Of all the kid-specific bike brands, Pello is (in our opinion) the most under-recognized. With a range of high-quality bikes, Pello offers lightweight, durable bikes at a competitive price point. If you’re not familiar, do yourself a favor and get familiar.
The Pello Reddi is the company’s 20 inch single-speed offering. The bike is ideal for kids who aren’t ready for the added complexity of gears (or the weight), and who may not yet fit on other 20″ bikes with higher minimum standover.
At a mere 17 pounds, the bike performs well both on and off-road, and is one of our top picks for bicycles for 5 and 6-year-old kids.
May 2023: Updated with latest pricing, component build, and additional competitor analysis.
Review in a Nutshell
Pros:
- High-quality, brand-name components
- Super lightweight
- Tektro handbrakes
- Quick-release seatpost collar
Cons:
- Plastic chainguard breaks easily
Price & Where to Buy:
- $439 at PelloBikes.com*
Pello Reddi Video Review
Size, Weight, and Geometry
The Pello Reddi is the ideal size for my 5.5 year old who swaps between a 5T and 6T pant. He has plenty of standover clearance on the bike and easily manages the 22″ minimum seat height.
We recommend the bike for kids with a minimum inseam of 19.” This is lower than most 20″ bikes, so if you are ready to move your child to a larger wheel size, but they are on the shorter end of the spectrum, the Pello Reddi makes a good pick.
The other thing we love about the Pello Reddi is the weight. At 17 pounds, it is lighter than most 20″ bikes we’ve looked at or tested.
My son immediately noticed this weight difference and has commented multiple times about how light the Reddi feels.
High-quality components
Pello hasn’t scrimped on the build of their bikes. The Pello comes with brand-name components including a Cane Creek headset, Kenda Small Block tires, and Tektro handbrakes.
All this means that the bike both provides a smooth ride and is guaranteed to last for the long-haul. There’s no doubt that the Reddi can survive a couple of years of abuse and still be handed down to a younger sibling or sold on Craigslist.
Kenda Tires, Cane Creek Headset, Tektro Brakes
When we originally tested the bike, we complained about the lack of a quick release seatpost collar. Since then, they’ve added a quick-release which is rad and shows that they listen to their customers. A quick-release is convenient for dropping the seat at the bike park or pump track, and helps with those seemingly overnight growth sports.
The only component that’s a bit meh is the plastic chainguard. While we appreciate that it isn’t some sort of giant metal monstrosity, the plastic is prone to breaking (as we discovered on our son’s Romper), and is more obtrusive than those on some of the other higher-end kids’ bike brands. We’d recommend removing it as soon as you get the bike.
Assembly and Pre-Ship Checklist
We assemble a lot of bikes, which means we’ve seen it all, and we were impressed by how quickly and easily we were able to build up the Reddi when it arrived. The brakes required no adjustment, the tires were adequately inflated, and all required tools were included.
The bike also came with a pre-ship checklist which showed that it had been thoroughly checked by a mechanic prior to shipment, which explains the ease of assembly. Well done.
Easy assembly. Comes with pre-ship checklist.
Singlespeed Keeps Things Simple
Although many bikes begin to introduce gears at the 20″ size, if kids haven’t yet mastered other skills–braking, cornering, climbing, etc–adding another dimension the mix can be overwhelming. Adding gears to a bike also adds weight.
For this reason, we appreciate the Pello has offered a 20″ bike with gears and a 20″ bike without gears. The Reddi is their singlespeed offering.
When we got the bike, it was still offered with an optional SRAM automatix 2-speed hub (which we loved). Unfortunately, SRAM has discontinued the manufacture of this hub so it’s no longer available.
If you want a 20 inch bike with an internally geared hub, you’ll need to look at the Cleary Owl or Priority Start instead.
Singlespeed drivetrain and optional 2-speed hub
Paint job
The paint job on the Pello Reddi is lovely, and we can assume it will hold up over time as well as the paint on our son’s 14″ Pello Romper did. The orange color is pleasant (not overly bright), but I like it because it helps me spot our kiddo from quite a distance.
Pello has also recently added a coral / pink offering which is nice for kids who don’t love orange.
On and Off Road Performance
We’ve tested the bike both on and off road and it performs well on either. My son likes the upright geometry and raised handlebars for negotiating obstacles at the bike park, as well as riding longer distances comfortably on pavement.
On his first ride on the Reddi, he powered thru 10 miles of paved bike path with a couple hefty climbs. We also tested it on the wet, rocky, rooty trails on Squamish, BC and he was able to rock and roll.
Indeed, the Kenda tires are knobby enough to ride on singletrack but don’t cause undue rolling resistance on pavement either. Overall, this is a great all-around bike for young kids no matter how you plan on using it.
Pello Reddi vs. the Pello Rover
Both the Pello Reddi and the Pello Rover are 20″ bikes, though the geometry and build differ slightly.
The Reddi is ideal for younger, smaller riders thanks to the low standover height and shorter reach. The Rover has a longer top-tube and less of a slope.
Additionally, the Rover adds a 7-speed derailleur which is awesome for kids who are ready to add gears but adds weight and complexity for those that aren’t. It also has the option of adding a suspension fork for kids who do lots of off-road riding.
For more information, read our review of the Pello Rover.
Pello Reddi vs The Competition
The closest competitor to the Pello Reddi is probably the Cleary Owl (singlespeed version). The two have a similar design and aesthetic.
At $396, the Cleary Owl is the cheaper of the two. That said, the Pello Reddi comes in about 2 pounds lighter(16.9 lbs vs 19 lbs), making it the winner in our opinion. The sloped top tube also makes for a slightly lower standover.
Compared to the Woom 4 or the Prevelo Alpha Three, the Reddi is quite a bit cheaper, but that’s largely due to the lack of a geared drivetrain.
Bottom-Line
The Pello Reddi falls on the smaller side of the 20″ bike spectrum which makes it ideal for kids who don’t have the minimum inseam for most 20″ bikes but are ready for the bigger size wheels. The singlespeed drivetrain keeps things simple and lightweight. Thanks to the reasonable price tag and the brand-name components, we think this is one of the best buys out there.
More Help Choosing A Bike
- 5 Best 20 Inch Bikes For Boys & Girls + How To Choose!
- Ultimate Guide To Kids Bike Sizes (And Bike Size Chart!)
- 10 Best Kids Bikes: How To Choose, Reviews, & More!
About The Reviewers
The Rascals are a family of three. Kristen (mom), Blair (dad), and Parker (kiddo). We started Rascal Rides when Parker was born and we didn’t want to give up our passion for biking. As we learned, we shared. Over the years, we’ve tested hundreds of kids bikes, helmets, bike trailers, and more.
Kristen is a USA Cycling certified coach and loves to share her passion for biking with other families. Blair is a bike geek, mechanic, and mountain bike junkie. Parker is our resident tester and inspiration.
If you see us out on the trail, make sure to say hi!