Bike sizes, can anyone help plz....

[tilly-maggie]

Hi all, im looking for a bit of advice. My mil is buying dd a bike for xmas and has asked me what size to get her. I said i will measure her inside leg which came to around 16 and a half inches, so I said either 16 inch or an 18 inch bike? My sil has piped in and said her ds who is 5 months younger his inside leg is 17 inches but she is adament she is getting a 14 inch bike for him. Can someone please help me out with this please if they know which size I should be getting for her. Thanks.

 

[jensonsmummy]

What age is your child? I've got my almost 5 year old a 16inch bike for christmas, and his 2year old brother a 14inch bike. No idea what there leg measurement is, just tried them on bikes in halfords

 

[Elphaba12]

My 3 year old has a 12 inch bike. She couldn't reach the pedals properly on her cousins 14 inch bike.

 

[Mrs R]

I think you need to take her into a shop and let her get on a bike. I had my 4 year old twins on a 14in bike yesterday in the shop. They are the same height and one could get their tippy toes on the floor and the other couldn't. But I was recommended 14in bike for both and told it should do them for at least 2 years before they out grow it

 

[tommyg]

I would take him to a shop and try them "So we can tell Santa" although the bike wheels may be the same their is no guarantee that the saddle height will be the same.

DS is almost 4 and TBH the 14" was almost too big he could barely get his toes down with the saddle at its lowest and the 12" looked like he'd out grow it too quickly.

A side issue with 14" bikes is often once they out grow them the next sizes up are either a 16" or 20" very few 18" bikes are available. The 16" isn't enough of a jump and the 20" is too much.

 

[jensonsmummy]

My 2 year old can pedal his bros bike no bother tho he's very big for his age. I think you really need to try them out

 

[tilly-maggie]

Thankyou for all your replies. I think its best to go try her on some. My dd is 4 and a half jensonsmummy

 

[mrsd2208]

I have a 4.5yr old on a 12" and a nearly 6 yr old just about needing a 16" so my guess will be a 14" because Evie's just getting too big for the 12 now

 

[Bambi1985]

I'd yes at 14". My LO is almost 4 and Average size. Took her to toys r us to try them and 12" was fine but wouldn't last long and 14" she could just touch the ground. Realistically she probably wont be on it much until spring so time to grow into it.

 

[purplerat]

My 4 nearly 5 year old who is quite short has a 14 inch bike. My very tall 2 year old is getting a 12 inch bike for christmas. We tried both of them in the shops to see whT fitted best. In general they say 12 inch is 3-5 years, 14 inch is 4-6 years and 16 inch 5-7 years but it totally depends on your childs size and height ect.

 

[Tanikins]

My 3 year old is getting a 14" for xmas. The seat needs to be at its lowest but itll last longer than the 12". We literally went to halfords and sat him on a few

 

[liz1985]

Ds is getting a 14" for his 3rd birthday. We took him to halfords and his knees touched the handlebars on the 12" with the seat at the lowest. The 14" is a tiny bit big but since it will be summer when he starts using it more it should be fine by then.

 

[alicecooper]

We got our 5 year old a 16 inch bike for his birthday and it's perfect size for him (he's a pretty average size for his age).

This is him on his bike (just before he turned 5, we got him it around a fortnight early)

As you can see it's definitely not too big for him, it's just spot on. We tested him out riding one in the shop before we bought it though. I agree with other people - take your DD to test some out.

I definitely wouldn't have thought 18 inches though. My DD was 7 when she got her 18 inch bike, and DS1 is 7 but he's still on his 16 inch bike (though it's a bit small for him, really he needs an 18 inch. It's just that he likes the style of the bike he's got and you can't get another similar style until 20 inches which is way too big for him yet).