Are you unsure if your child can be able to ride the 16” size bike? Look through our size guide for kids’ bikes.

Why trust us?

 Our 12,14,16,18 inch bike for boys and girls has been tested by thousands of kids and gets a lot of good feedback.

BEST BUDGET 16 INCH BIKES

What We Look for in a Budget-Friendly Bike
Although they aren’t as well-designed and lightweight as those that we recommend as top choices They all do a great job considering their cost and come with a good design with well-placed handles (not excessively high and but not too low) with a moderate weight (under 25lbs. ) and a sturdy design.

NiceC 16 inch Bike for Boys and Girls

Cute and Beauty designs

• MSRP: $179.99
• SEAT HEIGHT: 20″ – 24″
• WEIGHT: 18.5 lb.
• STANDOUT FEATURES: Easy-to-ride, kid-specific design

 

• MAKE WITH HIGH-QUALITY LIGHTWEIGHT METALS: Nice C BMX Kids Bike is made of high-quality magnesium alloy metals, which allow this bike to be light and durable. It weighs just 14.2 pounds. This bike is among the lightest bikes available on the market. Its lightness allows you to better manage the bike.
• SINGLE PIECE FRAME and DUAL BRAKE SYSTEM: The bike also comes with dual brakes; traditional v-brakes in the front, and a disc brake at the rear of the wheel. This makes brakes easy and efficient. It also allows your child to stop their bike at an earlier distance than with standard single disc brakes.
• THICK TIRES & TRAINING WHEELS: The BMX bike we have comes with the thickest tires, which provide a better grip on the ground and increase the stability of the ride. Multiple layers of rubber offer greater shock absorption and slow tire wear. Durable tires mean that you don’t need to invest more money in this bicycle. This bike also has adjustable training wheels, so children are able to learn how to safely ride their bikes in a safe manner.
• Adjustable: Children grow quickly and we have the perfect bike to let you adjust both the seat and handlebar heights to meet your child’s requirements. For this bike of 12 inches the handlebars can be adjusted between 21 and 25 inches and the seat height is adjustable from 17-22 inches. Each bike comes with cute stickers to personalize their new bike.

Decathlon Btwin HYC 100 and 500

Quality neighborhood bike with girls and boys styles

• MSRP: $149 – $169
• SEAT HEIGHT: 19.5″ – 23.75″
• WEIGHT: 20.6 lb. (HYC 500 with fenders and kickstand, HYC 100 slightly lighter)
• STANDOUT FEATURES: Kid-friendly geometry with good basic components, innovative front hand brake
• FULL REVIEW: Btwin 16 inch kids bike

Amazingly well-designed for the money and the Btwin HYC 100 or 500 16-inch girls and boys bikes offer the ride that is smooth and comfortable. With handlebars that are slightly lower in height and a lower-rise frame, they are ideal for children who may take a stance to accelerate or go over tiny obstacles or curbs. They are also making them ideal for local cruisers.

Lighter than other budget children’s bikes, Btwin kids bikes offer the highest quality and value for cost. If you’re working on a budget, you can’t get more affordable than Btwin. Although they are more expensive, Btwin bikes are more comfortable to ride and have superior to those of Schwinn Elm, or Koen.

REI Co-op Cycles REV 16

Great build for confident riders on a budget

• MSRP: $229
• SEAT HEIGHT: 20.75″ – 24.5″
• WEIGHT: 18 lb.
• STANDOUT FEATURES: Lightweight frame and solid-quality components

With the REI name comes an expectation of dependable quality for a fair price. And that’s what you get with the REI Co-Op Cycles REV. REI’s kids bike start with durable, lightweight aluminum frames and are paired with solid quality components.

While the REV bikes boast incredible quality for the price point, they don’t score as many points in performance. The REV 16’s overall geometry is a bit awkward. From frame design to stem length and handlebar height, many riders struggle to find a comfortable position while riding. That said, our confident, adventurous riders did great on the REV, which is why we recommend it as a high-quality, affordable option for confident riders.

Park Cycles 16

All-terrain tires and NO coaster brake

• MSRP: $255
• SEAT HEIGHT: 18.5″ – 24″
• WEIGHT: 16.5 lb.
• STANDOUT FEATURES: All terrain tires and NO coaster brake!

Park Cycles’ kids bikes are fantastic for kids. With kid-friendly geometry and sturdy components at a reasonable cost, Park Cycles provide the optimal balance of quality and affordability.

It’s the only bike that Park Cycles 16 doesn’t have coaster brakes this is a major advantage for kids who are who are learning to ride bikes. If you’re looking for a coaster brake-free 16-inch bike then this Park Cycles is your most cost-effective option.

Apart from the coaster brake Additionally, we love Park Cycles’ all-terrain tires which are a great choice for the spirited little ones who are looking to get away from the main roads.

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD 16 INCH BIKES

What Do We Look For in a Bike Ride for the Neighborhood
Most children who ride 16 inch bikes are content riding around the neighbourhood. Reliable, stable and light bikes for neighborhood use are designed to be comfortable to handle, easy to balanceand operate regularly.

Guardian Ethos

SureStop brake system safety technology

• MSRP: $289
• SEAT HEIGHT: 18″ – 23.5″
• WEIGHT: 17.5 lb.
• STANDOUT FEATURES: Proprietary braking system helps kids stop bike with more control

The bikes are light and well-designed. Guardian bikes have an exclusive braking system known as SureStop which prevents dangerous brakes. If you brake using only using the brake on the left hand at speed, bikes could be tilted forward, which can cause a bucking of kids off their bikes, and then over the handlebars. SureStop for Guardian bikes stops this from happening by having just one lever to engage both the rear and front brakes. It’s not only the most secure system available in the market and also more user-friendly than conventional dual-hand brakes.

Guardian’s Ethos line is a affordable version of their premium Airos (previously named Original) line. Both models come with similar features however their Ethos line is a bit heavier due to its construction using aluminum instead of steel.

Priority Start 16

Maintenance-free, grease-free, quiet belt drive

• MSRP: $329
• SEAT HEIGHT: 18.5″ – 23″
• WEIGHT: 15.9 lb.
• STANDOUT FEATURES: Packed with features for the price
• FULL REVIEW: Priority Start 16

Guardian Airos

High-end build with SureStop braking

• MSRP: $389
• SEAT HEIGHT: 18.5″ – 23.5″
• WEIGHT: 16 lb.
• STANDOUT FEATURES: Proprietary braking system helps kids stop bike with more control

Although Guardian bicycles feature lightweight frames and a child-friendly style, what really distinguishes Guardian distinguish themselves is their exclusive brake system, called SureStop. It was designed to avoid dangerous brakes, SureStop has only one brake lever that is sequentially engaged with the front and rear brakes. Not only is it the most secure brake system in the market and it’s more user-friendly than typical dual-hand brakes. Also available is the affordable “Ethos” model.

BEST 16 INCH MULTI-USE BIKES

What to look for in a Multi-Use Bicycle – For Paved and Mild-Trail Use
Riders who are prepared to take on the trails (both packed dirt and paved), as well as each jump or curb, would be better off using handlebars with a low rise which place the body in a the most forward-leaning posture on the bike.

This lets riders easily shift their weight around to remain balanced on uneven surfaces like curbs, jumps or other obstacles. Larger or knobbier tires, and dual-hand brakes with coaster brakes that are not available, aid little adventurers in maneuvering without fear through the rough terrain.

Are you raising a small shredder and looking for a specific mountain bike that measures 16 inches Be sure to look at our top 16 inch mountain bikes for single-track.

Pello Revo

More upright bike for beginners who will become aggressive

• MSRP: $359
• SEAT HEIGHT: 20″ – 24.5″
• WEIGHT: 16.3 lb.
• STANDOUT FEATURES: Knobby tires, high-end components

Pello Bikes created by a father seeking a light bicycle for his kids, made of top-of-the-line components that wouldn’t break the budget. He was successful. It is equipped using the Cane Creek headset, Kenda tires, and a Tektro brake caliper The Revo features much better components than the 16” bikes that are found in bike shops. In contrast to those bikes, such as the Hedgehog or the Rowdy Revo, the Revo has knobby tires that are more suitable for riding on trails. The Revo also has two-hand brakes as well as the coaster brake that is removed with the $20 freewheel kit from Pello.

Prevelo Alpha 2

Lightweight aggressive bike for neighborhood and trail riding

• MSRP: $399
• SEAT HEIGHT: 18″ – 26″
• WEIGHT: 14.9 lb.
• STANDOUT FEATURES: Well-suited for long distances and aggressive riding, all-terrain tires

Engineered for kids with a lightweight, low-center-of-balance frame and a high gearing, the Prevelo Alpha Two is the perfect bike for kids who want to enjoy a long ride with the family. Equipped with an 3.8 gains ratio the rider can gain substantial distance with every pedal stroke and makes long rides much more comfortable for kids.

The pony also provides an amazing ride in the skating park, pumps track or beginner’s single track. It’s agile and quick for simple maneuvering, our kids have made significant progress in their ability to conquer all kinds of Velosolutions pump tracks, to rollers and berms in the bike parks of their local. Its semi-aggressive position lets kids lean in to speed up their speed, and to be able to lean out and in turns.

Cleary Hedgehog

Sturdy steel frame, ideal for adventurous neighborhood riding

• MSRP: $390
• SEAT HEIGHT: 17.5″ – 24.5″ (17.5″ min requires purchase of shorter seat post)
• WEIGHT: 17.5 lb.
• STANDOUT FEATURES: Lightweight yet sturdy steel frame, vegan leather saddle and matte paint job, optional rear cogs to change the gain ratio

With a steel frame that is lightweight and outstanding stability The Hedgehog is the ideal ride for tackling curbs, skateparks or just cruising around the neighborhood. The responsive handbrakes and the low gearing make it perfect for more challenging and/or steep terrain. The clear bikes make biking enjoyable!

By purchasing an optionally shorter seat post The Hedgehog’s seat can be adjusted to 17.5 inches and makes this one of the most compact 16” bicycles on the market. Its Cleary Owl that is the version with 20 inches of this bike, is built as a larger 16-inch bike, and is ideal for taller children, 5 or 6-year-olds.

In the many years we’ve been exploring Cleary Bikes, our team has discovered them to be extremely sturdy, making them a fantastic choice for families that want to hand down bikes to children.

How to Select the Right 16-inch Bike for Your 4 – or 5-year-old

We have a deeper discussion on the qualities that make a good cycle in our best bikes for kids buying guide This is a brief outline of the top factors to consider when trying in order to select the right bikes for your 4- – or five-year-old.

Girls 16 Inch Bike vs Boys 16 Inch Bike

Does there really exist a difference between a girl’s bike and a boy’s bike? Other than color or design patterns it’s not that much of. There are some cheaper girl bikes that sport frames that swoop however in the modern world the top kids bikes come with the same frames as well as components that are suitable for both girls and boys.

All brands of children’s bikes offer an array of colors that range that range from “girly” to “boyish” or gender neutral. It’s not necessary to search for a 16-inch girl bike or a 16 inch boy bike. Pick the best children’s bike and choose the color your child is fond of. If you’re curious about which brands offer pink, purple and turquoise shades for an upcoming five or four year old girl, visit our guide to the top bikes for girls..

There is also the option of adding cute bicycle accessories to your bike to create a feminine look. For our top girls’ bike accessories, take a look at our list of the top kids bicycle accessories.

Size – Kids 16-inch bikes differ widely

A bike that is 16 inches is usually the most suitable to purchase for 4 to five-year-olds. In the event that your kid is a tall 5 year old, a 20-inch bike must also be considered in order to provide the possibility of growth.

Within the size of the wheel 16 inches it is possible to find a broad variety of heights for seats. The smallest 16-inch bike we suggest has an 18″‘ maximum seat width, whereas another model has a minimum chair height of 21.5 inches! To give your child the maximum space for growth, choose the bike with an appropriate minimum seat height that is closest to your child’s ideal seating setting (which will differ based on inseam , and whether or not it’s your child’s first bike).

If this will be your kid’s initialpedal bike following an exercise bike, the seat should be placed at or near the measurement of their inseam. This allows a child to sit comfortably on the seat and quickly place their feet on the ground to balance themselves and stop their bike. This is essential when they begin to learn how to pedal, which will help build confidence and ensure safety.

If your child already completed pedaling, place the bike’s seat approximately 2 inches over the child’s ankle to ensure maximum efficiency when pedaling.

retail price.

Weight is the key for gaining confidence

Ideally the bike your child rides should not exceed 30 percent from their mass. In general, the lighter the bike, the more comfortable and less tiresome it is and your kid will be able to enjoy riding. A heavy bike is difficult to handle for children who are still learning the art of balance and pedaling simultaneously!

For instance, can you imagine a four-year-old riding in the Royal Baby 16′ bike that weighs 24 pounds as opposed to the NCEC 16″ bicycle for boys and girls, which weighs 11.7 pounds? Because kids typically start on their journey to pedal bikes with the 16” bicycle whenever it is possible, we frequently advise parents to boost their spending so that they can get their children onto bikes that weigh less. With a bike that is lightweight, they’ll soon become proficient cyclists. Once they are confident, they can typically take on a heavier, usually less durable bike to get their next.

Frame Design It goes far beyond just looks!

The frame’s design is a significant factor in the overall performance and feel of a bicycle. Certain bikes place children in a straight position that feels natural for new riders and is ideal for local riding.

Certain bikes require the rider to lean forward while gripping the handlebars. This puts kids in a position that is more aggressive. These kinds of bikes are usually best for experienced, more adventurous riders who plan to do more intense riding.

Brakes – Try to avoid coaster brakes

Coaster brakes (back pedal brakes) are commonly present on 16 inch bikes but they could hinder children’s ability to pedal while riding the bicycle. Why?

As they learn how to pedal or to balance on a bike, children (like adult riders!) naturally shift their pedals backwards when trying to get their balance back. If the bike is equipped with the coaster brake on it, cycling backward accidentally triggers the brake on the bike that can slow the bike, and frequently causes an accident. In the absence of a coaster brake pedaling backwards to get the balance shouldn’t be a problem.

This is why we would rather have bikes that do not have coaster brakes, and with brakes on the hand that are responsive and make it easy for smaller hands to use.

The gearing system – how fast can the bike be able to go?

For children between the ages of 4 5 and 6 the gears are too much for them to handle. bikes with shifters and gears aren’t available on 16-inch bikes. But, the gearing of bikes is definitely important to consider. In the world of biking the gain ratio is related to the gearing on a bike that is single speed. It is commonly used to measure the level of difficulty to ride on a bicycle.

Gain ratios with high gains (3.7plus) are more difficult to start pedaling, but are more likely to sustain the higher speeds. Lower gain ratios (3.3 and lower) are a breeze to get started but don’t attain high maximum speeds. Gain ratios that are in the middle can do a something of both! For bikes with 16 inches typically, we prefer middle-range gain ratios ranging from 3.3 and 3.7.