Lots of families love to give their children a bike as an extra-special Christmas present. At this time of year, with so much choice and cut-price deals to tempt us, it can be confusing to work out what to pick.
The Little Bike Company has been selling kids’ bikes at Christmas time (as well as the rest of the year) for 11 years. We thought it worth giving our point of view about navigating the choices. Bikes for kids should be about having lots of fun, but it is worth remembering the other benefits cycling delivers in both physical and mental health.
Choosing the right bike is really important. We are firm believers in buying a proper bicycle that is well-made, will last and is light enough for the rider to be able to ride and enjoy. Unfortunately, there are still many bikes available which seem like great value for money, which will either be too heavy to ride or break after a short period of use.
At the Little Bike Company, we are proud to sell only lightweight kids’ bikes which will provide enjoyment and stand the test of time. Any of the bikes we sell on our website will fit the bill, but below are some general pointers.
1) Don’t buy a bike for them to grow into – in children’s cycling, confidence is everything. If your child feels they are in control of the bike when it is stationary, it will massively help with their confidence. This will lead to more fun and more riding! You wouldn’t buy new shoes for them to grow into. Please don’t do it with a bike. It should fit now.
2) Avoid heavy bikes – heavy bikes are not fun. If they are difficult to ride, then your child won’t enjoy the experience and may not want to do it at all. Try to buy a bike which is as light as possible.
3) Buy a proper kids’ bike, not a toy – a bike featuring their favourite superhero or cartoon character may sound like a great idea. Your child may love it when they first see it underneath the Christmas tree, but once they try riding it, they will soon fall out of love with it.
4) Do NOT fit stabilisers – the vast majority of kids will learn to ride quicker by using a balance bike. If they are too big for a balance bike, leave the pedals off and any bike becomes a balance bike.
5) You don’t need to buy new – There are active second-hand markets in quality kids’ bikes. Frog, Isla and woom bikes all have Facebook groups where used bikes are bought and sold. The Little Bike Company does not sell used bikes, but we’d rather see a child having lots of fun on a used quality bike than struggling with a poorly made new one. The other option is to use a subscription service like Bike Club.
At The Little Bike Company we try to make it as easy as possible to find the right bike.
The most important thing in terms of fit for a child, is their inside leg measurement. We have measured each bike we sell and every bike has the minimum inside leg required for a child to safely and enjoyably ride it.
Our Bike Size Guide shows how to accurately measure your child’s inside leg. Once you have that, our Advanced Search allows you to search for bikes by that inside leg measurement.
Kids’bike blog Cycle Sprog has a huge amount of information about children’s cycling and they have their own Cycle Sprog’s Kids Bike Search to help you find that perfect ride for Christmas and beyond.