How To Measure Bike Size For Kid

In that location's nix like a bike ride to kickstart a child's sense of adventure.

Every kid is special and unique. When information technology comes to buying your child a bicycle, they need a bike size that's only right for their individual needs.

Kids are constantly growing, so whenever y'all purchase them something, whether it's sneakers or shorts, you have to check their size. Bikes are no different, and when choosing a children'due south bicycle, you demand to make sure it's a good fit.

There's plenty to consider when sizing a kid'southward wheel. To start with, they're sized differently from adult bikes, so forget everything you remember y'all know about how your own bike was sized.

The wrong size bike can ruin your child's riding experience and lead to accidents. If a child'southward bike is also large or too minor, it can ruin their first biking experience and lead to accidents.

This kids bicycle sizing guide will provide you with an overview of Cleary's kid's bike sizes and evidence you how to measure your kid for their start, 2d, or third bicycle. We'll help you cull the right bike size based on rider feel, height, and inseam rather than broad and inaccurate age sizing.

So how do you know what size cycle to become a child? The Cleary kids bike size chart is here to aid.

What size kids bikes does Cleary have?

Cleary bikes come in five distinct kids' bike sizes, all specially designed to requite your kids a feeling of freedom and take chances on two wheels. Put a child on a Cleary bike, and you open upward a whole new world of fun and learning. Our child's bike sizes are grouped by cycle diameter sizes, with bikes available in 12, 16, xx, 24, and 26 inches.

Kids Bicycle Sizes Chart

The wheel wheel size chart below compares wheel size, age, inseam, and height measurements to guide y'all to the best bike fit for your child.

Source: Ii Wheeling Tots

Wheel Size	Age	Inseam	Meridian
12″	2 – iv years	xv″ – 18″	36 – 39″
16″	4 – 6 years	xvi″ – 22″	41 – 48″
twenty″	v – eight years	19″ – 25″	45 – 54″
24″	8 – 11 years	23″ – 28″	49″ – 59″
26″	10 + years	25″ +	56″ +

12 Inch Gecko

Our smallest bike is the 12-inch Gecko, a lightweight kids bicycle suitable for tiny toddlers. This bicycle makes magical memories and is many child's beginning "real" bike. The single-speed drivetrain of this 12-inch wheel makes pedaling intuitive and straightforward.

A rubber handle congenital into the bottom of the saddle allows you to easily help your child become their residue before riding off on their own. This model makes learning easier – equally easy as learning to ride a bike should be.

The Gecko best fits riders with an inseam of fourteen″ to 18″, and If you're looking for a lightweight, safe, and fun first wheel, await no further. The 12-inch Gecko is merely the rig for your 2 to four-year-old toddler. When the time comes to transition from a pushbike, you'll beam with pride watching your child learn to ride the Gecko.

16 Inch Hedgehog

When your kiddo is getting a bit more than confident and growing up (also fast!) And so it's time to move upwards to the Hedgehog.

The spunky Hedgehog is fix to have some fun, so this model unlocks a whole new globe of riding to preschoolers. This 16-inch bike has several features which take it up a notch from the Gecko.

The Hedgehog model includes freewheel, which allows kids more rideability than a coaster brake. Paw brakes take kids a footstep closer to an adult bike, but our hand brakes are small and durable- created with lilliputian hands in mind.

Suitable for riders with an inseam of 17″ to 21″, the Hedgehog is roughly a good fit for a three to five-twelvemonth-old passenger.

xx Inch Owl

Once your kid reaches Owl status, they're ready to fly. Perfect for kindergartners' early on-grade-school adventurers in the v to seven age range, the Owl lets kids take off to chance.

20-inch wheels let the Owl roll fast over small obstacles and bigger jumps. These wheels are made for flight and are the same size that Olympic BMX riders utilise, a fact your kid will love.

The Owl also has a freewheel and a rigid forepart fork paired with 20″ all-terrain tires. Those all-terrain tires give yous more freedom to striking the trails as a family for some bigger adventures.

Our Owl bikes are bachelor in unmarried-speed or three-speed. If your child is ready to foray into the excitement of shifting, then the Owl is your chance to innovate gears. The iii speed Owl has a shifting mechanism encased in an aluminum shell to shift smoothly without maintenance for thousands of miles.

The Owl'south 127mm alloy iii-piece cranks allow for more speed and acceleration. Merely in that location'south no need to worry. They're growing up and riding too fast also presently. The Owl tin can still finish on a dime thanks to the super-strong Tektro junior 5-brakes.

Can a six-year-old ride a 20-inch bike? Yep, a 20-inch bike is generally a good fit to buy for six and seven-year-old children. But age is simply a number, and when information technology comes to bike sizing, it's the inseam measurement that should be your guiding number, not historic period. The Owl is the best fit for riders with an inseam measurement of xix-23″.

24 Inch Meerkat

The Meerkat is a flake more interesting and a scrap more heady. If your junior shredder is ready for the 24 inch Meerkat, they're prepared for some real riding fun.

The trigger shifter is paired with a v-speed internally geared Sturmey Archer hub. These features combined mean your kid tin can brand quick, efficient shifts without worrying almost chain drops or being out of gear.

Equally your child gets older and becomes more independent, they can kickoff to head off to school or on adventures alone. The Meerkat's front and rear rack mounts mean you lot can easily add a handbasket or rear rack. This model ushers in a whole new earth of wheel packing opportunities, whether information technology's school or sports gear, a embankment pocketbook, or a picnic tiffin. The

Meerkat'southward more advanced features offering your child a delicious start taste of independence, trust, and responsibility.

26 Inch Meerkat

This 26-inch bike is our biggest kids' bicycle for older form-schoolers and heart schoolers. The 5-speed Meerkat bike is excellent for kids and teens who tin handle an adult bike's features just aren't quite alpine plenty for developed sizes. A 26-inch Meerkat model is fast, sleek, and stylish.

The 26 inches 5-speed model is a practical bike, comfortable in urban settings, and easy to lock up. This Meerkat model has no derailleur to go bent in a bike rack and rolls smoothly over even the nigh pothole-filled route.

Tin can a seven-year-old ride a 24-inch bike? Yes! 7-to ten-year-quondam's volition love the 24-inch Meerkat. Check your child's inseam to see if the Meerkat is the right wheel; it best fits riders with an inseam of 22″ to 26″.

26 Inch Scout

Coming soon to our collection is the 26 inch Lookout kids bike – a super fun children'due south mountain wheel. The Sentry bicycle has ten speeds that allow kids and families to hit the trails together with confidence.

How do you know what size bicycle to get a child?

Historic period groups don't dictate our kids bike sizing guide considering they don't always piece of work. No ii five-yr-olds are the same summit and size; every child is dissimilar and unique. We'll note historic period groups to assistance point you lot in the right direction, simply yous want a perfect fit when you come to selection the perfect bike.

Using wheel size isn't the best manner to judge the right size bike for your child, either. The old mode to measure cycles was by using your child's height to make up one's mind the correct bike size. But the problem with that method is the size of the bicycle is non solely adamant by its wheel size.

Just like your kids come in all shapes and sizes, so too do bikes. Two kids' bike models with 20-inch wheels tin can await and fit entirely differently. The Seatpost and standover heights amongst bike models and manufacturers can vary drastically.

That's why nosotros recommend every child get measured for their perfect bike. Afterwards all, this bike is more than just a bike. It's that first step towards independence, growing confidence, fun, and adventure. Information technology's worthwhile measuring to become the sizing right.

How to mensurate a child's bike?

Our bike size chart will help you decide which of our kid's bikes volition fit your child all-time. We apply a sizing organization based on kid's height and inseam measurements. This method allows kids to sit on the saddle with ii feet touching the basis. If they are in between sizes, y'all could size up or down, considering their age, confidence, and skill level.

How to measure out wheel frame size?

Non all bike models and manufacturers use the exact same frame sizes, and so the frame size often measures bikes. You can use a tape measure to work out the frame size. Measure the bike's frame from the heart of the crank axle to the peak of the seat tube.

Using the frame to size a bize is the measuring system you're probably familiar with, every bit it's mutual practice for adult bikes. Even so, youth bike sizing is usually done by the cycle size and inseam. If y'all order a kid'due south bicycle thinking the measurements relate to the frame size, yous're likely to go the completely wrong size.

How to measure out kids' wheel wheel size?

When buying a kid's bike, models will exist grouped by wheel size and measured by the wheel's diameter. Balance bikes kickoff with wheels as small as 10″. The smallest kids pedal bikes first with 12-inch wheels and go all the mode upward to 24-inch wheels. Whatsoever bigger than that and your kiddo is generally ready for an adult size ride.

Measure out the wheel diameter in inches using the wheel'south outer diameter, with the tire installed on the rim. Extend your measuring tape from the top of the existing tire to the lesser. Some tires will too have the bore recorded on the tire itself if you don't have a measuring record handy.

The size of your child'due south wheels is an important metric. Even so, many brands will evidence you a kid's size chart that matches wheel size to an age group or bracket. Instead, compare the wheel size to your child's inseam, which will give yous a better thought of what will fit them as an private, not but an age grouping.

How to measure out the inseam of a kid'due south bike?

This method involves measuring your child'southward inseam or inner leg length, forth with the seat height of the bike. The easiest way to measure an inseam is to have the child stand up with their dorsum flat against a wall. Use a record measure in inches to measure the distance from the crotch of your child'southward pants downward to the floor. Note that, unlike a tailor measuring pants, this in-seam measurement should go to the flooring, non the ankle.

You can and so narrow down your bike hunt to models where tire size falls inside the approximate inseam range. Your child should nevertheless sit on a few different bikes to finalize their size, especially if they are between sizes.

Which method is best to utilize?

Measuring by inseam and comparing to the bicycle size chart is the nigh accurate fashion to find the right size bicycle for your child. Yous should use the inseam measurement alongside the wheel size as a comparison. Where possible, you should besides put your kid on the bicycle, check the fit, and so take them outside for a examination ride.

In between sizes?

If your child is in between sizes, their height, confidence, and ability tin can assistance you make up one's mind whether to size up or down. A capable rider tin handle a slightly larger wheel, while a rider with less confidence is better suited to something smaller.

Run across our recommendations for in-betwixt sizes based on peak in the kids bike sizing guide chart below.

Is bike size the just thing that matters?

Size is a biggy when information technology comes to picking the right bicycle for your child, only information technology's not the merely thing that matters. In one case yous've got a bike size that suits your child'due south needs, y'all should begin thinking about other factors. These include the weight of the cycle, the geometry, restriction type, and tire type. For older children, gear speed is also a consideration.

Nothing beats the magic a child experiences when rolling on two wheels. Learning to ride bikes gets the mind and body working together. It's a feeling of freedom. But all children are unique and learn at dissimilar paces. The ability and maturity of your child are also factors to consider when choosing a bike.

Maturity and coordination are factors that volition make up one's mind whether your kid is ready to handle bikes with more developed features, such as hand brakes or gears. A test ride earlier yous purchase is the easiest way to judge your child's mental riding level, confidence, and abilities.

How should a kids' cycle fit?

One of the mutual mistakes we run across parents brand when buying a wheel is to cull a size that's too big, thinking their kid volition abound into it. A wheel is not a pair of sneakers. Bikes that are too large are difficult for children to ride and can throw off their balance, making them dangerous. The wrong-sized bike, especially in a kickoff bike, tin wearisome down your child'south learning and affect their conviction.

If your kid is struggling with wheel riding, they may exist riding the wrong-sized bike. Observe these visual cues and take measurements to find out. Here's how an appropriately sized bike should fit.

Seat Height

Your child'south seat height is a vital sizing cue. Y'all can adjust bike seats, so brand sure your child's seat is regularly adjusted to suit their current summit. Changing the seat elevation often allows your child to grow without needing a new bicycle.

For a kid's first bike, the seat should be adjusted so your child can put their feet flat on the basis when seated. Once your piffling rider is more comfy on pedal bikes, you tin can accommodate the seat and so simply their toes tin touch on the footing.

Knee joint Acme

Your child's human knee position on a bike is directly related to seat top. If your child is just learning, they volition have more than bend in their knees to easily put their feet on the ground. Equally they feel more confident, you can raise the seat superlative for better peddling and a full leg extension.

Pedals

When a bike is likewise big, y'all can often tell by the pedals. If a cycle has a minimum Seatpost acme that is any college than 1-iii″ longer than your kid's inseam, they volition struggle to reach the pedals. Kids can't learn to ride a bike properly if they can't accomplish the pedals, and they're likely to have accidents trying. Adjust the seat so kids can touch the pedals comfortably or size downwards to a smaller model. Never buy a wheel if your kid is struggling to touch the pedals.

Handlebars

Handlebar heights need to be adjusted and then your child tin can ride upright. Their handlebars should be at to the lowest degree equally high as their seat or above the seat. If the bike's handlebars are lower than the seat, it can stress your child'due south wrists, artillery, cervix, and dorsum. Fifty-fifty flexible trivial kids tin can get achy if their bike posture is off.

Standover Superlative

Your kid's standover (or "stepover") height will be a few inches longer than their inseam measurement. You lot can visually gauge a standover pinnacle simply past making sure your child tin can easily stand over the bicycle with their anxiety on the ground.

When your child stands over the bike, there should exist a visible gap between the frame and their crotch. The gap should be at least an inch or two. Information technology's essential to check the standover height to ensure your child can rapidly and hands go on and off the wheel.

The wrong stepover height can cause painful injuries if your kid slips forrard or can cause accidents when they demand to jump off the seat during a sudden stop.

My child has been using a balance wheel. Do they need preparation wheels on their bike?

Believe it or non, grooming wheels are not a necessary step on the path to learning to ride a bicycle. Here at Clearly, nosotros don't believe children demand to utilize preparation wheels.

Rest bikes are bicycles without pedals. A child who learns to ride a balance bike doesn't need training wheels considering it has already taught them how to ride.

By design, a residual bicycle teaches children to balance while they are sitting and in motion. This balancing act is the hardest part of learning to ride a bike! Once your kiddo has mastered balancing, pedaling is an like shooting fish in a barrel skill to chief.

Grooming wheels oftentimes forestall a child from trying and learning how to balance themselves. Cleary bikes take wider tires and are ergonomically designed for kids making it easy for them to get from balance to pedal.

With the proper plumbing fixtures bike, your child can become from a balance bicycle straight to a pedal wheel – without the need for training wheels! If you've sized your kid'south bicycle correctly using the inseam method, your child volition be able to put their anxiety on the ground.

Please don't underestimate how important information technology is that kids who oasis't learned to pedal yet be able to identify their anxiety flat on the ground. Touching the ground provides a sense of security for young children learning to ride a pedal bike for the first time. They tin scoot or end the cycle with their feet if they experience and then inclined.

As easy every bit riding a bike!

Education your children to ride a bike is a retentivity you and your kids should cherish. Cleary make bikes specifically designed to requite kids the all-time possible riding experience. Merely the wrong size bike can quickly turn this experience into a frustrating and potentially dangerous situation for you and your child. That's why taking the fourth dimension to review the kids bicycle sizing guide and measure your child's wheel fit properly is so of import. Spending a few minutes getting in those measurements now will salve you both a headache in the future.