We all remember the jubilation of riding our first bicycle. The sensation of gliding along on our first two wheels was the closest feeling to flying as a kid. Every kid loves to whizz around on their bicycles. If you have kids, it is about time to gift them their first ride and introduce them to the world of cycling..
Every kid loves to cycle
Like adults have their means of transportation, children use cycles as their joyrides. A child’s imagination is boundless and having a cycle can add feathers to their play time fun. It is the transportation medium to travel to their friends place and gives them the liberty to roam and discover their surroundings with their friends for company. Bikes are a kids’ necessity. Do you remember your childhood cycle? Yes, we all do. The adventures we took on our first cycle will always a cherished childhood memory.
What size of bicycle should you buy for your child?
While the frame sizes of adult bicycles are determined using seat tube lengths, kids’ bicycles are determined using wheel diameter. The kids’ bicycles are uniquely designed for various age groups. You need to do a lot of research before buying a kids’ bicycle. We have categorized the various type of bicycles you can buy in the market based on the age group.
Balance Bike: suitable for kids aged 1.5-4 years
Introduce your kid to the world of bicycling using a 12-inch balance bike . A balance bicycle is a two-wheeled bike without pedals. Balance bike is driven with the push of the kid’s feet instead of the pedals. It is a great way to introduce your child to the core fundamentals of cycling including balance, direction control and coordination. Riding with stabilizer wheels or giving a tricycle to your kid doesn’t teach them to balance their cycles in real life. They need to unlearn their old ways of maneuvering using a tricycle or supporting wheels and start afresh when they hop on their two-wheeled bicycles.
14-inch wheel bikes: suitable for kids aged 3-5 years
This is the first real bicycle that your child will transition from his/her balance bike. The 14-inch wheel bike comes fully laden with pedals, brakes, and a single-speed drivetrain. The pedals in these bikes are flat to offer better support to the child. You should look for durable and extremely lightweight bike which will be sturdy enough to withstand the rigorous use of a young kid.
16-inch wheel bikes: suitable for kids aged 4-6 years
Your kid will soon outgrow the 14-inch cycle. You will need a 16-inch bicycle which will be their new set of wheels for the next few years. 16-inch bicycles are built using aluminum or steel frames to be lightweight and durable. It may also come fitted with disc brakes to give your child additional stopping power for safety. These bikes have low standover heights which is essential to safeguard your child from getting tangled up in the bike during the time of a mishap. These cycles have chain retention devices so that you do not have to take out a torque wrench and worry about fixing the derailed chain.
20-inch wheel bikes: suitable for kids aged 5-8 years
Your child is now ready to foray into the world of serious biking with a ‘junior’ mountain bike of their own. 20-inch bicycles come equipped with geared drivetrains, tauter wheels and sturdier frames to help your kids explore unchartered territories. These all-terrain bicycles have disc brakes for better stopping efficiency and larger profile pedals to accommodate the kid’s growing feet.
24-inch wheels: suitable for kids aged 7-11 years
24-inch bicycles are near replicas of full-sized bikes. The only notable difference between these bicycles and the full-sized bicycles is that its frame is built to be fitted on a 24-inch wheel. 24-inch wheel bikes can come in various designs including road and mountain bikes.
