What makes Frog Bikes stand out from the rest really is their color options. If your kid just has to have an orange bike, purple bike, or oven a polka dotted bike, Frog probably has a color your child will love. Coming standard with knobby all-terrain tires, Prevelo’s Alpha series empower your little rider to effortlessly transition from sidewalks to trail riding and back again. If trail riding becomes the norm, the Alpha’s standard 1.75″ tires can also be bumped up to wider 2.1″ tires. Passionate about bikes and their products, one of the major benefits of purchasing from a kid-specific bike brand is the customer service they provide.
Retrospec bikes, however, have kid-friendly frames with longer wheelbases that help to lower the child’s center of gravity on the bike, making the bike easier to ride. Brands in local bike shops – such as Trek, Specialized and Giant – have made great strides over the last couple years to catch up with the best kid-specific brands. Specialized’s new Jett line for neighborhood riders, as well as their 20″ and 24″ Riprock for true MTB riders, however, are both phenomenal bikes that are the exception.
Also don’t assume that because the hand brake passed CPSC certification that it’s going to work well. As you can see above, the bottom bracket on the Cleary Owl is considerable lower than that on a Specialized Riprock. While greasy bike chains typically require regular maintenance and can easily fall off, belt drives are grease-free, maintenance-free, and will almost never fall off. Priority Bicycles are uniquely suited for parents who are looking for a top-quality bike with modern, clean styling, but that’s also easy to maintain and easy to use. Guardian Bikes‘ innovative SureStop braking system has been a game changer in the kids’ bike world. Safer, faster, and more fun than your standard bike brakes, SureStop has simplified the braking process, while also making it more effective.
Unlike coaster brakes that can require kids to slam down backward on their pedals to stop, quality hand brakes require very little effort to engage. A quality hand brake is very easy for a child’s hand to reach and requires minimal effort to pull. Some cheap big-box-store bikes are similar in weight to higher-end bikes, but only because their wheelbases are narrower (they have a smaller frame) and they lack components such as hand brakes. While all kids benefit from lightweight bikes, a few pounds makes an even bigger difference for young, timid, or beginning riders. In addition to the frames designed with a child’s kinesiology in mind, the bikes are also the LIGHTEST kids bikes on the U.S. market, which has a HUGE effect on a child’s ability to manage a bike. From the ground up, every component is carefully selected to maximize the performance of the bike.
The only information immediately available to the rider are the LEDs found on the frame’s top tube that show the current support setting and remaining battery life. If you value having lots of information available at a glance, more expensive versions of the Levo huffy bicycle come with a digital display, or you can purchase one as a separate accessory. However, we wouldn’t let either of these drawbacks deter you from the Turbo Levo Comp, and we recommend it to anyone looking for a refined and highly adjustable electric mountain bike.
Available in all standard kid sizes, the Koda 2 is suitable for kids who will be riding on paved surfaces. Unlike a few brands on this list, the Koda 2 line is also compatible with training wheels if you choose not to take the balance bike route (which we highly recommend!). When you begin to pedal, the motor provides power, but the output usually needs to be manually adjusted using the controls on the handlebar. Some cadence sensors are a bit “smarter” in that they can count pedal rotations (but still do not sense how hard you are pedaling) to adjust power output automatically.
The brands we showcase on this page truly deliver the best kids bikes on the market. We have seen countless kids struggle on a cheap, big-box store bikes only to hop onto a huffy bicycle lightweight, high-end bike and pedal away like a champ. All of these brands sell direct-to-consumer and can be purchased from their websites by clicking on the links below.
These bikes have more restrictions regarding who can ride them and where. However, it is ultimately up to the discretion of the local government, so be sure to check regulations before heading out. Class 2 e-bikes also have a top motor speed of 20mph (although it is possible to ride them faster if your legs are strong enough). Like class 1, they also have a pedal assist option with different levels of power depending on your preference. E-bikes that fall into the class 2 category are usually allowed in bike lanes and multi-use paths, but there are exceptions in certain states. One of the most significant downsides of the Aventure is the weight.
In order to be competitive in the kids bike world, however, the big bike shop brands need to step up their game and build lightweight kids bikes with better components. These bikes have both a throttle and pedal assist, with the throttle limited to 20 mph and the pedal assist up to 28 mph. If your legs can push one of these heavy bikes faster than 28mph, kudos to you, but you won’t get any help from the motor after 28 mph. These electric bikes are commonly equipped with a speedometer and a throttle, although not always.