How to choose the right Bike size for your Kid
We know you're excited about your kid starting their cycling journey, and you want to make sure they get a bike that fits them perfectly. As someone who has been through this experience myself, I'd love to share some tips on how to choose the right size bicycle for your little rider.
Keep in mind, choosing the correct bike size is crucial for several reasons. It ensures that your child can maintain proper posture, making cycling more comfortable and safer. A bike that's too big or small can lead to accidents due to imbalance or difficulty in handling.
Key Steps to Follow
- Measure Your Child's Height and Seat Reach: The first step is measuring your child's height accurately, as well as their reach (the distance from the seat to where they can comfortably hold handlebars). This will give us a good starting point in determining the appropriate bike size. The key rule, to more or less, know the correct size for your kid is the following: between the ages of 2 years old to 4 you should choose a 12" wheel bicycle; for ages between 4 years old and 6 you should the best fit is a 16" wheel bicycle; between 6 years old to 8 years you should pick a 20" wheel bicycle; from 8 years old forward, it is really necessary to choose by measuring because children start to differ much more on their grown speeds and it will depend much more on leg size then age.
- Consider Growth: Children grow fast, so it's wise to choose a slightly larger bike than their current size. A rule of thumb is allowing about 1cm to 2cm extra for growth over the next year or two. Even if your kid doesn't reach the pedals perfectly comfortable, that isn't a problem, make sure he/she reaches the pedals with at least the tips of their feet. This is already enough to learn and start to get comfortable with their new bicycle.
- Try Before You Buy: If possible, have your child try out different bike sizes to find what feels best before you decide which bicycle you choose. You can go to a shopping mall or a big sports store and try as many bicycles as you want. Even if the bicycle is not the one your kid wants, keep in mind the bike's wheel size that he feel most comfortable and think about the points talked before. Pay attention to their comfort and ability to control the bike and check whether you should choose a bigger size model or the right size.
How to Measure Your Child's Height and Seat Reach
Measuring Height: Stand your child next to a wall, with their heels together and eyes looking straight ahead. Mark the height on the wall where their head meets it. To know which is the correct size we leave here all the wheel sizes that best
suit the different legs height:
- From 32cm to 44cm choose a 12" wheel size bicycle
- From 40cm to 55cm choose a 16" wheel size bicycle
- From 52cm to 64cm choose a 20" wheel size bicycle
Measuring Seat Reach: Have your child sit on the ground with their back straight and feet shoulder-width apart. Measure from their bottom to where they can comfortably hold handlebars. This is just to check if your children has a big reach or a small reach. In the case that your kid has a small reach you should pick bicycles with an handlebar that comes closer to the child's arms. These bicycles are Bobbin's Gingersnap model, a more classic look bicycle with curved handlebars. In the other case you have the Bobbin's Moonbug model, with a more sporty look.
We hope this guide was helpful for you to understand which is the best option for your kid and that now you have a more specific idea the bicycles you should look for. You can always check our Store to get to know our stock of bicycles and maybe you will find the one that suits your kid's needs.