Based on our research, here are the best beach cruiser bikes on the market. So beyond our range of kids’ bikes, you’ll also find a range of bike accessories as well as bike helmets and kids cycling clothes to make sure that you have everything you need to keep them safe on two wheels. Basically, this is ideal for anyone who wants in on the e-bike action but is limited on storage space. It’s also a great option for RVers who want something they can use to zip around the campsite or for a quick trip into town. This Class 2 e-bike top outs at 20 mph and has both pedal assist and a throttle.
Woom Bikes USA is recalling all of its Woom 1 bikes (our upgrade pick) made between 2018 to 2021 for a problem with the handlebar stem. If you own one, do not use it until you’ve checked to see if it is affected and, if so, repaired it with a free kit Woom will provide. Its wide tires huffy bicycle give you more control while riding on different types of terrain, and customization options can help you design a bike that’s truly yours. If the bike is single speed or internal hub geared, chains with internal width of 1/8″ / 3.2mm are usually used. This is probably what you need.
As far as geometry and weight, the 14x Sport is meant for older kids, from the late 3s up to 6 or 7. The 14x weighs 12 pounds without pedals, 15.5 pounds with, which is pretty light for a 14-inch bike, but double the weight of the 12 Sport. Couple that range with a handlebar stem that can be raised nearly 4 inches and a bar that can be tilted upward and forward nearly 4 inches, and you have an incredibly versatile and maneuverable little people mover. When I raised the bars to their maximum and rotated them halfway forward, even my 8-year-old had a blast whipping around the driveway with his friends without bumping his knees. When shopping for beach cruiser bikes, it’s important to note that they usually weigh more than traditional bicycles. This is because they’re designed with features that stand up to daily wear and tear, like wider tires and curved handlebars.
This allows riders to pack a full-size bike into a case that is under the TSA size limit for oversized luggage. Most folding bikes come “one size fits all” with lots of built-in adjustability. A model with a lot of versatility might even be suitable for more than one member of your family. Ryan McFarland, John Bradley, WeeBikeShop’s Ivan Altinbasak, and most everyone I interviewed consider training wheels to be about the worst thing you can put on kids’ bikes. Making a turn with training wheels with too much speed can throw a kid from their bike. Typically, too, training wheels encourage parents to buy bikes far too big for their kids.
The bike is nonetheless handsome, and it performs well once it’s dialed in, allowing a kid to start and stop comfortably, ride easy or hard and fast, and to bail without issue in the inevitable wipeout. At 23 pounds, it’s one of the easier folding bikes to carry, so it’s ideal for folks who live in a walk-up building or for those who have limited storage space. The Liberte features an 8-speed Shimano drivetrain for smooth gear shifting and the ability to tackle various terrains with ease. The bike has a 400Wh battery with a 69-mile range and fits riders 4-foot-11-inches to 6-foot-5-inches. With all that, it’s still a great folder—it feels as nimble as a regular bike when riding, but once you’re done, you can lower the handlebar, and stand the bike on its rear rack to fit into compact spaces.
If your beginner kid is old enough or large enough to graduate from a 12-inch balance bike to something bigger that will balance now and pedal later, the Strider 14x Sport should merit your serious consideration. Along with the also impressive but more expensive LittleBig 3-in-1, the Strider 14x Sport comprises half of a tiny market in 14-inch bikes that easily convert from a balance bike to a no-compromises first pedal bike. We were highly impressed with the 14x Sport’s under-$200 price, comfortable geometry, wide adjustability, the sheer genius of its add-on pedal/sprocket setup, and its excellent printed and online instructions and technical support. More than a good balance bike, it’s an ideal bike for learning the pedal basics. Geometry-wise, the Banana is very similar to our runner-up pick, the Co-op Cycles REV 12. The curved frame is well-engineered with a very low step-in height of 8.5 inches.
With Strider’s excellent step-by-step instructions (here’s a video), buildout was a simple, 10-minute matter of slipping on a few nylon washers at the headset, sliding on a self-aligning clamp, and inserting and tightening the handlebar assembly. Some beach cruiser bikes come with additional accessories like cup holders, baskets, headlights, cellphone holders, bells, and more. Others don’t come with any, but you can usually purchase and fit most of these afterward if you feel that your beach cruiser bike is incomplete without them. When choosing the best beach cruiser bikes, we first spoke with Jeffrey Palter, owner of Cycle Loft bicycle shop, and Chad Buchanan, owner of BiKASE, a bicycle accessories manufacturer. They shared their expert opinion on the important features every beach cruiser bike should have.
These Fred Flintstone-powered criteriums were, not surprisingly, the brainchild of Strider founder and avid motocrosser Ryan McFarland. The zeitgeist of these races is nicely captured in this story and video by The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay, “The End of Training Wheels,” who describes a cross between Sesame Street and Mad Max. For this great Outside story, “Inside the Cut-Throat World of Toddler Bike Racing,” writer Ian Dille’s son actually competed in the race Gay was covering.
With origins dating back to the early 20th century, these transformer-style bicycles have come a long way in terms of design and functionality. Today, they provide a practical solution for those who want to combine cycling with public transportation, or simply save space in their living or work environment. Often, with a folding bike, you can unobtrusively bring it into many places that otherwise wouldn’t allow bicycles inside. If our top pick is sold out, or if you want the cushioning and traction of rubber tires, particularly for indoor riding or bumpy surfaces, the REI Co-op Cycles REV 12 Kids’ Balance Bike is an excellent choice. Even though it usually costs $30 more than the Strider, we liked the bike’s Strider-like geometry, its ease of assembly, light weight, wheel setup, and relatively low price, as well as REI’s reputation.