Choosing The Best Mountain Bikes For Your Kids

There’s a huge range of mountain bikes available for children, with some now so small it seems they’ve been designed for kids that have only just learned to walk.

The huge choice can be confusing, so here are a few tips on what to look out for, and what to avoid.

Firstly, forget the bells and whistles. Well, a bell is OK, but the main thing is to keep it simple. Your child may be intrigued and envious of your 20 gears, disc brakes and suspension system, but it’s all a bit unnecessary, confusing and, worse still, adds to the weight of the bike when you’re just starting out, so a simpler model is definitely best. Gears don’t really matter on first bikes until children are 6–8 years old.

Common Buying Mistakes

It can be tempting to buy a bike that’s too large for your child that they can “grow into” (just as our mums and dads did for us!). The reality is your child will most likely be put off by a bike that’s too heavy and cumbersome for them.

Avoid using stabilisers if you can too. Again, those childhood favourites are no longer considered the way to go; instead a “balance bike” is the answer for younger children. Costing as little as £25 at Halfords, these are essentially bikes without chains and pedals (some have brakes, others don’t) that your youngster can scoot around on getting used to balancing before the pedalled variety is introduced.

Getting kids keen

Once you’ve got your kid a bike, you’ll want them to actually enjoy using it, so here are a few simple bits of advice.

Firstly, choose your route. Look for somewhere fairly flat, fairly limited and perhaps with a few fun detours along the way for those first few outings. The common mistake is to overstretch your child on something too challenging or too long for them and put them right off in the process.

Secondly, make sure they are properly kitted out, warm (but not too warm!) and comfortable. Make sure they’re travelling as light as they can, perhaps just with a drink bottle on the bike, but you carry everything else. Keeping things light and easy for your child will make the whole experience much more pleasurable for everyone.

Finally, don’t overdo the advice, or the praise. Give a few bits of key advice on technique at the start and of course answer any questions your child has, but then leave them to get used to their bike, maybe just throwing in the odd piece of praise for a good move or two when they’re due. Don’t confuse or overwhelm your child with too many tips.

The frame size you need

Every child grows at a different rate, but here’s an approximate guide:

2 – 3 yrs old = 12″ wheel

3 – 4 yrs old = 14″ wheel

4 – 5 yrs old = 16″ wheel

5 – 7 yrs old = 20″ wheel

8 – 10 yrs old = 24″ wheel

12+ yrs old = Adult bike