What Size Bike Wheel Do I Need

Children grow up fast, simply luckily at that place's e'er a wheel for them, no matter how old or how tall they are. Both the frames and the wheels of the bike vary in size, and the cycle size is a key gene in determining what bicycle is right for your child.

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Here'south a quick guide to the primary bike size options and what to wait for. In every size, you should brand sure your child can comfortably reach the handlebars, can stand astride the frame without contacting the tiptop tube, and can safely operate the brake levers.

The best kids' bikes have kid-sized and adaptable-attain levers, also every bit appropriately sized cranks, saddles and handlebars.

This table shows the diverse bike wheel sizes and the approximate ages they are suitable for, equally well as the minimum meridian and inseam length for each wheel size. Please annotation, the important thing here is the size of the child, not the age.

12in wheels – ages 2+

These are the small push-along bikes that were fabricated popular in Scandinavia. They generally don't have pedals, and this encourages a kid to learn balance and to push button the bike along under their ain momentum.

Rest bikes come in a range of materials, just we'd recommend a metal frame model with pneumatic tyres. The laminated wood residual bikes practise not last well when regularly exposed to cold or moisture weather.

A balance bike like this Strider is a great introduction to riding bikes. By teaching balance and bike control separate from pedaling and braking, a balance bike can allow a child to skip training wheels when they move to a pedal bike

Residue bikes teach kids residue and handling before pedals and brakes are introduced.

Ben Delaney / Immediate Media

A residue bike is a great introduction to riding bikes. past teaching residue and bicycle control divide from pedaling and braking, a balance bike can permit a child to skip training wheels when they move to a pedal bike.

14in/16in wheels – ages iii+

Once they've mastered a balance bike, it'south time for your kid to move onto a bicycle with proper pedals.

Pedal bikes designed for younger children tend to have 14in or 16in wheels, and can be fairly heavy for their size. If your kid has got the hang of balancing without pedals benumbed along on a residuum bike, they will likely exist able to make the jump to pedal bikes without training wheels.

When buying a 14in or 16in wheeled wheel, every bit with any cycle, consider proper fit. Although information technology can exist tempting to purchase a bigger bike with the idea of them growing into it, this will compromise their ability to ride safely and enjoyably. Brand sure they tin easily accomplish the handlebars and stand over the bicycle.

In the US, kids bikes of this size must have a pedal brake by law. In the UK and Commonwealth of australia, still, you can look for bikes with rim brakes.

14in bikes crave an inseam of 15in / 38cm: 14in bikes require an inseam of 15in / 38cm.

Ben Delaney / Immediate Media

20in wheels – ages half-dozen+

The move to 20in will probable be the commencement time your youngster will have a bike with gears. Typically 20in bikes have a single chainring at forepart with a twist-style shifter for a few gears in the back.

In the Us, this is as well the starting time kids' size cycle to have a rear rim brake, but generally the bikes volition have front and rear brakes.

Most 20in bikes crave an inseam of 20in / 50cm: almost 20in bikes require an inseam of 20in / 50cm.

Ben Delaney / Firsthand Media

24in wheels – ages viii+

Whether your kid is riding on the road or off, a versatile 24in wheel bike covers ground and deals with bumps better than a 20in. All of a sudden, y'all're measuring rides in miles, not minutes.

Bikes showtime to get serious around this wheel size. As with all kids' bikes, you should be looking for properly sized components, such as cranks, grips, brake levers and handlebars and, just similar an adult moving from 26in to 29in wheels, kit going from 20in to 24in will proceeds efficiency

24in bikes require an inseam of 23in / 57cm, and can be ridden by children as young as seven

24in bikes require an inseam of 23in / 57cm, and can be ridden past children every bit young as seven.

Ben Delaney / Immediate Media

26in wheels – ages 10+

The original mountain bike wheel size is also the terminal stepping stone to full-sized bikes. Using smaller eleven, fourteen and 15in frames, both road and mountain bicycle models are available in this category.

They're substantially scaled-downwards versions of the adult bikes, and nearly as fast and practical. There's a large selection of mode and prices to choose from when you attain 26in wheels.