Wider Tiresįor younger girls, look for options with wider, mountain bike-style tires, which offer more grip and can be run at lower pressures for better traction. A longer wheelbase makes the bike less twitchy, which is a bonus as kids begin to develop handling skills. A bottom bracket that is closer to the ground lowers the bike’s center of gravity, providing more stability and an easier time getting on and off.
Kids’ bikes, like adult models, are getting lower and longer. Other Features to Consider Modern Geometry At worst, it will be hard to control and dangerous to ride. If the bike is too big, it will, at best, sit unused in the garage. One thing you don’t want to do is buy a bike she can grow into-this isn’t her sister’s Easter dress hand-me-down. If you can, also have your kid try different sizes at a local shop before buying. The best plan is to find the size you think works best and use it as a starting point (in addition to the manufacturer’s sizing method, use this handy wheel-size chart). Specialized breaks down sizing as Toddler, Little Kids, and Big Kids, each followed by an age range.īut any elementary school class photo will show you that kids in the same age group don’t necessarily fall within the same height range. For example, Trek, Cannondale, and Giant use wheel size to group their kids’ bikes, but Trek goes one step further and includes an age group and height range. Not every bike manufacturer sizes its youth bikes the same way, so it’s important to understand what you’re looking at when perusing different websites. Make Sure the Bike Fits, or She Won’t Ride It A bike that feels good and safe will encourage her to get out there more than an uncomfortable one that coincidentally happens to be her favorite color. So if the blue unisex Giant XTC feels and fits her better than the purple girls’ Liv Enchant, go with the more comfortable ride. “Much of what leads to different demands and functional nuances for product design between both genders generally doesn’t take place until after the puberty stage for both men and women,” he says.
“When purchasing a bike for a youth rider, regardless of gender, the most important things to consider are comfort, the rider’s ability to control the bike, and that the bike isn’t too heavy for the rider,” says John Munhall, director of bike product at Liv Cycling. The Liv has a longer seat tube, shorter reach, and lower standover height.
20 Lite, however, and though they might appear to be the same bike with different paint-they have all the same components, after all-you’ll see their geometries are slightly different. Put the Liv Enchant 20 Lite next to the Giant XTC Jr. But if you compare the bikes’ components, they’re identical, the only difference being frame-color options. Trek’s website, for example, shows different versions for boys and girls for all six models in its Precaliber line (from the 12-inch up to the 8-speed 24-inch model with suspension). If you look at some of the bigger brands’ websites-Trek, Specialized, Liv, Giant-you’ll notice the kids’ category is typically “youth” rather than “girls” and “boys.” And it seems that there’s often no distinction between girls’ and boys’ bikes other than color. Sometimes Color Is the Only Difference, But Not Always
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Here’s what to look for when shopping for a girls’ bike, plus 10 rides we recommend-for everyone from toddlers just learning how to balance, to young rippers looking to send it, and teenagers almost ready to move up to a full-size women’s bike. There are even kids’ bikes with suspension forks and disc brakes for young girls who really want to shred. They have geometry that’s better-designed for a more stable ride, higher-quality parts, lighter frames, more size options, wider tires, and hand brakes-all of which add up to a better experience for growing riders. Today’s kids’ bikes are not only safer, more comfortable, and higher quality, but they’re also just more fun to ride. While most of us learned using training wheels (or the close-your-eyes-and-pray method), kids today have balance bikes, which teach them to keep a bike upright without having to give up the safety net of putting their feet on the ground. Girls’ bikes have changed a lot since we were young enough to ride them.
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