Children's Bikes - many different types - for many different purposes.

Why get a good bike for your kid?

Well, anything you can do to make cycling fun will pay back 100fold in the future. Your kid won't be featured on Oprah, when he/she is 19 because they require a boat launch to move him/her in and out of bed. Your kid's likelihood of enjoying cycling increase tremendously with every extra penny's worth of value the bike has.

Please avoid the disposable bikes at MalWart and Cajun Triar. Those bikes are so heavy, they'll crush your kid. the brakes are so bad your kids will set land-speed records every time they reach a small hill. Can you tell this is a touchy subject?

Children grow out of bikes - true. A good bike can be passed on or sold many times. A cheap bike will be clogging up the landfill after 6 months of use - and there will have been no enjoyment in that 6 months!

Give the gift of having positive associations with Cycling

Bikes for future bike addicts

What can I say. This is chance number one to get your child stoked on bikes. Do this right and your child will be hooked on bikes for ever.

Most important for kids bikes - that the kid isn't scared. Buying a bike for a 4 year old that he/she can grow into and ride until they graduate high-school is a sure way to turn your kid off ride. Kids should be able to put a flat foot, make that 2 flat feet, on the ground when seated.

Giant Pre Push Run bikes
	light aluminum frame quality wheels (not plastic junk) Air filled tires with 12" wheels, not little 8" wheels that are unstable.
$139 (Black, Blue & Pink available)

16" Bikes

Giant Animator 16"
	light aluminum frame quality wheels (not plastic junk) heavy duty training wheels
$229

Giant Animator 16"
	light aluminum frame quality wheels (not plastic junk) heavy duty training wheels
$229

Giant Pudd'n 16"
	light aluminum frame quality wheels (not plastic junk) heavy duty training wheels
$229

Giant Pudd'n 16"
	light aluminum frame quality wheels (not plastic junk) heavy duty training wheels
$229

20" Bikes

Our selection of 20" bikes is small but serves the 2 most common customers we have. The Moda and Bella are great for a bike that will be blasting around the neighbourhood. They both look pretty cool, but are mostly about being reasonably light and simple - checking tire pressure is about as complex as the common issues get on these guys.

Stepping into the geared bikes, these are quite light, have good components, a derailleur guard to protect the derailleur from smacking against stuff and will help the kids keep up on family rides on asphalt or dirt paths.

Giant Bella 20"
	light aluminum frame quality wheels (not plastic junk) quality rear brake to learn with
$279

Giant Moda 20"
	light aluminum frame quality wheels (not plastic junk) quality rear brake to learn with
$279

Giant XTC Jr. 20"
	light aluminum frame quality alloy wheels (not steel junk) 7 speed Revo Shift
$339

Giant Areva. 20" (Girls)
	light aluminum frame quality alloy wheels (not steel junk) 7 speed Revo Shift
$339

24" Junior Bikes

Each of the bikes selected in this category - as in all children's categories - offer quality components that are designed to work properly and keep working that way. Brakes are designed to pull easier than adult brakes and have lever adjustments to fit smaller hands. We avoid bikes with Shimano Tourney level derailleurs because they're too likely to bend and end up destroying the rear wheel, derailleur and chain.

There are better children's bikes on the market but they are drastically more expensive and very, very few kids ride at a level that requires that next level (we are thrilled those bikes exist - just don't have the space to display a bike we'll only sell one or two per year. If you're looking for that next level, seek out stores selling Opus Bikes).

Giant XTC Jr. 24"
	light aluminum frame quality alloy wheels (not steel junk) 21 speed Revo Shift
$399

Giant Areva 24" (girls)
	light aluminum frame quality alloy wheels (not steel junk) 21 speed Revo Shift
$399

Marin Bayview Trail Girls
	light aluminum frame quality alloy wheels (not steel junk) 21 speed EZ Fire trigger shifting
$469

Marin Bayview Trail
	light aluminum frame quality alloy wheels (not steel junk) 21 speed EZFire trigger shifting
$469

Marin Bayview Trail Disc
	light aluminum frame mechanical disc brakes 21 speed EZ Shift (proper trigger shifters)
$529

Sizing a child's bike

Remember, child bike sizing is based on wheel size. This size is printed on the side of the tire and is roughly the size of the overall wheel diameter including the fully inflated tire.

From one brand to the next, there will be differences in the bike's stand-over height and distance between seat and handlebar.

An important part of bike sizing at Bike Bros. is that children younger than about 8 years old be fitted so they can get both feet on the ground easily while seated - fully flat feet unless the child is extremely confident on a bike. All it takes is a couple times of the child having an emergency stop then tipping over for cycling to not seem like a fun activity.

Age . Inseam . Size

2-4 yrs . 14-17 in. . 12"
4-6 yrs . 16-20 in. . 14"
5-8 yrs . 18-22 in. . 16"
7-10 ... 22-25 in. .. 20"
8+ yrs . 24-28 in. .. 24"

Avoiding cheap Junk bikes

Common complaints about cheap bikes are:

1. my kid doesn't have the strength to pull the brakes and make the bike stop
2. the bike is so heavy my child struggles with it
3. the chain is always falling off
4. the gears never work

We have chosen to only offer high quality kids bikes.

I want my business to stay strong and making sure all the youngsters get hooked on cycling is part of our evil strategy - if you consider a child developing a true joy for cycling to be evil. Whatever my reasons for only carrying the good kids bikes, these bikes all have brakes that are managable for kids, we try to get the lightest bikes possible and we have bike mechanics building the bikes, not the kid who stocks the toilet paper on the shelves.

Sad Bike Buying Choice

Cycling is an activity that can bring freedom, enjoyment, exercise for a lifetime. What I find really sad is when parents say, "it is just a kids bike, he'll grow out of it in 2 years." These parents choose to spend, say $150 for a piece of junk instead of $230 for something with some quality. I can understand if parents are cash-strapped, but when that extra $70 buys a new video game... aaaaaah! The opportunity cost here is so drastic. $70 more on a bike and you lay the foundations for a healthy life and appreciation for nature and outdoor activity. Spend the $70 on a video game and you lay the foundations for a sedentary life of potato chips, flippin' channels and wearing sweat pants to McDonalds.