what size bike for a 3 yo?

[twainny]

I want to get my son a bike for his 3rd b-day, but I don't know what size to get him. On Target's website they say the 10" wheels are for kids up to 38" tall. And pictures on Amazon of kids on a 10" bike make the bike look sooo tiny. But yet, the 12" wheels seem so big. My son is already 37.5" tall, so I am thinking of skipping the 10" wheels. What size did you get your child?

(this would be a bike with training wheels)

[RobynG]

We got both our boys 12" bikes when they were 3. And, FWIW, my boys were shorter than your DS. By the time your DS is able to ride the bike on his own, he'll be taller than 38". Good luck with the bike, my boys ride theirs ALL the time in the summer!! Best gifts ever!!!

[AlisonCO]

DS got a 12' bike for his 4th b-day - he was around 39' tall. The bike we got from TRU has an adjustable seat and handlebars and a seat that also moves back as they get taller. Also the pedals have 2 settings. It is supposed to last until age 6 or so.

[twainny]

Allison - what brand bike do you have. I'm interested in an adjustable bike like that.

[Renrel]

I think that if you are expecting the child to be able to ride without training wheels then they need to be able to put their feet on the ground with the bike upright. Otherwise you may want to go to a store and ride a floor model to make sure that DC can easily pedel. I think that leg length may be more important than overall height and that different bikes may be easier or harder to pedel and balance on.

FWIW, we got DS a balance bike when he was around 3 and it has worked well for us. He is learning how to balance a bike by gliding on this one and we expect to buy him a real bike this spring and he *may* be able to actually ride it without pedels by summer (age 4.5). I base this on what the balance bike companies say, what other parents of balance biked kids say and seeing how he can now glide for long distances on the balance bike keeping his balance. I think he might have already learned to ride a real bike without training wheels if we lived in a climate that allowed for winter riding and/or if he were not in preschool all day and only able to ride in the evening or weekends. Just mentioning it as another option to concider.

[AlisonCO]

Allison - what brand bike do you have. I'm interested in an adjustable bike like that.


It is a Rallye from TRU - I did a quick search and didn't find the one we bought online but we did buy it almost one year ago - it was around $60. I believe that there was also a Huffy that we liked alot too that was adjustable - we went with the Rallye becasue the color was more neutral and we hope that DD will use it too.:)

[MizLarner]

My son has a 12" with training wheels. He does well on it, and he's not a very tall kid.

[AlisonCO]

bump

[NicoleWisconsin]

My DS got a 12" when he was 3ish and now will be going to a 16" at almost 4 and 41-42" tall.

[twainny]

well, I never got him his bike (no one would ship it to us!) But DH will be buying him one and we decided to get a 16 inch bike and we will be giving it to him at Christmas when he will be nearly 4.

[Mrs.Chappy]

we went with the 16 inch for my son who turned 3. They put blocks on the wheels. granted he never could pedal but he's grow into it. Its a diamondback...my parents bought it for him. it was 150$$ and we wanted him to use it more than one year givenhow much money it was.

[kiki61872]

this is a dumb question - but they need to wear a helmet right?

do kids wear helmets for big wheel type bikes now too?

[Tray85]

We got a 12" bike for our 3 YO's birthday. Friends have told me not to bother with the 10" because it will last only one season.

[lady1297]

Take your child to a bike shop and have a bike fitted for them. My son is rather tall, 45 inches at 3 1/2 and he was fitted by a professional for a 16 inch bike. But he had to get one with a bar that slops downward (like a girl's bike) rather than straight across so that if he fell, he wouldn't destroy his private area. Professional fittings are important I think.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

this is a dumb question - but they need to wear a helmet right?

do kids wear helmets for big wheel type bikes now too?

And yes, any type of toy on wheels. Scooters, big wheels, bikes, tricycles, EVERYTHING. The sooner they realize how important a helmet is the better off they are. The safer they are. It KILLS me to see kids riding bikes without helmets and thinking "If they fall or are hit they'll have permenant brain damage". And the parents look the other way now when the see my kid coming becuase he tells EVERYONE that they should wear a helmet.

And we require knee and elbow pads as well on our boys from tricycle age on up. Growing plates in the knees and elbows can be permenantly damaged in a normal bike fall...stunting growth in young children.

[Renrel]

yes helmets are important as soon as they are on riding toys to develop the habit if nothing else. I have a friend who opened her home to a woman whose son was hospitalized near her home due to brain trauma from either a bike or a roller blading accident, I forget. It was so sad. The young man was either a teenager or college age kid and due to the brain damage was hitting on his mother. I keep that in mind when I feel lazy about getting the helmet. Though I have to admit, DS is better about remembering then me. He takes his bike out so infrequently given our life styles that it is not the habit it should be. He usually reminds us to go back for the helmet when we are half way down the block. :o Now that he is on a real two wheeler I am going to be more on top of it.

[Winter Biscuit]

ITA about helmets. About a year or two ago, there was a guy in my hometown who was riding his bike down the sidewalk at a leisurely pace. He was not racing or going particularly fast -- he hit a bump in the sidewalk, flipped off his bike, hit his head on the pavement and died. That alone serves as more than enough motivation for us to wear helmets every single time. DD#1 got a 12" bike for her 2nd birthday along with a helmet, and she has been wearing a helmet since Day 1.

I also agree with the PP about getting fitted for a bike at the bike shop. DD#1 was riding a 12" bike with training wheels when she was 2. She is now 4.5 and still riding the same bike, although she is quickly outgrowing it. The seat is as high as it will go and she really is ready for a 16".