With Christmas fast approaching, parents are starting to consider what gifts Santa Claus will be delivering to their children this festive season.
Many parents seize the magic of Christmas to gift their child their very first bike, while kids eagerly include a new bike on their wish lists destined for the North Pole.
The decision-making process will have already begun for parents regarding what may be the best bike for their child to start and grow with, as well as the budget they are prepared to spend.
2023 saw bike sales plummet as the cost-of-living crisis changed buying priorities, whilst the price of bikes continued to rise. These considerations saw consumers opting for budget-friendly bicycles.
However, these bikes often sacrifice quality and durability for affordability. As a result, cheaper bikes frequently end up neglected and left to decay in the back of sheds and garages, eventually to be discarded.
This cycle of consumption and disposal contributes significantly to the estimated 15 million bicycles that are landfilled annually according to Got Junk.
Electric bike UK retailer Leisure Lake Bikes highlights the importance of choosing the correct bike and has provided a technical insight on what makes ‘a bike a bike’.
They also mention that choosing a bike that best helps a child to develop their cycling skills is the best choice.
To provide long-lasting satisfaction after Christmas Day, a bike needs to be built well and from the best materials.
Ben Mercer, Marketing & E-Commerce Manager at Leisure Lakes Bikes says: “A well-made bike is a gift that keeps on giving. It can provide years of enjoyment and even be passed down to a younger family member, which avoids it ending up in landfill.”
Flexibility Payments and Second-Hand Bikes
Finding a quality bike doesn’t necessarily need to be a difficult process. Educating consumers on the longevity of newly built bikes is key, and why opting for a cheaper bike won’t necessarily be a wise investment in the long-term.
To help spread the cost of Christmas, Leisure Lakes Bikes have a Christmas club that presents parents with a quick and easy way to reserve a bike, while being a central hub for payment instalments should a consumer wish to purchase a bike over a longer period of time, rather than in one bulk payment and keeps hold of the bike for them right up to Christmas if needed.
What ends up being a headache for parents who are purchasing their child’s first bike is timing everything so that it is ready for Christmas.
Delaying the purchase can mean that the higher-quality bikes are out of stock, and there is also the fact that delivery services become stretched over the festive period, all of which can push a parent in the direction of opting for a convenient option, such as a cheaply made bike from a store that doesn’t specialise in bikes.
Second-hand bikes through websites such as Gumtree or Facebook marketplace are another option, although consumers must be careful as some bikes sold on these websites can be stolen.
Avoiding this can be done by fully vetting the seller and asking that they provide you with a frame number.
Once you have this you can run it through BikeRegister, which will tell you whether a bike has been registered as stolen.
When determining if a bike may have been stolen, it’s helpful to ask questions that the owner should be able to answer. Here are some examples of such questions:
- Does the bike come with a bicycle pump or extras like lights?
- Are there any problems with the bike?
- What are the reasons for selling your bike?
- When and where was the bike last serviced?
- Do any components of the bike need repairing or replacing?
- How long has the seller owned the bike and how often did they use it?
Mercer goes on to say that “another option would be to seek out cycling enthusiasts for a good deal as you can imagine they will have bought a good bike in the first place and kept it maintained throughout their time with it.”
The sales board on the Cycling UK Forum is a renowned place for spotting great deals, while also being a hotspot for excellent advice on bikes.
Recommended Bikes Throughout the Ages
Balance Bikes
Designed with toddlers in mind, balance bikes offer a fun and effective way to develop essential cycling abilities.
By removing the pedals these bikes encourage children to use their legs to propel themselves forward, strengthening the muscles in their lower body and improving balance.
Unlike traditional bikes that are equipped with stabilisers, balance bikes eliminate the need for complex learning. This allows young children to focus solely on mastering the art of balancing, a fundamental skill that will help them seamlessly transfer to riding a pedal bike.
By starting with a balance bike, young riders can build confidence and avoid the anxiety often associated with removing stabilisers.
3 – 5 years old
Once your child has outgrown their balance bike or is already confident enough to learn how to use pedals, then it is time for their first pedal bike.
Bikes that are light in weight and are sized correctly should be the priority when considering the first pedal bike for your child.
Consider wheel sizes in the region of 12-14 inches and avoid overbuilt gimmicks that make the bike look like, for example, a motorbike or unicorn, as these can add unnecessary weight to the bike and make overall control harder, which could lead to accidents happening.
4 – 6 years old
Once your child reaches the age of 4 it’s time to start thinking about purchasing them a 16in-wheeled bike.
Many 16in-wheel bikes come equipped with single-speed gears as opposed to derailleur gears, which are not necessary for bikes of this size.
Similarly to the smaller pedal bike, it is key to opt for a bike that can provide support for a low stand-over position with ball bearings, pneumatic tyres and one that has good breaks.
Saddles should be fitted with low bottom brackets to help your child safely place a foot down whilst sitting on the saddle.
Cheaper bikes can often come with inappropriate suspension and frames, making them uncomfortable to ride or sit on, and these features can add unnecessary weight to the bike, ultimately affecting performance.
6 – 9 years old
20-inch-wheeled bikes are the next size up for children that have reached around the age of 6 years old.
Single-speed bikes are a good option for beginners using gears for the first time and are less confusing and tougher to break.
Unfortunately, they tend to be more expensive than a bike fitted with a 5-6 speed derailleur. So, if you opt for the latter, then you may want to consider purchasing a derailleur guard to stop the gears from becoming damaged each time the bike is dropped on its side.
A kickstand is a good additional feature which allows your child to leave their bike standing up.
8 – 12 years old
The bikes that are available for children of these ages tend to have bigger and more complex features added to them, not too dissimilar to an adult bike.
24-inch wheeled bikes are built with light aluminium frames and alloyed wheels, making it appropriate for movement, while also often coming with V-brakes.
Many bikes for this age-range can be purchased with off-road tread, too, making them a more hybrid option for the more diverse terrain your child could be exposed to.
12+ years old
Children ages 12 and above are generally ready for their first small-frame mountain bike with 26in wheels.
Several manufacturers offer frames as small as 12 or 13 inches, whilst others provide 14 or 15-inch frames.
While smaller frames may be preferred by trail enthusiasts or serious off-road riders for their increased clearance over the top tube, most teenagers can comfortably ride 14 or 15-inch bikes.
A suitable bike with 24-inch wheels will be cheaper and give your child better control than an adult bike would, and an adult bike comes with a higher price tag, which is important to acknowledge.
Less is more when it comes to bikes, so it is wise to avoid full-suspension bikes unless you are planning on spending large amounts.
Other considerations
Trialling a bike out
The UK has witnessed a growing population of cycle hubs that offer the option to rent a bike for a day.
Certainly, for older kids, it could be a consideration to trial out different bikes to see how comfortable your child is on a certain model.
Universal Bikes
Unlike adults, many kids will own one bike, but for multiple purposes. They use them for school runs, off-roading and cycle lanes, however, no bike is completely universal for each of these purposes.
With that in mind, it is important to consider managing your child’s expectations of what is a necessity when purchasing a bike to avoid unnecessary expenditure.
Safety
Bike theft is an increasing concern, to the point where around 77,300 bikes are stolen each year in the UK. There are a range of great locks you can choose to invest in, and it also key to consider how you store your bike.
Disposing
It is always important to consider how you dispose of unwanted bikes and opt for more environmentally friendly options.
There is an array of ways that consumers can recycle their old bikes, too, which should be taken into account when moving on to your next bicycle.