Heavy and fitted with adult components is a thing of the past. A good children's bike is light and has ergonomic, child-friendly attachments. There is no such thing? Yes, there is now. Just a few years ago, the market for high-quality children's bikes was still dormant. Mostly colourful and visually appealing, but weighing a good 13 kilos, they were usually as heavy as an adult bike. An absolute disproportion in relation to your own body weight.
"Children often want the same bike as their dad. The main thing is colourful and definitely with a suspension fork," says Uwe Matthies. The boss of Maxx Bikes knows the problem with children's bikes. However, if you only choose a bike based on its smart looks, suspension fork and disc brakes, you'll quickly end up with a lame lead. Frustration and agony are inevitable. Imagine you had to cycle round your house on an e-bike. With an empty battery, of course. And with extra lead weights fitted. In addition, a crank would be fitted with the pedals over 30 centimetres apart. And to keep the monster in check, there would only be oversized brake levers that have little effect. How is biking supposed to be fun with that?
Low depreciation for good children's bikes
Fortunately, something is happening with children's bikes. More and more suppliers are specialising in really child-friendly bikes that focus on sensible lightweight construction and ergonomics. We have selected three 20-inch bikes between 380 and 479 euros and three 24-inch bikes from 369 to 799 euros that we particularly like. Small bike, big price?
Maybe, but your offspring will thank you for it on the tour together and can feel for themselves why mum and dad like biking so much. What's more, the depreciation of a good children's bike is low. If you are on the If you are looking for a suitable children's bike, you should make sure that:
- Low weight! The 20-inch model weighs less than nine kilos and the 24-inch model less than 12-13 kilos.
- Short, narrow cranks! Less than 160 millimetres long and as narrow as possible.
- Good parts! Adjustable brake levers, thin grips and padded saddle.
- Sensible fork: Most suspension systems for kids are too stiff and unnecessary.
If it all fits: Go for it!
Small size - so the new bike fits the child right from the start!
The right size for children's bikes
If the bike is too big for a child, the fun will fall by the wayside. To check whether the new bike really fits, we have measured the minimum and maximum possible seat height for all models. Normally, the seat height is measured from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the saddle. To take into account the different crank lengths, we have indicated the distance from the pedal in the low crank position to the top of the saddle. Your child's stride length should at least correspond to the minimum seat height in the test letter.
MTB fullys for children
Functional children's bikes with growing geometry are available, for example, from Black Mountain. One Read the test of full-suspension MTBs for children here.
Ergonomics, suspension and tuning potential of children's bikes
5 questions to ergonomics expert Dr Kim Tofaute about children's bikes:
BIKE: How do I find the right bike size?
Dr Kim Tofaute: The bike should fit right from the start. Initially with a completely lowered saddle, in two years with the seat post extended.
What role does weight play?
Many children's bikes are heavier than adult bikes. Of course, weight is always a question of price. However, you should be aware that high-quality children's bikes can often be resold without a major loss.
How good are the ergonomics of children's bikes?
Children's ergonomics are a desert. All too often there are plastic saddles without comfort, cranks that are too wide, thick grips and brake levers with such poor mechanics that children's hand strength is often insufficient.
Does suspension make sense?
Full-suspension bikes are generally far too heavy and usually only fulfil visual requirements. Even suspension forks are often not an issue for riders around 25 kilos due to their poor function.
What else can I optimise?
For many add-on parts, such as cranks, there are only a few alternatives. However, parents can improve ergonomics and weight in some areas. Lighter tyres already make a huge difference.
We tested these children's bikes in 20 and 24 inches
- Islabikes Beinn 20 small
- Kaniabikes Twenty
- MTB Cycletech Moskito 20"
- Cannondale Boys 24" Trail
- Kona Kula 24
- Maxx Racemaxx 24"
This test of children's bikes and the tuning tips for children's bikes has been published in BIKE 4/2013. You can download the complete article as a free PDF below.
