Do your child like bikes, and you want to bring a new bike for them but are confused about what size bikes for 4 year olds?
Bike sizes vary with brands, so you cannot stick to a certain size of bike for your 4 years old child. In the same way, not all kids have the same height and weight at the age of 4 years.
For example, a 5-year-old child may find a 16 inches bike best for them, and a 4-year-old fit on a 20 inches bike.
Therefore, although the age factor is required, it is not actually a perfect standard when you have to decide on a bike for your child.
Read with us to get to know how to choose the best bike for your 4 years old child.
Table of Contents
What Size Bikes for 4 Year Olds? Kids Bike Size Chart
How to decide what size bikes for 4 year olds will be the best?
To choose the best bike for your 4 year old child to ensure their safety and comfort, you should know their height and inseam height.
Look into the following bike size chart for kids to find out the exact bike size for your child:
| Wheel Size (Inches) | Age (Years) | Height (Inches) | Inseam (Inches) | Features |
| 12 | 2-3 | 36-39 | 15-18 | Mostly have training wheels |
| 14 | 2-4 | 37-44 | 15-20 | Usually have coaster breaks |
| 16 | 4-6 | 41-48 | 16-22 | Efficient transitional brakes |
| 20 | 5-8 | 45-54 | 19-25 | Have hand brakes and multiple gears |
| 24 | 8-11 | 49-59 | 23-28 | Have all functions of an adult bike |
| 26 | 10+ | 56+ | 26+ | Have all functions of an adult bike |
Related: Car Seat Weight Chart
Children Bike Sizes – Choose What Best Fits Your Child!
What Size Bikes for 4 Year Olds? Besides age, your child’s inseam and height also matter in deciding the best wheel size for them.
A bike that is selected “on the basis of its seat height, wheel size, and frame’s compatibility with your child’s height, weight, and age” will not only be easy to use but also ensure their safety.
How to Choose the Right Size Bike?
“Finding the right bike is all about the fit, no matter the skill of the rider!”
Bikes of the same wheel size may vary in their overall size from brand to brand. In such situations, deciding over what size bikes for 4 year olds would be worth investing in may seem confusing.
We have mentioned below in the step-by-step guide for how to choose the right size bike for your 4 year old child.
1. Measure Your Child’s Inseam:
The car seat manufacturers prefer bike size by inseam. In the same way, the parents should also math their child’s inseam for the bike they want to buy.
What inseam height is?
Inseam height is the distance between the base of your zipper and the bottom of the leg opening.
How to measure your child’s inseam height?
Do you want to measure your child’s inseam height? Follow the steps listed below:
- Place a book in the center of the child’s legs and have them hold it
- Take measuring tape and measure from the floor to the top of the book
- For a 4year child, it will lie between 14-16 inches
2. What Size Bikes for 4 Year Olds?
As we have a baby car seat weight chart, a kids’ bike size chart is also available.
After knowing your child’s inseam, you can decide on the bike size. Generally,
“You should buy a larger wheel size if your child’s inseam is appropriate for the bike”
Note: larger wheels will allow more stability as well as will have more room for growth.
Do the parents usually ask What size bikes for 4 year olds are certain? To be honest, there is not a certain bike size for a specific inseam height, but for a range of inseam heights.
PS: Same as there is the range in the baby car seats according to the possible variation in the height and weight limit of children of the same age.
For example, if your child is 4-year-old child and has an inseam height of 15.5 inches, they can have 3 different bike sizes: 12, 14, and 16 inches wheel bikes!
3. Find Out the Compatible Seat Height
A 4-year-old child is capable of riding the bike, but it must be very comfortable and suits their inseam and height very well.
Baby bike seat height is:
“The distance from the ground to the top of its seat”
The height of the bike seat is differently designed, and some have seat height adjustment options in them depending upon your child’s bike riding capabilities (whether they are a beginner or experienced).
1. Bike seat height for beginners in riding:
The Beginners should be:
- Able to sit on the bike’s seat with their feet flat on the ground
- A child must be able to stop their bike with ease using their feet at this point
As a result, the seat height on their bike should be adjusted to match their child’s inseam.
Sizing Tip for Beginners: “The child’s inseam height and seat height should be set at the same height for their first pedal cycle”
Type of bikes and seat height for beginners:
Instead of saying “No” to your little ones who love to do adventures, you can buy them a bike that will be easy to use and safe for them as they are beginners in bike riding.
Bike with Training Wheels:
A bike with training wheels is easy to use for children even smaller than 4 years because they do not have to balance it, and no fear of failing is there.
The bike seat should be balanced at a height of “0-3 inches above your child’s inseam height”.
Balance Bike:
As the name shows, a balance bike will be very convenient for your child to use. You should set the seat of a balance bike at “0.5-1.5 inches below your child’s inseam”.
2. Bike seat height for experienced bikers:
An experienced rider should be:
- able to sit on the bike’s saddle with their tip toes touching the ground
- able to smoothly start and stop the bike as well as use a hand brake or foot brake
Accordingly, the child’s inseam should be 2 to 4 inches above the seat’s inseam.
Proper leg extension while pedaling is made possible by raising the seat, which increases the effectiveness of each pedal stroke.
Sizing Tip for Experienced Riders: “For a competent peddler, the seat can be positioned 2-4 inches above their inseam”
How to Find the Best Bikes and Their Seat Height?
As the baby car seats have a certain weight, height, and age rules and car seat manufacturers publish their product limitations, the baby bikes manufacturers do not any one of them.
Therefore, it is the most confusing point for the parents when they have to purchase a bike for their growing child.
However, you should not feel forsaken. You can take help from the bike-size-vise guidelines we have provided below:
Conclusion
Have you gotten your query resolved over what size bikes for 4 year olds?
It should be the size that is compatible with your baby’s inseam height because that bike will be easy for them to use, will be safe for them, and your invested money will be utilized the maximum ☺
Frequently Asked Questions
Does bike sizes and ages relate to each other?
Definitely yes. Your 3-year-old child can’t ride a bicycle that is designed for a 6-year-old child. Therefore, you should know your child’s inseam height and then buy a bicycle that is best compatible with that height.
What is the best 16 inch bike age?
The minimum and maximum age limit for a 16-inch bike lie between 4-8 years. However, it is better to measure your child’s inseam and then choose a bike for them.
What size bikes for a 5 year old?
The parents ask for what size bikes for a 5 year old. For a 5 years old child, we will recommend two bike sizes i.e. 14 and 16 inches bikes (if your child’s inseam height matches with the recommended bike’s seat height requirements).
What size bikes for 6 year old?
Do you want to know what size bikes for 6 year old are the best? For 6 years old children, we will recommend two bike sizes i.e. 16 and 20 inches bikes (if your child’s inseam height matches with the recommended bike’s seat height requirements).
What should be the size bike for 7 year old?
A 16 inches bile is considered the best for children of age between 4-8 years. However, there is no standard rule regarding bike sizes. Therefore, choose the bike size that is according to your child’s inseam height.
How to know what size bike do I need for my 4 years old?
Generally, bikes of sizes 12, 14, and 16 inches are considered suitable for children of age 4 years. However, you must choose the bike size according to your child’s inseam.
What is the best 12 in bike age?
Children of age between 2-3 years are allowed to use 12 inches bikes. However, bike sizes vary with the experience, inseam height, and weight of your children.
