Children's bikes test 2019: In the past few weeks, we and our nine little testers have tried and tested a total of eleven children's bikes with 20-inch tires. What insights we have gained, what to look out for when buying a children's bike and which models are recommended.
Update 2021: What has happened?
Even if the article from 2019 is still valid, a lot has happened with children's bikes in the meantime. We reveal what to look out for at the moment and which models are particularly recommended.
Children bike: Bulls, Puky, Woom - the ten best new children's bikes for 2021
Children's bikes 2021: The children's and youth bike, reduced to the essentials, is the better alternative to the "school bike" packed with all sorts of unnecessary equipment features. Velomotion explains why this is the case, what you should look out for when choosing a sporty kids' bike - and presents current 24-inch models from the hottest brands for young cyclists. A children’s bike looks really solid and practical […]
Children's bike test 2019: Insight #1 Weight is important
Kids are quick to go by looks when it comes to a bike, and adults are fooled by big names and “adult features”. But our nine test children were all allowed to ride bikes and quickly learned to appreciate the bikes that were easy to handle - ergonomics were important here ... but also the weight. That stands out woom 4, but which was heavily trimmed for lightweight construction. Also wheels like that Bull's Tokee Lite, which remain well under ten kilos when fully equipped (keyword: side stand), stand out here.
Children's bike test 2019: Finding #2 Equipment isn't everything
Some people overdo it and make the bike more difficult for children to use: KTM with a 2 x 6 drivetrain with front derailleur or Specialized with 2.8 tires, which alone make the bike a kilo heavier than necessary. On the other hand, it's great when equipment is really designed with great attention to detail for children, like it is early rider with all models: own pedals, own saddle - ergo light and individual - but unfortunately also expensive.
Children's bike test 2019: Insight #3 Don't let the parents decide
The parents like to spontaneously look at what they like and how they like to see their child riding around on a cool bike. Parents spontaneously like bikes like this bergamot or Specialized Riprock – these bikes are great – even the suspension fork works on the Spezi – but only if the kids are really so confident drivers that they can tackle off-road routes with their parents; if they are able to master short off-road descents safely. Only then do fat tires and suspension forks make sense.
The difference between a six-year-old who has been cycling safely for two years and a five-year-old who has just learned is huge. As with adults, the first motto is "you have to feel comfortable on your new bike".
Children's bikes test 2019: Finding #4 There are big price differences even for the little ones
As you can spend 2.000 but also 8.000 euros for a good MTB, the spread in our test field also ranges from 300 to 700 euros. This is enormous and a great bike like that eight shot for 299 euros is very positive. But also the 700 euros for that early rider are not outrageous, because the bike is very high quality.
In general, one can say that investing in a good children's bike is never wrong, because the resale values for a well-maintained children's bike are enormous - the loss in value is significantly lower than with adult bikes.
To sell a children's bike quickly and easily, the Velomotion bike market at. Here you will also find attractive offers for new and used children's bikes from private individuals or specialist dealers.
Children's bikes test 2019: The test winner
woom 4
The Woom 4 primarily draws attention to itself with its record-breaking weight. At 7,7kg, it is over 4kg (!) lighter than the heaviest bike in the test and weighs a good 700g less than the next lightest bike in our test field. The visually appealing bike can be accelerated quickly and is a lot of fun for the children. The ergonomically interesting handlebar-stem combination and the overall sensible equipment are also convincing. There are slight point deductions for the missing side stand and the cheap-looking brake levers.
Children's bikes test 2019: The price/performance winner
Eightshot X-Coady 20
The children's bike experts from Puky have been bringing youth bikes onto the market under the name Eightshot for some time. The X-Coady 20 shows that the experience from the children's bike business has also rubbed off on the larger bikes. The cheapest bike in our test pleases with a solid equipment, a quite respectable weight under 10kg and a full equipment suitable for everyday use including side stand. With the slightly wider, but not too wide tyres, the first off-road excursions are also possible.
Children's bikes test 2019: The all-rounders
Bull's Tokee Lite 20
A successful look, low weight, everyday features: The Bulls Tokee hardly allowed itself any weaknesses in the test and is an excellent everyday all-rounder with a sporty touch. Also positive: Thanks to the Monkey Link attachment, the battery light can be retrofitted quickly and easily.
Frog bike 55
With slim tubes and numerous frame designs, the Frogbike 55 stands out visually from the crowd. The other ingredients are also right: It is the second lightest bike in the test, the equipment has virtually no weaknesses and the tires are also fun off-road. Unfortunately, as with many other bikes, there is no side stand.
Children's bikes test 2019: The off-road specialists
Bergamot Bergamot Monster 20
The boys among the testers especially liked the Bergamonster with its beefy looks. Sure, the tires don't run as easily on asphalt as narrower tires, but off-road there's plenty of grip and comfort. The rest of the equipment is also quite pleasing.
Specialized Riprock
Yes, the Specialized Riprock is the heaviest bike in our test field at over 12kg. The suspension fork is mainly to blame for this – but in contrast to many other off-road forks for kids, the Specialized works brilliantly – as does the rest of the equipment. A hot tip for experienced little off-road bikers.
Our list of the best: children's bikes 2019 with 20 inches in the test
Best list of 20 inch children's bikes: Better light and reduced
Children's bikes test: Parents of five to eight year olds take note: here are eleven 20-inch children's bikes whose sporty, reduced design hides a great deal of utility - at least in most cases. You can also get high-quality material at low prices, which is good for a lot of driving fun. Designing a good children's bike is either very easy or almost impossible - depending on […]
MK says
I have to agree with Mr. V. unfortunately. I'm looking for a bike my son can ride to school, not a fun bike to just get out on the weekends. It's a shame it wasn't considered here.
touring cyclist says
Why do we always talk about suitability for everyday use here? For example, not one of the bikes tested had mudguards or a luggage rack. I didn't notice a fixed light installation on any of them. Ultimately, these are all frames with two wheels (sometimes with significantly fewer spokes than normal!), a pedal and a chain. There is not much difference to a running bike, only the prices.
Lars says
Because a 6-year-old rides on the sidewalk, lies in bed in the dark, usually takes cover when it rains and should store his luggage with his parents for the next China bike tour and all this with a bike, which is different from a balance bike a full-fledged braking system, gears, a 20-inch frame and other significantly more expensive components are used. By the way, the whole thing is called a children's bike.
Florian says
Anyone who writes that children take shelter when it rains and don't need mudguards apparently doesn't have any children. You can't really argue like that. I have already attached plug lights to our son's 16″. Visibility is the A&O in road traffic with children.
I also wonder where all this hype about weight is suddenly coming from. How could we ever learn to drive earlier??? Unbelievable…
Neighbors are woom... and the long-term quality doesn't match the price.
However, our Puky ZLX F doesn't look dewy after almost a year of normal use...unfortunately.
Thomas Mannsberger says
Pretty simple here the comments.
Have you ever considered that today's bicycles, which really have what it takes, are always equipped without accessories or are not equipped???!
Of course you get the accessories afterwards! Because here you can be as individual as possible!
And of course lights, reflectors and bells are part of it...
And it seems that none of the commentators has ever bought a children's bike or dealt with it... ergo, caretakers who just got bored!
Specialized would be the favorite if the rubber weren't so coarse and the weight so high...
Woom we already,….next should be another one…Frog?
Christian says
Of course, the bikes are not roadworthy, because there are all accessories available and that's exactly where the parents and their children can decide how high the weight will be. A lamp at the front and rear, a few removable mudguards and a few spoke reflectors, a bell and every bike is suitable for everyday use. But the parents would have to join in and decide... and at the weekend it's an off-road for the area to get dirty. Some make it a little too easy for themselves.
Lars says
In addition, children of this age are usually in bed when it is dark, not on their bikes when it rains and, according to the Road Traffic Act, actually on the footpath. Dad doesn't have a side stand, but I, as a cucumber, have to use one and have to hoist a bike over the next curb that has been upgraded with countless components that I'll never need, thought the child who was just putting the luggage in the parents' bags, so as not to store any more ballast on the already much heavy children's bike, which my parents put in front of the door in a way that was suitable for the German Road Traffic Act and extremely ugly. 😉
Lars says
The test is by no means misleading. On the other hand, her overbearing and at the same time completely misplaced and simply misinforming comment seems useless. If you need accessories, if any, for your bike, you can attach them as you wish. It shouldn't be too difficult for an adult Johannes to mount a side stand (which many of the testers didn't even need) or lamps. Of course you can also attach metal sheets for regular and permanent trips through heavy rain or a luggage rack for the next bike trip of a 6-year-old with panniers, but whether normal children need it is questionable. These components are completely irrelevant for a comparison. Equally total nonsense is the mandatory requirement for road traffic regulations. On the one hand, children between the ages of 5 and 9 who are traveling on 20 Zöllern are very likely to never drive in the dark, and on the other hand, according to the StVo, they have to move on the sidewalk and actually get off when crossing a street. If John were more concerned with reality and its laws, the readers would be more helped. How often mudguards, lights and luggage racks are necessary for the little ones in everyday life can of course be asked independently of the StVo. But the answer will be the same for almost all parents, NEVER. Even the side stand issue is questionable, if strangely enough the vast majority of adults don't need one, but it seems so important to Johannes' children. Above all, safety is brought about by behavior in traffic and the weight of the bike, which is also good for health if a small child has to lift or push the vehicle over stairs or heels. This should definitely happen more often and is certainly not so easy for a 20 kg child with bikes that are heavier than those of the parents, just because components were attached that are never used.
Danny from Konigsee says
Well folks, let's be honest, even I as an adult park my bike with the side stand, or does everyone just throw their bike in the corner or wherever there is space these days?
Lighting and StVZO is a must,
do you know how many bicycles I see all the time at night and in the twilight. Also children.
It's not normal anymore.
This is only because bikes are sold without norms and rules.
Please don't forget to ring the bell, even any calls from the background will not help anyone on the bike/walkway.
If I hear that then you just build a light on it.
Has any of the moderators ever retrofitted something to a bike, guys, don't do it, it's never original and fits right away. Eternal tinkering, the cable on the frame will certainly look the most beautiful, because as is usually the case, the cable is very unlikely to be routed inside.
The environmental freaks among you certainly use a bicycle dynamo, and no environmentally harmful rechargeable batteries / batteries. I also hope that there is a suitable bracket on the bike for that dynamo.
You don't buy a car and tinker with some accessories afterwards. No, you order/and buy it the way you want it finished.
Just think about it 😉
voxi says
Quote from Danny: "You don't buy a car and then tinker with some accessories afterwards. No, you order/ and buy it the way you want it ready.” End of quote.
Far from it, my dear. An unbelievable number of people add accessories to the car afterwards. The market is HUGE 🙂 And that goes for bikes too.
Otherwise I agree with Lars. I'm currently looking for a 20″ for our daughter myself, and the mainstream market is pushing twelve or thirteen kilograms here. How disabled is that? That is around 50% of our children's own body weight! I'm just imagining adults on the road with 40 or 50 kg bikes and how long they would still be able to enjoy riding them... And I can hear the cries of those parents who complain about how heavy their satchels are Right! Anyway, my daughter won't be cycling to school (anytime soon) or with luggage in the dark, nor in the rain, so I'll forgo those heavyweight add-on gadgets in favor of weight.
Well, luckily everyone can do what they (and for Danny: what they) want and what they think is right! Anyway, I'm glad to have found THIS page and inspiration, thank you very much!
scrambler says
Thank you for the great test report. I find it extremely important that the test was carried out by children on the road and in the field and not by adults in a laboratory.
My short one is currently driving the Woom3 (with a matching stand and bell, which can be ordered directly from Woom) and is already looking forward to the successor with gears.
As far as the comments are concerned, I find it very strange how people have to be so rude about lights, fenders and stands...
Everyone should decide for themselves what is good for their children. And if you don't like the selection of tested bikes, you can buy a 20″ bike with everything your parents want at the next discount store promotion.
In any case, I prefer to rely on the test judgment of children, because they should have fun riding and also enjoy using the bike. Otherwise it just stands around and you have constantly whining children.