Kids' mountain bikes Buying Guide

Mountain biking calls for unexplored adventures and is always underrated! However, for a long time, many adults have opted for it to get the most of the experience.

Even kids have presented much love for this exciting activity with changing times and don't mind covering all the tracks with the same enthusiasm!

Does your kid love riding mountain bikes? Well, if yes, you need to know all the essential checkpoints that your kids' mountain bike must possess to get the perfect adventure vibes.

Remember: Your child's safety is in your hands! Different manufacturers design different kids mountain bikes, and thus, you should be fully aware of all the pointers like gear systems, building material, etc.

Read on this entire guide to get started with all the basics and cover all intricate details to make this outdoor activity wholly safe and full of beautiful memories!

What are Kids’ mountain bikes, and why should you buy them?

We all want our kids to explore mother nature and experience the fresh breeze of mountains. There are plenty of ways to do that, but mountain biking is the best to choose.

Mountain biking with your kids is always fun and healthy. There is no better feeling than ripping some single track with your kid and seeing a big smile on their adorable face when they make it to the bottom of a technical descent.

One of the most significant factors to know how much your kids are enjoying their mountain biking is understanding how well their bikes are performing. Buying kids mountain bikes can be overwhelming for you.

Because it doesn't have to be most expensive or to be fanciest, but it needs to be light in weight, work well, and fit correctly. The ideal mountain bike for kids is designed to cater to their smaller bodies.

They are built with stability and elevated comfort to ensure the safety of your child. There are plenty of kids mountain bikes out there that provide different styles and comfort.

Let's have a look at some of the types and a full-fledged buying guide so you can choose the perfect one for your kid.

Types of Kids mountain bikes

There are numerous options available according to your kid's age when it comes to choosing kids’ mountain bikes. Here are some of the types of mountain bikes:

1. 12-inch- and 14-inch-wheel Bicycles

A 12 to 14-inch bike is ideal for kids between the age of 2 to 4 years. The bikes that come with 12-inch wheels and low seats are the best for the little bike riders to experience the fun and freedom that come with two wheels.

If kids can put their feet down, it is easy for them to learn to scoot and balance. In this category of bikes, you will get a choice between balanced bikes that come without pedals and the bikes with panels but offer you removable training wheels.

2. 16-inch-wheel Bicycles

When your kid reaches the age of 8 years, a 16-inch-wheel bike will be their first outgrown bike. It is often every child's first pedal bike. This bike is ideal for beginners who are in the learning stage.

These bikes come with rear coaster brakes, which means you have to pedal backward to stop the bike. As this bike is for kids who fall between the age of 5 to 8 years, the manufacturer offers only one speed in this bike.

Apart from this, it comes with side training wheels that can be removed at any time. You can also pick for a cruiser bike, which you would mostly choose for the style at this level.

3. 20-inch-wheel Bicycles

If your child is interested in riding XC terrain (Cross country riders do ride on trails) and speed, then a 20-inch wheel bike is ideal.

Bikes feature starts to reveal when you are choosing 20-inch wheel bicycles. If we compare this bike with the cruiser bike, you will find that these bicycles offer hand brake options for multiple gears, making this bike ideal for mountain biking.

4. 24-inch-wheel Bicycles

When searching for a 24-inch bike for your kid, you'll need to focus on features as these bikes provide features more like similar adult bikers.

You need to be a bit focused because you are getting a bike for your kids. You need to consider the way the bicycle fits and how your child makes plans to use it.

You need to see if they are buying a bike to ride off-road or around the city? Because the usage of bikes will decide which one they will need and what essential feature needs to have in that bike.

Top Checkpoints to learn about while buying the right Kids mountain bikes

Kid's Age

Age is the most crucial factor that every parent needs to focus on before getting a kids mountain bike for their next excursion.

It doesn't matter if it is your kid's first mountain bike or balance bike, or one with the stabilizers; you will easily find a bike for every age in the market.

Children will start learning to ride a bike between the age of three to four years. It is the initial stage where their learning process just begins.

You cannot take three to four years of the child to mountain biking as they are in their learning stage. Also, you need the best and professional bike for mountain biking, which is impossible for a child of this age as they are not that mature to handle the rough tracks of mountains.

To learn a ride like a real grown-up, kids between the age of three to five years can use a bike with stabilizers and a balanced bike that can be easily converted.

Before making any plan to purchase a kids mountain bike, you need to know the exact age and the size of the kid to give them the best as per their need.

Kid's Height

After the age of your child, size is another crucial factor that needs to pay attention to at the time of choosing a kid's bike.

But there is no sense in purchasing a bike if your child doesn't feel comfort or ease on their new bike. The size is usually given in inches and corresponds to the diameter of the wheels of the bike.

Whenever you make a plan to purchase a bike for your kids, you have to make sure that the bike is the right size for their age and height.

It will make learning more faster and more enjoyable for your kid. The bike size comes from 10 to 24 inches. Check the height of your kid and get the best bike which they can comfortably ride anywhere.

Depending on the height of the child, they will need the following size of bike.

• 85 cm and 1 m: 10-inch bike (balance bikes and tricycles)
• 90 cm and 1.05 m: 12- and 14-inch bikes (balance bikes with removable supports that turn into real bikes later)
• 1.05 m and 1.20 m: 16-inch bike
• 1.20 m and 1.35 m: 20-inch bike1.35 m and 1.55 m: 24-inch bike

Brake options

When it comes to choosing the bike's brake options, Coaster bikes is the first name that comes to mind. Coaster brakes can make it easy for your kid to slow down or stop by backpedaling in nop time.

Apart from this, coaster brakes add weight, and your kid will still need to learn how to use a hand break when they need to move to the next bike size.

Most of the kid's bikes offer a hand brake in addition to coaster brakes or left the coaster brake off entirely in favor of hand brakes. Having both hand brakes and coaster brakes can help your kid not be that strong, only to use the bike's hand brakes.

Some bikes have coaster brakes and a freewheel option, so you can make it to the shop to get rid of coaster brakes once your kid is comfortable using their hands.

Once your child starts riding a bike on real trails, disc brakes will help them increase their bike's control and stopping power.

Bike's Weight

Weight makes a significant difference in enjoying and controlling a kid's bike than an adult as kids are small in size and not as strong as adults. Usually, adults ride bikes that weigh 20% of their total body weight, while kids ride bikes that are nearly 50% of their weight.

With this fact, you may get confused about what bike weight is perfect for your kids. Ideally, kids need to ride bikes that are less than 40% of their total body weight.

Lightweight bikes are usually made from alloys. By the righteousness of their reduced weight, they can be easily handled by any kid.

Companies that make superior quality bicycles take several design considerations to ensure that the bike's weight is maintained at its lowest possible requirement.

It will help if you consider your kid's weight against the bike's weight before making any purchase. It is always recommended to buy as light a bike as possible because it always gives you a comfortable time carrying out and into the house.

Shifters

Single-speed bikes with one sprocket and one chainring are ideal for casual riders, young kids, and urban commuters who merely need to go nearby places just a few minutes from their home.

Unfortunately, these bikes are not ideal for mountain bikers or fervent road cyclists who seamlessly need to be well planned in how they spend their energy at the time of rides.

It is where the shifters come. Multiple shifters and adjustable bike chain positions in the middle of the sprockets and chainrings make your pedaling experience very smooth on changing landscape and let your child enjoy their fast ride on plain surfaces.

Gear shifters help your child increase and decrease the bike's distance and help them to move faster as they continue to pedal their bike.

As shifters are an essential component of your child's bike, it is recommended you try different types of shifters to get the one that will be easy for them to handle.

Gear option

One of the greatest things in a child's early life is to learn a bike ride. As a child, this is the most significant achievement for them. For beginners who are just learning to ride a bike or only short-distance riders, a single-speed bike is the best for them.

Single-speed bikes are light in weight and are very easy to manage, and need less mechanical fixes. These types of bikes are ideal for small routine works.

But once your kid starts going on challenging trails with climbing and descending, they need bikes with the best gear feature.

Bikes that come with the best gear feature will help your child to gently increase the fun of tough trails as by switching gears, you can easily climb on the rough trails of the mountains.

There are kids bikes in the market which offer up to 27 gears, but it might be confusing and heavy for you kid. So it is best to choose a bike with 1x with 7-9 gears to enjoy their mountain biking.

Suspension system

If you are biking on a mountain with a bike with suspension, you will appreciate how it satisfies your riding.

Many kids like the idea and look of a bike with a front shock, so it is always recommended to have a rigid fork for intermediate riders and beginners.

Front suspension

Every mountain bike comes with the front suspension with hybrid, and kid's bicycles.

Suspension on mountain bicycles provides a wide range of adjustments to provide the best bike riding experience to your kid.

Its variations include the robustness, type, amount of travel, and the method of bump absorption, and the adjustments that can be made.

Suspension on kids' bikes and hybrid provides basic functionality with minimal or no adjustments.

The suspension on most low to mid-range kids’ mountain bikes is inexpensive, effective, and heavy and can help your child to roll over bumps while keeping the wheels in contact with the grounds.

Full suspension

If your kid mostly rides his bike in cross country trails, the added expense and weight of a full-suspension bike do not make any sense.

The shock and linkages will add considerable weight to your kid's bike, which can give difficulty to them at the time of climbing.

However, if you like to ride advanced chunky technical trails, you can invest your money in a quality full suspension bike.

Fit

Getting a mountain bike that easily fits your child is the essential element. Fitting directly affects the ease to use and the safety of your child. It is never recommended to purchase a bike for your daughter or son to grow into.

If your child is not feeling comfortable and safe while riding a bike, that means the bike is not fit for them. Buying a fitted bike can be an overwhelming experience for you as you have to check lots of bikes with your kids to find the perfect one for them.

It can be dangerous for them if your kids are riding a bike, and their feet cannot touch the ground properly.

This is something that you cannot ignore because it can be dangerous for them in any way. So it always suggests getting a bike that not only is light in size but also suits your child.

Certain other things need to be considered when buying kids’ mountain bikes:

Size of the Wheel

Every kid is different in size, just like not every 20-inch bikes are the same. Purchasing a bike that does not fit your kid is a total waste of money.

Considering a bike with a bigger wheel size is faster than the smaller wheels. Always look for a bike with the biggest wheels available for your child's stand over their height.

Seat Height

Your kid's mountain bikes' seat height needs to be nominal in size as they can touch the balls of his/her feet on the ground.

Frame and Fork

Frame and form are other essential components that need to be considered while selecting kids’ mountain bikes. So let's have a quick look at them;

Frame

The primary work of the foam is to add weight to the bike. Two common materials are used to make bike frames and, i.e., aluminum and steel.

You might be thinking, why steel and aluminum? Steel is rugged and light in weight, while aluminum provides you more ruggedness but a bit heavier than steel.

The two alloys are designed non-destructive. It is the ideal choice for your kid as it enables your kid to handle the bike without compromising their durability.

Fork

The fork on your kid's bikes is the bike's suspension system. The robust mountain bike for kids is usually designed with either a rigid or suspension fork.

The main work of the suspensions is to give smooth riding and added balance to your kid. But this is only necessary if your kid is riding a bike on extremely rocky and rough terrains.

Tires

Finding perfect kids mountain bikes is a challenging task to do. Because when it comes to kids, everything needs to be perfect so that they won't get harm and enjoy their riding.

Taking care of each component is the kind of best thing that you can do for them as their guardians. Selecting a bike without checking the tires' quality is just like purchasing a medicine without knowing its key benefits.

So it is crucial to make a quality check of the tires of the bike. The best mountain bike tires need to be broad in size.

Wider tires offer more surface and contract to the ground, enhancing the bike's stability and comfort. When your kids are riding their bikes on wet terrain or in the rain, a wider tire surface gives additional strength to the bike.

Cost

Every bike comes with a different price and different features. There is no fixed price for the bike as it depends on the features you are getting on the bike.

Road bikes come at different prices. Mountain bikes come with diverse price ranges; the same goes for Hybrid/commuter bikes, Cyclocross bikes, Folding bikes, and women bikes.

All these bikes offer a different key feature to their customers. Some come with the gears, some come with the adjustable seat, while some offer you nothing, just a simple bike to visit in the neighborhood.

So, it is hard to give the cost range of the bike. But one thing you can do is to analyze your requirements first and then explore the market to choose the one for your kids.

FAQs

1. Are kids allowed to do mountain biking?

Yes, kids can do mountain biking. However, at some players, there are restrictions on the age of kids doing mountain biking. Just keep an eye on the restriction, if any, rest you are good to go!

2. Why is standover height critical?

Standover height lets your kid straddle without any fear of losing control over the bike. Check it as per your kid's height to help your kid get the right standover height and thus, help them get the best biking experience.

3. Which gear design is the best?

Well, depending on the kid's age, the best gear design is the one that your kid is super-comfortable with. For kids’ mountain bikes, we usually prefer a single-gear design.

Some Final Words

Now that you are well aware of all the kids' mountain bike features, it is the right time to set your budget right for your upcoming purchase.

Once done, you can have a look at different options online to shortlist as per your kid's color and preference. So, after you have created a list of viable options, your kid can choose the best bike that your kid may need!

We hope we could help you with the optimum information that caters to both the safety as well as the fun of your child!