Everyone remembers getting their first bike, the excitement, the uncertainty when you first push off without your stabilisers, the freedom; riding a bike is one of those key skills that most kids learn. It’s also a great activity for the whole family, a form of exercise that both adults and kids can enjoy together, out in the fresh air away from a screen.
Most of us also remember trying to keep our balance on a bike that’s slightly too big for us so we can ‘grow into it’, but trying to ride a bike that’s too big can affect a child’s confidence, and even safety, which will have an impact on their experience of cycling. Often children’s bikes are sized by age, which isn’t a very exact indicator, so they don’t fit them properly. It can be really confusing; are we looking at wheel size or height? Do we need a 16inch or a 20? There’s not a lot of consistency but lots of confusion.
There are a few simple ways to ensure you get the right fit while striking the right balance between allowing for growth and still making sure their first experience of cycling sets them up for life. So, here’s our guide to how to measure your child for a bike.
STEPS OF MEASURING
- Choose a bike they can ride straight away but also has the capacity to grow with them
If they have to wait too long to grow into it, they may lose interest, it’s no fun learning how to do something when you can’t get the basics right because you can’t even sit on the bike properly. - Measure their height
Get them to stand against a wall and mark the wall just above their head. - Measure their inseam/inside leg
Having the right inseam measurement means the bike will be the right height for them to be able to stand over the bike when it’s stopped. Ideally there should be 1 – 2 inches between the top tube and their crotch so they can easily hop on and off the saddle if they were to stop suddenly. Measuring this is quite straightforward; get them to wear the type of shoe they’ll be cycling in the most and have them stand with their back and heels against a wall. Put a hardback book between their legs with the spine against their crotch, then measure from the ground up to the top of the book’s spine – this is their inseam. - Think about how confident your child is on a bike
If they’re confident when turning and stopping quickly they may be able to size up to a larger wheel size. The more confident/experienced they are, the higher the seat can be in relation to their inseam; for first time bike riders the seat height should be the same, but for more experienced riders it can be 2 – 4 inches above the inseam. Most bikes have seat height in their specs, and when it comes to wheel size, the general rule is that the wheel diameter should match their inseam measurement.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF BIKES
- Balance Bikes – an alternative to a bike with stabilisers as they teach balance and coordination before they have to deal with pedals.
- First Pedal Bikes – these usually have 14 – 16-inch wheels.
- Off-road/Hybrid Bikes – for slightly bigger children, these have wheels from 24 – 26 inches and are a good introduction to cycling with gears.
HOW TO MEASURE A CHILD FOR A BIKE HELMET
The best way to fit a child’s bike helmet is to look at helmets that are sized in centimetres instead of small/medium etc, as this is based on the circumference of the head and will be more accurate. Measure your child’s head using a soft tape measure and measure the head at the largest part – just above the ears and eyebrows.
Ideally your child should try the helmet on; it needs to feel comfortable, or your child won’t want to wear it, and check that it’s not too tight, and that it doesn’t move around too much.
FAQS
- How can you tell what size a bike is?
There’ll be an embossed label on the side of the tyre with the wheel size on, and the seat height will be in the bike specs.
- What if my child is in between sizes?
If your child is close to the next size, and they’re confident standing on their toes over their bike, they can move up a size.
- How do I know my child has outgrown their bike?
Keep an eye out for if the bike doesn’t look very comfortable for them to ride, or if it looks like their knees come up too high when pedalling. The ideal position is with their knees slightly bent when the pedals are at the bottom of the rotation.
- How old should a child be when they learn to ride a bike?
Many experts recommend that children should be 4 –5 years before they learn to ride a bike, making sure they have the right safety equipment such as stabilisers, helmets etc. Remember to test the weight of the bike too, there’s no point getting the right size if the bike weighs the same/more than an adult’s bike.
- Are children allowed to cycle on the pavement?
While children under the age of ten have no criminal responsibility (eight in Scotland, although this is under review) it’s illegal to cycle on the pavement, unless it has a dedicated, marked cycle lane.
- Do I need bicycle insurance?
Your household insurance does not always cover your bicycles; therefore, you may want specific bicycle insurance. You might want to consider getting bike insurance for the whole family. Our policies can be customised to fit your circumstances and you can even include up to six bikes on one policy. Take a look at our website for more info.
- What about locks?
When you have a bicycle insurance policy with us, you are required to have a Sold Secure tested and approved lock, based on the value of the bicycle. Please take a look at our list of approved locks.
There’s nothing like watching your little one wobble off on their own once they master riding a bike. Cycling is a lifelong hobby, as well as being an environmentally-friendly and healthy mode of transport, so it’s important that your child has the right introduction to it and getting the right bike will ensure they get the most out of cycling as it can open up the world to a whole set of new adventures.
Happy cycling!
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