Forum menu
My sister wants to buy her daughter who's 4 years old a bike as a surprise off Santa this Christmas but is not sure on sizing. Any ideas to determine the best size? Inside leg measurements?
I know Santa generally just knows all this stuff but just in case 😆
Honestly I would take them to the shop. Our 5 year old has been on 16" wheels from not long after his fourth birthday. He's not enormous for his age but he's certainly no short arse either.
He has come with us for every bike so we could make sure he sized up right. Kids bikes do vary surprisingly in geometry and tube length. Most of the bso kids bikes or friends have turned up with are very short in the top tube
I reckon a Santa Cruz Bronson in your size will be about right.
She'll grow into it.
Torsoinalake- Definitely 🙂
Buy 2 bikes from some big retailer that does Collect + etc, send back the one that doesn't fit?
I have a 4 year old who is on a 16" spesh hotrock
Take her to the shop as Santa wants you to make sure he gets the right size?
although , if she is a standard sized 4 year old I'd be looking at 16"
I have this conversation with parents on a weekly basis.
You can guess on the size guides but there is no substitute for trying for size.
If you take her to the shop then it's not going to be much of a surprise! Plus if she's anything like my daughter she will insist on choosing a pink one regardless of whether it fits or not.
In reality, any decent 16" wheeler aimed at 4 year olds should fit well enough unless she's extremely tall or short for her age. My 5 year old still tools around happily on her 12" balance bike which is clearly now too small for her, but she really doesn't give a monkeys.
16" wheels will be fine. Any decent manufacturer will make a good bike these days. Pick silver over pink as it tends to be unisex, which makes handing it down much easier. We had a nicely made steel Raleigh Kobo 16. It's still being ridden 13 years later.
Borrow a similarly sized child from a friend, and take her to the shop?
Obviously the borrowed child will be devastated when she gets a pair of wellies for Christmas instead of the bike she was expecting..... but you know, life isn't fair etc etc.
5 is the age that my 3 moved on to 20" wheels just in case useful. Also regular sized kids.
Islabikes - which were great for the XC stuff round the surrey hills.
We used the sizing charts and bought the 20" small for one and large for the other (twins).
Islabikes sizing charts have been spot on imo.