With so many different kids bikes on the market, it can be confusing to figure out which ones are best.  You want a bicycle for your child (or grandchild) that will be easy to learn to pedal on, durable enough to be handed down, and lightweight enough to make biking fun.

The bad news is that there are a lot of awful, heavy bikes out there. The good news is that we’ve spent years testing and reviewing 12 inch and 14 inch kids bikes to help you find the best ones.

2022 New Fashion cheap bicycle price mini fat boy bmx full/aluminum alloy frame sepeda bmx race bike

The best 14 inch bike is the Woom 2. We recommend it for it’s extremely lightweight build, high quality components, and confidence inspiring riding position. It’s the perfect bike to learn to ride on.

Looking for more options? We’ve compiled a list of the 10 best bikes for your 3 or 4 year old (i.e. 12 inch and 14 inch bicycles).

Why trust us? These are bikes we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves. They are also ones that are recommended time and time again by other bike parents. We’re avid cyclists and parents trying to help other families have as much fun on bikes as we have.

We’ve also created a guide to help you know WHY these bikes are the best bikes and what to look for to make sure you are picking the best bike for YOUR individual child. 

Note: These bikes are best for 3 year olds, with the intent that they will be able to ride them for a year or two.  If your child is closer to 4 than to 3, you might also want to check out our list of the best 16″ bikes.  Learn more about picking the right size bicycle for your child below.  

In This Article

How To Choose
Top 10 Bikes
Honorable Mentions
Comparison Chart
How We Tested
Video: Best Bikes For Kids

How to Choose the Absolute Best Bike For Your 3 or 4 Year Old

We’re about to give you a list of all the good bikes on the market, but how do you know which one is best for your child?  Consider these factors, and then use the comparison chart above to help you choose.

Understand What Size Bike They Need

Each child is different. For instance, my son and his cousin who are only a few months apart are nearly six inches apart in height. Therefore, it is really very important to measure your child before buying a bike. What may fit one child at 3 years old may not fit another until 4. 

For details on how to measure your child and pick the right size bike, read our Kids Bike Size Guide.

For maximum comfort and stability, I recommend that your child’s inseam be at least as long as the minimum seat height. While technically their inseam can be slightly shorter than the minimum seat height (it will fit on their tippy-toes), kids this young who are just learning to ride do best if they can put their feet flat on the ground.

Of the bikes on this list, the Prevelo Alpha Two and the Cleary Gecko are the smallest. These are great options for kiddos who are ready to move from a balance bike to a pedal bike at a very young age. On the other side of the spectrum, the Pello is a little bigger so is a good choice for little one’s with longer legs but not quite ready for 16 inch wheels.

This chart shows the minimum seat post height of our top picks.

Weight is the Single Most Important Factor

After ensuring a bike is the right size, the next most important thing to consider is the weight. When comparing two bikes, I will *almost* always pick the lightest one.

It makes a huge difference in a child’s enjoyment level and in how long they can ride. Look for a bike that is no more than 30% of your child’s body weight (tough isn’t it)?

Of all the bikes on my list, the Cleary Gecko is the lightest 12″ bike and Woom 2 is the lightest 14″ bike. These were also my son’s favorites—I don’t think that’s a coincidence.

The chart below shows how all of the bikes we’ve included here rate in terms of weight.

Bigger Wheels are Better (Most of the Time)

The plus of the 12 inch bikes on this list (the Cleary Gecko and the Specialized Hotrock) is that they fit really young riders (as young as 2.5 years old). If your child has been on a balance bike since a super early age and is ready to graduate to a pedal bike earlier than most, go for a 12 inch bike for sure.

On the other hand, if your kiddo is 3.5+, I would recommend choosing a bike with 14 inch wheels instead. Why?

The larger wheel size makes it significantly easier to roll over obstacles—cracks in the sidewalk, rocks and bumps at the bike park, etc. I’ve seen firsthand my son do much better on a 14 inch bike compared to a 12 inch bike.

To understand kids bike sizing and wheel size a little better, read our post on kids bike sizes.

You Get What You Pay For (Mostly)

Unfortunately, just like most things in life, the more you spend on a bike the better quality it is going to be. Buy a cheaper bike from a big box store and it will be heavy and fall apart quickly.

• Read: Why Not to Buy a Kids Bike at Walmart

The good news is that when you buy a high-quality bike, like any of those at the top of our list, it will last thru several children. This makes it a good investment if you have younger kids it can be passed on to or to sell on Craiglist.

Similarly, brands like Woom and Prevelo offer trade-up programs. When your child outgrows their first bike, you can trade it in for the next size and a significant discount.

While we do believe that you should invest in a good point, there is a tipping point in terms of value. In the following chart you can see how these bikes stack up in terms of price vs. overall score. While the Spawn, Frog, and Early Rider bikes are all fantastic bikes, they are overpriced when compared to offerings from Prevelo, Pello, Woom, and Cleary.

Consider Geometry

A lot of kids bikes are poorly designed. The bikes on our list of best kids bikes below have been specifically designed to have stable and child appropriate geometry.

This means that they have a longer wheelbase, narrower Q-factor (the distance between the pedals), and a lower center of gravity when compared to most kids bikes. All of this equates to a more stable and comfortable ride.

The other thing to consider when it comes to bike geometry is how aggressive the child’s position on the bike is. For most young kids just learning to ride, we prefer a bike with relaxed, upright geometry. This instills confidence and provides easier handling.

Still, there may be some kids who are athletic and confident on a bike right off the bat. If that’s your child, you can consider a bike with more aggressive geometry.

The Woom 2 (left) has more upright and relaxed geometry than the more aggressive Cleary Gecko (right).

Finally, you’ll want to pay attention to both the stand over height and the minimum seatpost height. Not all 14 inch bikes are sized the same!

The lower the stand over and minimum seatpost height are, the smaller the child that will fit on the bike. (And similarly, the less room your child will have to grow with the bike). Choose a bike that’s the right size for where your child is NOW with some room to grow.

Say No to Coaster Brakes

I’m a huge proponent of teaching children to use hand brakes and bypassing coaster brakes. I’m at a point now where I won’t even put my son on a bike with a coaster brake, or teach another child to ride using one.

Why? When kids are learning to pedal, they naturally tend to backpedal as well. With a coaster brake, a back pedal causes a sudden stop. This is incredibly frustrating for little ones. (There are other reasons to skip a coaster brake, chief amongst them is the weight).

The tough thing is that in the U.S., manufacturers are required by law to put a coaster brake on all bikes with wheels that are 20 inches or less. This isn’t a thing in the rest of the world.

Fortunately, the law only applies to manufacturers, so parents can modify the bike if they choose. Brands (like those that sell or favorite bikes below) have after market modification kits that allow you to put a wheel with a freehub on your child’s bike. This is easy to do.

To decide whether a freewheel or coaster brake set-up is best for you, and more about both options, read our article on coaster brakes vs. handbrakes. 

Brake Levers Should Be Easy to Pull

If you do choose to skip a bike with a coaster brake, you need to make sure the handbrakes are easy to pull and easy to operate. This is soooo important for young kids just learning to ride.

Our favorite brake levers are the color coded levers on the Woom 2 (listed #1 in our list below). They are easy to operate and fit small hands well. The color coding also helps kids learn the difference between their right (rear) and left (front) brakes.

Skip the Training Wheels

Training wheels? Just don’t do it!

If your child hasn’t mastered a balance bike yet, start there and then transition to a pedal bike later. (You can also remove the pedals from a pedal bike and have your child use it like a balance bike).

You can find out more about why we don’t recommend training wheels in this article:

• Training Wheels: 7 Things You Need To Know

This little bike tester has removed the pedals from her Spawn Yogi and is using it like a balance bike. She had the pedals back on and was riding in no time.

Bikes With Training Wheels

You’ll notice that all of our favorite kids bikes listed below don’t even offer training wheels. If you MUST have training wheels, here are some of our faves. You can also use the comparison table toward the end of this article to find the bikes that offer them.

Frame Material is a Personal Choice

This is a highly personal choice—some people have a clear preference for aluminum or steel. I don’t personally. Aluminum is the lighter material, and we all know how important saving weight is on kids bikes, but steel is super durable (and classic).

Customer Service

A high level of customer service might be important to you, or it might not. The more mechanically inclined and bike-savvy you are, the more you’ll be able to deal with issues that arise on your own.

If you aren’t as great with bikes, look for a company that has good customer service. They will make sure that your bike is assembled correctly and double and triple checked before shipping. They will help you with replacement parts when and if you need them.

More Stuff To Consider

If you made it to here, you probably have all the information you need to pick a great first pedal bike for your child. That said, if you really like to geek out over all the nitty-gritty, you can find even MORE things you should consider before buying in our guide to choosing a kids bike.