20" Kids Bikes

20Inch Kids Bikes

Shop online at BikeExchange, home the world’s cycling retailers, and search for a new 20inch kids bike today.

Buying your child their first bike is one of those iconic moments for both kids and their parents. With your first bike underneath you, the world (or the local bike paths, at least) are your oyster and nothing beats the freedom, the thrill and the joy of zooming around on your own set of wheels. Teaching your child to ride a bike has never been easier with the latest innovations like a balance bike making it faster and safer to learn the skills, build the strength and fall in love with riding. Once the smaller balance bike has helped your child to learn how to maintain their speed while riding, safely slow down and come to a complete stop, and exposed them to important environmental factors like temperature, terrain and the road rules, then it’s time to graduate up to full size kids bikes complete with pedals, gears, brakes and a heavier frame.

How to choose a kids bike?

The first, and possibly most important, factor to choosing the right kids bike comes down to size. Getting the size right is vital for helping your child to both build the confidence they need to control the bike and their speed, as well as the strength necessary for managing a full frame bicycle. Lightweight frames are the standard for kids bikes, but the size of the frame will usually determine the total weight. A good guide to use is shopping for a child’s bicycle that weighs between 20% and 40% of your child’s weight.

It’s a good time to note here that kids bike sizes don’t actually relate to the frame size, like adult road bikes and mountain bikes. The size will refer to the bike wheels instead. You will need to make sure that you know the frame size and the total adjustable height for the seat to ensure you get the right fit.

What happens if the bike is too big?

It might be tempting to shop for a slightly larger kids bike in the hopes that it will last longer, allowing your child to grow into the frame over time. Unfortunately, riding a bike that is too big for you increases the instability at the seat. Your weight is not evenly distributed, and it will feel like you’re top-heavy, having to work harder to balance your weight, especially under slow speeds. Your child is unlikely to get enough speed up to allow the bike to do most of the balance work so buying the right frame size is very important. A bike frame that is too small will also require more strength and skill to use. When a rider’s centre of gravity is too low, the bike is difficult to get moving, requiring much more leg strength and more upper body coordination. The risk of a fall from the wrong size bike is high for riders of all skill levels and strength but can be a particularly traumatic experience for kids who are just learning or just building their confidence.

If you’re shopping for a 20inch kids bike then this tyre size will most likely suit a child aged between 7 and 9 years with a maximum height of 135cm and a minimum height of 115cm. This is a guide only as not all kids are the same size at this age.

Shopping for a 20inch kids bike is an exciting time because it’s at this age and size that cycling starts to get really interesting. You’ll see frames and tyres styles differing between more off-road mountain bike styles and lighter weight road bike types with multiple gears, front and back hand-operated brakes and drop handlebars. Road bikes are designed for speed and sleekness with aerodynamic profiles that make it easier to find and maintain your speed on even, well-paved terrain. Mountain bikes are all-terrain styles and generally a heavier frame than road bikes. The difference in weight comes not only from a stronger and more robust frame and chunkier tyres but also from suspension additions. Kids mountain bikes will typically only feature front suspension to help cushion the impact of uneven terrain across the wrists, elbows, shoulders and neck and keep weight low but it is possible to find a 20inch kids bike with both front and back suspension.

The BMX bike is the ultimate all-terrain bike and they’re very popular for kids given how strong and durable they tend to be. They usually come with a coasting rear pedal brake, a lever-operated front brake and single-speed gears. This simplifies the riding, helping it to become more enjoyable more quickly and may last your child for years. Popular adult BMX bike sizes sometimes feature 20inch wheels too.

The next size up from a 20inch kids bike is the 24inch bike ideal for children aged between 9 and 11 years. This is the final ‘kids bike’ size and includes lots of bridging cycling accessories and extras to help make the transition to full adult bike easier to navigate.

Where to buy 20inch kids bikes?

BikeExchange is home to thousands of cycling retailers from all over the world. Shop online today for bike accessories like helmets and pads, 20inch kids bikes and every other size and style from commuter bikes to family bikes, kids scooters and e-scooters at the one, online marketplace designed for cyclists of all ages, stages and levels.