Lately I’ve been getting a lot of questions from parents on where to buy kids bikes. Is it better to shop online or at a local bike shop? The answer is, it depends.
If you need a quick and dirty response here it is: if you are buying a bike with 20 inch wheels or smaller, you’re probably best off buying online. If your child is ready for a larger bike, buy local.
Why? The best bikes for young children and made by kid-specific bike brands that aren’t sold at your local shop. The major bike brands begin offering nice kids bikes at larger sizes, which you can usually only get at a local shop.
Want the longer answer? Keep reading.
The Argument For Shopping Online
While I’ve always been a strong supporter of local bike shops and shopping locally, when it comes to kids bikes (especially bikes for young kids) it is often best to shop online. There are two reasons for this.
First, most local bike shops quite frankly have a HORRIBLE selection of kids bikes. They are heavy, have training wheels and coaster brakes, poor geometry, and just aren’t bikes that I would recommend to anyone.
Sadly, I’ve also found that a lot of bike shop staff aren’t knowledgeable about kids bikes. One mom recently asked me for advice on a bike after a local bike shop sold her a 25 pound 16” bike for her 3-year-old! (A 16” bike is better suited for a 5-year-old and a good one should weigh a lot less than 25 pounds).
Finally, most of the good kid-specific bike brands only sell their bikes online. The few kid-specific bike brands that do sell through local bike shops usually only have a few dealers spread across the country.
Where To Buy Kids Bikes Online
If you choose to buy online, here is where you should start:
Brand Websites
Almost all of our favorite kids bike brands sell exclusively through their websites. Buying directly from the brand is also a great way to ensure you are getting the real deal and not a knock-off. (Yes that’s a thing).
- Read: Best Kids Bike Brands
Our FAVORITE kids bike brand, Woom, sells their bikes directly to consumers via their website.
Some of the bigger bike brands, like Specialized, Trek and Norco, are now selling bikes through their websites too. With these bigger bike brands you can order the bike online, and then pick it up at a local dealer.
Ready, Set, Pedal
Ready, Set, Pedal is an online kids bike shop. Pretty much just what you’re looking for, right?
They only carry good-quality kids bikes, so you can rest assured that whatever bike you pick on their site, it will be a good one.
They’re also the ONLY online dealer in the U.S. for a Frog bike, so if you’re looking for a Frog, these are your guys.
Bikes Online
Bikes Online is another online bike shop with some decent kids bike options including Polygon and Marin. The Polygon bikes are some of the best bikes out there for good “bang for your buck.”
Amazon
Everybody loves the ease of shopping from Amazon. They have a good selection of kids bikes but make sure you do your research ahead of time and know what you want to buy because there are a lot of crappy bikes listed on Amazon as well.
Backcountry
When Backcountry bought out Competitive Cyclist, they became a legit online bike shop with nice bikes. They have a surprisingly great selection of bikes including Prevelo, Cleary, Strider, and more….
Another of our favorite kids bike brands, Prevelo, sells thru Backcountry.com (as well as the Prevelo website)
REI
If you’re an REI member, you might be excited to discover that REI sells kids bikes online (as well as in their stores). They have their own affordable kids bike line, Co-Op Cycles, as well as kids bike picks from Cannondale and Early Riders.
The Argument For Shopping Local
A bike, even a kids bike, is a big investment. It’s so much nicer to be able to go see the bike in person and make sure it’s the right one before laying down a big chunk of change. The bike shop (if they know what they are doing, unlike the salesperson in my previous story) can also help you measure your child’s inseam and fit them on the right bike.
Many bike shops will also offer you free tune-ups after purchase and will deal with the manufacturer if anything goes wrong with the bike. The bike will also already be assembled; if you buy online, there is going to be some degree of assembly you have to do yourself.
The major bike brands only sell thru local bike shops, so if you are looking at one of those bikes, the decision is made for you. While their smaller sized bikes aren’t that fantastic, these brand’s “big kid” bikes begin to get really nice.
Finally, if you buy from a local bike shop, you get the satisfaction of knowing you are shopping locally, the money is staying in the local economy, and you’re supporting a small business. (Although on the flip side, a lot of the “kids bike brands” you’d buy online are small business too).
Where To Buy Kids Bikes Locally
Don’t just head to the shop down the street—unless you already know and like that shop. If you know what bike brand you want, find out first what shops are dealers of that brand. Local bike shops generally only carry a few select brands.
It also makes sense to ask around for referrals. Some bike shops are great for buying adult bikes but ignore kids bikes completely. Head to the local bike park, or a kids race, and ask parents there if they can recommend a shop. Look for people who seem in the know.
We have also compiled a crowd-sourced list of great local bike shops:
What about Walmart or Target?
Um, no. Just no. The kids’ bikes sold at the big box stores are not real bikes, they are toys.
These bikes are REALLY heavy, have poor componentry, and awful geometry. If you want your child to bike further than around the block, please buy them a decent bike.
If you have a tiny budget, that’s still no excuse to buy a crappy bike. Good bikes hold up well even second-hand and can be found on places like Craigslist or Ebay. If that’s even out of range for you, search for local organizations in your area that fix up and provide bikes to kids at low cost or no cost.
- 5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Buy Walmart Kids Bikes
- Used Kids Bikes: 5 Tips for Finding and Buying a Pre-Owned Bicycle
Do Your Research BEFORE Shopping
Whether you want to buy online or in person, do some research before you start shopping. Have an idea of what you should be looking for in a kids bike (light weight, appropriate geometry), what some good brands are, how much you’re willing to spend, and also what size bike you should be searching for.
The good news is you don’t have to do this all on your own. Read this article: Best Kids Bikes: How To Choose, Reviews, & More! and you’ll be all set.
Bottom-Line
Do your research ahead of time, decide which bike you are interested in, and then find the most appropriate venue for purchasing it. Chances are, if you are buying for a young child, you’ll need to order your bike online.
If the bike you want is from a major bike brand like Specialized or Trek, head to your local bike shop. And whatever you do, stay away from Walmart!
More Reading To Help You Pick A Great Kids Bike!
About Us
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!
I couldn’t agree more! We are so fortunate to have access to several great quality bike shops within walking/riding distance, with at least some kids items. We struggled a lot more to find her a helmet at 11 months than a balance bike at 20 months. We have also made friends and participate in family group rides through a local shop that caters to families. All in all, go local whenever possible!
Thank you for the excellent info on kids bikes. I’m currently looking to buy my twin boys each a new bike. And I’m glad I read your blog because I was actually thinking of shopping at Walmart. Thanks again. ✌️
Glad I was able to help!
What about sporting goods stores?
Hi Stephanie,
I’m afraid bikes at a sporting goods store (like Dick’s) aren’t going to be much better. One exception is REI that does have decent bikes.
Thank you, thank you!! This site has been SOOOOOO helpful!