By Nicole Pates
How to Choose a First Bike
My daughter recently celebrated her 4th birthday.
She has been begging for a bike and a couple of weeks before her birthday, mastered no training wheels on an old hand me down.
Truth be told, it took her longer than I thought it would. Miss C was a speed demon on her balance bike but suddenly lost a lot of confidence on the bike.
What I didn't know before I started looking at bikes was that some bikes are easier to learn on than others.
Yup. That's right. The design of some bikes results in better balance and a more successful learning to ride.
I wanted to share with you what I learnt about buying a first bike so you don't make the same mistakes!
Bike Fit
Your Childs Height is not the only important thing
You actually need to consider not only how tall your child is, but their abilities as well. Height is not an indicator of ability or confidence.
How to measure for the right size bike
Many bikes now days include height ranges ie. for most 4-6 year olds will be between 95-117cm tall.
Getting the fit RIGHT is important for success
However there are a couple of other things you can do to check fit
- Minimum Seat Height
- Measure from floor to inner crotch and check this against the minimum seat height on the bike
- Physically try out the bike
- If your little one sits on the seat / saddle they should have the balls of their feet comfortably on the ground
- If they straddle the bar between the seat and the handle bars (the top bar) they should have comfortable clearance with both feet flat on the ground
- Your little one should have a slight bend at the elbow when holding the handlebars and comfortably be able to reach the brakes. You DON'T want t-rex arms
Manoeuvrability
How much does your child weigh?
Would you ride a bike that was half your weight? Can you imagine how hard it would be to manoeuvre, to steer, to pick up, to go up hills?
Bike weight is something you should consider.
The bike we chose for Miss C, the frame weighs 8kg in total. A lot of the other 16 inch bikes I looked at weighed 12kg+
Consider what the frame and wheels are made out of.
I would pick aluminium allow over steel any day as steel is heavier and needs more strength and coordination to control
Bike Longevity
If you know me, I like to pick products that last.
Our kids, particularly between the ages of 3 and 7, grow so quickly, that most bikes only last 18 months to 2 years.
So how do you get the most out of a bike.
How much is left in the seat post?
When trying out the bike it is really important, after you've got the fit right (above) to check how much is left in the seat post. To ensure longevity, you want at least half remaining (check image below)
Can you adjust the handlebars?
A good bike will allow you to either adjust the distance and / or the height of the handle bars.
What's the resale value like?
I love a product that can be resold or passed on to a friend because it's good quality.
With the explosion of marketplace considering the re-sale value of products is important. If you buy a cheap bike for $100 with no re-sale value but alternatively you can buy a bike for $300 knowing you can resell it for $150 then your little one is better off with a higher quality bike and you get a return on your investment.
Balance
This is something I did NOT consider or really even know about.
It was my fatal mistake that cost Miss C quite a bit of confidence before we got our new Byk E-350 for her birthday.
The Seat Tube and where it finishes.
What is a seat tube I hear you ask! Let me show you.
When the seat tube is at the level of the wheel, your little one's centre of gravity is LOWER, "in the bike". When the seat tube finishes higher they are higher and its more wobbly.
The hand me down bike Miss C had was not only a bit too small for her, it was heavy and the seat post was WAY above the top of the wheel.
No wonder she struggled!
I want to thank the Team from Next Bike Balcatta for helping me learn what to look for in a first bike and also Warren and the ByK Team.
After trying over 10 bikes in stores all around Perth we LOVED the ByK range.
Why?
Firstly Miss C is quite tall for her age and the ByK frame sizes gave us more longevity. Plus the resale value is great.
Other features that I love about the ByK E-350 Kids Bikes:
- Increased knee to handlebar clearance for growing bodies.
- Alloy seat clamp.
- Custom length cranks.
- Pedals with bearings.
- Smooth running tyres to reduce road friction and noise so your child can hear safety instructions.
- Ergonomic riding triangle between pedals, seat and handlebar for best balance and efficiency.
- Long wheelbase for more predictable handling at higher speeds.
- Bigger wheels
A good example of comparing two kids bikes that are both designed for kids between 5 and 8 years old. This photo is courtesy of ReviewZoo.com.au
Thank you for reading
Hopefully these tips help you pick a GREAT first bike for your child!
If it's still tricky and you're stressed, don’t worry! I’ve got you. Pop over to my Instagram @nicole_kidsphysio for a chat.
