Best Cheap Kids Bikes - Two Wheeling Tots

What’s the best cheap kids bike around or under $250?  Our top-recommended kids bikes are incredible little machines, but for many, their $300+ price tags are a bit daunting! For those parents looking for a more budget-friendly option, we have a solution for you!

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Over the years, we’ve personally tested over 30 different cheap boys bikes and girls bikes. While these bikes are not as well-designed or as light as the bikes that take our top recommendations, they all perform impressively for their price tag and feature good basic geometry, a reasonable weight (well under 25 lb.), and a durable build.

Best Cheap Kids Bikes

Our Favorite Cheap Kids Bikes

About the Retrospec Koda

Retrospec recently re-designed their entire kids bikes line to make them more lightweight and a better fit for kids. They certainly succeeded, and the Koda line of kids bikes is hands down the best on the market at their price point.

If you are considering walking into Walmart to buy your kid a bike – don’t! A Retrospec bike is about the same price or even cheaper, and far better quality and much easier to ride. For example, the basic Koda 16″ model is only $169, and every one of our little test riders has hopped on it and raced around the neighborhood or skatepark with ease.

If you have a little more room in your budget, consider the Koda Plus line, which are upgraded with aluminum frames (versus steel) and dual hand brakes.

About Guardian Bikes

Lightweight and the best quality of any bike on this list, Guardian bikes come with a proprietary braking system called SureStop that prevents unsafe braking. When braking with just the front hand brake while at high speeds, bikes can tilt forward and buck a child off the bike and over the handlebars.

SureStop brakes on Guardian bikes prevent this by having only one brake lever engage the front and rear brakes sequentially. It’s the power of dual hand brakes with just one brake lever!

Timid kids feel more confident that they can stop quickly, and they don’t have to think about which brake lever to pull. Confident kids love that they can ride fast and then stop on a dime.

About REI REV

In addition to being much more lightweight than cheap bikes at big-box stores, the REI Co-op Cycles line comes backed with REI’s amazing no-hassle return policy!  And although REI will ship their bikes direct to you, if you live near an REI store, assembly of the bike and your first year of basic service are included with your online purchase.

All REI Co-op Cycles REV models come with a coaster brake, however, the 20 inch model also comes with a hand brake for the rear wheel.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE: Do not use training wheels with these bikes if purchased between and June . The training wheels had a faulty design which led to a recall by the CPSC.

About the Schwinn EVO Krate

The Banana Seat is back, baby! Beyond its retro cool styling, the Schwinn Krate EVO’s banana seat serves a functional purpose as well. Because a child can slide their bum back on the seat, a much older and taller rider can comfortably pedal on the Krate EVO. If you’re looking for a bike that your child won’t outgrow quickly, this modern take on a classic is a great option.

About the Schimm Koen

Easy-to-ride and easy-to-love, the Schwinn Koen has a low center-of-gravity which provides a comfortable and confidence-building stable ride for beginning riders. Aggressive riders also enjoyed the SmartStart but preferred the (now discontinued) Raleigh MXR. Schwinn’s overall quality has room for improvement but is significantly better than your standard big-box-store bike.

While we prefer the even cheaper Retrospec Koda 2 to the Koen, its styling may be more appealing to some kids.

About the Schwinn Elm

The Schwinn Elm is the girls’ version of the Schwinn Koen. While its quality is on the lower end on this list, the overall design is far superior to a standard big-box store bike. If you’re on a serious budget but need a super girly bike (with a basket!), the Elm is easily your best choice.

What We Look for in a Cheap Kids Bike

Our evaluation and rankings for cheap kids bicycles were based on how easy it was for our testers to balance and maneuver the bike. Several different factors affect the overall performance of a bike, which we outline in more detail on our Best Kids Bikes: The Authoritative Buying Guide, but for 12 inch, 16″, 20″ and 24″ budget bikes, our main criteria for performance were 1) geometry, 2) handlebar height, 3) weight, and 4) quality.

We’ve tested over 25 budget-friendly bikes, with kids ranging from 3 years old to 8 years old.  The smaller the bike, the more exaggerated potential issues are.

There are very few 12″ bikes that are easy to ride. It’s absolutely more important to get a better bike when your child is young. A 12″ bike that’s difficult to ride may deter a 3 or 4-year-old from ever learning to ride. An adventurous 8-year-old, on the other hand, is going to have a much easier time handling a less-than-perfect 24″ bike.

Geometry

A bike’s geometry is how the bike positions a child while riding. The bottom bracket (where crank arms attach to the frame), should sit low to the ground to provide a lower center-of-gravity for the rider. A lower bottom bracket allows the rider to sit lower on the bike (sit closer to the wheels), which makes the bike easier to balance. The bottom bracket heights varied from 8″ to 9.5″ on the seven 16″ bikes we tested, with the Schwinn SmartStart having the lowest bottom bracket height of 8″.

Sitting Lower to the Ground Makes it Easier to Balance

Bikes with a lower bottom bracket generally also allow the rider to center more of their weight over their hips, which mimics the ease of standing or walking. By sitting lower on the bike, a child can sit in a more natural, upright position, which not only centers their weight over their hips for better balance, but for beginning and timid riders, greatly increases their comfort and confidence on a bike.

Since most kids on 12″ and 16″ bikes are beginning riders, we gave preference to bikes with upright positioning for this comparison. For more skilled or adventurous riders, however, a more leaned forward position is generally better as it allows them to shift their weight when maneuvering the bike up and around jumps, curbs, and hills.

Schwinn SmartStart has Most Upright Body Positioning

Handlebar Height

The height and shape of a bike’s handlebars can greatly affect the overall maneuverability of the bike. In our testing, the performance of the Diamondback Mini Venom and Next Rocket all suffered due to a lack of proper handlebar design.

When the bars are too low, the child must lean forward to reach the bars, which limits their comfort on the bike and can also minimize the space for the child’s legs when pedaling. When too high and/or swept back, the handlebars can reach halfway up a child’s chest which requires riders to bend their elbows too much, limiting their range of motion.

Bars can also be too narrow or too wide, which can make the rider feel too squished or too stretched out on the bike. As seen below, the older version of the REI Co-op REV bike had narrow handlebars that were difficult to manage for our young riders. The REV bike has since been updated and its handlebars are wider and better-designed.

Poorly Designed Handlebars Make a Bike Difficult to Ride

As shown in the body positioning pictures earlier, the Schwinn SmartStart, Raleigh MXR and Diamondback Mini Viper all have handlebar designs that allow for proper arm extension as well as plenty of room for knees when pedaling.

Weight

Ideally, a child’s bike should weigh no more than 30% of their own weight. This is often hard to achieve with budget bikes as they are usually made with heavier steel frames and lower-end components. At 17.6 lb., the REI’s Co-op REV is the lightest of our top picks. The Royalbaby Classic, which we do not recommend, was the heaviest at 24.5 lb.

Quality of Build

The actual frames of kids’ bikes rarely break, but their components (the smaller parts of a bike) often do. Like adult bikes, it’s usually the quality of these components that determine the overall cost of the bike. While determining quality is subjective, assembling the bike and feeling how well the parts go together and stay together is very indicative of their quality.

We found the Raleigh MXR to have the best quality for the under $200 price point. The bike went together very smoothly with no rattles or noises made while pedaling.

The Schwinn SmartStart was the lowest quality of those on our list as it required a lot of tweaking to get the handbrake to work and has some minor squeaks when in use.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website children's bicycles.

The Diamondback Mini Viper was mid-range in quality between the Raleigh and the SmartStart. It doesn’t feel as “solid” as the Raleigh, but has no rattles or squeaks when in use.

Keep in mind that each of these bikes are some of the best quality in their price range. You can only expect so much for the price!

Related Kids Bikes Articles

Kids Pedal Bikes: Comparison Charts – To view and filter even more bikes, and read reviews.

Best Kids Bikes: The Authoritative Buying Guide – Detailed information on what to look for when choosing a bike.

Children’s bikes are not all equal; some brands are too heavy, don’t fit children properly and are built to a price point that will sell rather than being enjoyable for a child to ride. Buying a bike for your child takes a bit of thought and some measuring too. Once you have chosen the right size and style of bike for your child, it’s time to shop around and look at the options.

I am often asked what’s the cheapest way to buy a quality children’s bike? The answer really depends on how many children you have, how much cash flow you have and how much hassle you are willing to endure to save money.

Buying brand new

If you can afford it, a new bike from a quality brand is the easiest option, as the bike will last and can be passed on to a younger sibling. If cash flow isn’t an issue you can usually bank on selling on a bike from the likes of Islabikes and Frog for between 40-75% of the price you paid depending on wear and tear.

Even if the frame on an Islabikes is damaged and out of warranty you can still sell the parts on places like eBay and the Cycling UK forum.

Just to note, though, at the moment (December ) it’s not the best time to sell a second-hand children’s bike as the market is flooded with bikes bought in peak of the lockdown that have now been outgrown. On the plus side this means there are some second-hand bargains to be had.

If you are looking to save money do not be tempted to by a cheap and cheerful brand as this is a false economy. A cheaper heavy ‘bicycle-shaped object’ is made with cheap components which will often break quickly and will not be useable for another child. Ask any bike mechanic – they will tell you they struggle to repair cheap and cheerful bikes.

These bikes are designed to a low price point and to be disposable after a year or so. Cheap bikes rust easily and have parts that seize. I know this makes me sound like a bike snob but if you can’t afford a new quality bike it is much better for your purse, stress levels and the environment to buy or rent a good-quality second-hand bike that your child will find nicer to ride.

Ways to save on a new bike

If you are struggling to save for a bike, ask friends and grandparents to contribute to a bike fund (wrap up a bell and bike gloves so there is a parcel to open on the child’s birthday or Christmas day if you’ve left it a bit late). Then go bike shopping in January when the prices may well be lower in the sales and there should be plenty more bikes in stock.

Don’t forget Cycling UK members get discounts at places such as Halfords, Freewheel and independent bike shops, too, so make sure you have your member card tucked in your wallet ready to show or have logged in to the member benefits page to download a code.

Buying a second-hand bike

The cheapest bike is a free quality bike, so ask family and friends with older children, parents at school or your local cycling club to see if anyone has the brand or type of bike you’re looking for. There are so many children’s bikes hiding in sheds and garages that aren’t being ridden so chances are they will be willing to loan, give or sell.

There’s even a wanted thread on Cycling UK’s forum where you can post about bikes you’d like to buy.

Remember if you buy second hand you will need to check the bike is roadworthy. If you aren’t great at bike mechanics, there’s help and advice available from our Big Bike Revival partners, or get your local bike shop to help and give it a service (this should cost under £50).

Another couple of great places to find a cheaper bike are a bike recycling centre or bike kitchen.

There’s a whole wealth of further information and tips on How to: Buy a second-hand bike.

Renting a bike

This year I have rented a Frog MTB 69 from Bike Club; it would have cost me £755 to buy it new. As Cycling UK members get the first month free I thought I’d try it out and we have been renting the bike since spring.

We chose the Frog MTB as my son (who has another bike) wanted to try a proper mountain bike. It was great: we didn’t have to commit to a long rental and we can send it back anytime, we’ll pay a charge £29.99 to return it.

The bike arrived and all I had to do was straighten handlebars and put the pedals on; it was simple. My son had a brand-new Frog MTB to play with. I pay £25.99 a month on direct debit. I expect like most of the Bike Club’s 40,000+ customers my son will grow too big for this bike after 18 months of renting it.

Does it add up?

The rental for 18 months will cost £467.82 (£441.83 with Cycling UK member discount), but I won’t own the bike or even a percentage of it. It belongs to Bike Club and we’ll need to return it. If my son grows out of it sooner than 18 months we’ll have to pay £19.99 to swap bikes.

Doing the maths on this bike, which we also tested in the Dec/Jan issue of Cycle magazine, if I bought the bike new and it had no damage to it in 18 months’ time I could probably sell it second hand for £500-£600, so the 18 months of use would cost me around £250. This is the cheapest option in the long term, but there are a lot of ifs here.

It’s a hassle to sell a bike second hand and you must have the cash to buy the bike new. You also take a risk on what condition the bike will be in at the end of use. It’s a small gamble you’ll recoup most of the costs by selling the bike on after 18 months. You will also need to have space in your home to store an extra bike while you sell it.

I have more than one child so I can pass bikes down and make more use of any bike we have bought outright but the second-hand value will drop further as the bike acquires more scratches and wear and tear. After two children, the bike will be roughly three years old, and I might be lucky to get 40% of the cost price back.

What I like about renting is that it is hassle free, there were plenty of bikes to choose from and all are well-designed bikes – no bicycle-shaped objects are available on this subscription service. It gives an option to people who don’t have the cash up front. It gives an option to those who are tempted to get into debt to buy a children’s bike.

It’s an environmentally friendly choice: it keep bikes out on the roads and trails rather than sitting unloved in the back of a shed waiting for a busy parent to have time to sell it and deal with the deluge of messages about it.

For busy parents across the UK Bike Club offers quality bikes through a simple rental scheme. It’s clear what you have to pay and you aren’t tempted to get a bike your child will grow into or keep them riding a bike they have grown out of to get your money’s worth. You can get the right size bike and the right style.

You can save more money with Bike Club by renting a bike that another child has rented before. The Frog 69 MTB would have been £22.99 a month that way or £390.83 for 18 months (with one month free).

If you have more than two children who aren’t either too close in age or too far apart it will be cheaper in the long run to buy a bike new and pass it on. But if you don’t have the cash flow to wait to recoup costs or you want to try out a different bike Bike Club offers an affordable solution.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit custom kids tricycle.