What is the best way to get the perfect size bicycle for your kid? To get the best-sized bike for your kid, you need to compute the inside leg length. It is not enough to purchase a bike for your child based on their age since most kids will have an inside leg length that is not proportional to their age.
To effectively measure the inside leg length of your child, there are several steps that you need to take. You need to set your child on the bike you feel best suits them before making a purchase; however, if this method of getting a suitable-sized bike for your kid is not possible, this article will hopefully help you purchase the ideal bike-sized child.
You have to estimate the vertical leg length of the rider. The process of measurement is pretty straightforward. The process involves telling your child to stand up, preferably in socks on the wall, and place a medium-size book between the leg to a comfortable height and tell your child to walk away from the wall while still holding the book in place. You need to measure the size from the floor to the topmost position of the book in cm.
The measurement gotten will be the leg height of your child, which you will need to cross-reference the height on a table displayed below. Use the table to have an accurate bike size measurement for your kid. Note the bicycle size may differ slightly depending on the manufacturer of the bicycle.
Table of Contents
Simple Size Chart
The below chart is a Child’s Bike Guide that starts measuring the bike size from 12 inches to 26 inches. Cross-reference your measured inside leg height to the child’s height section in centimeters.
| Wheel Size (inch) | Inside Leg (cm) | Child Height (cm) | Approx. Age (years) |
| 12 | 33 – 38 | 85 – 100 | 2 – 4 |
| 14 | 38 – 43 | 95 – 100 | 3 – 5 |
| 16 | 43 – 48 | 110 – 120 | 4 – 6 |
| 20 | 48 – 58 | 120 – 135 | 6 – 8 |
| 24 | 61 – 68 | 135 – 145 | 8 – 10 |
| 26 | 68 – + | 145 + | 10 + |
How To Pick The Right Bicycle Size Based On The Bike Parts
The process of bike fitting is one of the fundamental aspects you need to get right when choosing a brand-new bike. With the correct fitting, you will be comfortable, and there will be a reduced risk of injury for you or your child. Bike sizing is done on all kinds of bikes, from road bikes to off-road machines.
It is known that bike manufacturers will make and design bikes with different sizing at the list; they can have a measurement of five or six, which is measured in centimeters or markings scaling from small or large. It is advisable that when starting the process of selecting an ideal bike for your child or yourself that you have a look at the brand’s website.
Most bike brands will provide a sizing chart like the one shown above for every model they supply. The size chart will often have a geometrical scaling that will fully list all the models they manufacture and the different sizes offered. Additionally, manufacturers may give recommendations to make your process of selecting a bike relatively easier.
If you have a reasonably standard body type and fall somewhere in the middle of a size range, this might be enough to narrow down the size frame that would suit you. If you’re on the fence about which size to choose, go with the shorter frame size; a bike’s bar and saddle height, as well as the fore/aft position of the saddle, all have enough modification that you should be able to set it up to be comfortable.
Key Dimensions
The critical dimensions you have to identify correctly are the stack and reach of your bike frame. In the past, brands will leave it up to prospective buyers to determine whether a bike was long and thin or short and heavy, depending on the length of the top tube and headtube. Then came stack and aim, which the vast majority of manufacturers have adopted.
Stack Measurement
The stack measurement is made by calculating the vertical distance between the head tube’s midpoint and the bottom bracket’s center. The size made between the horizontal length of the middle of the head tube to the center of the bottom bracket is done to get the reach.
The measurement of these two distances will help you determine your position when you are riding. For an aggressive ride, a long reach and a short stack will make you take on the part of a racer, while to achieve that comfortable ride, a short distance and a high pile will do the job.
A dirt bike or endurance bike with disc brakes and more tire clearance would have a longer fork to accommodate this, resulting in a shorter head tube but no increase in falling. Stack and reach are measured on a sliding scale; choosing what works best for you can be accomplished by testing various bikes and determining which numbers work best for you or, of course, by scheduling a pre-purchase fit.
Finding The Right Bike Size
Bikes are increasingly being ordered electronically, so there are no store or factory prices, lowering the cost even more! There exist numerous ways of finding the right size of a bike for you. These methods include:
Bicycle Height Chart
This method entails measuring your inner leg height and cross-referencing this information with a bike height chart to et the best fit. This method calculates your height divided by the bike size.
Calculating The Bike Size
In this method, you, the rider, have to measure your height and inside leg measurement, which is the distance between your foot and your crotch. The calculations made in this method are specific to the model and design of thebicycle you want, be it a soft terrain bikeor a mountain bike.
Mountain bicycle – inseam (cm) x 0.66 = Frame size
City bicycle – inseam (cm) x 0.685 = frame size
Road bicycle – inseam (cm) x 0.70 = frame size
The method that comes highly recommended is personally fitting your bike for comfortability. You can do this by:
- Lean against the wall, your elbow on the bike.
- Place the leg at its lowest point while keeping it even to the ground.
- Adjust the saddle down or up until your knees are bent comfortably. It should be about 30 degrees, but don’t spend too much time figuring out the exact angle.
Types Of Bikes
Do you want to use your bicycle for commuter purposes? Are you in need of a bike that is capable of handling both tarmac and dirt tracks? Most people looking to buy a bicycle will often choose to purchase a mountain bike? The reason behind this is probably because that is the only bike type they know.
This section will introduce you to different bikes to know the different kinds of bikes that exist the next time you are buying a bicycle.
Mountain Bikes
These bikes are made and designed for the mountains or the off-road terrain. They are heavier with large tires with bulky trends and a frame designed to handle off-road terrain.
Hybrid/ Commuter Bikes
This type of bike combines the best of two worlds. These two worlds are road bike design and off-road bike designs. They provide versatility and an opportunity to do different terrains.
Road Bikes
As the name suggests, bicycles can be made for road purposes. This kind of bike is designed for soft terrain. They are referred to as road bikes since they are tailored to be effective on the road meaning that they will perform poorly on rough terrain.
Cyclocross Bikes
Cross bicycles are ideally designed for cruising over roads with quickness, and at the same time, they can handle off-road adventures.
Folding Bikes
Folding bikes are built to fold up into a small package when not in use, meaning you can keep them away when not in use or when you are commuting over other vessels like trains and busses. They can even be stored in a car or a hallway cupboard.
Electric Bikes
Electric bikes are partially electric bicycles. They have a battery and a quiet engine, but they’re a little slower than most motorcycles, but you’ll never again curse a hill since they make the climb easy.
Women Bicycles
Bicycles for women are designed to suit women with smaller body sizes, and they use different calculations to get the best fitting bike. They occasionally have a step-through frame, which was initially intended to benefit riders wearing dresses or skirts.
Kid Bikes
These bikes are specially designed for kids, but that does not mean you cannot buy one for yourself. This kind of bike is designed for kids below the age of 12, and features may differ depending on the child’s safe and riding capacity.
Touring Bike
These bikes have a close resemblance to road bikes but with modifications in weight to cover longer distances. Additional modifications may include mudguards, wide tires, and pannier racks. The design also upholds safety and comfort for the rider, and they are also used as commuting bikes.
Final Thoughts
Above all, we advocate seeking professional guidance when purchasing a new bike or whether you are experiencing fit issues or pain. That won’t be cheap, but it should be well worth it if you want to improve your riding pleasure, escape injuries, and get the best out of your cycling. A correctly fitting bike will be ten times comfortable, more fun to ride, and more efficient.