How to choose the perfect kids bike for Christmas

As the festive season approaches, you’re probably on the lookout for the perfect Christmas gifts for the children in your life. A new bike is a present that never goes out of fashion, and if you choose the correct bike it should continue to give happiness long after the excitement of Christmas Day has faded. However, choose the wrong bike and it will end up unloved, (or even worse, broken) instead.

Karen Gee, founder of the family cycling website Cycle Sprog, offers some invaluable tips to ensure that your Christmas gift becomes a lasting source of joy for the little one in your life.

Cycling is not merely a source of fun for children—it is a gateway to the outdoors, contributing to both physical and mental wellbeing. In a world increasingly dominated by screens, the humble bicycle provides, quite literally, a breath of fresh air.

However, the key to a successful gift lies in choosing the right bike—one that ensures hours of enjoyment and physical activity all year round.

Sadly there are a lot of very cheap and poorly made bikes available, and each year I hear horror stories from people coming to Cycle Sprog for advice because the bike that was so excitedly opened on Christmas morning has broken before New Year arrives.

Other people find their child refuses to ride their perfectly good bike, even when the summer weather arrives.

Thankfully, there are some simple guidelines that make it easy to choose the right bike this Christmas—one that will provide year-round cycling fun.

Most people don’t realise that children’s bikes are categorised by retailers into two groups—wheeled toys and kids bikes. 

Wheeled toys are built to look fun, appeal to a child and be played with for a short time. Unfortunately, issues can quickly develop with brakes, steering and gears.

Kids bikes on the other hand may not have all the fun accessories but are carefully designed to give years of safe cycling.

One of the most common pitfalls people make is buying a bike that's too large, with the hope that their child will "grow into it." Unfortunately, this often leads to fear and reluctance to ride, as it can be very scary trying to ride a bike that’s too big. Children remember bad experiences, and even when the bike is finally the right size it may well be shunned.

A correctly sized bike ensures a comfortable and confident cycling experience from the moment your child gets on it. Make sure you measure your child carefully before choosing which size bike to buy. Well-designed kids bikes will also have child-sized components that make braking and pedalling a breeze, plus a seat post and handlebars that can be adjusted as the rider grows.

Especially for younger children, heavy bikes can pose a significant challenge. If you lift the bike and think, “gosh that’s very heavy”, imagine how a small child is going to cope moving it around.

Opt for a lightweight design with an aluminium frame that allows for easier manoeuvring and a more enjoyable riding experience.

Stabilisers (also known as training wheels) may seem like a helpful tool for children learning to ride a bike and were used by many of us when learning to ride back in the day. However, times have changed!

Balance bikes are bikes without pedals and are a cheaper, more fun alternative to stabilisers. These bikes promote better balance, steering and coordination, leading to quicker mastery of cycling skills once pedals are introduced later.

Saving money without compromising on quality is possible.

At Cycle Sprog we recommend many second-hand options and subscription schemes, which can significantly reduce costs while providing a fantastic bike.

To streamline the process of choosing the perfect bike, Cycle Sprog have built an independent Kids Bike Search. By inputting basic details such as your child's age, height, inside leg measurement, or even their favourite colour, you can access a personalised list of recommended quality new, used and subscription bikes tailored to both your child and your budget.

It’s all about getting the best value for your money, which is so important for us all at the current time. Follow these steps and you’ll be gifting not only a bike, but a lifelong love of cycling this Christmas.