Kids Bikes

This is the table to start the decision from. Wheel diameter in inches sets the size of the bike; on kids bikes the frame size is secondary.

Age here is only a starting point, because children of the same age vary by 15-20 cm in height. Always trust the height, not the birth year.

This is the most common question, and the answer has changed over the last fifteen years. A balance bike beats stabilisers - not as a fashion, but as a matter of learning order.

Riding a bike takes two skills: balancing and pedalling. Stabilisers teach pedalling but not balance; worse, they build the wrong habit, because the bike never leans in a corner. When the stabilisers come off, learning starts almost from scratch.

A balance bike works the other way round: the child pushes with their feet and gradually masters balance, which is the hard part. Pedalling is the easier part and is usually picked up quickly. Children who start on a balance bike often move straight to a two-wheeler, with no stabilisers at all.

This is the factor most parents never check and the one the child feels most. A cheap 16 inch bike often weighs 9-10 kg while the child weighs 18-20 kg - half their own body weight.

Imagine riding a bike that weighs 40 kg yourself. That is why a child tires quickly and stops wanting to ride: it is physics, not motivation.

A good practical guide is that the bike should not be significantly heavier than roughly 40% of the child's weight - the lighter it is, the easier the child finds it to handle. An aluminium frame is typically 1.5-2.5 kg lighter than steel, and on a kids bike that difference is noticeable.

Kids bikes use two systems: a coaster brake (pedal backwards) and hand brakes. Below 16 inches the coaster brake is safer, because a small child lacks the hand strength and reaction speed.

From 16 inches hand brakes become essential, but check that the lever adjusts to a child's hand. A child cannot reach an adult-sized lever and will not brake when it matters. That is a safety question, not a comfort one.

Kids bikes are the one category where the cheaper option is often justified - the child outgrows it in 18 to 24 months. There is still a floor, though.

• Buying a bike to grow into. One of the most common mistakes. A bike that is too big is hard for a child to control and hard to stop with their feet, which often costs them confidence. Learning tends to stall as a result.
• Ignoring weight. A 10 kg bike for an 18 kg child is what a 40 kg bike would be for you. The extra 150 GEL for an aluminium frame is the best-spent money in this category.
• Economising on the helmet. Children fall more often than adults and their heads are heavier relative to their bodies. A helmet is mandatory from the first ride - once it becomes habit, they stop arguing.

The bike has become too small when any one of these appears: knees hit the handlebar while pedalling; the saddle is already at maximum height and the leg is still sharply bent; or the child sits hunched over the bike.

On average one size lasts 18 to 24 months. The 20 and 24 inch sizes last longer, because their saddle and bar adjustment range is wider.

• A correctly sized helmet: two fingers of clearance above the eyebrows, straps forming a "Y" below the ear.
• Reflectors and lights - mandatory for riding at dusk.
• A chain guard - small children catch clothing and fingers in the chain.
• Saddle and bar quick-releases are tight and the child cannot loosen them alone.
• The brake lever is adjusted to the child's hand.