A great first “real” kids bike with more sophisticated adult styling, the Start will have your child craving adventure on two wheels in no time. An added bonus – kids think the super quiet belt drive is ninja cool for stealth mode, and parents love that the belt drive requires basically no maintenance, and won’t get hands or pants greasy. Wondering what all of our favorite 16 inch bikes look like in action? Check out our video summary below to watch our kid bike riders put them to the test.
The drivetrain features a Shimano rear derailleur that is super smooth thanks to its 3-piece crank system. The dual suspension system is well-balanced and designed to deal with kid’s weights, smoothing out the bumps whilst letting the rider maintain control with confidence. The 20×3″ and 24×3″ tires make a lot of sense for kids just learning to ride rougher terrain.
To do that, your child will need a strong, lightweight bike, and the Mongoose Legion L16 fits the bill. Plus, the aluminum rims and chunky tires absorb every impact, keeping your child comfortable as they master new moves. The Hooligan series is perfect; whether you’re a heritage BMX biker or a young ripper on a ride out, you’ll be right at home on Hooligan. It is available with either steel or aluminum frames, the Hooligan features 29″ wheels and modern geometry for the perfect fusion of stoke and comfort. The Mongoose L500 BMX bike comes in a single black colour option with a full Chromoly body, long chainstay, double-walled rims and better 20″ x 2.4″ tires. This bike is a mid to semi-advanced-level bike for everyone starting to ride bmx bikes or experienced riders who ride on streets and do dirt circuits.
To help with your search, we spent hours researching the best kids’ bikes, considering a child’s age, size, and strength level. Mongoose is a well-known brand of bicycles around the globe for making durable, high-quality bmx bikes mongoose kids bikes at affordable prices. When selecting a kids’ bike, one of the most important things to get right is the size. Kids grow fast, and it can be tempting to buy a larger bike than they need because you expect them to grow into it.
What We Look for in a Budget-Friendly BikeWhile these bikes are not as well-designed or as light as the bikes that take our top recommendations, they all perform impressively for their price tag. They also feature good basic geometry with properly placed handlebars (not too high, not too low), a reasonable weight (under 21 lb.), and a durable build. The rigid frame works well for snow and sand riding but loses ability in comparison to a suspended mountain bike. In the end, bikes are fun and if you are a fat biking family then I would highly recommend picking up an Argus to get your budding pre-teen out there with you having snowy adventures. The Argus just so happens to be capable enough for trail riding too.
Due to limitations set on local bike shops by larger manufacturers such as Specialized and Trek, these new breed child-specific brands are rarely, if ever, available in local bike shops. Besides NO coaster brake, we also love the Forth Bikes’ all-terrain tires which make it an ideal fit for aggressive little riders who will be adventuring off the beaten path. While the overall design is still a lower-quality budget build, the price tag is much more affordable for many parents. The SmartStart Series does come with a handbrake, but it’s poorly made and riders will have to rely on the coaster brake to stop.
Within the 16 inch wheel size, there is a very large range of seat heights. The smallest 16 inch bike we recommend has an 18″ minimum seat height, while another has a minimum seat height of 21.5″! You also always have the option of adding cute bike accessories to any bike to make it more feminine. For our favorite girls bike accessories, check out our list of best kids bike accessories.