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Natalie:
I chaired a panel on kids bikes at a recent CABDA convention and loudly called out many of the exhibits at that very event , without names, calling their kids bike designs ‘criminal’
I got applause and garnered quite a bit of attention among distributors and dealers in attendance
I’m presenting at an upcoming school event and would like to publicize the article on cheap bikes
Can you send this in printable form?
Regards
Larry
bike123.com
Love it! I would have loved to hear that panel. Considering we are all fighting an uphill battle to get kids off of screens, the fact that companies can sell and promote kids bikes that are terrible on so many levels is awful. Plus, it sadly makes parents blame their kids for not trying hard enough when learning how to ride, when in fact the bike is extremely hard to ride!
In addition to mainstream kids bikes, we also work actively with adaptive and special needs
Do you have the ‘cheap bikes’ article available in booklet form for purchase?
Regards
Larry
Sadly I don’t, but our How to Teach a Child to Ride a Bike, article is one we often refer to parents with kids who have struggled to learn how to ride a bike. It does not go into types of adaptive bikes, however, so it’s use it limited. As a short summary, it helps guide parents through teaching kids to balance a bike first and then add pedal later. It also emphasizes that once balance is mastered and you add the pedals back on, you want to ensure the child is not pedaling from a stand still. Bikes are much more stable at speed, so having a child practice the pedaling motion once the bike is already in motion is much easier and much more forgiving of mistakes, then trying to pedal when the bike is unusable at lower speeds.
May we link this article and post a headline photo on our
www.bike123.com?I’ve been teaching kids to ride, presenting safety clinics, selling, repairing, and donating for over 50 years.
Regards
Larry
Mt Airy Bicycle
Sure, but which article? I assume this one: https://www.twowheelingtots.com/the-hidden-costs-of-cheap-kids-bikes/.
Hi,
We purchased a bike online, and the web site links say the order (927326) was NOT fulfilled, even though payment was received on 4/7/2026. We would like to understand the delay, and some notion that the order will be fulfilled. It was expected to ship 4/8-4/10, and today we are one at a week delay. This kind of delay is frustrating since we had expected this to arrive any day for our grandchild’s birthday! Can someone please call us and give us a straight answer on when this will be fulfilled and delivered? We have been trying the online chat experience, and it is not helpful. My name is Donita. Please call me ASAP at 214-662-9747
We don’t sell bikes, so you certainly didn’t order a bike from our site. I’m sorry you are having trouble contacting the company you ordered the bike from, but I can’t be of help in this situation.
Your site has been amazing and helped me decide on quite a few things bike related so thank you. Now for my question I have a 3.5 yr old who rides up front on the Thule seat but she has now maxed out the weight. I’m looking at rear seats which I will be sad about putting her there but those max out at 40 lbs. she’s 38 lbs now. We’ve still been using the front seat because i actually thought it went to 40 lbs.
What else do you suggest because she wants to ride with me? A trailer I’m not comfortable with. I love our conversations while we ride. Is there anything else out there?? Please help.
Yes! Switch to an open style front mounted seat, they are amazing and so much fun. The MacRide (https://www.twowheelingtots.com/mac-ride-child-bike-seat-review/) and the Shotgun Pro are both great options (https://www.twowheelingtots.com/shotgun-pro-mountain-bike-kids-seat-review/). Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
I am looking for the trailer hitch for my bike to attach the doggyhut premium trailer to – the one i bought seems too small. Do you know where I could go to buy the correct one?
It looks like the Doggyhut Premium trailer uses the standard bike trailer hitch like this one (https://amzn.to/4tb5ae4). Does the one you bought look like this?
Had a question my daughter is five going to be six in October. She is 44” tall and inseam is around 19.5”. She has been using a Retrospec Koda 16” now with training wheels. She wants to stop using training wheels. However I am having a hard time picking new bike between an 18” or 20”. With her learning it seems maybe the 18” is better for that but a 20” would be more room to grow. Which would you recommend? I am looking at the BYK E350 or E450. Thank you.
I would actually work on riding the 16″ Koda without training wheels first. Remove the pedals as well as the training wheels and have her work on riding the bike as a balance bike. The smaller 16″ bike will be easier for her to learn to independently balance and ride on as compared to a larger 18″ or 20″. This article outlines the process I would recommend: https://www.twowheelingtots.com/how-to-teach-a-child-to-ride-a-bike/.
The seat height of the Koda 16 is 18.5″ – 23″, so with a 19.5″ inseam, I would drop the seat to its lowest position and use it as a balance bike.
Looking forward, the seat height of the ByK E350 (well the last one we tested years ago) is 18.1″ – 23.2″ while the E450 is 23.3″ – 28.7″. Compared to her 19.5″ inseam, the E450 is a bit too big right now and the E350 is essentially the same size as the Koda 16″, so I would wait to buy any new bike until she has mastered riding (and pedaling) the Koda 16 without training wheels.
Hi! Do you have any recommendations on kids protective glasses for when we hit the trails? Cheers!
Sadly I don’t. All the glasses we have loved have been discontinued. Glasses can also be really tricky for kids as it can really depend on how their helmet fits on their head. If their helmet is lower on their head, the helmet can rest on the top of their sunglasses, which is really uncomfortable for them. As a result, I would suggest taking their helmet with them to a physical shop and trying on as many sunglasses as possible to see what works. If options are too limited in physical stores, I would make sure any you order online can be returned. Hope that helps!
Which hoverboard do you suggest for an 11 year old girl beginner?
Here’s our suggestion page for Hoverboards: https://www.twowheelingtots.com/best-hoverboards-for-kids-buying-safety-guide/. You’ll see that we don’t have a lot of options as name brand companies are moving away from hoverboards. Considering “no name” random companies typically aren’t very trustworthy, we won’t recommend them, which limits our options for recommendations.
But I would say the Go Trax Edge would be a great option for a 11year old beginner.
In response to The Best Toddler Bike Helmets: Tested and Reviewed for Natalie Martins. I have a 2.5 year old that I’m really trying to find an ideal helmet fit for the giro scamp seemed to fit great but I think it exposes too much forehead. Do you have any suggestions on helmets if this is the case?
The Giro Scamp can be pretty shallow for some kids, which we talk about in our Scamp Review here: https://www.twowheelingtots.com/giro-scamp-review/#h-scamp-is-a-shallow-helmet. The Thousand Jr. shown as a comparison in that review is a deeper helmet, but it might be too large depender on your daughter head circumference. The woom and the Bern Nino are also deeper helmets that are available in smaller sizes.
Your favorite overall bike rack? We think we’ve narrowed it down to the Thule Revert 4 or Kuta Piston Pro 4. If you were to only have one?
The Kuat Piston Pro. But only because my kids are older now so rarely carry more than 3 bikes around town. When we do go on family trips we take the Thule ReVert. To be clear though, I would rather have a Thule ReVert 4 over a Kuat Piston Pro 4 tray. Any platform rack with more than 3 trays blocks my rearview mirror in my car when folded up, which I can’t stand. So up to 3 capacity with the Kuat Piston Pro, anything more than 3, then the Thule ReVert.
You’re awesome, Thanks!!!
Natalie
My name is Marsha Rickles, co- chair of Heads Smart, a program sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women dedicated to saving lives and reducing head injury. The program was born out of my personal tragedy of losing a son from severe head trauma sustained in a bike crash with a car. In 1988, when he died, few people wore helmets and I vowed to save other families the grief I experienced.
My partner and I love your website, especially the photos of fitting helmets properly.
We would like to partner with you in any way we can to increase helmet and bike safety
Please check out our website https:// http://www.headssmart.org
Thanks
Marsha Rickles
Thanks for reaching out as well as your commitment to get more kids safely wearing helmets! I am so sorry to hear about your son, but commend you for doing all you can to prevent other parents from going through the same thing. I’m not sure how we can work together, but I am always willing to help get the word out about helmet safety, please reach out with the email above with any ideas you may have.
This website is so informative but I still need help!
Son has a disability so his legs are proportionately very small. 20” inseam but overall height 52”. He rides well but is starting to look very cramped in the cockpit of his 20” Cleary Owl. However his inseam is too short to move up to a 24”. Any recommendations?!
Glad to help! If his torso is proportionally longer than his legs, he will fit better on a bike with riser handlebars, versus the flat bars on the Owl. I would look into modifying the bike with riser handlebars (ex: https://amzn.to/4nJ8QAw) or a riser stem (ex: https://amzn.to/3IxV2Kd). Either of these approaching will allow him to sit more upright and not be as leaned in over the front of the bike. With either modification, you will need to lengthen the brake cables and shifter cable on the bike. As a result, I highly recommend taking the bike in as is to a bike shop and explain what you need. They can help you select the right size handlebars or stem riser as well as help with cables.
Hello,
Your website has been invaluable as we have progressed through the balance bike years and are getting ready to pedal! I recently found a used Pegasus Leo in great condition, and like all other brands I’ve looked at, I came here to find a review on it. I was unable to locate anything about this manufacturer here so I wanted to ask if you have any experience with these bikes? My initial research doesn’t turn much up but they appear well built and thought out. Anyways, have a wonderful weekend!
Glad we could be of help :). I’ve never heard of Pegasus bikes, thanks for pointing them out. They don’t appear to be sold in the US and the Leo doesn’t look to be a current model (https://www.pegasus-bikes.de/gb-en/bike-categories/kids-bikes), but looking at their other models, my only concern would be weight. If possible, I would try to weight it to see how it compares to others. When buying a used bike, in addition to thoroughly looking the bike over especially the brakes, shifter and derailleur, I would also do the “drop test” to get a feel for the condition of the bike. To do the test, first make sure the tires are pumped up, and then while holding one of the handlebar grips, pick up the bike by the saddle and drop the bike straight down onto it’s tires (about 6” or so, while still holding onto the bike’s grip to keep it from falling over) and listen for any rattling. A good condition bike shouldn’t rattle very much.
My grandson has not ridden a balance bike yet and he will be turning 4 years old in February for which your calculator recommended a 16in bike. Can the pedals on this guardian bicycle not be put on right of way in order to start him out on a balance bike?
Many thanks.
Dorothy
Yes! The pedals do not come installed on the bike, so you can simply keep them off from the get-go and then add them on once he is ready for pedals.
Who makes a safe tricycle outside bike for seniors
I actually haven’t tried any tricycles out, so it’s hard to say. I would reach out to local shops to see if they have any you could try out. Trying a bike out in person can really help you get the feel for the bike as oftentimes little things like the seat or handlebar height can make a big difference in comfort level. Getting a bike locally will also prevent you from having to assemble the trike!
Hello, I am in the market for a 20” mountain bike for my 5 1/2 year old. He currently rides a 16” specialized Jett but he seems cramped and very wobbly. I took him to my local Trek dealer and had him try a wahoo trail 20 and he quickly took to it and seemed more stable and more confident. However it seems like there are little to no reviews on the trek wahoo trails. Looking at reviews of other bikes I really like the prevelo alpha three. What are your thoughts on the trek wahoo trail 20 and the prevelo alpha three? Both bikes seem very comparable across the board but the trek I can get locally and the prevelo is significantly lighter which I think would be a huge benefit. Can you help with some pros and cons? And or just a review on the trek since I can’t find much out there. Thanks so much for your time and input.
I agree that the Trek Wahoo’s look great! I am actually actively working with Trek to get one to review. Looking over the specs and geometry of the two (see overlay picture below), they are very similar. The two main differences I see are the weight and seat height. The Prevelo has a lower minimum seat height and also weights almost 5 pounds lighter, which is a lot for a young rider. The gearing between the two is almost identical with the Trek having a 1.74-6.02 gain ratio as compared to Prevelo’s very slightly lower 1.70 – 5.89.
Between the two, the more climbing and aggressive riding you will be doing, the more I would lean towards the lighter Prevelo. If your trails don’t have a lot of elevation gain and you’re not hitting up bike parks reguarly, then the price increase of the Prevelo isn’t as worth it.
https://www.twowheelingtots.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/trek-wahoo-20-and-prevelo-alpha-three.png
For goodness sakes you guys,
I’m in Australia and I like your site BUT where are you??
How about in About Us you say you are in a certain country. That’d be helpful.
Frustrated,
Nic
We’ve never had a lot of international traffic, so I never thought to! I went ahead and added that we are based out of Utah (in the US) on our About Page. Thanks for the heads up.
hello! Your website and articles have been so helpful while trying to select a scooter for my soon to be 2 1/2-year-old toddler. The LaScoota 2-in-1 Is out of stock. Anything similar but also a bigger price range (under 75) for a toddler with seat option? I did see the razor DXL but wasn’t sure how it was rated or if you prefer preferred something else.the micro looks great but is a little outside the price range . Thank you!
I did some research and found a few more options which are all under $50, but in full transparency, we haven’t tested any of these yet, but plan on it. If you’re looking for the 3-wheeled scooter with the lowest handlebar height (which are ideal for sitting scooters) while still having a higher maximum height, the Hurtle appears to be your best bet (https://amzn.to/4lnlWlL). Its handlebar range is listed at 22.5” – 34”. If you’re more concerned for height on the taller end, the GoTrax KS3 (https://amzn.to/447dpOh) has the highest maximum at 34.8” but a minimum at 31.3”. Lastly, the Retrospec Chipmunk Plus falls in between with a 28.8” to 33.5” handlebar height (https://amzn.to/3Gan7WM). Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for going above and beyond! I’ll check them out. Looking for one with a seat to get him started them hopefully to scooting!
Hello!
I’ve been trying to find a cleary gecko for my 2.5 year olds. I think he’s super ready for pedals but our woom 2 is still too big. He’s really been rocking his woom 1, climbing hills to ride down and finding curbs to fly off of. He keeps asking for pedals. Being that cleary has gone out of business, is there another 12 in you would recommend?
Thank you!
There isn’t another 12” I would recommend as they are all larger in size or poor quality. The smallest 14” bike is actually the Prevelo Alpha One, which has a minimum seat height almost an inch lower than the woom 2: https://www.twowheelingtots.com/prevelo-alpha-one-review/.
What are your thoughts on Banwood Bikes? I have a 4 year old who is ready for a pedal bike and she’s a girly girl. I love their aesthetic and she loved the photo I showed her – it was her immediate favorite – against Woom & Prevalo. That being said, safety is our #1 priority. She’s currently on a pink Woom balance bike which has been great. All of our older boys have Woom bikes which have been ok, but honestly I don’t love. We’ve had issues with pretty flimsy construction on those. Our kids ride 7-8 miles a day so I’m not sure if that’s a factor. We’ve been much happier with Isla bikes (no longer in the US) and Cleary (she really wants pink and they don’t have it). She’s tiny and fits the Woom 2 perfectly (we tried it in a local shop). So I’m also torn between a 14 inch now or waiting until she can ride a 16 inch. She’s too tall for the Woom 1, but has been riding her brothers’ old balance bike at present which is bigger, and she couldn’t ride due to her height until now (First bike). My husband is a fan of having her wait until she can ride our 16” Isla bike, but I forgot how heavy it is and she’s so tiny I’m not sure I think that’s a great idea? But it was great for 2 of our boys. 1 of our boys constantly fell off it (the skinniest of the bunch) and when we switched him to the lighter Cleary he never again had issues. Again, my #1 priority is safety. #2 would be aesthetics for my girly girl who I don’t think is as likely to be as aggressive as my boys, but you never know.
I’ve actually never tested out a Banwood bikes, so I can’t really speak to them though experience. Looking their bikes over, however, they do seem to be a bit overpriced for what they offer. Their Classic bike has a coaster brake as well as a single-pivot front hand brake, which are notoriously hard to adjust and never seem to stay adjusted. Some other concerns would be the fenders, which can add some weight as well as their very low placed handlebar. Even though the handlebar height is adjustable, it is still pretty low in comparison to the minimum seat height of the bike, which would minimize the amount of growth the bike provides.
If you are looking for a simliar look and feel of the Banwood Classic for a 16” bike, I would recommend the Priority Start 16, https://www.twowheelingtots.com/priority-start-16-review/. It’s a great quality bike with that classic feel. It also has dual hand brakes, no coaster brake as well as a grease-free carbon belt drive instead of a chain.
Lastly, I would check the weight on the Islabike versus the Cleary. Having tested both, I have never had a Islabike weight MORE than a Cleary. Islabikes have aluminum frames while Cleary’s are steel.
Hope that helps!
I bought one of your helmets when I picked up my new electric bike I don’t like your helmet to hard to take off a v or strap would be better my fingers are to big to work the snap
Do you know which brand and model of helmet you purchased? Some buckles are certainly easier than others to use and a helmet with set v-straps require the least amount of adjusting. If possible, I would recommend going into a local bike shop or a higher-end sporting good store like REI to try out different helmets there to get a feel of what works best for you. You may have to try more than one bike shop as most bike shop only carry specific brands of helmets.
Hi, I’m looking into bike trailers for a toddler, and I came across the Weehoo and this review, https://www.twowheelingtots.com/weehoo-turbo-review/. The Amazon reviews aren’t encouraging, and the Weehoo website seems janky to be honest.
Would you still recommend the Weehoo for a toddler that’s 3.5 years old and over 50 pounds? Thank you for any insight or guidance on this.
The Weehoo is great, but I agree that their website needs some work. They are under a new owner and honestly I’m not 100% sure of their current status. I would try to reach out to Weehoo and see if you get a response. If not, I would probably go for a Mac Ride instead to be safe. https://www.twowheelingtots.com/mac-ride-child-bike-seat-review/
Thank you Natalie. Appreciate the feedback. I’m looking at this Mac Ride now and trying to find out what the recommended height and weight is for it. Do you know where I can track that information down? I see 2-5 years old and no more than 60 pounds but I don’t see any parameters around height.
Thank you again!
They don’t have a max suggested height as that really depends on the torso length of the adult and the size of the adult bike. The taller the child, the more they are going to interfere with the space of the adult rider and eventually their field of vision. A shorter adult rider riding on a smaller frame bike won’t be able to ride with a preschooler nearly as long as a tall adult riders on a XL frame.
Thank you Natalie. Makes perfect sense. Appreciate the info and insight!
Hi,
Great info on your site! Any brand recommendations for Canadian customers that would be similar to the Guardians or Wooms? (In particular, do you have any info on the Forth/Park 14 bikes)?
We do! Here’s our review of the Park 14”, https://www.twowheelingtots.com/park-cycles-14-review/. It is a couple years old though and I’m not sure if they have made any changes since.
Hello, I have a question on the Tuley revert bike rack. I just purchased it and realized it does not fit 20 inch bikes without the adapter. Have you used the adapter? When I look up the adapter it gets poor reviews. Also, we have a 16 inch bike. I’m assuming there is no way to hook this to the revert… is that right?
Thank you so much!
I have used the adapter and was able to make it work with a 20″ bike. There was one small part of the frame that did make contact with the wheel basket, but not enough that I would be hesitant to use it. The adapter is very easy to get wrong in that the bike doesn’t hang over the front of the wheel basket like larger bikes, but over the side. It also only works with 20″ bikes if you place the adaptor in the furthest basket to the right. You can find more detail about the rack and the adaptors on our review: https://www.twowheelingtots.com/thule-revert-vertical-bike-rack-review/.
For 16″ bikes, you could make it work with a lot of pool noodles and bungee cords, but I wouldn’t recommend it, especially for longer road trips. To be honest though, very few racks do a great job at hauling 16″ bikes. If you have a lot of kids bikes, the Lolo vertical rack is a great choice. https://loloracks.com/collections/bike-racks
Dear Two Wheeling Tots (Natalie),
I’m a bicycle teacher. I teach all ages and abilities how to pedal a bike without training wheels. If you feel your readers could benefit from any of my recommendations for motivating fearful kids to learn how to ride, I would love to help.
Tammy
Sure! What do you have in mind?
We LOVE your content – probably every bike, helmet and other accessories bought after reading your reviews. The results speak for themselves – 5 and 3 year old riding bike parks and pump tracks with joy. We are thinking about a summer trip to Park City/Deer Valley, likely 1-2 weeks in July. You mentioned in one of your reviews that you spent a summer there. Any recommendations based on your experience? We know about Deer Valley and Trailhead, probably the 3y old is too young for Deer Valley bike park. Let us know if you particularly enjoyed some parks/locations. Thanks!
Glad we could be of help! Yes, Carrie spend a summer here in Utah a couple years back and I live just over the hill in the Salt Lake Valley :). We have amazing riding here. In the Park City area, first, make sure you bring a tow rope (we love the TowWhee) for each child. Compared to other parts of the country, there is a lot of elevation to climb! I would also recommend purchasing some Timber Bells (https://amzn.to/3EcNeeI) for when riding multi-direction trails. They also help you “hear” that your kids are riding behind you or in front of you.
Trailside park is amazing and a must do. For more single track riding, I would check out the Round Valley trail network. It’s a great option as there are wide trail to provide plenty of room when pulling your kids up as well as good green trail options for heading down. The UOP trailhead is another great option with plenty of green trails. Lastly, Bonanza Flat, it’s one big blue trail loop, but it’s a very pretty 5mile loop through beautiful scenery and you can turn around at any point. All of these trail networks can be found on the Trailforks app (which you will want to use when navigating the trails as well).
In Park City itself, there are some trails you can shuttle (park at the top and ride down), but they are pretty long and technical. For kids that age, I think it would be best to hike the trails versus bike. The 9K trail (Empire Pass trailhead) is one I would certainly hike versus bike as there are great views even just a mile from the trailhead.
Hope that helps! Don’t hesitate to reach out with any additional questions.
I’m looking for a tag along tricycle for our 12 year old special needs son. He loves biking but just can’t do it on two wheels alone yet. He’s out grown all the kids tag along bikes or buggies. It would be amazing to find something that could attach behind my husband’s E-bike. Is there such a thing?
Your best bet would be the Wike Special Needs Large Bike Trailer (https://wikeinc.com/products/special-needs-trailer-large-strolling-jogging). It won’t allow him to pedal, but would allow him to safely come along! The trailer should attach to any ebike, but you may need to purchase a new rear axle for the bike in order to allow room for the mount. To find and purchase a new rear axle, visit this website: https://robertaxleproject.com/axle-finder/.
Hope that helps!
We are shopping for a vertical bike rack for our family of 6 (including two little ones). We want something that we could use with 4 adult sized bikes and 2 weehoo trailers. It seems like most of the vertical racks require the front wheel to sit at an angle. Do any of them offer a purely vertical basket that you could use for a wee hop or other tag along style bike trailer?
We are ready to get back in the trail with this new round of little ones!
Thanks,
Kim Brower
Kansas City
Sounds like you have a lot of fun adventures ahead! We were able to load up our Weehoo on our Alta rack, which you can see near the end of the review under the “Odd Size Bikes” section: https://www.twowheelingtots.com/alta-racks-vertical-bike-rack-review/. In that image, you can see 4 adult bikes and one Weehoo, but if all four of your adult bikes were mountain bikes with flat handlebars (versus dropper bars on a road bike or swept back bars on a cruiser bike), you might be able to fit 4 adult bikes on one side and 2 Weehoo’s on the other. To be safe, I would get the larger Alta Superior which has more room along the top bar, but it is a lot more expensive.
This set up won’t work any other rack that I know though since their wheel baskets are fixed to the top bar. With the Alta, you can move the individual wheel baskets around on the top bar, which allows you to make more room for the Weehoo.
Why not ? Your Phone number and address ?
Why would you need those?
We love your reviews! We’re looking for tv e next size up for our kiddo (16”) and noticed that the retrospec brand just released some new models of their bikes. Any chance you’ll get to review their new one before April? It looks like their new top model compares more the to the guardian bike and I’d be curious if they updated anything on their single handbrake model. I know it’s a long shot but just wanted to see if that was in the works before we start making choices! Thank you!
Yes! I actually have their new 20″ Koda Plus here and will hopefully be able to test it out this week (weather permitting). I also meet with Retrospec’s design team last week about the new Koda line and I am very excited to try them out, on paper as well as hearing their team talk about them, they look to be an amazing bike with a phenomenal value.
Hi, I see the kids electric scooter reviews page is under maintenance. I was wondering, between the ninebot C2 pro and Niu KQi Youth plus, which would be a better buy. My son is 7 but he was 50 inches tall at his birthday. So he’s tall for his age. I like the look and simplicity of the Niu, but he wants the speed of the Segway. I’m just nervous that much speed will be too much for him at his age. Thank you
Hopefully the electric scooter should be back up and running! Any maitenance should only be for a few minutes. For electric scooters, I realize that page needs some updating, and while we haven’t actually tested either of the models you mention yet, we have done some research on them. Between the two, I think long term the Ninebot C2 Pro would be a better option as the variable height handlebar will fit him better now while still providing room for growth. The max 12.4 mph speed of the Ninebot is a bit fast for a 7 year old, so I would suggesting leaving it in the “standard mode” with a max speed of 9.3mph for quite a while. The Ninebot also has a longer range, so it should require less charging over time. Hope this helps!
Thanks for all the great helmet reviews! Any feedback on stuff that will help my kid’s head stay warm in cold winter climate would be super useful. For example, helmet covers or ear muffs.
Glad to help! Due to the different shape of kids heads and well as how their helmet fits, it’s really trial and error, so I don’t have a specific suggestions. My favorite method is to use a dual-climate helmet, such as the Bern Macon Jr. (on sale!) or Nino DVRT. Both of these helmets are available with a warm insert as well ear muffs. Designed to work with the helmet, the extra padding won’t interfere with the performance of the helmet, and they both have MIPS. The padding and muffs can also be removed for summer use.
Hi! I was looking to get a pedal bike for my 6 year old daughter. She has used a balance bike before this and is pretty confident on it. I’ve looked through your recommendations, reviews, and also have used your bike sizing tool guide. I am stuck on what to order. Based on her inseam, riding experience, my budget, and also the recommendation from the sizing tool, I have narrowed it down to the Retrospec Koda Plus in either the 16” or 20”. I would have gone over budget for the Guardian, but unfortunately the shipping cost to my location would be atrocious. My dilemma in choosing between the two is that the 16” has the coaster brake, but the 20” seat height minimum is 1.5” above her inseam. I know a coaster brake is not recommended, but its recommended for first time pedal bikers to look for a minimum bike seat height that will match their inseam to stabilize better. The sizing tool recommended both of these, so I was a bit confused because of the need to match the inseam height. Unless 1.5” above the inseam is okay? What would you recommend? Her inseam is 20” and her height is about 48”. I’m open to any suggestions. Thank you!!
Yea, I can see your concern as you are really in between the two. For the coaster brake, you are right in that they can delay a child learning to pedal a bike, but seeing as she is six, I think she would pick it up relatively quickly. If you were to go with the 16″, to help her learn how to pedal, I would install the training wheels as low as they can go to hopefully get the rear tire completely off the ground. This would allow her to practice the motion of pedaling while remaining stationary, so she would only have to focus on one thing. Once she masters the forward pedaling movement (kids accidentally pedal backwards when learning – hence the problem with a coaster brake).
If she is a very confident kid in general, you could start with the 20″, but with not being able to touch the ground flat footed, she could be nervous about getting started with pedals. If she is super excited to get started on a pedal bike, she could do okay on the 20″, but her progression may be a bit slower.
Hopefully that helps!
Thank you so much for your input! I am really wanting to steer clear of any coaster brakes, so I’m wondering if I am missing any 16” or even 20” with a minimum seat height of 20” that’s under $300? I might remeasure her inseam and height, just to double check. Otherwise I might have to take the leap on the Retrospec 20” or splurge on the Guardian. I appreciate all your help and info on this! Thank you!
I don’t know of another 16″ or 20″ bikes that would fit into that range. Since adding quality dual hand brakes adds some significant costs to a bike, they are typically only found on higher-priced bikes.
Problem solved! I remeasured her inseam and she now fits the minimum for the 20”! I forgot to add in her shoes. Thank you so much for all your help!
hello,My daughter is 6 years old and she particularly likes the XJD bike Pink. Do you know anything about XJD bikes?
We haven’t had a chance to review any of XJD’s pedal bikes, but from the pictures, their geometry isn’t ideal for young riders and they appear to be heavy in construction.
Hi!
I am looking at the 20″ Guardian for my newly 5 year old son. He is a very confident on his current 2 wheel bike and has been for about a year. He is 43″ tall and the Guardian website says to get the Small. My thoughts around this are that he will not be riding it much until April/May as we live in the Northeast. I am leaning towards the Large, as I think it will last longer. What are your thoughts?
Thank you!
Glad to help! 43” is the minimum height that we recommend for the Guardian 20 Small, so it will certainly fit now, but since the minimum seat height of the 20” Large is just an inch higher, I can see wanting to move up. If your child is a very confident rider and has an inseam of at least 20”, then I think you should be good with the 20” Large. If he is really timid or has an inseam less than 20”, I would stick with the 20” Small.
This is very helpful! He is a very confident rider, but also has a much smaller bike. I do believe that he will continue to be confident though.
Thanks again for the quick reply and the information!
Hi!
Your website is amazing and as a non-biker, I have used it extensively in purchasing bikes for my three kids to ensure they are able to learn and build confidence on the right bikes. Thank you for maintaining this great resource! So far we have chosen woom bikes all the way through, but my older daughter now needs a 24″ bike and wants to do some trail riding. We found the Edge 24 by Rocky Mountain Bikes locally here. It is the same weight as the woom off 5 so it might be a good option! You don’t have a review for it on your site – perhaps because its a Canadian manufacturer? If you have used this bike, or can share any thoughts about it, that would be great!
Thanks!
Tess –
We have not used or tested Rocky Mountain kids bikes. Is this the bike you’re looking at?
https://bikes.com/products/edge-24-22?srsltid=AfmBOooKi5Q2JUX_ro72H1wvy_lK5CJprMD-A-eazEusQA_aSw4k4Vfq
While we don’t have any experience with it, if it’s truly as lightweight as the woom OFF 5 (weight is not listed on the website), it does look like it could be a more basic and budget-friendly option, as it’s several hundred dollars cheaper and its components aren’t the same quality level as woom (but still are pretty decent).
One big difference I would point out is that the Rocky Mountain has v-pull brakes, not hydraulic disc brakes like the woom OFF. Hydraulic disc brakes will offer superior stopping power, especially if you end up in wet conditions (from rain or rolling through a creek…) If you’re doing just casual, basic trail riding, solid-quality v-brakes would be just fine. But if your daughter will be venturing into legitimate mountain biking, hydraulic disc brakes become much more of a necessity.
One other thing to consider is how easy the trigger shifters are to engage. More expensive bikes usually have trigger shifters that are easier for kids’ smaller hands to engage. If the bike is local, I would definitely recommend taking your daughter to take it for a test ride. One of the things she should test out is how easy it is for her to shift gears. We can certainly vouch for the ease of shifting on the woom OFF, but don’t have experience with the Rocky Mountain.
Additionally, if you are at all interested in converting the tires to tubeless, the woom OFF 5 is set up for easy conversion, while the Rocky Mountain is probably not.
Overall, if you’re sticking to basic trail riding without ambition to get into serious mountain biking, the Rocky Mountain does look like a solid, budget-friendly choice. And if it’s close enough to test ride, I’d definitely go check out how your daughter likes it compared to her 20″ woom.
I need to contact the company that makes GOMO balance bikes. I need a part and my search has come up empty handed. Any info on the company name and how to contact them would be much appreciated. Thanks
GOMO is distributed by NextSport. Their email and phone number are listed on the bottom of this page, https://nextsport.com/collections/gomo. Hope that helps!
Hello, I’m looking for a child seat that is compatible with the Momentum Cito e+. The top tubes are oval and quite thick, 18×33.8mm (approx). The Thule Yepp Nexxt 2 Maxi does not fit. Any ideas or other product recommendations?
To clarify, did you try attaching the child seat to the rear rack portion of the Cito e+, using the rear rack-mounted child seat?
Based on your work (which is awesome) I’m going to buy my very beginner, soon to be 6 yo (45 inches, 20.5 inseam) either a Guardian or Retrospec, but I’m still unsure of 16 or 20″. Based on your work (which is awesome) I bought her a woom 1 plus last year and she was so not into it. So, she’s a 100% beginner, not even a balance bike graduate. And I’m betting she’s gonna want training wheels to start off confidence building. I was about to go for the 20″ Retrospec until I read your point about large handlebars causing wobbly steering for new riders. Is the Guardian 20″ not that way? Which would you advise in this case? Thank you for all your awesome work!!
JP – the Guardian is a much better bike, which is reflected in its higher price. this includes that the handlebars are not nearly as wide, which can cause the wonky steering. Have you put your daughter’s information into Guardian’s RideSizer tool? https://snp.link/e387966e
Thank you for your kind words and for your support!
Yes, the tool advised the 20″, which seems very big but I’ll trust the experts! Thanks!
Just remember that Guardian’s return policy is SOOOOO easy. If it truly doesn’t work for your daughter, they will take it back.
Hello Carrie,
I’ve pored over reviews on your site but couldn’t find the answer to this question – I’m looking for the rear bike seat with the slimmest front-to-back depth on a rear luggage rack (i.e., the seat that takes up the least front-to-back space on a rear luggage rack). Have you measured front-to-back footprint of rear bike seats by any chance? It looks like the Yepp 2 Maxi, the Qibbel Air, or the Urban Iki are possible contenders (I’m in Europe), but there may be others. If you have data on this I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks for everything you do!
Yeah, that’s a hard measurement to come by. Since the Qibbel Air and the Urban Iki aren’t sold in the US, we can’t speak to them, but we do have the Yepp 2 Maxi rack-mounted. If I measure just the amount of real estate the seat takes on the top of the rack, its about 11″ or 28cm. The field shields, however, do protrude farther up the rack along the side (closer towards the adult rider). Let me know if that measurement makes sense or if you need anything different.
Thank you so much! If I measure the other two I’ll report back here.
Hello,
I recently bought a hoverboard from a company in Quebec, Canada and the board has only been used on pavement in our paved cul-de-sac for less than an hour (only 1 battery charge) and without any crashes as my son already knows how to use a hoverboard.
The board has only had normal pavement use and one of the light fender covers has come off. When trying to put the cover back on I have struggled to make it stay as the tabs are too small for the unit. When I look at the other side for comparison I have noticed that it is also glued in place. The glue definitely came off this side and the clips on the cover will not stay in place. In addition, the internal speaker has also come off and is bouncing around the inside of the unit.
Based on the description that I have provided, is this something that should be happening with my son’s board, so soon after being first used? Would I expect this to happen from most boards that are sold on the market?
Please advise.
Thank you.
David – this should NOT be happening with ANY product so soon after purchase. Can you tell us the brand of the hoverboard? We recommend sticking to well known brands like GoTrax, Swagtron, or Jetson. The hoverboard market is saturated with no-name brands coming out of Chinese factories that make it very difficult to resolve any issues after purchase. Have you tried contacting their customer service?
Hi Carrie,
I read your review about the Allen sports delux bike trailer, and I was wondering if you knew if you can hitch this bike trailer to an E-bike, specifically a Volmark deresden e-bike. Your advice would be great! I live in Chile and would love to be able to buy this trailer for my 2yr old and myself.
Best regards / saludos
Fiona
Fiona –
I would first contact Volmark and ask them if they recommend using this bike with a bike trailer. If they say yes… then the next problem you’ll need to tackle is if the Allen trailer hitch coupler will fit on the rear axle of the bike. (Every brand of trailer uses a unique style of hitch coupler.)
Rear hubs and axles of ebikes are often quite different than a traditional bike. We’ve found that sometimes a trailer hitch coupler cannot be safely attached to some ebikes. In our testing, the coupler of the Burley and Queridoo trailers were the most likely to fit, while Allen fell into a “maybe” middle category.
If you are really set on the Allen trailer, I would recommend first purchasing the hitch coupler to see if it would fit on your rear axle. (Although I’m not sure if this is possible for you in Chile?). https://allen.bike/products/kids-trailer-bike-hitch?variant=19723855953979¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=CjwKCAjw4P6oBhBsEiwAKYVkq8GqVYlYoU7E4UHqdXy7iAtX3gFwAm4ucDXzHYes-o6vdRiuSmKL8xoCZzAQAvD_BwE#
I just wanted to send a ‘Thank you’ I recently decided to start cycling again after a lengthy hiatus (6 years due to knee surgery and a lot of excuses). In that time we had two young kids. Your blog helped me settle in on both a trailer (Burley Encore X) and a 16″ bike (Guardian, whom I’d never heard of before reading). Your information helped me make, what I think are, good choices and now even my wife bought a bike and comes a long. Thank you, Carrie!
Thank you for letting us know this, Dennis! We’re so glad that we could be helpful to your family! This website is a labor of love for us and messages like this make everything worth it!
Have you had any problems with quick release rear axles breaking when pulling a trailer. I’ve now replaced my axle twice pulling a Qeridoo single sportex, I’m wondering as to why this keeps happening and if others have had this issue.
We have pulled over 40 trailers over the years (including 3 different Qeridoo trailers), and this has never happened to us. We’d love to see a picture, and get more details about what type of riding you’re doing when this happens, and how heavy your child is?
Hello, This is Abdul Kader from Bangladesh. I always read your blog, I like your writing on different topics. Scooters are my hobby too, I want to share my experience with scooters to everyone like you. I am always with you, I will be
Hi My name is Nancy Gendreau. I am a volunteer for the Elks Drug Awareness Program. I am looking for bikes to be donated. Our event will be late July beginning of August. Many children don’t even have a bike and it would be great if I could get some donated so many children can have a bike. Can anybody help?
Pretty sad that you had to disable the comments on the balance bike YouRube video. Seems like balance bikes are so under appreciated — even when parents have firsthand experience. I ‘accidentally’ learned to ride a bike growing up with a bike that had its pedals removed. 29-31 years later I would do the same with my sons’ bike (not long after seeing them struggle with those terrible training wheels) — and they learned balance and biking that same day. I have videos as proof but sadly — it is still hard to convince even my own family to just remove the pedals and training wheels from their kids’ bikes if they want them to learn.
Balance bike really are under appreciated!! Awareness certainly is increasing, but the persisting popularity of training wheels is astounding!
Carrie: I want a bike that can be used. with training wheels on front and back. I have a friend who wants a bike, that he can ride within his gated community, make new friends, and simply enjoy being outside! Needs to be stable enough so as to not easily tip over. Am wanting to make it easy mount and dismount. Any comments on how to do this, I welcome. I took a handicapped friend to a beach that offered wheelchairs- that would roll EASILY through the soft sand! It was a awesome experience for my friend!
Have you considered getting an adult electric tricycle? They are becoming quite popular. Here is an example: https://amzn.to/487Rzd9
Hi! Such helpful reviews but a bit overwhelming for a 47 year old dad who sorta learned how to ride a bike! I was great on my BMX style bike but put me on a regular bike and I’m in the bushes! It’s pretty embarrassing.
So, now I have my precious only daughter Carlie who is turning 4 on Feb 11. I have promised her a bike and read all of your reviews. She has never been on a bike (other than those little red ones they have in preschool). At this age, do I put her into a balance bike? She still toe walks a bit so we often have her in leggings for school so if she falls she has a little knee protection. How will she do biking? I have no idea. But, I’d like to get her going and have a bike I can transition her into and get some value out of – not just 6 months and have to purchase a new bike. Anyway, let me know what you think? She is 60 percentile for size for her age – she’s skinny but a bit above average for height. Trying not to screw this up! Thanks!
Hi Kevin –
How tall is she exactly? Also, is she generally coordinated and athletic, or more timid and cautious?
Carrie
Hi， I would recommend a RoyalBaby branded newly launched kids bike which designed for kids who want to learn to ride faster. The model of this bike is “RoyalBaby EZ Bike”. Kids can ride it as a balance bike, and also a padel bike, by transforming it in a second, thanks for their patented quick-release crank. Kids can master biking within a few hours riding with EZ Bike.
Thank you for the amazing reviews. Super informative and helpful. I’d love to get your input on a bike for my son. He is 9 years old, but tall – 4’9″. He is a beginner mountain biker, but I like to ride aggressive trails. I feel like he is old enough that I could start introducing him to some more aggressive trails if he had the right bike. But I won’t bring him on anything too crazy. Mostly blues and some easier blacks with b-lines. I’m almost ready to pull the trigger on the D24x, but I’m worried he’ll outgrow it too quickly. I’d like to get him something a little bigger so that he has room to grow into it, but not so big that he won’t be able to handle it now, while sticking close to the same price point as the D24x (currently on sale for $1100). A lot to ask, I know.
Any recommendations? Based on your reviews, I’m starting to think that may the Woom OffAir 6 might be a good option. Not as aggressive as I might want, but honestly it’s probably a better fit for his current skill level and where he’ll realistically be in a year or two. The Zulu 4 also looks awesome, but at 24″, it will also probably be too small a year from now. Anything else you can recommend that is a little bigger than the D24x, a little more aggressive than the OffAir 6, but still priced under $1500? Thanks
Glad to help! Completely understand where you are coming from, as my 10-year-old is in the same boat. My guy will ride the woom OFF AIR 6 since we still have the demo, but it sounds like you need a more aggressive bike. Being 57″ tall, I would not get the Polygon, it’s going to be much too small too quick. A stretch price wise would be to go for the Trailcraft Timber 26 “Special Build” which is on sale for $1,699, the Spawn Yama Jama 26″ for $1,625 or the Commencal Meta HT for $1,800. The Frog 72 would be a good fit, but likely not as aggressive as you would like (or the Frog 69 if he has a shorter inseam). I also know of a 26″ kids MTB coming early next year that sounds perfect for your son, if you are willing to wait. Can’t share any details though, and the MSRP hasn’t been made available, but will likely be under $1,500.
On the adult side, here are some interesting options to consider, but I haven’t tested any of these yet for use with a tween though.
1. Cannondale Trail 26 – Will offer a good fit, but components aren’t ideal.
2. Cannondale Trail SE 3 – XS frame starts at 4’6″, but out of stock online. Could maybe find one local?
3. Liv Tempt 1 – XS starts at 4’11”, but you could likely cut the seat post to get it lower. We have the Size L of this bike and the seat post came super long with almost three inches between the saddle and the seat collar when at the minimum. The bike has been amazing for the price.
4. Decathlon XC50 MTB – the XS frame would be ideal, but they only have the small which starts at 4’11”. Quality build for the $999 price and the frame comes with a lifetime guarantee. Here’s reddit thread about the bike.
5. Vitus USA – These guys are just opening their US warehouse, so supply will grow week by week. We’ve tested 4 different Vitus kids models and they were all amazing for the price. Their small starts at 4’12” though.
Hope that helps! Keep us updated as I would love to hear what you decide on.
Bikesonline has some killer deals on the D24 and D24x. You should add that to your Holiday Sales Roundup page. Currently $700 for the D24 and $1100 for the D24x. I think I need to get something bigger for my son because he will outgrow the D24 pretty quickly, but at those prices, it might be worth buying, even if only for a year. . https://www.bikesonline.com/2022-polygon-siskiu-d24x-dual-suspension-kids-bike.
Absolutely agree, I’ll go in and add those now. They are amazing bikes for the price.
I wonder if you have any thoughts on the Early Rider Seeker 20″? From my research it is lightweight and could be a good option for a young (5yo) beginning mtn bike/adventure rider? Thanks for any thoughts!!!
We have not tested this bike, but Early Rider is an exceptional brand and we’ve heard great things about their mountain bikes from other parents.
I have a the Thule chariot cross double bike trailer, ride along and the yepp nexxt mini. Bike will mainly be used for street with occasional flat dirt paths. Any suggestions on a bike that I will work with all three accessories? Thank you!
The Btwin Riverside would be a great option. You can read more about that bike and other options on our Best Bikes for Women page: https://www.twowheelingtots.com/best-womens-bikes/
Thank you for the suggestion, I was considering that one based on your reviews. Do you happen to know if the ride along seat would work on either the connondale or the trek? Thank you for your help!
Oh wow, this reply is so late, I apologize! The RideAlong has a larger mounting bracket, so you’ll need more space on your seat tube to mount it. If you are unsure, I can help if you send me pictures of your bikes. [email protected]
Hi Carrie. Love love love your videos. Thank you so much for them. After watching your reviews on front mount child bicycle seats I’ve settled on the Thule Yepp Nexxt mini. Unfortunately the standard mounting bracket will not fit my bicycle. I would need to use the Thule A Head Adapter. Do you have an opinion and or video on it ?
Thank you
Glad our videos are helpful :). Unfortunately, the Thule ahead adapter is only compatible with the Yepp Mini and not the Yepp Nexxt Mini. Have you tried removing the plastic inserts of the Yepp Nexxt Mini’s mountain bracket?
Is it safe to use with those halfround plastic A/B inserts? My stem is slightly too wide with those in, but I’m not clear if they are needed for safety/stability or rpeventing rotation of the seat.
Amazing website. Am a fan! Although I’m having some trouble choosing the right trailer with the set of requirements I have:
– Have an eBike.
– Will use the trailer on the weekends and will use it on a mixed city terrain (flat/hilly/pot-holes).
– Live in a warm climate, so ventilation is a must-have.
– Have a 4-year and 8-months old kids. The 4-year-old is 98cm and would love for her to fit for the next 2/3 years at least – so am looking for a trailer that accommodates tall kids (plus helmets).
– Don’t care about storage space.
– Have a 500€ budget.
Ended up going for the Qeridoo SmartRex2 – So far pretty happy with it! Great attention to detail and good materials as well.
Qeridoo is a great brand. They are pretty new to America, and we’re certainly glad they’re here!
Hello, we’ve used your website several times already for our kids’ bike and accessory needs. Thank you for the great reviews and guidance!
Our 6.5 year old daughter has been using a balance bike for the past two years, and is now fairly comfortable with it, has good balance, though she’s still a bit of a timid rider and in general doesn’t like going too fast, and hasn’t learned to handbrake (she uses her feet). This summer she’ll be going to a bike camp to hopefully transition to a pedal bike. They recommend coming in with a bike with training wheels so they can be removed during the camp; however they will also take kids with no training wheels at all. Considering she has only used a balance bike and never any training wheels, do you think we should just buy a regular pedal bike and not worry about the training wheels?
Size wise, her inseam is 21” so on paper a 20” bike may be best, but considering her timid riding and (possibly) going with training wheels, we’re also considering a 16” bike. So far I’ve looked at the Pello, Guardian, Priority or Liv as our main options. Would love any suggestions about our choices 🙂 thank you!
Hello we are intrigued by the Belsize brand lightweight 20 inch bike. It’s only about 15 lbs and has hand brakes and is belt driven. Any input on this brand?
Thank you
I just listened to Jonathan Bastian on NPR’s KCRW podcast called Less is more: The science and skills behind saying ‘no.’ I learned about the invention of pedal less bike with this interview with Leidy Klotz about his new book ‘ Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less. Now I will be on a quest to convince my family to use your bikes for their grandchildren.
But first I would like to know the musical artist and/or the name of the song used in your video – What is a Balance Bike? | Pedal-less Bicycle for Toddlers & Kids. There are no credits for the video.
It’s a generic track available for use on Apple iMovie
Hey there! What an awesome site – I’m so glad to have found y’all!
Question: is it possible to hand a handbrake to the Strider balance bike? My son is 26 months old and a total whiz on the balance bike. He just gets going so dang fast that we really want him to have a way to stop. We love the Strider and don’t want to buy him a whole new bike just yet – lots of miles yet to ride on it! Please let me know what you think and thanks a whole lot!
Hey Emily! Welcome to our world! :-). So while we don’t want to say what you’re asking is impossible, it’s basically not possible if you have the Strider 12 with plastic rims. A rim brake (which is the type of hand brake any balance bike has), requires metal rims. Even then, the process would probably be more trouble (and money) than it’s worth.
Have you looked for used balance bikes locally? Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of balance bikes with handbrakes to begin with, although we always prefer them for the exact reason you’re experiencing now. Yedoo TooToo, woom, Prevelo, FirstBike, and Pello are all brands you could look for used.
I am looking for two bike recommendations.
1. A child who has low muscle tone, 18 inch inseam, 39.5 inches tall, and will need something properly sized but light. Can walk with a balance bike. Looks like there are a view 16 inch with Seat heights low enough but not sure if she’ll be able to manage something too heavy
2. A child who is 52.5 inches, weighs 56 lbs, and is more of a timid rider and currently using training wheels but needs a larger bike. Looks like he needs a 24 inch for his height but he isn’t confident on a bike yet. Considering maybe a woom 5 since it’d light?
Katie –
If you’re looking for lightweight, woom is absolutely the way to go. While more aggressive riders can handle a few extra pounds no problem, woom bikes are particularly helpful for timid riders.
For your younger child, the woom 2 would be appropriate. At this time, the woom 3 would still be a little bit too tall. Especially with the low muscle tone, you don’t want to hand them a bike that is too much for them to handle. The woom 2 has a seat height range of 16 – 19″, so your child will outgrow it relatively quickly, but woom bikes have an incredible resale value.
For your taller child, the woom 5 does sound like a great option. Since he is on training wheels now, I would keep the pedals off the bike in the beginning. Have him use the bike as a balance bike until he is confidently balancing and gliding. Then you can put the pedals on. Here’s an article about this: https://www.twowheelingtots.com/how-to-teach-a-child-to-ride-a-bike/
Hi, your site is great and very detailed. I’m having a hard time deciding between the Thule Coaster XT or Burley Honey Bee or Burley Encore X… I only need the trailer for daily double stroller use and biking on regular terrain… Kids right now are 2 months and 2.5 years but hoping to get a few years use out of it! Is there one you would prefer over the other?
Between those three, the Burley Encore X is the only one with bench style seats. That style is so much more comfortable for the kid passenger, and much easier for the adult to get kids loaded and unloaded. For that reason alone, I would go with the Encore.
I find your bike reviews to be spot-on. I’ve raised over a dozen kiddos, some who now compete on their bikes. We’ve been through over a hundred helmets, and your reviews on those as well are great.
We are, however, now in a new phase of life with a child of 8 with motor disabilities. I’m not finding any reviews on bikes with adaptations or for those with low muscle tone. My son’s cheap bike literally exploded this weekend, so I have been frantically attempting to find something for him. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be a much reviewed topic! And hand brakes vs coaster brakes take on a whole new debate in light of muscle tone. I would love to see more inclusive reviews. Also, Ruseen makes amazing reflective vests for riders with disabilities…and any riders!
Hi, My 5.5 year old son is tall for his age (122cm) and very good at cycling (e.g. doing 40km – 50km bike rides every Saturday). I want to upgrade his 20 inch bike to get a wider gear ratio and the most sensible way to do it is to buy an Early Rider Seeker 20” or 24” bike. My trouble is I can’t try before I buy, and Early Rider say their 24” inch bikes is for 8 year old with a 24 inch inseam, but my son is younger and has only a 22 inch inseam. However, he currently rides with a seat height of 67cm which is the same as the minimum seat height on the Early Rider 24”. Do you think I should go by the seat height and get the larger bike? Thanks so much for your help.
Hi William! We don’t have experience with this bike so we really can’t say. It’s possible that the minimum seat height of the Early Rider isn’t ideal for riding – we’ve experienced that with several bikes. When set to the minimum, a child can technically ride the bike, but it’s really just too much bike for a child that size to handle. Not sure if that is the case here. Have you reached out to their customer service team?
Hi. I have absolutely loved your videos and reviews in trying to decide what child seat setup I should purchase for my Radmission1 mid-step. I’m in the USA, and Rad Power Bikes (as of Nov 2021) does not currently sell an OEM rear rack, and I am skeptical that a frame-mounted child seat won’t fit, so I have resorted to looking into a rear rack/rack mount child seat. Whether it be for liability purposes, or whatever other reasons, there seems to be tons of “incompatibility” with rear racks and seats. Rear racks will meet the user manual dimensions of, say, something like that Thule Yepp Nexxt Maxi, but the rear rack makers (Topeak for example) will say their products aren’t designed for child seats. That being said, I wanted to ask what kind of rear racks your tests use on the different products that you feature, and if there are any you recommend? Beyond that, a suggestion for a list or video in the future would be to discuss or showcase different aftermarket rear racks, and the different seats you’ve tested them on?
TLDR, what aftermarket rear racks do you use on your bikes when testing different child rear rack seats? Do you use child seats on racks that may not specifically be designed to accommodate child seats? What are your thoughts?
Thanks a ton. I’m sure your perspectives will be immensely resourceful to tons more people than me. Keep up the great work!
Hi Miles! You are right that due to liability issues, most rack manufacturers won’t say that their racks are compatible with child bikes seats. Many child bike seat manufacturers won’t recommend a rack either!
As a result, we also find it difficult to officially recommend racks for use with child bike seats. It all seems a little crazy, right?
That said, whatever rack you choose, make sure that the weight capacity can accommodate the weight of the seat + the weight of the child.
We use an Axiom rack that is safety rated to 110 pounds.
Hi I’m the President of the Biggest Little Trail Stewardship in Reno, Nevada. In the fall of 2019 we build and the City of Reno opened Sierra Vista Park. We built 4.5 miles of Mountain Bike trails including at Strider line for Strider kids, three different levels of flow trails with features and a number of class 3 trails. The park use to be a golf course, so there’s a bunch of additional trails on the old ground asphalt cart paths. One of the cart paths was covered and compacted with DG and is 2 miles in length. Here’s the link on Trailforks for the park. https://www.trailforks.com/region/sierra-vista-park-33111/ I believe it would a great addition on your website. It’s a great family friendly bike park. Thanks
I have tall four year old twins and I dropped the ball on getting balance bikes early on. One was pretty comfortable previously on a 12” bike with training wheels, and the other couldn’t really get the hang of it. Now they’re about 47” tall, 20” inseam; and because of the differences in their experiences, guardian suggested a 20” small and a 16”. I’m thinking of getting both of them 20” smalls and attempting to do the balance bike method before adding pedals. Do you have any suggestions before we make this double investment?
I tried to leave this comment under your guardian 20” bike review but kept getting a “nonce is invalid” response. Thanks!
Hi Kolbi! I am so sorry that I just saw this. If you still need help, please email me at [email protected]
Hi Carrie,
I’ve seen you are still wearing your yellow woom bike helmet although it was pulled back.
This helmet just looks so nice, comfy and has so much coverage, I’d really like to get one for me and my daugthers (age 12 and 14).
Do you know if there will be an L size (55-60cm) when the redesigned helmets will be released? The woom homepage offers XS, S and M size only.
If not we might look for used ones. I assume the L size is safe as you are still wearing it?
Hey Jennifer! So sorry for the delay! The sizing for woom helmets will be different when they relaunch. We haven’t seen the new ones yet, but this is from their site:
XS: 18.1-19.7 inches / 46-50 cm
S: 19.7-20.9 inches / 50-53 cm
M: 20.9-22.0 inches / 53-56 cm
Have you measured your daughters’ heads? Many women have smaller heads and they may be able to fit in the Medium. We would not recommend purchasing an old used helmet as you can never be sure that it hasn’t been involved in a crash.
I find your bike reviews to be spot-on. I’ve raised over a dozen kiddos, some who now compete on their bikes. We’ve been through over a hundred helmets, and your reviews on those as well are great.
We are, however, now in a new phase of life with a child of 8 with motor disabilities. I’m not finding any reviews on bikes with adaptations or for those with low muscle tone. My son’s cheap bike literally exploded this weekend, so I have been frantically attempting to find something for him. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be a much reviewed topic! And hand brakes vs coaster brakes take on a whole new debate in light of muscle tone. I would love to see more inclusive reviews. Also, Ruseen makes amazing reflective vests for riders with disabilities…and any riders!
Hi! We’ve found your site so helpful, thank you for all the tips! 🙂 We have a 2 year old daughter, but we live in the city and wouldn’t yet trust her scooting around the streets on a balance bike or scooter. We take daily walks in her stroller, but she’s totally over being confined to that. We bought a Smart Trike stroller, but haven’t been too impressed with the functionality. Do you have any recommendations of some sort of bike or scooter / stroller combo? We’re looking for something she can be more active on, but still controlled enough to be around busy streets. Thanks!
Ooooh, that is a tough one! Have you considered carrying her on YOUR bike in a child bike seat?
My son has a Woom 3 bike and he would like to attach a wagon to it. When we search we have only found links to trailers for attaching a kid bike to an adult bike. Do you know of any attachments that would fit a kid’s bike?
Thank you!
Michael and Otto.
Hi Michael –
We do not know of anything like you describe. What exactly is your son trying to carry? Woom offers a cargo rack that might work for carrying some loads, but it only fits on woom 4 and above.
Hello, I want to buy a bike and a chair to ride on for the age of 2 to 4 years, if you can send how can I buy the appropriate bike for the chair
Hey Basmah! If you still need help, please email me at [email protected]
Good afternoon!
My 4 year old son is currently riding a Strider 14x with pedals. He is about to turn 5 and is ready for the next size up. He is very experienced and likes to ride trails. Unfortunately, his inseam is 16.5 and I am worried the jump to a 20 inch bike would be too much. I want to get him a bike with gears, but I cannot find any 16 inch bikes with gears. Do you have any recommendations? Or do you think he could skip it and go to 20 inch wheels and just grow into it?
Thanks for your time! Your website has been very beneficial when looking for information!
Oooh, this is a tough one! There is only one 16″ bike with gears on the market… available out of Europe. Most 4 and 5 year olds don’t have the developmental capacity to handle gears. My daughter is about to turn 4 and also loves to ride trails. We just bring a tow rope for the inclines. Is that an option for you?
The smallest 20″ trail-worthy bike with gears is going to be the Prevelo Alpha Three. https://www.twowheelingtots.com/prevelo-alpha-three-review/. However, my daughter has an 18.5″ inseam and is 42.5″ tall and I think this bike would still be a bit of a stretch for her. She currently rides several different 16″ bikes, including the Prevelo Alpha Two, Prevelo Zulu Two, and Cleary Hedgehog.
Thanks for the response! I’ll definitely look into a tow rope.
Hi,
Trying to get into cycling but it will all hinge on my ability take my one year old with me. Been reviewing different rear mounted child seats. How come there are no options in North America for a decent rain cover? Any suggestions for something with a bit of structure?
Hi Angela –
How would you feel about using a bike trailer instead? Rear mounted seats don’t have rain cover options here.
https://www.amazon.com/Yama-Maruto-Japan-Cover-Structure-Child/dp/B01CG3YZL8/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=child+bike+seat+rain+cover&qid=1623704989&sr=8-3
Thanks tons for all your help! My grandson is able to start, stop, stand to pedal ( beginning to as a trick 😃) and loves his WOOM 2 . He is currently 2 yr 7 months and I was hoping you guys would review bikes comparing to each other . You have done some in a limited way but my thought were showing a child ride a bunny hop ( or other things kids usually try) on a WOOM or CLEARY or PREVELO or SPAWN etc. to help families choose what the next bike should be considering the type of biking they do. To be clear, I don’t mean which bike is better than the next, they are all great. I mean please help us choose by watching kids demonstrate which bike is suited to the child’s current And future biking needs. I know which bike brands are good and I understand the upright VS aggressive geometry but please show us more in-depth about which bike is suited for what activity. FROGS look great but it seems like a child that wants to jump curbs or ramps would do better on a CLEARY , PREVELO or SPAWN. PREVELO make it obvious that the ZULU line is for mountain biking so I understand that difference. Thanks again for all your research I look to your site constantly and trying to learn more and more.
BTW- I run a preschool so my grandson has had access to WOOM 2, SPAWN YOGI 14 inch, CLEARY GECKO, and KOKUA 12 and KOKUA 14 inch jumpers for balance bike races. He has been successful on all at his young age so any families not able to get their first choice for their child these have all been fantastic bikes!
We have a YouTube channel that might be helpful to you. We have many video reviews of individual bikes. The Prevelo Zulu will be posted in a few days, and the Cleary Gecko in a few weeks.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmsFNYmAeanz5cd7ELRfdyg
Based on your reviews, I just purchased a 14″ Guardian Bike for my 3.5 year old. Before this she had been riding a cheap hand-me-down balance bike with no brakes. After a week on the Guardian without pedals and a weekend working with home built block trainers (thanks for that tip) she took off on her own. She loves riding her bike, terrorizing and entertaining the neighborhood. Unfortunately, the one thing I cannot get her to use are her hand brakes. After her time on the balance bike, she’s completely attached to the idea that you stop by dragging your feet. She knows the handbrake is there, but only squeezes it once she’s nearly stopped. The faster she goes (and she is a budding speed demon), the more hair raising this is. Do you have any tips for encouraging her to use the hand brakes before putting down her feet?
Thanks!
OH gosh, this is a very typical problem, so she is completely normal!! Honestly, we just ride (or run) behind our kids yelling at them to pull the brake lever until they figure to do it on their own. It does take some time. Until then I would keep her off of hills or intersections.
I have a 2018 Kona Sutra disc break bike and just put a Thule child seat on the back. What’s the best kick stand to install to help prevent the bike from tipping over then I step off?
Hey Mitch! We don’t test or review adult kick stands. You might want to take it into your local bike shop for help.
Hi, I went to our local bikeshop this weekend to ask about getting a new bike + bikeseat for the baby (our baby just turned 1; I’m a dedicated bike-commuter pre-baby). The bikeshop said that as a matter of policy they only install rear seats, which came as a surprise to me because your site and lots of friends/colleagues who love their front seat. I did find your FAQ “Are front-mounted bike seats safe” but was wondering if you can point to any studies or data about the safety difference here? since it’s our first i’d be a little freaked installing something like the hamex observer safely myself…
Hi Elika –
We’ve never heard of any research that shows that rear seats are safer than front seats. In fact, I personally think it’s easier to ride with a front seat. Rear seats have a much greater effect on your balance. I’ve never had a front seat really throw my balance off, while this is a common occurrence for me when riding with a rear seat.
Front seats are smaller than rear seats and are generally a much better fit for a one year old. You also have the advantage of having them in front of you so you can interact with them much more easily.
If you’re not comfortable installing the seat yourself, I would find another bike shop to do it, or ask a handy friend. They come with very detailed instructions that any “handy” person could handle.
Hi. I read the review for the Schwinn Elm. Do you know how the Elm differs from the similar looking schwinns sold at target, dicks, etc ( like the Hazel and the Deelite). Thanks!
I purchased a used Trek Mountain Train (Tagalong). It is however missing a part. I am looking for the Trek Pedal Trailer Hitch Kit for model MT 201 Trek Mountain Train. The hitch kit part # is 87249. Please help if you can, thanks.
Hey Marty. We don’t know anything about this. Trek customer service is your best bet!
Hello,
Wondering if you’ve tested the Scoot & Ride (Austrian) products.
Thanks!
We have not. Sorry!
Hello! I left this question on the guardian 20” bike review page a few days ago but have not had a response. Thought maybe this would be a good place to post the question? Any help would be awesome! My daughter will be 6 in September, is 46.5” tall and has. 19 3/4 inseam (guessing with shoes 20). She has only ridden a tricycle. I should have started sooner and now realize I may have missed out on helping her learn with a balance bike when she was younger. I did the guardian sizing tool and they advised a 20” small. What are your thoughts? Can I take the pedals off initially for a couple weeks to get the balance bike feel and then transition back to pedals? It would be great to avoid training wheels. I also don’t want her to outgrow something to quickly. Any advice or suggestions would be great! Thank you 🙂
Hi Amber! I’m so sorry, I think we’re getting confused! If you want to email me with any unanswered questions, that would probably be best! [email protected]
Hello, we’ve used your website several times already for our kids’ bike and accessory needs. Thank you for the great reviews and guidance!
Our 6.5 year old daughter has been using a balance bike for the past two years, and is now fairly comfortable with it, has good balance, though she’s still a bit of a timid rider and in general doesn’t like going too fast, and hasn’t learned to handbrake (she uses her feet). This summer she’ll be going to a bike camp to hopefully transition to a pedal bike. They recommend coming in with a bike with training wheels so they can be removed during the camp; however they will also take kids with no training wheels at all. Considering she has only used a balance bike and never any training wheels, do you think we should just buy a regular pedal bike and not worry about the training wheels?
Size wise, her inseam is 21” so on paper a 20” bike may be best, but considering her timid riding and (possibly) going with training wheels, we’re also considering a 16” bike. So far I’ve looked at the Pello, Guardian, Priority or Liv as our main options. Would love any suggestions about our choices 🙂 thank you!
Your website is amazing and after looking through all the good stuff, I have information overload! (But that’s a good thing!) You have given me so many things to consider and look for while trying to find the perfect balance bike for my daughter. But does our unicorn exist…is there a balance bike for my daughter? Please help me, here’s the specs we have:
a 22 months old girl, inseam of 13 inches, and she is very strong and not scared
Balance bike we’d like to have:
aluminum frame, dedicated head set, adjustable seat, adjustable handle bars, air tires, at least one hand brake, and under $100? (The Yedoo hits all our points, but is just too expensive for us.)
If not, what would you suggest for under $100 with as many of those features as possible?
And what do you all think of the balance bikes that are made of plastic/composite material?
Hi Tamara!
Anytime you’re looking for air tires and a handbrake, you’re looking at closer to $200. The Yedoo TooToo is the most affordable option, but they are out of stock for the foreseeable future.
Have you tried finding something on the used market?
Otherwise, your best bet would be FirstBike. It’s not normally on our 10 Best List, but we recently added it because so many of our top options are available. You can see it here:https://www.twowheelingtots.com/10-best-balance-bikes/
You would need to get the lowering kit for her, the link is also on that page.
The composite material does flex for taller/heavier kids, but this will not affect her now or in the near future.
My 7-year-old son has a 22″ inseam and I’m debating between the Rev Co-op 20 (just jumped up to $247) and the Raleigh MXR 20. The first has the odd geometry, but the second might be too large for him. Which would you recommend? I don’t really want to pay more than the Co op bike.
Hey Ashley – does he already know how to ride a pedal bike? Could he (does he) have the seat raised so that only his tip toes touch the ground when he’s sitting on the saddle?
Yes and yes. He has a 16″ specialized right now and he’s got the seat raised really high. I guess I should go measure that…
Hey! I love your site and all your reviews! What trailer would you recommend for European cobble stone streets? We need a double and something that folds small to fit in our camper.
Our favorite stroller/trailer combo is the Qeridoo line as their front stroller wheel is pneumatic, which helps provide extra cushioning along with its rear suspension. Their Speedkid line is specially designed to fold up into small spaces. Unfortunately, only the Speedkid2 is out of stock in the US, but if you happen to be in Europe, you should be able to find a Speedkid2 (link to Qeridoo). If you are in the US, I would still so with a Qeridoo for the smoothest trailer, but you would have to bump up to the larger Sportrex2 line (link to Qeridoo USA).
Thank you for the recommendation. We are in Europe. I am trying to find a review online of the speedkid 2 but they are all in German. How are the seats? Is it a canopy seat? We plan on biking around the cities in Europe and I want to make sure our kids are comfortable.
We actually haven’t tested out the Speedkid yet, just the higher end Kidgoo (link to our review), but based on our experience with the Kigdoo, we are pretty confident that the pneumatic front tire and suspension on the Speedkid will provide for a smooth ride like the Kidgoo. It likely won’t be as plush, but still comfortable. Qeridoo also sells a separate seat pad for additional comfort if you prefer.
I was on the Woom site and noticed they slackened the Head Tube Angel from 70 to 68 on the original Woom’s. I confirmed with Woom this is correct and it is now slacker than the Off. I thought you guys would be interested in this and doing a future update.
Oh, good eye! We have been meeting with woom regularly about their new updates, but the change in head tube angle wasn’t brought up. There are a lot of changes, some visual, some technical, but the overall ride of the woom’s should be the same. Since those who are on the current waiting list will be receiving the new updated bikes, woom went ahead and updated their site now, even though they are not yet available (so parents know what they are ordering).
We will be updating all of our reviews with the new updates once they arrive. woom has set aside demos of their first shipments of the new release for us to update :). (We are excited!)
For the head tube, looking at their site, you are right in that their originals are 68 (and 69 on the 6), but on the woom OFF, they are also still listed between 68 and 69. So they certainly did slacken the original line.
We have used your website for years to buy our kids’ bikes! We bought a 14” Stampede Sprinter pedal bike several years ago and are now needing to replace the seat, but it appears that company is no longer selling bikes or bike parts. Any ideas?
Glad we could be of help! Sadly, Stampede bikes did go out of business several years ago. Replacement seat for kids bikes are readily available, but finding one the same size as the smaller saddle found on the 14″ may be challenging. Essentially you just need to find a “railed youth bike saddle”. Here is an example: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-components/bike-saddles/kids-bike-saddles/bontrager-kids-comfort-bike-saddle/p/00775/. This one is certainly going to be bigger than the current seat, but will work if you can’t find something smaller. Hope that helps!
i dont see 12″ bike/cycles here on this site,. any recommendations, mainly where the kid gets to pull back/roll back the pedal to bring it to a forward position, as he is still not able to pedal continuously and is trying to roll back the pedal, that is making the current bike to stop,. as the back pedal is acting as a stopper/break… appreciate your help in advance
Glad to help! Learning how to pedal a bike can be very confusing for young riders as they instinctively pedal backwards when they feel off balance or even by accident. We’ve experienced this many times and have put together an article with some tips on how to help: https://www.twowheelingtots.com/3-easy-steps-to-teach-a-child-to-pedal-a-bike/.
If you happen to be looking for a list of our favorite 12″ and 14″ bikes, you can find it here: https://www.twowheelingtots.com/best-12-inch-and-14-inch-bikes-for-kids/.
I’m looking for a hitch for a Weerider copilot. Please let me know if you carry this.
We don’t sell, we just review, but I think this is what you are looking for: https://www.kazambikes.com/products/weeride-by-kazam-spare-hitch-for-co-pilot-and-pro-pilot. Hope that helps!
Your site has been so helpful for finding bikes for our kids. We are also in the market for 2 adult bikes. Do you have a recommendation for a site that is as thorough as yours for making a decision about adult bikes to purchase? Thank you!
Oh gosh, we don’t! But if you tell us what type of riding you’ll be doing we can make some recommendations based on our own experiences!
Hi
were are you based ?
can we get a bike in Auckland New Zélande ?
Hey Laurent! Thanks for reaching out, but we don’t actually sell bikes, we just review them. You will have to check with specific manufacturers to see if they have a distributor in New Zealand.
How tall is the 8-year-old riding the Priority 24? Thank you in advance.
Shoot, I’m not sure! He is 4’6 right now and this was about a year ago… So 4’4 perhaps?
Thank you. Our daughter is only 4’1″ and has short feet (size 13). I think that might make a difference…
Any plans to review bike locks for kids? We live in a pretty densely populated area and with the spike in demand for bikes, there’s now a spike in thefts! It was already a problem before but more now. I’d like to get a lock for my son’s bike that he’d be able to use himself but also secure.
As of now, no, but we certainly would LOVE to do a comparison test someday. The one bike lock we have used is woom’s as they provided it with one of their test bikes, https://us.woombikes.com/products/bike-lock. It has worked out great as it’s easier to use as well as remember the code as compared to a pad lock. The flexibility of the chain and not having to worry about losing a key make is a great choice over a U lock.
Plus, I can totally see bike theft becoming more of a problem which is heartbreaking, especially for kids. We’ve had several kids in our city have bikes stolen after they saved up their own money to buy one. :(. Hopefully you find a lock that works for you!
Have you reviewed the Black Mountain “Pinto” or other bikes of theirs? I tried to search but found only a little bit of information and was wondering if there was a fuller review. Thank you. https://blackmountain.bike/products/pinto
We haven’t, but we really want to! The bikes are certainly on our wishlist of future reviews. I love the concept, but it’s hard to speak to the quality and performance of the bike without being able to test them out in person. The few bits of information I have got about them have been very positive though.
Thank you!
I have a 10 year who has never rode a bike, what kind would be best? Thanks
Hey Tawana! There are several different options which we have outlined in our How to Teach a Child to Ride a Bike Article: https://www.twowheelingtots.com/how-to-teach-a-child-to-ride-a-bike/.
For a 10 year old, I would recommend getting a lightweight bike, remove the pedals, and have your child practice running and gliding on the bike and essentially use it like a balance bike. When getting started, it is best to have your child practice gliding down slight hills which will help them get up to speed to balance much quicker. Smooth grass hills are often a great options.
Once balancing has been mastered, put the pedals back on and have your child beginning running on the bike and then once they are moving and gliding have them start pedaling. Don’t encourage them to pedal from a standstill as that is much harder to learn.
Additional tips can be found in that article I linked to above. Hope that helps!
I have a Fuji bike and would like to attach a rear child carrier seat for toddler? Which child carrier seats would fit?
Check out our page all about how to find a child bike seat that fits your bike. After reading that, let us know if you have any additional questions!
https://www.twowheelingtots.com/how-to-choose-child-bike-seats/