Looking for a new bike?
Here's our recommendations
Foam Tyres and Plastic Wheels
Foam tyres are slow and dangerous to ride as the grip is provided by the tread of the tyre rather than the material itself.
Make sure your bike has air filled, rubber tyres and metal wheels that will last longer and be safer.
Twisty Gears instead of trigger gears
This style of shifter has simple mechanics, but harder to use.
Trigger shifters that use your thumb and/or finger to change gear are much simpler to use especially for smaller hands with less grip.
Caliper Brakes (single bolt attachment)
The wrong brakes will rub the wheel causing difficulty riding and stopping.
Find a bike with V-brakes or disc brakes, these can be adjusted in many ways to get the right fit and stopping power.
Buy new at your Local Bike Shop, the friendly and passionate experts
The unrivalled knowledge of your local bike experts, a shiny new bike and most of the time a safety check after about 6 weeks!
The best place to buy a new bike is without a doubt your local bike shop (listed below), top brands with lightweight frames and great components. This is the best way to get your children cycling, enjoy what they're riding and be able to explore even further!
Avoid toy shops, supermarkets and big brands those that don't specialise in cycling and sell mainly motoring or other outdoor/sporting products. These bikes tend to be a steel frame and less quality components in order to save on cost. This means a heavy bike with poor geometry and parts that don't work as well or break easily.
Witney and Didcot - Mountain Mania
Abingdon - Pedal Power
Wallingford - Rides on Air
Bicester - Broadribb
Oxford - Summertown Cycles, Walton Street, Warlands
Rent the right size bike then exchange it when it's too small
Ideal for 14", 16", 18" and some 20" wheeled bikes as these tend to last about 6 months before they are too small
There are a few options for companies that offer bike rentals but the industry leader is, without a doubt, The Bike Club.
Find the right bike for your child and rent it (normally around £15 a month). Once your child has outgrown it, or inevitably decided they want a different colour, you can exchange the bike you have for the next size or colour.
Choose from a brand new bike, or save money by going with a Re-bike that someone has already loved riding.
Save even more by using our referral link here! - 25% off for 6 months!
Second hand specialists
Get a really good bike, that has been serviced and checked by a professional for half the price!
Some of the bikes worth buying over and over again can be found for half the original price when you buy second hand from specialists. Rick's Cycles in West Oxon, Re-Biked at Chilton Garden Centre and Southern Cycles in South Oxon all buy and sell pre-loved bikes and regularly have a massive amount of stock of Frog, iIsla and Forme bikes for a great price!
They will part exchange your old bike and make it ready for a new owner whilst you ride off with something your little ones will love riding for miles without stopping!