The best kids' bikes will help give your children a quality ride experience that can foster a love of cycling and help them learn a valuable new lifelong skill.
There's always a temptation to size up, but that's a mistake as they'll not enjoy a bike that is too large or too heavy for them, and it may put them off riding completely.
Below, we've picked a range of quality children's bikes that will give them the best experience, however old they are and whether they want to ride on the road or explore the trails.
Keep in mind that most brands offer the same bike in a variety of sizes, so if you like a particular bike but need a different size, it's worth checking if it's available.
It's important to kit them out properly too, and that starts with one of the best kids' bike helmets. If they're too young to ride far, we've also got a guide to the best bicycle trailers for kids.
Read on for our pick of the best kids' bikes, or head lower down the page for our guide to how to choose a children's bike to give them the best ride experience.
Best kids’ bikes for all ages
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Balance bikes
If your child is between 18 months and five years old, you’ll likely want them to get on a balance bike, perfect for them to get used to steering and balancing on a bike before moving on to actual pedals. The Strider 12 Sport is an affordable option for getting your child on a balance bike. Helped by heaps of adjustability, it is perfect for taking your kid from baby steps to zooming around, without having to even get a toolkit out. In fact, the saddle can be dropped as far down as an industry-low 28 cm and be raised to 48 cm, whilst the handlebars are also adjustable.
Whilst it has a sturdy feel to it, the bike comes in at just 2.9 kg. It also comes with wide, knobbly EVA foam tyres that will never go flat, but give your child lots of control on the bike. When your kids get up some speed on something like a small descent, the bike has handy footrests to allow them to get in a safe position and coast. It has no brake however so this is a bike for slow speeds and flat paths and trails.
The Hotwalk's frame is a lightweight A1 premium aluminium frame that rolls on tiny 12-inch carbon wheels. The result is a 4.1kg bike that will give your toddler more riding confidence thanks to the low weight and increased agility of the bike. The super-low standover height of the Hotwalk makes it ideal for toddlers and first-time riders.
Another great feature is Hotwalk’s Rhythm Lite Airless tyres that will never go flat. They are ideal for all types of riding on pavement, trails, paths, or simple off-roading. With its slightly slimmer handlebars, tiny hands can find a more secure grip, boosting steering confidence and control when rolling along.
12 and 14-inch bikes
The Joystar Totem Kids Bike is an affordable beginner's bike that is built for learning. Made with a steel frame and basic components, the bike is designed for easy cruises around the neighbourhood. The single-speed drivetrain is low maintenance, and assembly is easy, with most of the bike coming pre-assembled.
Many of the Joystar Totem Kids Bikes come with training wheels, and the adjustable seat is perfect for growing kids. While the steel frame is durable, it is significantly heavier than comparable kids' bikes with aluminium frames. Even so, the Joystar Totem Kids Bike is a good budget choice as a first pedal bike.
Frog bikes have gained a reputation for quality, and the 38 is a perfect example of why. The Frog 38 is part of their “First Pedal” range, designed specifically to be a child’s first pedal bike. As you’d want for your young child, it’s a lightweight machine, meaning there should be no issues for newly-pedalling cyclists. The bike also comes with a simple single-speed gear with an easy-to-push gear ratio.
The aluminium wheels are both lightweight and strong enough to take a bit of a battering from your child. One brilliant inclusion is the hybrid set of tyres the bike comes with, which are perfect for roads and smooth paths. Powerful Tektro mini v-brakes finish off the bike and will give your child confidence with braking.
16 and 20-inch bikes
Prevelo has a range of good-looking bikes designed for young riders of all ages, from toddlers right up to teenagers. The Alpha Two is the brand's 16-inch-wheeled bike aimed at riders aged from four to six years old.
The bike has a low-slung top tube that allows a minimum saddle height of just 430mm / 7in, with a maximum saddle height of 640mm / 25.2in, so there's plenty of available adjustment as your child grows. The optional balance bike kit means it can be converted for youngsters who have not yet learned to pedal, increasing the rider range even further.
The Alpha Two has a triple-butted 6061 aluminium frame with a roomy top tube and a longer wheelbase than most which helps stability. We weighed the bike at 5.8kg / 12.8lb with pedals fitted, which is about as light as it gets.
A narrow Q-factor, short crank arms, brake levers designed for smaller hands and an integrated one-piece handlebar and stem all help to make the Alpha Two as rider-friendly as possible.
In our test, our five-year-old rider (and his dad) were impressed, and the bike performed well on both neighbourhood streets and light dirt trails. For more, see our Prevelo Alpha Two review.
Kids who start on a balance bike can sometimes have a really difficult time transitioning to a coaster brake on a larger bike. The Priority Start 16" uses a hand brake that's much easier to understand while also trying to learn how to stay upright. That's not even the best feature of the Priority Start though.
Instead, the best feature is the Gates carbon belt drive. While most kids of this size use shields for the chain, that only adds weight and complexity. Why not do away with all of it and go to a completely clean belt system? It requires no maintenance and if it gets left outside, it will never rust. It's also much safer for curious little fingers.
Professional cyclist and triple British cyclo-cross champion Isla Rowntree spent her racing career dealing with sizing issues in her bikes. She understood the importance of proper fit, and when she started answering questions from friends about their kids' bikes, she realised the challenges were the same. The most obvious answer to this from Islabikes is the sheer number of sizes available, but it actually goes way beyond that.
Yes, there are a variety of size options, but every single size of every bike they sell fits the riders it's for. Many kids' bikes make use of off-the-shelf components that are too large for small hands or too wide for small hips. Islabikes custom-spec everything to fit the rider's needs. If you want precise scaling down for pint-sized riders, Islabikes is a brilliant option.
Unfortunately, Islabikes ceased large-scale production back in 2023, but the brand still produces spares and occasional small batches of bikes, so it's worth checking the Islabikes website to see which models are currently in stock.
Kona has shrunk its Honzo hardtail mountain bike into a 20in wheel format, so your wee one can rip the trails with you. What makes the Kona stand out to me is that the Honzo has huge 2.6in Vee Tire Crown Gem tyres, greatly enhancing grip and smoothing out trail chatter that could tire out small hands and arms. For bigger bumps, up front, there is a 60mm Suntour XCT DS Boost Plus fork to take the impacts.
The Honzo also features hydraulic disc brakes, offering plenty of stopping power and a lighter lever feel when compared to a rim brake alternative. There is a seven-speed drivetrain, and the 14-34t cassette should manage most hills, although there are kids' bikes with more range these days if you're doing steeper climbs.
I think this is one of the coolest-looking kids' bikes around, the sleek frame shapes, disk brakes and big knobbly tyres make it stand out from most other kids' bikes.
There is more going on here than good looks, Specialized has packed a good amount of tech in that will make your kids' bike ride as fun as possible. Promax hydraulic brakes have adjustable levers to deliver lots of braking power, and the 2.35" Ground Control tyres have the same tread pattern as the full-size tyres and absorb small bumps when run at lower pressures.
The drivetrain is a big standout for me here. The microSHIFT 8-speed derailleur is super short to avoid potential damage, and the 11-38T will give lots of range to take on steep climbs. The derailleur even has a clutch, which will stop it from banging around and potentially falling off when riding off-road.
Unlike the Kona Honzo 20, you don't get a suspension fork. I don't think this is necessarily a deal breaker for an off-road kids' bike. Generally, the suspension forks found on kids' bikes aren't particularly high-quality, adding extra weight without much performance.
24 and 26-inch bikes
Giant claims that the aluminium frame at the centre of this bike is the lightest in its category, meaning it should zip up climbs with ease. Giant can’t see why lightweight bikes need to be the preserve of the MAMIL, so they have designed the ARX to be lighter, quicker and therefore more fun for younger riders.
The frame features a low centre of gravity to help with handling and stability, to which they’ve fitted ever-reliable Shimano shifters. The 1.5-inch tyres will allow your kids to ride with speed and confidence on road, gravel and even some dirt. The flat handlebar bike has adjustable saddle and handlebar positions to allow the bike to grow alongside your child.
Frog built a reputation for making great value do-it-all bikes, and the Frog 67 is a prime example of what the brand offers. The Frog 67 is a flat handlebar, hybrid bike built from lightweight aluminium, and the whole bike weighs in at under 10kg. The 67 is kitted out with 8-speed Microshift gears and Tektro rim brakes.
As your child begins to crave more independence, they’ll want a bike that can do it all. The Frog 67 is a versatile option and comes with 1.5-inch Kenda hybrid tyres, ideal for mixed riding both on road and light off-road.
The Frog brand was bought by the Frasers Group earlier this year, but the sale did not include the Frog factory. At the time of writing, it's just pre-existing stock that's currently being sold.
How to choose
There's a lot to think about when choosing the best kids' bike for your child. That starts with sizing, but where they'll ride, weight and adjustability as they grow are all important considerations.
Here's our guide on how to choose the best kids' bikes for your children.
How to choose the right size bike for my child?
Getting the correct size kids' bike is vital to your child's enjoyment, with the obvious caveat being children grow rapidly. Obviously, if you buy a bike that is far too big then they might not be able to reach the pedals or bars, but the size of the bike also affects its handling, and the wrong size could be difficult to control.
Most brands will have their own sizing charts to help you decide which size you should be buying. However, here is a quick guide to help you out based on the size of the bike’s wheels:
Wheel size |
Age |
|---|---|
Balance Bikes |
18 months - 5 years |
12-inch |
Under 4 |
14-inch |
3+ |
16-inch |
4+ |
20-inch |
5+ |
24-inch |
8+ |
26-inch |
10+ |
How do I choose the best kids' bike geometry?
The geometry of kids’ bikes is also changing. Just like adult bikes, those with shorter wheelbases will be more responsive, even feeling slightly twitchy. With younger or more inexperienced children especially, you should consider bikes with more relaxed, longer wheelbases relative to their size. This will make the bike feel more settled, helping your kid to learn how to balance their bike and develop their skills.
What is the right weight for a kids' bike?
Obsessing over the weight of bikes might be the preserve of road cyclists, but it surely matters even more for children. Given their size, a small difference in the weight of the bike could make a huge difference in how it feels and therefore to their enjoyment. Steel bikes might be cheaper, but aluminium ones will be much lighter, and perhaps more enjoyable. The bigger the rider, the more weight they can cope with, but the general rule is to get a bike that's as light possible.
Tyre width is also important. Wider tyres with more tread will offer more grip. That's useful for off-road riding but also adds rolling resistance. Wider tyres will also be heavier and bikes with wider tyres are typically built more robust, which is again heavier.
It's also worth considering how many gears they need (if any), as again this can add weight.
Children may not be heavy enough for suspension forks to work effectively, and again, they're a feature that adds extra weight.
What do I need to know about kids bike safety?
The only thing more important than having fun on a bike is making sure you’re doing so safely.
In the US, kids’ bikes are required to come with coaster brakes at a minimum. For good reason, too; they’re virtually maintenance-free and intuitive for a child to use. You might want to look out for bikes which also have regular rim brakes though. Learning this action as a toddler will get them used to handling a bike in the same way they’ll need to as they grow up and start using larger bikes. They do require a certain amount of simple maintenance, but if you’re not comfortable with doing this it’ll only cost a small amount to have a shop do it for you.
Training wheels or stabilisers are still available, but much less popular than they were. In the short term, they might stop your child from toppling over, but they do little to teach them how to balance on a bike; that’s where the wonderful balance bikes do their magic. They allow kids to develop their balance and control on a bike whilst they still have the safety net of their feet on the ground before they move up to bikes with pedals.
What other features should a kids' bike have?
To allow your child to get as much use of the bike as possible, look out for bikes that can be adjusted as they grow older. In particular, you’ll want a saddle that can be moved up or down and slide back and forth on rails, and handlebars that can be raised as needed.
The gearing on most children’s bikes is simple with the use of single-speed systems. However, there might be small variations in gearing that is used, with some bikes being more suited to the flat than hilly terrain. If you want a bike that can be used off-road or to go uphill, keep an eye out for easier gear ratios.
Smaller thumbs can struggle to operate regular shifters though, so 'Grip Shift' type rotating shifters tend to be easier to use, especially for younger riders.
Some of the larger kids' bikes will come with 6- or 8-speed gearing systems, and these should have the range of gears that your child needs to get them everywhere they want to go.
Most children’s bikes will come with tyres much wider than those you’ll find on a road bike. This will have the benefit of being more comfortable, offering more balance, and being grippier. Some bikes will come with solid tyres and whilst these will offer full puncture resistance, if you can, get air-filled tyres which will allow you to adjust the pressure in them depending on the kind of ground your child is riding on.
How much should I spend on a kids' bike?
There's a temptation to economise on children's bikes, as they'll grow out of them so quickly.
But there are benefits to buying a quality kids' bike, even if it costs more. A more expensive model may be lighter and more robust and it should ideally have components sized for use by smaller hands and shorter legs. Kids' body proportions are different from adults too, so a quality kids' bike will have a geometry designed to reflect that.
Although a quality kids' bike may look expensive, there's a ready market for used bikes and a quality brand may command a higher resale price. Many brands have a trade-up deal and there are kids' bike clubs that let you lease a bike for a monthly fee and trade up when they're ready for a larger bike.
