What Size Bmx Bike Does My Kid Need?

Every parent wants what’s best for their child. Picking out the perfect item often involved meticulous research. There’s a lot to learn when you are a fresh parent, with plenty of pitfalls that can entrap you. Luckily, information is abundant regarding pretty much anything online. All that remains is to do a bit of research before diving into anything new, and you are good to go! To avoid wasting countless hours browsing and discovering all of that, we offer you this compiled overview. Any info is better than none, so before you know it, you and your kid will be out and about on your brand-new bikes, exploring the world! Let’s get started!

1. One size does not fit all

Here you have four major groups: Mini, Junior, Expert, and Pro. These are all based on your child’s age and height. A good rule of thumb is to have your child sit and try it out. If his foot can reach the surface while sitting, without much fuss, then that’s the best one to go. Also, there is some science involved if you want concrete metrics. For kids with a height of 110 to 122 cm, the suggested BMX wheel size is 16 inches.

Typically, this is the ideal one for children five to seven years old based on metrics and research and falls into the Junior category, and everything before that falls into Mini. Chances are you are getting your kid its first bike; these two groups are what you should look for. When your child tries one bike out for the first time, there is one more sign to look for. If it can stand up while holding the handles and there are at least two centimeters between it and the seat, get that one. Ergonomics needs to be front and center!

2. Tire size

The origin of the BMX bike comes from old motocross racing bikes. Kids were so impressed by them but, for obvious reasons, could not drive them. Manufacturers came to a genius idea to make a version suited for kids and to stimulate their imagination. The rest is history. That’s the short story on how we have BMX bikes today. But what we want to focus on are the tires. They are as important to dirt bikes as they are to your child’s bike as the wheel size affects the overall performance.

Age comes into play here where children from 4 to 6 years old can go with 80 to 100 cm wheels, kids from 6 to 9 years old can go with 90 to 130 cm. The next group is for a bit older and bigger kids where 9 to 11 years old can use 100 to 140cm tires, and any kid that’s older than that can freely use 130 to 150+cm. Note that tires reflect on the kid’s personality, so you can mix and match one group up or down if that’s to your fancy, and it’s completely fine. BMX bikes are modular, and you can tailor-make them to your kid’s fancy.

3. Consulting the pros

Nothing wrong with seeking out a helping hand. If you are reading this, chances are that you are on the right track already, and any additional info helps. Why re-invent the wheel when someone has already done the job for you? When picking the right bike for your kid you can also pick the right store. One that has friendly and knowledgeable people involved, ready to help you out along the way. Options for durable, affordable and reliable bikes, like Polygon bicycles, make for a good first impression. As plenty of movie tropes have shown us, nothing beats that feeling of teaching and seeing your kid drive his first bike. We all want that to be a smooth ride, and in that endeavour, there are plenty of pros out there just waiting for you to reach out.

4. Lifestyle reflects bike choices

We mentioned that one size does not fit all. There are plenty of factors involved here, and some of them are not visible or physically tangible. Depending on where you live, what kind of healthy lifestyle you live or aim to live, and what you want to do with the bike, these become governing factors for your bike choice. Outdoor and rugged terrain requires a durable and bulky bike to handle the challenges of the Australian outback terrain.

The cityscape is more suited for lean and light BMX that doesn’t need special tires, let alone a custom frame. Such items are just one more factor to consider when getting the first bike. Consider them the same as shoes. You won’t use winter ones when going to the beach? The same logic applies here.

5. TT measurement

Last but not least, we have the Top Tube or TT to consider. The standard rule of thumb here is that the bike tire size should reflect the TT size. They come adjusted to the Mini, Junior, Expert and Pro categories. Which is not the absolute rule. You can always adjust these modules when your kid tries out the bike for the first time. If the TT frame is too wide or short, it can be changed to accommodate your kid’s physique.

When your kid tells you that he’s feeling uncomfortable and cramped, listen to them, as this is a clear sign that the TT frame needs to be bigger. Which is not better, and if your kid tells you that its having trouble navigating, listen to them. When your kid can’t firmly handle the bike, then the TT frame could be too big, and you need a bit smaller one. It’s all individual, and you should always first try out the bike before buying it.

Embarking on new adventures and endeavours is always daunting at the beginning. With so much to do and learn, anyone can feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of info. Bit by bit, step by step, you will soon be able to see the fruits of your labour manifest before you. We wish you all the best in your future endeavours.