Christmas may be the traditional time to pick up a cheap children's bike, but with summer having arrived, many of the best mountain bike brands and online retailers have loads of children's bikes for sale.
I've been hunting around the internet and found some big discount deals on some of the best MTBs for kids. I've had my fair share of experience in selecting children's bikes and I have chosen models that I think tick the boxes in spec vs price. As parents, we all know the importance of getting the right bike in the correct size, and most importantly, in the desired color.
Gifting the magical journey of cycling to your child at any time is something seriously special, it can make many memories and start a journey in cycling that will last a lifetime. Getting your little shredders the best possible bike for the lowest price makes it even better, and who knows your boy or girl could turn out to be the next Mathieu van der Poel or Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. So read on for my best bike deal selections and I've also added some additional buying tips with some pointers that may help when it comes to choosing.
Children's bike deals US
1. Rocky Mountain Reaper 26
The Rocky Mountain Reaper 26 children's bike shares many features found in the adult full-suspension mountain bikes made by Rocky Mountain. The FORM alloy frame is durable and lightweight and features 130mm of Smoothlink suspension that should make the Reaper an efficient climbing and rapid descender. RockShox Recon Gold forks are paired with the RockShox Monarch R rear shock and add to the impressive build spec on the Reaper. There are also 26-inch WTB ST i21 wheels and premium Maxxis tires and with the 25% discount currently at Backcountry, it's got to be one of the best cheap children's bike deals around.
2. Cannondale Trail 20
Cannondale has geared the Trail 20 for kids ready to step up a level. The Trail 20 has an expanded gear range with 7-speed gearing, and a low torque twist shifter, which I think is perfect for smaller hands. It also has a durable lightweight alloy frame that always helps make the bike easier to handle and more fun to ride. Adding to the fun is a Suntour 40mm fork, helping smooth out the bumps and the 20-inch alloy rims with versatile multi-surface tires will have your little one hitting the trails with ease. The discounted Cannondale 20 comes in three color choices of either Electric Blue, Lavender, or Volt.
3. Trek Wahoo 24
The Marlin is one of Trek's most popular budget mountain bikes and the Wahoo 24 is also a worthy choice when it comes to a kids' bike. The Trek Wahoo recently received new models to the range but this older version still has plenty of appeal. Trek has designed the Wahoo 24 to be lightweight, simple, and practical for just about any type of riding and surface. It's equipped with a Shimano 8-speed drivetrain providing a wide range of gearing for wherever your little one roams.
4. Specialized Jett 16
The Specialized Jett was my daughter's first-ever pedal bike, and has lasted her for a good few years, and coped well with the growth spurts. Specialized has specifically designed the Jett to be a perfect child-specific bike and is built to grow with the development of young riders, with tweakable features like a longer seatpost and adjustable handlebars. The Jett 16 has an A1 premium butted alloy frame and fork and features internal cable routing, a single-speed drivetrain, V-brakes with tool-less adjustable-reach levers, and tires that work well on the pavement and the dirt.
5. Rocky Mountain Edge Jr 24
The Rocky Mountain Edge Jr 24 is ready to get your young rider set to hit the trails. It has a 6061 SL alloy frame paired with a rigid alloy fork. The Edge Jr 24 comes with a Shimano Altus 8-speed drivetrain which has them covered for climbing, cruising, and all-day adventures. The V-brakes on the front and rear provide plenty of reliable stopping power. It also comes with Rocky Mountain JR21 rims and Kenda tires on the front and rear.
6. Giant STP 24 FS
Giant's STP 24 FS comes with Mike's Bikes trade-in offer which means in it's time to upgrade, you get 50% of the old bike purchase price towards a new bike. So it makes this discounted hardtail well worth a look. It's built around an ALUXX-Grade Aluminum frameset with an 80mm front fork. Giant says the frame geometry is designed for 24-inch wheels and has a lower saddle height and taller front end that should provide your youngster with a responsive, predictable ride quality.
Children's bike deals UK
1. Specialized Turbo Levo SL Kids
Specialized's Levo SL Kids may just be one of the most expensive children's bikes around, packed with trail-proven componentry and cutting-edge technology that you'd expect in adult versions of the best electric mountain bikes from the brand.
The Levo Specialized has an A1 Premium Butted Alloy frame that's lightweight and tough with a modern, progressive geometry. For the full RRP, you would expect serious components and it gets the same 320wh battery and motor that powers the adult-sized Levo SL. Elsewhere, Specialized say the RockShox Reba 100mm air fork will offer true off-road performance. SRAM NX 11-speed gives drivetrain performance with SRAM Level T hydraulic brakes for ample stopping power. The finishing kit comes from Specialized and the dropper post with 80mm of travel comes from TranzX. Handily, it's now at its best ever price with 50% in this unbeatable deal.
2. Scott Scale 20
The Scott Scale is a great choice as a kid's first hardtail bike and comes with SR Suntour suspension fork with 40mm of travel. It rolls on Shining V-6NS 20-inch wheels and when combined with SunRace 7-speed cassette, you might be chasing your little one up the big climbs. The Scott Scale comes in either a Raw Aluminum or Cerulean Blue finish.
3. Whyte 405 26
The kids shred hard, sometimes, harder than parents, and the Whyte 405 26 is ready to hit the trails. This hardtail mountain bike is designed to be just as capable and confidence-inspiring as some of the best adult hardtails. It comes packed with a high-end spec built around its alloy frame with a 100mm travel fork from suspension masters Manitou. Shifting is from Shimano and its Deore 10-speed groupset. It rolls on Whyte's wheels wrapped in Vee Tire Co. tan wall tires, and Tektro hydraulic brakes will give impressive stopping power. 26-inch wheels make it a great size for bigger kids or even small adults.
4. Cannondale Habit 26
The Cannondale Habit 26 packs plenty of the best full-suspension MTB performance into a smaller package. Cannondale has added front and rear suspension dialed to deliver comfort and control and take little rippers to the next level. A balanced 120mm of travel at both ends comes from an SR Suntour XCR34 air-sprung fork and is paired with an X-Fusion O2 Pro at the rear. The 10-spd Gearing is from microSHIFT and braking is by Tektro and its M275 hydraulic disc brakes with 160mm rotors. Completing this very tidy package is a UDH derailleur hanger designed to bend or break and avoid expensive frame damage.
5. DMR Sidekick
The DMR Sidekick comes with everything your little riding 'sidekick' will need to be ready to ride alongside you. It has a lightweight frame and fork and a custom DMR geometry with a long wheelbase and mixed wheel size for extra stability. The Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, with smaller brake levers and 140mm rotors give this an extra bit of braking power and confidence for the rider. Short cranks, junior-sized platform pedals and Vee Crown Gem tires complete the package and make the Sidekick a very appealing option for a kid's first pedal bike.
How to choose kid's mountain bikes
Bikes for kids have changed a fair bit since my day when the Raleigh Burner BMX was the super-cool must-have bike of choice. Today’s options generally mirror adult models in design, equipment, and occasionally even price. If you expect to take long or skill-intensive MTB adventures with your child, ensure their bike is just as capable as your own.
There are plenty of options when it comes to selecting a child's bike, and it can be a bit of a minefield at times, but I've listed a few points that I've found handy and are worth considering when picking your child's next mountain bike.
1. Size
Buying the correct size bike for a child is more important than buying your own. An ill-fitting mountain bike can be dangerous and off-putting to a youngster. However, it's not as simple as buying an adult bike, kids are constantly growing and a bike that fitted perfectly just a few months ago could easily be badly-sized after a growth spurt.
Many of the best mountain bike brands size bikes in age ranges and having purchased a few child's bikes over the years, they are a fairly accurate guide to choosing the right size of bike. If your child is on the edge of an age range then it can be slightly more difficult, and having height and inseam length can be a better guide. Most bike brands have either online interactive size guides, or height and inseam charts, accompanied by tips for measuring your child. They can be a big help, especially when ordering online.
If you're fortunate enough to be able to actually visit a bricks and mortar bike store then getting a bike perfectly fitting is a lot easier. Trying before you buy and seeking advice from in-store staff will help if you are unsure. Generally, making sure both feet touch the ground when in the saddle will give a good pedaling position but also allows the child to stop and put their feet down when they want to. The reach is also important and be sure that your child can not only comfortably reach the handlebars with both hands, but also the brake levers and shifters.
2. Weight
As adults, we are always looking at and comparing the best lightweight mountain bikes. Obviously, children are much lighter than adults, so their bike’s comparative weight becomes super important and has a big effect on how easy the bike is to ride. We wouldn't choose to ride a heavy bike ourselves, so saddling your child with a cumbersome heavyweight bike isn't a great idea, and speaking from experience, it can create tension out on the trails.
Most of the bikes featured above are lightweight alloy-framed machines and are fairly lightweight in relation to the size and age of the child they're aimed at. Ideally, find the lightest bike that you can afford within your budget. Most weights are listed, but not always, so if you're in-store that of course is far easier to check.
3. Cost
The bikes I've chosen above are all superb options and come with great specs and builds. Handily they are all discounted so your child is getting more mountain biking bang for your buck. Again it comes down to your own budget and there is also the growth consideration and other accessories to buy like a mountain bike helmet, protection and again speaking through experience, looking cool on the trails is very important.
4. Style
The look of the bike you select will be of importance to your child or children. A lot of the time other considerations like spec, performance etc will play second fiddle to the appearance. If it doesn't look good, then there will be complaints. So be sure to let them see what's on offer before pulling the trigger or the bike could be sitting in the garage unused. A hand-me-down bike can be frowned upon too, speaking from experience once again.
