How to Choose the Best Kids' Bike for Riding to School

Forget shuttling the kids to school every morning or putting them on the bus. Instead, consider letting your kids ride their bikes to school! It’s great for the environment and great exercise for children, but which bike will best suit their two-wheeled school commute? When searching for the ideal kids bike for riding to school in NZ, many factors come into play.

Often, kids will want the bike that their friends have or one that sports a cool design or their favourite colours. However, it is important to consider the practicalities of kids riding to school with their backpacks and school uniforms. The bike will be sitting in a bike rack all day, every day of the school year, exposed to the elements. They'll be ridden to and from school almost 200 days a year. You need a bike that holds up but won’t break the bank. Sure, you could opt for a cheap department store bicycle, but it may not endure the strain that kids can put on their bikes. Once you’ve sorted your budget, it’s time to find a bike with the comfort and durability that will give you the best possible value.

Let’s dive into what you should think about when shopping for your little one’s next set of wheels.

Kids’ Bike Sizes  

Buying a bike for the new school year can feel like buying new shoes. It simply has to fit or nothing else will matter. It might be tempting to buy a bike your children could grow into, but if they're riding to school every day, they need to be in a position that isn't putting unnecessary stress on their growing bodies.

If you’re not sure which bike will best fit your little one, you can visit us in-store for an easy bike fitting to determine their size. Our Lite Bike Fit comes complimentary with a new bike purchase.

Balance Bikes (78-94cm)

Balance bikes, which have no pedals are recommended for toddlers between 18 months and 4 years. They are designed to assist children with balance and steering of the handlebars. Children push off with their feet to gain speed initially and then, when they feel confident, they can lift their feet up and use the handlebars to steer and balance.

12-inch wheels (78-79cm)

The smallest pedal children’s bikes have 12 inch wheel bicycles and training wheels which are easy to take off if you have a young child who is confident riding without the additional balance these wheels offered. If they are moving up from a balance bike, the training wheels might not be necessary, plus 12 inch bikes are close to the ground which help the child’s centre of gravity and stability. 12-inch bikes are suitable for children aged 2-4 year olds.

16-inch wheels (84cm – 112cm

A 16-inch bicycle is recommended for children who are aged between 3-7 years. These bikes are usually with rear pedal brakes and front handbrakes so that children can learn to co-ordinate the dual brake system whilst riding the bike. Training wheels are optional (and easily removed) on the 16 inch bicycle and a lightweight frame will help to maintain their balance.

20-inch wheels (108cm – 129cm)

This sized bike is recommended for children aged between six and 10 years. At this wheel size, more types of bicycles are available for different cycling disciplines like BMX, road bikes and mountain bikes.

24-inch wheels (125 – 148cm)

A 24 inch bike is the largest wheel size available for growing youngsters and are best suited to children aged 9-12 years and is getting closer in design and size to a full adult sized bike. These bike options  will now typically have more gears for speed and climbing hills.

Bike Type

 When choosing a bike to ride to school, try to balance the practicalities of riding to school with what your kids will want to do with the bike on the weekends.

Kids BMX Bike

Kids love BMX bikes. They're fun, exciting, and great for tricks! If your kids want to visit the skate park after school or on the weekend, this is a great choice. However, if they have a long ride to school, the lack of gears on a BMX will prove challenging, as will their typically heavy Hi-Ten steel frames, smaller tyres, and compact structure, which aren’t cut out for long rides.

Choosing the best Kids BMX bike comes down to your individual needs. Remember that a BMX bike won't always be the best option for riding to school. If you do choose this ride, make sure you choose the right kids’ bike helmet for your little BMX-er; these bikes often provide a slightly rougher ride.

Kids Mountain Bike

The best kids’ mountain bikes are built with a lightweight alloy frame for easy handling, as well as reliable V-brakes or disc brakes for control and suspension forks to handle the bumps. Kids mountain bikes usually come with 20”, 24” or 26” wheels and are built to be extra durable. While a mountain bike may not be the fastest, they are a good compromise for active kids as they combine the rugged durability to handle whatever kids can throw at them with a comfortable ride.

Kid-Specific Bikes 

While other bikes are basically adult bikes shrunk to size for kids, your typical kid-specific bike starts at 12" and includes training wheels. The range goes right up to kids’ bikes with 16", 20" and 24" wheels that are typically built in a mountain-bike style, without the suspension fork or mountain-bike-specific tyres. These rides often give kids an introduction to riding bikes with gears and still offer great value for money.

For the Older Kids: Road Bikes & Flat Bar Road Bikes

If you have a teenager looking to get home from school as fast as possible or travel long distances to school with ease, then a road bike is a great choice. Choose between drop bars for a more performance-based bike or a flat-bar road bike that offers a more comfortable geometry and easier handling. Riding to school is commuting for kids, so it makes sense that older kids might want a road bike that is fast, light, and efficient with its speedy road-specific wheels, design, and lightweight frame.

If none of those options suit, how about a scooter? They are a great way to get from A to B, fold up for easy storage, and offer plenty of fun and challenges. Alternately, consider an electric scooter to really travel quickly and have a blast too!

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