So, your child has been asking for a kids mountain bike? Knowing that they always want the newest toy (novelty is kind of their thing), you’ve probably thought, ‘do they really need one?’
Even though we’re a company that makes kids mountain bikes (so our answer totally isn’t without bias), we think it’s a good question to ask. Truly, the answer in many cases is that no, they don’t need a mountain bike. That doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy the pure joy of two wheels. But what it does mean is that you keep one bike in their quiver instead of two.
Even if your kids haven’t been asking for a new bike, you may be wondering if they need one. If you and your family want to ride bikes off-road, on mountain bike trails, muddy tracks, or at bike parks, you may be thinking that you’ll have to buy a kids mountain bike.
In this article, we’ll look at why you may want to buy a kids mountain bike, whether you need one, and what your alternative options are.
It’s well known that learning to ride a bike is an important milestone for children. Bike riding gets kids outside, helps with coordination, and is central to adventures and family memories that last forever. However, you don’t necessarily need to buy an expensive kids mountain bike to create those memories.
Quality kids bikes can be expensive, so if you can avoid buying your kids two bikes, you can save significantly. It can be hard for most parents to justify the cost of an expensive kids mountain bike when you can easily make a few minor adjustments to their normal bike and get the same experience.
If you have a quality kids bike—like the ones we make here at Cleary—you likely don’t need a specialist kids mountain bike. Mountain bikes, in general, aren’t as necessary for kids as they are for adults.
Kids mountain bikes will usually be marketed at slightly older children, although any child can ride on a mountain bike path. Kids mountain bikes are mainly available in 24-inch kids bikes and 26-inch kids bike sizes. Note that a 26-inch bike for children is not the same size and weight as an adult 26-inch bike.
Bikes in this size group are generally suited to children ages eight and over. However, some younger children get kids mountain bikes in 18-inch and 20-inch bike sizes.
All bike manufacturers will size their bikes differently, and each child will differ in height and maturity. When choosing a bike for your child, we suggest you always size based on measurements and ability, not by age alone.
The age of your child is usually not an accurate indicator of size. One 6-year-old may fit a 16-inch bike, while another six-year-old may feel more comfortable with a 24-inch bike! To fit a child for a bike, you should carefully measure their inseam or inside leg. You can then use a kid’s bike sizing guide to find the perfect bike fit for your child.
Every child learns to ride at their own pace. While many traditional kids’ bikes and MTBs are marketed to kids by certain ages, the child’s ability is much more important.
Kids can learn to ride at almost any age, but most children will learn to ride between three and eight. However, the skills of an eight-year-old riding for the first time may be entirely different for those of someone who has been riding since they were two. So when looking at bikes labeled, for example, as bikes for 5 to 8-year-olds, again remember that age should never be your only consideration.
Maturity, confidence, and physical ability will differ between children. Kids will be ready to ride on more technically challenging mountain bike trails when they can confidently balance, pedal, steer, and brake. They will also need to understand how to share a track safely with other riders, many of whom will be adult mountain bikers.
Understanding your child’s unique and individual physical and mental abilities will help you pinpoint the right time to introduce them to mountain biking.
When you’re just starting to mountain bike as a family, remember to keep things simple. If you’re teaching a toddler or preschooler to ride on trails, you should begin on short, easy paths with hard-packed dirt. Avoid routes that have too many rocks and roots.
Hiking trails are often a great place for kids to start learning to ride “off the beaten path.” If your children are younger, they can ride on a hiking trail while you walk along beside them. This is often preferable to riding on a mountain bike trail or bike park where they will have to share trails with more experienced and adult riders.
The simple answer is no; children don’t need suspension mountain bikes. But why not, you ask?
Kids mountain bikes can be heavy—even heavier than an adult mountain bike. But kids are much lighter than adults, so the bike-weight to body-weight ratio on many kids’ mountain bikes is way off. Many children’s bikes are more than half the child’s weight!
A too-heavy bike can throw off your child’s balance and be detrimental to their learning. So, if you get your child a kids mountain bike that weighs too much for them to manage, it won’t do them any favors. If kids try to ride a mountain bike that is too big or heavy for them, they are likely to get tired and frustrated quickly.
Because kids weigh less than adults, they don’t need the same suspension as adults. Children can more easily handle and maneuver a bike with no suspension. The lighter the kid’s bike, the easier it is to maneuver and pedal up steep hills.
Bike weight makes a bigger difference for children than it does for adults when it comes to the enjoyment of riding and their bike control. Whenever you’re shopping for a kid’s bike, you should remember that kids are smaller and not as strong as adults and a lightweight bike is usually better suited to them.
Children can get the same benefits of a mountain bike on a quality kids’ bike that uses fat tires with the correct PSI. These fat tires can also be used on the road, or you can switch between two sets. Using fat tires on a regular kid’s bike is more straightforward than having two different bikes—one for the road and another for mountain bike trails.
What is PSI? PSI means pounds per square inch of pressure and is used as a measurement of tire pressure. Different riders may need a different PSI for their tires.
A little rider and a larger rider on the same kid’s bike may require different air PSI to support their weight. The correct PSI is especially important if you want to use a regular kids bike with fat tires as a mountain bike. We suggest starting somewhere close to these PSI numbers to provide an optimal riding experience.
Kids mountain bikes are usually much more expensive than a normal kid’s bike. You’re likely to get sticker shock seeing that a kid’s mountain bike can cost almost as much as an adult bike. Children’s mountain bikes can be several hundred dollars and even run up into the thousands.
Cleary bikes are high quality and easy to use on bike trails or backcountry singletrack. Cleary kids bikes are unique in that our bike frames are made of 4130 Chromoly Steel, making them both durable and beautiful.
Several Cleary bikes are suitable for older children who wish to get into mountain biking. The Meerkat 24-inch kids bike and Scout 26-inch kids bike are both excellent entry-level cross-country bikes. These kids bikes offer quality components like a Suntour suspension fork, Vee tubeless-ready tires, and Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. And all this comes at a much more digestible price.
If you or your kids love mountain biking, it’s natural to want to get them a mountain bike. Kids can have so much fun riding on mountain bike trails. There’s nothing like seeing that smile on their face when they achieve their goals, perform a trick, or make it to the bottom of a technical descent.
But kids don’t need the fanciest, state-of-the-art expensive mountain bike to have fun. All they really need is a good quality kids bike that’s lightweight, fits them properly, and works well.
While many of us enjoy spending more time outside and getting active, it's no secret that our younger generations are far more interested in playing on a tablet or Xbox than in getting some fresh air. After months of being cooped up, this penchant for electronics has probably only increased.
Studies show that kids who spend more time outside are happier and less likely to develop psychiatric disorders in adulthood. Moreover, research supports that active children experience benefits in "mood, academic performance, brain function, and other aspects of physical and mental wellbeing."
So how can we encourage our children to get outside, and enjoy the time they spend there? One easy way: mountain biking.
Teaching your child or children to mountain bike is a great way to get them excited about outdoor activity. Not only will they be learning a new and thrilling skill, but they'll also be spending time in nature and learning more about the world they live in.
Ultimately, getting your children out of their comfort zone and immersing them in a new environment will help them become more inquisitive, open-minded, and respectful of nature. They'll also enjoy more restful sleep, and improved fitness and health. On top of that studies have shown that cycling makes us happier.
You can safely introduce your child to mountain biking between the ages of 5 and 8. Whenever the child is about 4 feet tall and able to ride a 20-inch wheel you'll start to see mountain bikes available in their size. Naturally, they'll need to master the basics of riding a bike without training wheels before they can graduate to mountain biking.
Once your child is comfortable on a bike, it's a good idea to start them out on a flat or paved road before moving on to technical trails. Easing your children into inclines and bumpy terrain by starting them on Jeep or Forest Service roads is one of the best ways to acclimate them to mountain biking. From there, get your kids onto an easy single-track trail, or a double-track trail so they can get used to riding in the dirt.
The best place to begin is encouraging a basic love of biking and activity before advancing your child to mountain biking. Keep in mind that there is no set age for teaching your kids to mountain bike; it all boils down to their willingness to learn, and whether you're comfortable teaching them at their age.
An interest—and eventual passion—for mountain biking requires two things: a love for biking, and a love for nature and landscape.
For your kids, the first of these depends on a love of physical activity, while the second depends on a learned appreciation of the world around them. These are both things they'll pick up from you as their parent! Your relationship to fitness and biking, as well as your interactions with nature, will have a positive impact on your children, encouraging them in these ways.
Your kids might not initially love the exertion that accompanies mountain biking, especially if they're not used to it. However, you can distract them by turning each outing into a family one (if you have the capability), bringing along a picnic lunch, and playing games on your ride, to name a few fun options! It won't be long before your kids begin to associate biking with fun, which is the end goal.
In addition to fun, some kids thrive with a bit of healthy competition and may enjoy either partaking in a junior beginner's race or spectating at one. Take your child down to a local track and let them experience the thrill of race day, the crowds, food stalls, and energy drink sponsorships left, right, and center. The whole atmosphere is fun to just take in! Try unlocking those extreme sport channels on your cable TV and watching some professional mountain bikers. They just might turn into future role models for your child to idolize, the same way Michael Jordan, Kobe Byrant, and LeBron James are influential when it comes to getting kids to shoot hoops.
As for nurturing your childrens' love of nature? They can't appreciate what they don't know! You can help them to appreciate their surroundings while mountain biking by making it a point to teach them about different trees, flowers, and shrubs. Not only will your kids develop a newfound understanding of their surroundings, but they'll also enjoy the benefits that accompany living in the moment and being attuned to their environment.
Children are naturally social creatures, so why not consider making their mountain bike experiences group outings?
Of course, whether or not you can pull this off depends on whether the parents of your children's friends are comfortable with their kids learning to mountain bike. If necessary, you can also look into local youth biking programs and clubs that your kids can join. They may greatly enjoy the company of other kids their age while hitting the trails, so enrolling them in group mountain biking might be one easy way to grow their love of the activity and introduce them to new people at the same time!
Group mountain biking is an especially great way to be social yet safe in a pandemic. Studies show that it's less risky to socialize outdoors than it is to meet up in a small, indoor space with little ventilation. Ultimately, we could all do with some safe socialization after experiencing the isolation of the COVID-19 quarantine—your kids included.
If you want to get your kids into mountain biking and make it an activity they enjoy, hopefully the tips in this article have helped you formulate some ideas! Remember: even if your child doesn't love mountain biking at first, there's a good chance that they'll grow to appreciate it over time if they look forward to other aspects of activity, such as nature, competitions, quality time as a family, and group socialization. The key is to figure out what your child will value most from the activity, and focus on that as you introduce them to mountain biking.
Need some help finding good trails for you and your kids? Check out this guide to mountain biking trails across the U.K., sorted by mileage and ranked by difficulty. If you're based in the U.S., the same site offers a guide by state.