How To Size A Bike For A Kid
The number 1 email question I become in my inbox: "What size bicycle does my child need?" Let'due south be honest, it's confusing!
For starters, kids bikes are sized differently than adult bikes (past bicycle size rather than frame size). Also, fifty-fifty when we're talking about a bike with sure size wheels, the standover elevation and seatpost heights amongst manufacturers can vary drastically.
Finally, while a cycle might be advertised for a 5-year-old, some 5 years olds are tiny while others are huge. There's no mode those 2 kids volition exist best served by the same bike.
That said, yous can figure out the right size bike without trial-and-error, or pulling your hair out. We've helped hundreds of parents effigy out which size kids cycle to get. Here are 3 tips to help you get the right size bicycle the beginning time.
1) Know What Bike Size Your Child Needs
Kids bikes are "sized" by the diameter of their wheels. The tiniest pedal bikes start with 12-inch wheels while bigger bikes go all the way up to 24-inch wheels. When your kiddo is set up for 26-inch, they are generally set up for an adult size ride, although some bike manufacturers make smaller "youth" size 26″ bikes.
Balance bikes, on the other manus, beginning with wheels every bit pocket-sized as 10″ although most balance bikes have 12″ or 14″ wheels.
The best way to start narrowing down which size wheel your child needs is to decide which size wheels they PROBABLY need. I say probably because we're basing it on an age range for kids of average superlative.
If your child is tiny or super tall, they may demand a smaller OR bigger wheel than the general range nosotros suggest hither. Don't let that stress you out–this is only a starting point, so get a basic thought of what size wheels your child PROBABLY needs.
Kids Bike Size Chart
Think, this is merely a starting point. Utilise this chart to go a general thought of which size bike your kid needs, but don't skip the steps below!!!!
| Bicycle size | Historic period | Acme | Inseam |
| 12" | 2-3 | two'x"-iii'four" | xiv-17" 35-42 cm |
| 14" | 3-4 | 3'1"-3'vii" | sixteen-20" 40-50 cm |
| 16" | four-5 | 3'seven"-iv'0" | eighteen-22" 45-55 cm |
| eighteen" | 5-6 | three'nine"-4'3" | 20-24" fifty-sixty cm |
| 20" | five-eight | four'0"-4'5" | 22-25" 55-63 cm |
| 24" | 7-11 | iv'v"-iv'9" | 24-28" 60-72 cm |
2) Measure Your Child'due south Height and Inseam
The next thing to do is to measure your child. Don't skip this step or guess!
If y'all're buying the bike equally a souvenir, you lot should still be able to inquire the kid's parents to measure them for you. Prevarication and say y'all're sewing clothes or something if it must be a hole-and-corner!
Mensurate your child's inseam AND their pinnacle. You lot'll want to take the measurements in inches (or convert to inches once you lot're washed). Brand sure to write down those measurements and salvage them for our side by side pace.
three) Look Up the Specs for the Bike (or Bikes) Y'all are Interested In
Just because you think your kid probably needs a 14″ bike doesn't mean that ANY 14″ cycle will fit them. Dissimilar bikes have different stand-over heights and min/max seatpost heights. It's all-time to wait for a bike that volition provide the BEST FIT for your kiddo.
Not all bike manufacturers list the standover height for their bikes. If they do, all the same, you should compare it to your child's inseam.
The standover height is the tiptop of the pinnacle tube of the wheel frame where your child will be positioned when standing with 1 leg over each side of the bike. This ways that your child's inseam needs to be AT Least equally tall as the standover height. Ideally, there will exist a niggling more space than that for your child to maneuver the bike comfortably.
The other stat that y'all should absolutely look up is the minimum seatpost height for any bike you lot are considering. How the minimum seatpost height compares to your child'southward inseam is dependent on whether you are buying a balance wheel, first pedal bike, or a pedal wheel for a confident pedaler.
For a balance wheel, you lot want to make sure that the minimum seatpost elevation is no higher than your child's inseam length. This allows your child to put their feet flat on the ground, to learn to balance and to scoot.
Then if the bike has a 12″ minimum seatpost height, then you need to make sure that your child has at least a 12″ inseam. If not, look for a bike with a smaller minimum seatpost tiptop.
If you are ownership your child's first pedal bike, then you desire to brand certain once more that your child'southward inseam is at as long as the minimum seatpost tiptop or no more ane″ autonomously. This is because kids who haven't learned to pedal
If your child already knows how to pedal (sans training wheels), then you can choose a bike with a minimum seatpost height that is 1-3″ college than their inseam length. This allows your child's toes to impact the basis but not put their feet flat on the flooring.
DO NOT buy a bike that has a minimum seatpost height any higher than 1-3″ longer than your kid's inseam. They will not exist able to touch the ground, volition struggle to achieve the pedals, and are probably going to struggle or get hurt.
There are two ways to wait up all data like minimum seatpost heights. Your first option is to go straight to the manufacturer'due south website. Whatever decent brand is going to provide specs for their bikes. If they don't, don't waste matter your fourth dimension with their bikes.
Some manufacturers take even created special tools to help you selection the right size bike for your child. We beloved the Woom size nautical chart* that y'all tin can have sent to your domicile and measure out your child confronting. Some other peachy tool is the Guardian Bikes RideSizer tool* that helps you determine which size bicycle your kiddo needs online.
Your other option is to use one of our comparison charts. For each child'south wheel size, we've rounded up a list of some of the best kids bikes
Rest Wheel Guides & Comparison Charts:
- Best Balance Bikes For Toddlers
- All-time Residue Bikes For Preschoolers (3+)
Pedal Bicycle Guides & Comparison Charts:
- Best 12 Inch & fourteen Inch Bikes
- All-time 16 Inch Bikes
- All-time xx Inch Bikes
- Best 24 Inch Bikes
- All-time 26 Inch Bikes
What To Do When Your Kid Is In Between Sizes
It's pretty easy to choose a bicycle when your child fits nicely at the bottom end of the recommended tiptop/inseam for a bike. It'south tougher when your kiddo is at the the upper cease of the recommended height/inseam for a bike.
When this happens, nosotros hear from lots of parents that they are worried that the bicycle won't concluding very long, and that their child will outgrow it quickly. This is a valid concern, since neither bicycles nor money grow on copse.
If your child is pretty dang shut to the next size bike, I generally tell parents to go alee and size upward. This is especially true if your child already knows how to pedal and is a confident passenger.
You know your kiddo best. Are they able-bodied and capable of handling a bigger, heavier cycle? Are they going to be confident standing on their tippy-toes or are they going to be scared?
If your kid isn't already a whiz on the bike, and then consider staying on the smaller size bike, even if they will outgrow information technology presently. In this case, you might want to await for a used bike (or borrow a bicycle from a friend). Y'all tin can buy an expensive bike several months downwards the line later they've had a bit of a growth spurt and are fix for the next size bike.
A Word On Kids BMX Bicycle Sizing
And at present to throw a wrench into everything I've said above. If you're buying a kids BMX wheel, the in a higher place rules on bike size don't employ.
There are two different types of kids BMX bikes: freestyle/street BMX bikes (that you would utilise at a skatepark for instance) and racing BMX bikes (which you lot would apply on a race rail). Both accept different sizing.
For freestyle/street BMX bikes, you'll generally want to cull a bicycle that has a wheel size one size smaller than you would for a traditional kids wheel. In other words, if your child would ride a xvi inch bicycle, they'd desire a 14 inch BMX bike.
Learn More:
- 5 Best 12″ and 14″ BMX Bikes (Freestyle/Street)
- 9 Best 16 Inch BMX Bikes for Kids (Freestyle/Street)
For kids race BMX bikes, the wheel size is always twenty inches–even for really tiny riders. Only the frame size changes as your kid grows.
At that place are 4 sizes of kids BMX racing bikes:
- Micro Mini (under 5)
- Mini (5-7)
- Junior (7-9)
- Expert (nine-11)
- Skillful Twoscore (10-13)
And here's how they are sized past your kid'due south pinnacle:
| Size | Age | Height |
| Micro Mini | <five | three'6″-4'0″ |
| Mini | 5-7 | 4′-iv'4″ |
| Junior | vii-nine | 4'3-four'7″ |
| Skilful | 9-xi | 4'6″-v'5″ |
| Expert XL | 10-13 | 5'3-5'seven″ |
- Learn More than: 7 Best Kids BMX Race Bikes (Micro Mini, Mini, Junior, Skillful)
Why Size Isn't The Only Thing That Matters
Yeah, size is the kickoff thing to call back about when picking out a kids bike but it certainly isn't the merely matter that you lot should be thinking about. Once y'all know what size bike your child needs, you lot should brainstorm thinking most things like weight (this one is a prodigious), geometry, brakes, tires, whether or non to use preparation wheels, etc, etc, etc.
For more information on other things you should be considering, read our Guide To The Best Kids Bikes & How To Choose!
About Us
The Rascals are a family of three. Kristen (mom), Blair (dad), and Parker (kiddo). We started Rascal Rides when Parker was born and we didn't want to give upwards our passion for biking. As we learned, we shared. Over the years, we've tested hundreds of kids bikes, helmets, bike trailers, and more.
Kristen is a USA Cycling certified motorbus and loves to share her passion for biking with other families. Blair is a cycle geek, mechanic, and mount bike junkie. Parker is our resident tester and inspiration.
If you run into us out on the trail, make certain to say hi!
How To Size A Bike For A Kid,
Source: https://rascalrides.com/kids-bike-sizes-chart/
Posted by: tulleycoveress.blogspot.com
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