When it comes to choosing a bicycle for your child, most tends to be budget conscious since they will outgrow it in just a couple of years time. They grow up fast and if you want to enjoy riding together, your child needs a bike that fits properly and one which is light enough to manoeuvre easily.

The Golden Rule

Make sure it’s the right size. It’s better to progress in stages than to fit your child onto the biggest bike they can pedal; you can always sell off the used bikes later on. Here are some important points to note:

Weight

Because children are smaller, lighter and weaker. A KG off a bike of a 30kg child is as good as 2.5KG saved from an adult’s.

Reach

Reach is the distance of how far away you are from the bars. Most children are happier in a riding position that’s more upright than you would adopt, so they need the bars higher and closer.

Wheel size

Refer to this size chart to select the right wheel size for your son or daughter.

Balancing wheels

Kids bicycles tend to come with a pair of stabilising wheels (balancing wheels), this is to assist them with balancing off their new ride. Adjust the wheels to be 1-1.5cm off the ground allowing them to learn to balance on it while they ride. Once they build up their confidence, lift it up higher off the ground.