikes, then you can find second-hand versions of the oldies. They are built just as strong, perform just as efficiently, and will definitely give you an edge over other cyclists. 

Although Schwinn bikes are no longer American-made, they remain one of America's most iconic bike brands.

Raleigh Bikes

Raleigh Bikes is another bike brand that has found a home in most biking households for decades.

The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a British bicycle manufacturer based in Nottingham, England, founded in 1885 by Richard Woodhead and Paul Angois.

Together with Schwinn, it is one of the oldest bicycle companies globally that immensely enjoyed the monopoly in the bikes market.

Astoundingly, more than a century later, the brand has maintained its competitiveness in the market? This is because, from the word go, the quality was at the forefront of their production. The first bikes from Raleigh were designed with classic lines, a durable aluminum frame, and other parts such as the rims, handlebars, and rakes made of steel.

The bikes come at reasonable prices yet can still impressively compete with more expensive options in the market.

The brand stocks a wide range of bikes and prides itself in producing one of the first ten-speed bikes. 

Today, the emphasis on quality is still apparent. You can quickly tell from the Raleigh atom, a 14-inch kids’ bike that is characterized by a light aluminum frame, low seat positioning, and high handlebars that encourage an upright riding position for kids. The bike is finished off by a very comfortable saddle, miniature handlebars, short cranks, and a rear mudguard that conveniently keeps mud off. 

What’s there not to love about Raleigh?

Their bikes are made with precision; thus, they have remained a trusted brand for great commuters and, dare we say, the single most known bicycle brand in the world of cycling.

Strider Bikes

While training wheels are not ill-intentioned, rather than reinforcing, they discourage kids from riding as they fail at teaching them an essential riding skill; how to balance.

And that is how balance bikes emerged.

Strider Bikes was not the first company to make balance bikes, but their simple, affordable, and widely available bikes popularized the design that many now refer to the category as strider bikes.

Yes, that simply-designed, no-pedal bike that you’ve seen kids glide on isn’t known initially as a ‘strider bikes!

That speaks volumes of how exceptionally designed and highly functional Strider Bikes are. This is precisely what Ryan McFarland’s intentions were when he made the first Strider bike back in 2007 for his then two-year-old son.

A strong passion for bikes and motorcycles that he couldn’t wish to share with his toddler fueled his urge to create a bike that wasn’t as large nor as heavy, or as complicated as most of the store bikes his son had been on.

Ryan, whose garage substituted for a workshop, sought to tweak the traditional bike and successfully created the first Strider bike.

From its kid-friendly make to its high-quality lightweight steel frame, long wheelbase, inflatable tires, low center of gravity seat, and well-positioned footrest, very few balance bikes come close to the performance of the Strider!

Strider has continued to inspire kids to ride by producing the most popular low-cost balance bike for toddlers.

Early Rider Bikes

Early Rider Bikes has its roots in a garden shed in Thames, England, back in 2005. As the name suggests, this bike brand deals with the earliest riders exclusively.

They make kids' bikes for all ages, from balance bikes for eighteen-month-old to three years old; and a range of 14 inches to 24-inch pedal bikes for older kids.

Their balance bikes are nothing short of purposeful. Characterized by wide tires for riding on dirt, rubber steerer dampers that limit revolving of the front wheel, faux leather saddles, and brushed aluminum frames, the bikes are exclusively child-oriented.

As for the larger bunch of the two-wheelers, the Early Rider Hellion X stands on the highest end of the spectrum. It is a 24-inch mountain bike that is well endowed with knobby tires joined by suspension forks to endorse its performance.

Conveniently, they have size charts that are based on a child’s age, inseam measurements, and wheel size to help find the best fit for each kid.

What sets Early Rider bikes apart from the competition is their sleek and elegant design. But the good thing about them is that not only do they look good, they also ride just as smoothly!

Their only drawback is that they are quite pricey. But this, too, is an excellent example of quality investment as you get value for money spent.

Early Rider bikes are a great consideration, especially if you want nothing short of stellar for your kids!  

Isla Bikes

Isla Bikes is a producer of some of the most rad kids’ bikes is Islabikes. The headquarters of the latter are in Bromfield, United Kingdom.

Islabikes was founded by and named after Isla Rowntree in 2005 to keep adventurous families in motion.

It has always been fundamental to the brand that their bikes are not just merely shrunken-down versions of adult bikes. Instead, the company is intentional about creating bikes that fit child ergonomics. 

What makes Islabikes different is they are constructed with lightweight aluminum frames, bespoke components, and significantly bigger wheels.

The aluminum construct of their bikes makes them stronger and much easier to navigate, while the bigger wheels make for a smoother, more comfortable, and stable ride. They further deliver more forward motion with each pedal stroke, making their riders have the edge over their peers. 

The company further prides itself in producing proportionally sized and intuitive balance brakes with optimized q-factors.

They are also on the higher end of the price scale, but these bikes give you value for what you are paying for.

Known initially for children’s bikes, Islabikes have since ventured into making bikes for over 65s, but like expected, they are similar in quality.

Although they no longer distribute to the U.S, the fact that they are still at the tip of most cyclists’ tongues means that they did something, if not everything, right.

Trek Bicycles

Similar to Schwinn, Trek bicycles is another widely known bike-maker. Not only is Trek Bikes a pioneer bike brand, but it is also the largest U.S bicycle company.

Founded down in Wisconsin in 1976, this company has produced an exceptionally massive range of bikes from kids’ models to professional road and mountain styles.

The First models were first engineered and manufactured in the U.S. Although that is no longer the case, the impact that the small-town company has created is immeasurable.

The thing about these bikes is that they are built to last and to fit their riders for a confident ride.

Their bikes are also built to conquer any trail, and they do so effortlessly. The fit of these bikes couldn’t be more precise thanks to the narrow q-factors and child-sized saddle that incredibly fit narrower kids’ hips.

Trek bikes have an understanding of the fact that ill-fitting bikes can be a safety hazard for kids. That is why their bikes are correctly proportioned to fit their riders.

They are the only major manufacturer still producing two-wheelers in the U.S, which speaks volumes about their impact on the bike industry.

Diamondback bikes

Based in Kent, Washington is Diamondback bikes, a bike brand that was pioneered in 1977.

The company started as a BMX bike manufacturer; however, they are known to produce almost all bike types nowadays. 

Unlike most pioneers in the bike industry, Diamondback has been consistent with its production of do-it-all mid-price bikes.

Diamondback is popularized for building some of the most durable, high-quality, and relatively cheap enough hybrid, road, and mountain bikes. The company emphasizes availing their bikes at an affordable price tag.

One of the innovations pioneered by Diamondback is the Knuckle Box suspension, which is found on its Sortie, Mission, and Scapegoat full suspension mountain bikes. Many cyclists appreciate this invention as it greatly and positively impacts the smoothness of rides off-road.

Suppose you talk about BMX bikes today and fail to mention Diamondback. In that case, you are doing it wrong injustice to the undisputable premium quality road, and mountain bikes from this brand are still in production to date.

Mongoose bikes

Last but definitely not least is an oldie but a Goldie in the bike industry known as Mongoose bikes. 

Founded in 1974, Mongoose bikes are known to specialize in mid-range mountain bikes and BMX.

Like other bike brands mentioned above, Mongoose bikes categorizes its lines into a more budget-friendly line found in department stores and a more premium standard line.

The only drawback to this bike brand is that the performance of their cheaper line is wanting.

Many users report that the components do not hold up to tear well. However, this can translate to the mountain bikes being great for entry-level riders as they will not expose them to too much tear on the trails.  

With many years in the bike industry, this brand has grown to be trusted for their expertise in BMX bikes. In addition, the premium line offers the best off-road experience.

This is simply because they have great suspension. They are made of a highly durable steel frame, highly efficient brakes that stop easily, and alloy grips that ensure that the grip you get on the road is excellent. 

Thanks to the Mongoose Impasse dual full suspension bicycle, riders experience a smooth, comfortable, and non-bumpy ride on just about any terrain while on these bikes.

Mongoose is known for availing beginner mountain bikes at a budget-friendly price and for a simple and straightforward assembly of their bikes.

Mountain biking parents will be pleased to hear that off-roading is especially a breeze for beginners with Mongoose bikes.

Priority Bicycles

Even though Priority bicycles isn’t razor-sharp focused on kids’ bikes, it produces top-quality kids’ bikes that attract parents' and kids' attention. The brand prides itself on designing, manufacturing, and selling award-winning low-maintenance bikes. As a result, the bikes are easy to buy and easy to assemble, ride, and maintain. And to ice it all up, Priority Bicycles prides itself in its quality 24/7 and 365 days-a-year customer service.

Like Early Rider, the priority bicycles sport a belt drive instead of a chain drive. We have explored reasons why belt drives are the future of cycling since they are maintenance-free. Belt drives are also quiet, clean, durable, offer long service, and do not fall off easily.

The bikes also come with a unique internal gear hub with three gears that make it easy for pre-teens and teenagers to shift their size 20- and 24-inch bikes. The internally geared hub only requires minimal maintenance, which is a plus compared to the derailleurs, which must be maintained now and then. Well, derailleurs also get the most of the beating, which damages them fast, especially for kids’ bikes. With the enclosed internally geared hubs, you can be sure to get a good service off priority bicycles.

Park Cycles

Park Cycles is a family-run kids’ bike brand based in Sherwood, Canada. The mission of the company is to get as many kids riding outdoors while enjoying their sweet rides. To live up to its promise, Park Cycles produces high-end, lightweight, and kid-friendly bikes that come with proper gearing and a series of cool colors.

These bikes are not your ordinary kids’ bikes; they are fun to ride, making kids obsessed more with going outside to ride their bikes for leisure than fall for the addictive screens. With the kid-specific geometry, kids get to enjoy the benefits of cycling, including having a good night’s sleep after exercising their bodies out.

The bikes come in different sizes: The PARK 14 pedal bike, PARK 16 Pedal Bike, and PARK 20 pedal bike, with the numbers denoting the sizes in inches, respectively. Coming at a time when research, listening to customers, and observation carry the day, we can genuinely say that Park Cycle has learned and managed the ropes of the kids’ bike industry and market.

With the sensitivity kids’ bikes deserve, Park Cycle eases the frustration of teaching kids to ride bikes by giving you the right bike for teaching kids to ride.

The bikes are light, elegant, and mildly aggressive, making it easy for kids to master control, balance, gearing, and pedaling. And with durable aluminum frames, you can be sure to fetch a reasonable amount for a second-hand bike or pass it to other kids as soon as your kid outgrows the bike.

Factors that make a great Kids’ Bike

A common question we get through email inquiries is: what makes for a good kids’ bike? And why are some kids’ bike brands better than others?

We are not here to praise any brand but to recognize the good work each does in producing the best kids’ bikes. In the following few paragraphs, we will briefly explore some of the features that you should check when hunting for a bike so that you can know the bare minimums and what not to take.

We have limited ourselves to the general outlook features and not brand or bike-specific elements; you can find those nitty-gritty details from our single-product kids’ bike reviews and the top-product review (list of best)  of kid’s bike review by size on our website.

In a nutshell, a quality kid’s bike

• Has kid-specific geometry
• Is lightweight
• Has quality, kid-specific, and kid-friendly components
• It is easy to assemble
• Has high retail value or durability
• It is sold by a company with an excellent customer service

Let us comb through these aspects, but briefly because we have structured information elsewhere on our website. Although shopping for kids’ bikes can be tiring, confusing, and irksome, knowing these details will pay off.

Geometry

Apart from being modern, a kids’ bike geometry must fit the kid intended to ride the bike. A longer wheelbase and moderately wide cockpit is better. Also, go for a bike with a narrow Q-factor, like the higher-end bikes, to reduce splay as the child strokes their pedal.

Also, consider a bike with a lowly placed bottom bracket for easy balance due to the low center of gravity. Higher bottom brackets, despite decreasing stability, also reduce the efficiency of power transfer to the pedals. Instead, go for lower bottom bracket bikes such as Pello bikes that allow more space between the seat and the pedal so that the kid can pedal efficiently.

Weight

It would help if you chose a lightweight bike unless you want tantrums or the bike to rust in your garage. Unfortunately, kids’ bikes are somehow heavy, for a reason we cannot quite tell. Unfortunately, there are kids' bikes that weigh as much as or more than adult bikes, while some weigh close to 50% of the kids' body weight. This should not be the case.

The ideal weight of a kids’ bike should be 25-40% of the child’s body weight. This means that the ideal bike weight for a child weighing 30 kg would be no more than 12 kg.

Of all the kids' bike brands, woom produces bikes that are 40% lighter than conventional bikes. But, of course, picking a bike on weight is a plus; it is the one factor that sells kids’ bikes, even though you should focus on other factors as well.

A heavier bike is hard to control, balance, and pedal; it easily wears off your kid, making it cumbersome to maneuver the trails or any paths. It makes kids hate cycling with passion, and it is the least we want. However, it is not a factor that you look at in isolation. There are bikes as light as high-end kids’ bikes, only that they have narrow wheelbases (poor geometry) and low-quality components. A good example is some cheap big-box store bikes. Looks can be deceiving, but not when you have passed through the information at KiddingZone.

If a bike is well designed, as is the case with higher-end bikes, the manufacturer, bike company, or bike brand will fearlessly display the weight as part of the specs. Otherwise, if they are heavy, it is a topic that stays in the manufacturing plants – it hardly makes a debut to the spec tag.

Components

If you are to buy a perfect kids’ bike, focus on the bike's components. Check the drive train, brakes, gearing and gain ratio, handlebar/seat post adjustability, etc.

Some bikes come with chain drive drivetrains, while others offer a belt-drive option. The latter is quieter, durable, practical, and maintenance-free. For the bikes that come with chain-driven drive-trains, there are variations too. The higher-end bikes have robust drivetrains that can handle any beatings thrown at them, given that kids will always be kids and the rate of wear and tear is higher. They also allow for smoother shifting. Go for a bike that has high-end drive trains. We are Shimano drivetrain diehards. Suppose a bike has Shimano Acera, Altus, Alivio, and Tourney components. In that case, it is absolutely an excellent buy for a kid’s bike. SRAM components like those found in Woom and Pello bikes are equally great.

Go for a bike whose shifters your kid prefers. For example, there are trigger and grip shifters for gearing. The trigger shifters require concentration and are less common on kids’ bikes. On the other hand, most kids’ bikes come with grip shifters, which are easy to use. Trigger shifters are smooth and faster but are equally confusing. 

Also, consider a bike with an excellent braking system. Higher-end bikes come with sharp brakes that stop faster compared to budget kids’ bikes. Although most kids’ bikes come with coaster brakes or back-pedal brakes, we find them often disliked by kids. Most kids prefer handbrakes to coaster brakes. Be in the know that quality brake systems add more value and cost to the bike. Ensure that the brake grips or handles are accessible and within the reach of your child as well.

Assembly

Most of the best kids' bike brands offer easy-to-assemble bikes. Out of the box, it should only take you a few minutes. Some bikes come pre-assembled, making them easy to assemble, especially if you are not good with tools or a bike armature. Some bike brands include tools needed for assembly and clear and concise assembly instructions. If assembling stuff is not your forte, you can seek the services of your local bike shop. Alternatively, you can call the customer care of the bike brand to take you through the assembly process. However, you should not panic with Youtube Videos demonstrating the assembly process for kids' bikes all over.

Durability and Resale Value

Kids’ bikes are little investments; call them an asset if you may. When you invest in a quality kids’ bike, which does not come cheaply, you have saved up some money for the future. In addition, if the bike is maintained and taken care of, you can re-sell it. Surprisingly, most of the high-end kid’s bikes have high resale value. Imagine getting at least a half or three-quarters of the investment you made soon as your kid outgrows it. Oh! And the joy of passing it to their siblings makes you not to bother with buying a new bike for every kid.

Customer care

All the best kids’ bike brands have a supportive, available, and reliable customer service department. You are guaranteed of getting quality customer service. Since they live and breath bikes, they passionately invest in helping you find after-sale services. This is one reason why purchasing from a kid-specific bike brand is better. You will get warranties, trade-in membership programs, buy-back programs, cycling tips, and advice, and help with assembly.

Check out Further Info and Best Bikes by Size and Age list

If you are a knowledge consumer, here are some guides to help you identify some of the best bikes.

Read our article guides and Reviews related to this topic:

• Where to buy the best kids’ bikes, is it local bike shops or online?
• Why 12-inch bikes are somewhat impractical for kids

Size and Age-specific Reviews

We have listed our favorite and what other parents and kids find an exciting buy for a kids’ bike for every age and size. Check these out if you want more details on bikes for specific ages and of specific sizes.

• Best ride-on bikes for toddlers and infants
• 12- and 14-inch bikes for kids three years and above
• 16-inch bikes for kids aged four years plus
• 20-inch bikes for kids aged five years and above
• 24-inch bikes for eight-years-old kids and above
• Fatbike tires for kids

Parting Shot

There is no doubt or debate that shopping for a new bike for your child does not have to be confusing. Knowing which brands to pursue is by far the best way to begin your search for the ideal bike for your kid.

Once you know the best kids’ bike brands, you can get something exclusively made with kids in mind. Our KiddingZone team has reviewed and will continue to review specific bikes from different brands.

Moreover, we categorize the bikes as best by age range just for you to make a great purchase.

While choosing a bike can be as easy as picking, knowing what to look for when shopping for a kids' bike counts. In addition, it can save you post-purchase depression or frustrations.

We are the bike experts; you can quickly check our all new kids’ bike sizing guide to ensure you get the best size for your kid. Bikes must be the best fit for your kids to love them instantly.

Take a pick and enjoy riding!