They say you never forget how to ride a bike. While you can certainly expect some wobbles along the way, cycling is a childhood rite of passage - a great shared activity for families that encourages quality time spent in the great outdoors.
Along with the obvious benefits of exercise and mental health, there’s nothing quite like the freedom, confidence, and independence that comes with learning to ride a bike.
Paul Fattinger, CEO of woom says, “Over the last decade, we’ve seen first-hand how cycling can strengthen family bonds and create fun, outdoor experiences for children of all ages creating magic moments. Our research reveals that, since learning how to ride a bike, over a half of children in the UK have become more confident with other activities - uncovering the transformative power of cycling to inspire kids to have active lifestyles"
It goes without saying that bikes can be a large investment and with so many brands to choose from, selecting the right choice for your child can feel incredibly overwhelming. During weeks of testing, our mini-testers put a wide range of kid’s first pedal bikes through their paces, assessing each model for its overall design, weight, comfort and child-friendly features.
Whether your child is transitioning from a balance bike or exploring with two wheels for the first time, read on to learn more about the first pedal bikes that truly impressed.
How do you choose the right size bike for your child?
As tempting as it may be to buy a bike that your child can ‘grow into’, this can be counterproductive when it comes to comfort, safety and confidence building.
Choose a bike that is too big and your child’s feet won’t be able to reach the ground, making it difficult to control and increasing the risk of falling. Overstretching to reach the pedals can also become incredibly uncomfortable over time, making your child tire more quickly and even lose interest in cycling.
On the flip side, riding a bike that’s too small can prevent your child from fully extending their knees as they pedal, positioning themselves unnaturally, hitting the handlebars or struggling to move forward at all.
The correct wheel size will depend upon your child’s age and height, but in most cases will be between 12 and 16 inches for a first pedal bike.
Whilst exact measurements may vary depending on the manufacturer, we recommend you measure your child’s height and inseam (their inside leg measurement from the floor to the crotch) and refer to each brand’s size chart to discover the recommended wheel size. If trying on bikes for size, your child should be able to reach the handlebars without overstretching and have both feet flat on the ground when straddling the seat.
What features should you look for in a first pedal bike?
Here are some other key features you should consider when selecting the best first pedal bike for your child
- Weight: Some children’s bikes can be really bulky and heavy, which can negatively impact the time taken to learn how to ride. The lighter the bike, the easier it will be for your child to pedal and manoeuvre. An extra plus point for parents, lightweight bikes are also far easier to carry should your child run out of steam on the journey home. You should consider both the materials used for the bike chassis and its overall weight in kg - a kid's bike is considered lightweight if it weighs less than 7kg. Even half a kg can make a big difference to how easy they find it to ride.
- Stabiliser compatibility: Stabilisers (otherwise known as training wheels) can help children gain confidence in steering and balance before transitioning to two wheels. Not all first bikes come with stabilisers included, however, so if your child is completely new to cycling, look for bikes that come with stabilisers included or that are compatible should you wish to use them. If your child has already mastered using a balance bike, stabilisers are unlikely to be necessary.
- Adjustability: How easy is the bike to adjust? To ensure the best value for money, consider how easy it is to adjust the handlebars and seat height as your child grows. Does the bike have any transforming parts such as removable pedals?
- Comfort: How comfortable is the bike for your child? Is the seat suitably padded and appropriately sized? Are the handlebars soft and easy to grip? Does the bike have child-appropriate dimensions for a natural riding position?
- Safety features: How easily can your child reach the brakes to stop in the event of an emergency or obstruction? Is there a chain guard to protect children's curious fingers from making contact?
- Accessories - Does the bike have a bell or any additional accessories such as mudguards, baskets or reflectors?
Best first pedal bikes at a glance:
- Best overall first pedal bike for kids: Frog 44 14" Kids Bike - £319, Evans Cycles
- Best value first pedal bike for kids: Raleigh Pop 16” bike - £199, Decathlon
- Best first bike with stabilisers: Pinnacle Koa 14 inch - £215, Evans Cycles
- Best for comfort: Squish 16 Kids Bike - £330, Very
- Best classic kids bike: Bobbin Gingersnap - £219, Amazon
- Best lightweight kids bike: Woom 3 - £419, woom
Frog 44 16" Kids Bike
A huge hit with our tester, the Frog 44 is a stylish and striking kid’s bike built with considerable thought to the needs of younger riders. These premium bikes come highly regarded amongst both reviewers and industry experts and although costly, the free 10-year extended warranty and high resale value make them a wise investment for your child’s first pedal bike.
Coming boxed yet significantly constructed, setting up the Frog 44 was quick and easy to do, with clear picture-based instructions and only several minor additions required. While there are no stabilisers included, you can opt to leave the pedals off initially if you wish, using the Frog as a balance bike until your child feels confident enough to proceed on two wheels.
Our first impressions of the Frog 44 were really positive. At just under £400, it may be a costly choice, but it’s immediately clear to see why - with a high-quality contrasting finish, exceptional high gloss paint, bold colours and an optional stylish chain protector. There are a range of colours to choose from, so whether you opt for electric blue, orange, pink or spotty, it offers considerable street cred. We road-tested the limited edition Tour de France design in a vivid yellow and it’s fair to say our tester didn’t need much encouragement when heading out to our local park.
An ideal transition from a balance bike, the Frog 44 is incredibly lightweight and easy to manoeuvre. Weighing just 6.39kg, our tester was able to lift the bike independently with ease - something that is often a challenge with weightier budget designs.
Everything has been created with high spec, age-appropriate components - from the patented cranks that helped achieve a more natural (less splayed) position during riding, to the Tektro brakes with short reach levers that were easily reached by our tester's small hands, bringing the bike to a stop quickly and efficiently without jolting.
Our tester loved the gripped pedals which prevented her shoes from slipping and the jigsaw pattern on the handlebars which offered comfort and support during longer riding sessions. With stable Kenda tyres, sporty style mudguards and an easy-to-adjust child-sized seat, our tester continued to show significant enthusiasm for cycling, despite still being a little new to the world of two wheels.
Please note: We tested the Frog 44 (16 inch) but depending on your child’s age and height - the Frog 40 (14 inch) may be more suitable.
Buy now £390.00, Evans Cycles
Raleigh Pop 16-inch
From the oldest and most well-known bike brand in the world, the Raleigh Pop 16-inch kids bike offers excellent value for money. Despite its more affordable price tag, we found this bike offered all the bells and whistles (excuse the pun) that you’d expect from this iconic brand, with an age-appropriate and stylish unisex design that was just as appealing to our tester.
Just like the Frog, building the Raleigh was quick and convenient, coming well packaged with clear instructions to follow, although it did require an Allen key to raise the seat and handlebar heights. With bold colours and a high-quality gloss finish, we loved the contrast of the classic silver Raleigh badge located at the front of the chassis.
One noticeable difference compared to the Frog was the increased weight of the bike. Coming in at around 10kg, it's noticeably heavier than some of the other bikes we reviewed, meaning our tester had to exert a little more effort when lifting or manoeuvring. That said, it’s still noticeably more lightweight than some ‘budget’ bike models and did not hinder our tester’s ability to ride - so a small price to pay for the difference in cost.
Our tester loved the rubber-gripped pedals and narrow, comfortable seat on the Raleigh Pop, which ensured good stability and comfort as she headed off on her adventures.
The handlebars were significantly wider than other bikes we tested, however, meaning her arms rested further apart during cycling. While this wasn’t an issue during shorter laps around the park, she did seem to tire more quickly and appeared a little more tense over longer durations.
Buy now £199.00, Decathlon
Pinnacle Koa 14-inch Kids Bike
If your child is completely new to cycling or hasn’t previously used a balance bike, you may prefer to opt for a bike with stabilisers included, allowing your child to head out straight away with the additional support and reassurance of training wheels. The 14” Pinnacle Koa is an excellent choice, coming with robust stabilisers that can be easily removed as your child’s confidence grows.
Requiring some very basic assembly on arrival, the Pinnace Koa comes with all the tools and instructions you need to get your bike ride-ready in next to no time, adjusting the handlebars and saddle, adding stabilisers and blowing up the tyres.
While our tester felt the design was a little less ‘funky’ than the others, the overall finish of the Pinnacle is high, with a protective chain cover, spike pedal grips and a soft, squishy seat that she found well padded and comfortable. She also noted that it had ‘such a good ding-bell’ - one of the most crucial components in the eyes of a child.
During cycling, our tester mastered the short-reach brake levers with ease, with no overstretching or releasing of the handles required. The gripped handlebars were comfortable over longer durations and we loved the inclusion of a stopper on the ends, preventing her hands from slipping and offering additional protection in the event of an unexpected topple.
While it's understandably slightly heavier when the stabilisers are attached, the aluminium frame weighs just 6.4kg, making this a lightweight and portable option for your morning school or nursery run.
Buy now £215.00, Evans Cycles
Squish 16” Kids Bike
If you want your child to enjoy riding, finding a bike that is comfortable for your child is crucial. While many kid's bikes are heavy with parts that are cumbersome for small hands, the award-winning kid’s bikes from Squish have been built with children in mind - or in their own words “smart bikes for little people”.
Coming boxed with minimal assembly required, adding the final elements to the bike was relatively quick and straightforward, however, we did find the instructions on this bike a little less inviting, with no picture-based guides like we saw from the other brands.
That said, we loved the overall aesthetic of this bike - with a choice of three bold and vivid colours and glossy almost luminous high quality paintwork. Our tester loved the branding - from the cute Squish character on the frame to the shiny ‘splashes’ of colour added to the rear of the seat. There’s even a sticker sheet should your child wish to personalise their bike and make it really unique to them.
It may have a high price tag, but when it comes to comfort, the Squish bike really impressed, with a super lightweight triple-butted aluminium frame that our tester was able to lift independently with ease.
With no tools required, the lever release seat adjustment made it straightforward to find the best height for our tester, ensuring she was in a natural seating position without overstretching. The short-nosed saddle was also soft, squishy and well-padded, making this the most comfortable bike over longer journeys.
The gripped pedals really helped our tester (who is still a little tentative on two wheels), providing a secure and stable hold. Thanks to the chunky spotty grips on the handlebars, combined with short lever Tektro calliper brakes, she was able to come to a stop quickly and easily, without hurting her hands in the process.
Last but by no means least, we loved the transparent chain guard on this bike - a unique design that protected small fingers without sacrificing style.
Buy now £330.00, Very
Bobbin Gingersnap 16” Bike
If you prefer a more traditional design, you’re sure to love the Bobbin Gingersnap 16” Kids Bike - a smaller, child-friendly version of Bobbin’s adult models. Available in a choice of five classic shades including pastel mint, delicate blue and buttercup yellow, this bike really stands out from the crowd - with a retro design that whisked us straight back to the days of our childhood.
Assembling the Gingersnap took a little longer than the other kid's bikes we tested (around 35 minutes) but it was certainly worth the wait. Our tester fell in love with the Bobbin almost immediately - with the handmade wicker basket instantly occupied by her favourite toy bunny. Lots of fun for our rider and adding a touch of responsibility, we loved how the basket became incredibly useful, with our tester volunteering to help drop parcels to our local shop, possibly motivated by the essentials (chocolate) she carried back as a reward for her efforts.
While it’s one of the heaviest bikes we tested (around 9kg before the stabilisers), we loved the attention to detail on the Gingersnaps’ design - from the embossed vegan leather saddle and brown soft touch handlebars to the colour-matched mudguards and chain protector. You can even get matching helmets and accessories to coordinate your look - from pom pom garlands to adorable ribbon handlebar tassels.
While our tester found the traditional ding-dong bell a little less easy to trigger, we loved the short brake levers and each reach calliper brakes, with a chunky stopper on the handlebars for improved control and support.
Our only slight bugbear on this design was the tyres - while there's no doubt the solid cream colour makes them beautiful to look at, they do inevitably mark quite quickly - something which our tester took a while to come to terms with!
Buy now £199.00, Amazon
Woom 3 Original 16 Kids Bike
While the premium price tag may be a little off-putting for some, the Woom 3 is a truly impressive bike - one where the saying ‘you get what you pay for’ certainly rings true. With a choice of bold colours including red, blue, orange and lizard lime, we loved the contrast between the black handlebars, white frame and vivid paintwork, while the stylish and compact chain guard was far more discreet than other models we tested.
Assembly was really straightforward, with the reassurance of an assembly guide on YouTube a fairly fail-safe option for anyone who prefers a bit of hand-holding with the instructions.
Weighing just 5.5kg, the feather-light aluminium frame on the Woom 3 was the lightest of all the bikes we tested - so easy to manoeuvre that our tester could lift the entire bike with one hand, with no visible signs of exertion or effort.
With age-appropriate components and a noticeably higher height to the curved BMX-style handlebars that gave more freedom around the knees, we found this bike really easy to adjust, using a quick-release clamp to find the best height for our tester.
From a safety perspective, we loved how easily our tester mastered the ergonomic short lever v-brakes which were even colour-coded, using a bright green colour to highlight the all-important rear brake. You’ll even find a steering limiter on the Woom 3, keeping your child straight and reducing the risk of falls.
While the grip on the pedals was subtle, our tester’s feet felt secure, allowing her to ride with confidence, while the short-nosed saddle stayed comfortable over longer commutes. We loved the dotted gripped handlebars with chunky moulded stoppers, ensuring a firm grip and protecting both the bike and our tester’s hands in the event of her losing her balance.
It's worth noting however that accessories such as the mudguards and kickstands are sold separately - something we’d have liked to have seen included with the purchase price. The sporty matching helmets are certainly worth considering though - adding a bit of extra vroom to your Woom.
Buy now £419.00, woom
Verdict
With some really high-quality bikes amongst our round-up, it felt a little like splitting hairs when choosing our pick of the best overall. That said, after weighing up the overall design, weight, age-appropriate ergonomics and safety features and comparing against the overall cost and resale value, the Frog 44 just pips the rest to take gold, with the Squish and Woom 3 biting closely at its wheels.
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly choice that still offers street cred and an age-appropriate design, the Raleigh Pop 16-inch offers excellent value for money.
