Mountain biking with your kids is fun, challenging and healthy. Buying a kids mountain bike can be overwhelming. We all want our kids to love being out in nature on their bikes &#; but that enjoyment is dependent on having the right equipment. Choosing the best mountain bike for your kid can be difficult. Here&#;s our list of things to consider so you can choose the right kids mountain bike:
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Quality Kids Bikes Can Be Expensive
Well-made kids&#; bikes can be expensive! When our kids were finally old enough to join us on the trails, we were shocked at the sticker prices of the quality kids bikes. $900 for a bike for a 7-year old?!? That&#;s more than I spent on my first car!
It can be hard to justify a spending large amount of money on a kid&#;s bike when you could buy a bike with the same size wheels online for $99. You know that buying a mountain bike for your kid promotes fitness, time outside, adventure and family memories that last. But is it necessary to buy an expensive bike for that to happen?
What is the Real Value?
First off, let&#;s put the price of buying a kids mountain bike in perspective. A new Xbox costs $400-500 &#; even before you buy games at $30-$60 each (wouldn&#;t you rather be outside?) Or compare the price of a bike to what you might spend on sports teams or lessons. In our city, people will pay $190 for 8-weeks of gymnastics lessons ($ for a year of lessons!). Participating on a club soccer team can cost upwards of $ per year. $ would definitely buy a quality mountain bike to last your growing kid a while.
One perk of buying a good kids&#; mountain bike is the potential to sell it that after your kiddo out grows it. After you enjoy a season or two of quality family time and your kid grows taller from all the fresh air and exercise, you can re-sell your kid&#;s used bike for 50-75% of what you paid for it!
While the prices for new kids&#; bikes still make me gasp, we have learned that a well-made bike can make all the difference in whether mountain biking is enjoyable for your kid. Good kid&#;s bikes are expensive because they have frames, geometry and components designed with to fit the needs of smaller riders.
When It Comes to Kids&#; Mountain Bikes &#; Fit Is It!
There are many variables to weigh, but in our opinion, getting a mountain bike that fits your child is the most important element. Proper fit directly affects ease-of-use and safety. Although the temptation is understandable, we don&#;t recommend buying a bike for your son or daughter to grow into. If your kid cannot safely ride the bike, because she can&#;t reach the ground or comfortably squeeze the brakes, the financial &#;value&#; decreases dramatically. You&#;ll minimize crashing and increase fun by choosing a bike that fits your kid.
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Things to consider when buying a kids mountain bike:
Stand-Over Height: Regardless of wheel size, your kid should be able to straddle the bike with both feet flat on the ground.
Wheel Size: Not all 7-year old kids are the same size, jus as not all 20-inch bikes are the same,. Geometry can be dramatically different. A bike that doesn&#;t fit your kid IS a waste of money, so don&#;t just go by the listed age of use. Bigger wheels roll over bumps more easily than smaller wheels. Look for a bike that has the biggest wheels available for your kid&#;s stand-over height. A bike with larger diameter wheels will be more stable and more efficient for longer rides than smaller wheels because they require less effort to keep their momentum going.
Seat height: Your child needs to be able to touch the balls of her feet on the ground while seated on the saddle.
Reach: Your kid should be able to comfortably reach the handlebars with elbows slightly bent when sitting on the seat. Handbrakes should be easily reachable and squeezable while seated.
When you go to purchase your child&#;s first bike, you will have two options: training wheels or balance bike. What&#;s the difference? We will break it down for you:
Training Wheels: An add-on part that can be attached to a two-wheeled bike. For a lot of parents, this is how you learned to ride a bike. Training wheels sound like a great deal because the child can learn to ride with the training wheels on and when the time comes to pop the training wheels off, you have a regular bike. The downside of training wheels is that it could take the child longer to learn to balance if they are relying on those extra wheels to hold them up.
Balance Bikes: With only two wheels and no pedals, these bikes require the child to sit on the saddle, scoot, and balance. Many resources say balance is the hardest part of learning to ride, so transferring to a pedal bike is easier for children that start out on a balance bike.
Ultimately, the choice is up to you and your family. Your local bike shop can also help you make the right decision for your child.
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