Best kids bikes of 2023: Mountain bikes, BMXs and starter bikes for new cyclists

eaching a child to ride a bike can be thankless task but nothing beats the thrill of seeing them pedalling all on their own. Learning to cycle gives children an exhilarating sense of independence, provides them with a skill for life and has obvious physical benefits too. Choosing a bike can be as tricky as learning to ride it though.

It’s important to find one suited to your child’s size and weight, rather than opting for one they will grow into. A bike that’s too large or heavy for them may put them off riding completely or even be dangerous. All brands have their own sizing guides which should be checked before buying, but most come with a recommended age range to suit the wheel size that should give you a good idea of what to look for.

Wheels start at 10 inches and go up to 26 inches for children aged 9 and over. It’s also important to consider the weight of the bike to be sure your child will be able to manoeuvre it and feel confident cycling. Suspension adds overall weight so is often better suited to older children.

Similarly, multiple chains are best left until the rider can understand how they work. Most kid’s bikes are hybrid – meaning they’re suitable for all sorts of terrain – but those aimed at older children might specify whether they’re a or mountain bike. Good children’s bikes usually cost between £100 and £300, but it’s possible to spend a lot more, especially on bigger bikes.

However it’s also worth considering joining a monthly subscription service like , which, from £5 a month which provides the right bike for your child, replacing it when they grow and need the next size up. We tested a range of bikes suitable for all ages with a group of children ranging from age 3 to 13 to find the best, looking at how easy each was to use (and put together if necessary), how heavy it was and how much our junior testers loved riding it. Ever felt like your child’s grown out of a bike within weeks of buying it? Major research has gone into designing this ingenious 24” bike to ensure you won’t have to swap it quite as often as you may have in the past.

Specialized discovered that children’s arms and legs grow faster than their torso so set about making a uniquely adjustable bike they reckon will see your child through three summers. It’s a big claim but we were wowed by the results. It has two-hole position cranks, adjustable handlebars for extended reach and longer seatposts so the bike can be tweaked as your child grows.

The short-reach adjustable brake levers were a hit with our tester too as she didn’t have to reach far to use them. She also said it was one of the most comfortable bikes she’d ever tried and she’d be keen to take this on longer cycle rides as a result. It does take a little setting up out of the box but there’s an easy assembly video online and it’s useful to know from the start how to adjust it to suit in future.

Available in a glossy teal and red and a satin grey, we tried the strokeable satin red and thought it was easily the most stylish bike we tested too. If your child is too cool for novelty character bikes and is eyeing a ‘grown up’ alternative, this 16” offering from British manufacturers Ridgeback is the ideal choice for 4 to 6-year-olds with an image to keep up. Available in dark blue and a zingy neon green, it comes with stabilisers if they haven’t quite cracked riding without extra help yet but it won’t make them feel like they’re stuck with a “baby’s bike” once they’re taken away.

It feels much more robust than most bikes with stabilisers and the frame is a touch heavier than we expected at 9. 4kg. However it’s still very easily manoeuvrable and our pint-sized tester took to it easily and was keen to get straight to the park to peddle further.

The chunky tyres also made him feel so confident, he immediately rode on uneven grass he might otherwise avoid. Cheaper gimmicky bikes are no match for it at all. Sir Chris Hoy knows a thing or two about what makes a great bike so we were excited to test his range of kids bicycles designed with Evans Cycles.

Named after an area in Scotland where Hoy first rode his own mountain bike, the 26” Bonaly is a dream for those getting serious about cycling and definitely won’t make them feel like they’re using a kid’s bike. The price tag certainly won’t make you feel like you’re buying one either. It’s noticeably lighter than many other bikes at just 10.

2kg, thanks to new frame tubing dimensions, lower-weight components, fewer spokes and the saddle’s foam padding. It also has narrower cranks to put feet closer together, wide treaded tyres and nine gears, which our tester said were smooth to use and felt particularly noticeable when the bike was taken off-road. We rode it comfortably ourselves and were seriously impressed at how easy the bike was to handle yet how stable it felt.

Just a word of warning: it comes ready assembled and in a seriously enormous box, so you’ll find it almost impossible to conceal if it’s a surprise present. This got the thumbs-up from our (hard to please) tester as soon as he clapped eyes on it. Understated in black with turquoise branding, the Carrera pairs good looks with mountain bike muscle and will feel like a real step up for most children upgrading from a smaller bike.

The front suspension, aluminium frame and disc brakes make a real difference to the ride and our nearly-teen rider couldn’t get wait to get back on it after his first outing. He particularly loved the chance to try 16 gears out on a longer, uphill ride. It is on the heavy side at around 18kg though, so some children might find it a bit too much to handle.

The clincher for parents is that you can choose to have it built for free in store by expert technicians so you can collect it ready to go. You can even bring it back to any Halfords store at any time for a free safety check, so you know the bike is always in tip-top condition for your child. Our very enthusiastic 3-year-old tester had eyes for nothing else once she spotted this brightly coloured bike with stabilisers.

A no-brainer for any Peppa fan, it’s suitable from the age of two with 10” puncture proof tyres, stabilisers and front pedals for getting the hang of steering. Once your child has grown and feels a little more confident, both can be removed to turn this into a balance bike and help them get used to the all-new wobbly feeling before the real thing. Both the handlebar and seat height can be adjusted to suit your child and although it needs assembling on arrival, it’s very quick and easy to put together.

Our tester was ready to try it as a balance bike almost straight away and was desperate to get back on it the next day (and the next…). Any parent would love this gorgeous vintage-style bike as a gift. Replacing garish primary colours with tasteful beige and chocolate brown, the bike has a metal frame and inflatable tyres plus a seat adjustable from 38cm to 46cm.

Some screws were a little tricky to tighten but it’s still straightforward to put together and we had it ready to use in a matter of minutes. Our mini tester had never used a balance bike before and found it a little daunting at first but was soon whizzing about – a lifesaver if you have a child who always moans about walking when you go anywhere. We especially loved the imitation leather bag on the front which was just big enough to squeeze in a water bottle – or that all-important toy they won’t go anywhere without.

It also comes in a with a wicker basket on the front if you prefer. We just wish it came in our size… This classic-looking bike is the stuff of childhood dreams. A pretty candyfloss pink, it comes with a cute-as-a-button strawberry print on the chainguard and stabilisers, daisy decals and a butterscotch-coloured saddle and handlebars.

We especially loved the matching wicker basket – and the cuddly dog toy it comes with for taking along on every ride. This is a top quality bike too, with a lightweight aluminium frame rather than a cheaper but heavier one, which our junior tester found really easy to handle and get on and off. It has an upright riding position, high-rise handlebars, non-slip pedals and a full chainguard to keep your child clean (while riding their bike at least).

The brake levels are adjustable and extremely responsive while the stabilisers are easily removed once your tot’s ready to go it alone. There’s no need for tears once they outgrow it either, as it comes in a larger 14-inch version too. Any bike that can last a little longer for our ever-growing children gets a thumbs up in our book so the is the winner here.

We were really impressed with just how adjustable it was and how good it looked. For younger children, the Ridgeback Mx16 will help them transition from stabilisers to riding on their own in style and won’t date as they get older. .