Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Our Top Picks For Kids Bikes.

Kidvelo Rookie 12

Kidvelo

Rookie 12"
Cruzee Balance Bike Blue FA xchange sports Australia

Cruzee

12″ Balance Bike
torker 12 balance bike neon xchange sports Australia

Torker

12" Balance Bike
Hornit Airo Balance Bike hammer yellow

Hornit

Airo Balance Bike
KVR14 S1 BL Front Angle View 1

Kidvelo

Rookie 14 Balance to Pedal Bike
KVR14S1 Red Front Angled

Kidvelo

Rookie 18 Balance Bike with Pedals
Kidvelo Rookie 24 Balance Bike Gun Metal Gray 4 - Xchange Sports

Kidvelo

24 Balance Bike with Pedals

There’s nothing quite like riding a bike. The freedom and enjoyment that comes from zooming around under your own power is something that kids and adults alike should experience.

When it comes to choosing a bike for your child it can be hard to know where to begin, there are simply so many to choose from.

One of the key factors to focus on and a great place to begin is ensuring the bike is lightweight and easy to manoeuvre.

With this in mind, we’ve prepared your go-to guide for the best lightweight kids bikes in Australia.

Let’s dive right in.

Table of Contents

TOP KIDS BIKES IN AUSTRALIA AT A GLANCE

12-inch Bikes - Best Balance Bikes For Toddlers - 2 to 5 Year Olds

Brand

What Makes It Great

RRP

Kidvelo Rookie 12

Best value lightweight beginner bike

$229.00

Cruzee 12 Balance Bike

Best colour range in lightweight balance bikes

$209.00

Torker 12 Balance Bike

Best budget option for lightweight learner bikes

$149.00

Hornit Airo Balance Bike

Best for durability, suited to adventurous little learners

$269.00

14-inch Bikes - Best Bikes For 3 to 6 Year Olds

Brand

What Makes It Great

RRP

Kidvelo Rookie 14

Best overall for longevity, convertible and adjustable with hand brakes

$469.00

SmartTrike Xtend Mg+

Best for extendability, the frame, handlebars and seat are all adjustable

$299.99

16-inch Bikes - Best Bikes For 4 to 6 Year Olds

Brand

What Makes It Great

RRP

Vuly 16 inch Bike

Best comfort features in a lightweight bike - ergonomic seat, pedal, hand grips

$329.00

Trek Precaliber 16” Coaster 

Best lightweight option for learners using training wheels.

$399.99

18 inch Bikes - Best Bikes For 5 to 8 Year Olds

Brand

What Makes It Great

RRP

Kidvelo Rookie 18

Best lightweight, unisex, convertible bike

$489.00

Malvern Star Cruisestar 20 SL

Best for kids still wanting fun, playful design options

$599.95

20 inch Bikes & 24-inch Bikes - Best Bikes For Teens & Adults

Brand

What Makes It Great

RRP

Neo+ 20”

Best lightweight single-geared bike for 5-8-year-olds

$399.00

Apollo Cougar 24”

Best lightweight bike for street and offroad trail use

$475.00

Kidvelo Rookie 24

Best for later learners 9 years to adults. Convertible between balance and pedal bike. 

$699.00

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO BUY A LIGHTWEIGHT BIKE FOR YOUR CHILD

Whether you’re after girl’s bikes or boy’s bikes for beginners or established riders, the more lightweight the bike, the better.

Why? Quite simply, lighter bikes are easy for kids to handle and propel forwards. A bike that is too heavy and awkward or too hard to get moving is one that your child is less likely to enjoy riding.

Steering, control, balance and more are all easier to master on a lightweight bike, leading to better safety and fewer falls.

TYPES OF KIDS BIKES

Lightweight bikes are available for all age groups and abilities with three main types to choose from. These include: 

Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Balance Bikes

These bikes are great for teaching little learners to ride and make it easier to develop balance and control of a bike without the need for training wheels. In fact, most children who learn to ride on a balance bike graduate straight to a pedal bike without ever needing training wheels.

Balance bikes are typically for ages 2-5, however, some younger children and children up to 8 years can also enjoy and benefit from riding them.

Pedal Bikes

As the name implies, pedal bikes are bikes with pedals. Incorporating a sprocket and chain, the pedals work to transfer your child’s pushing power to the axle to move the bike forwards.

Pedal bikes can be used with training wheels for younger children but are heavier due to added hardware and therefore more challenging to mount and get moving than a balance bike. 

In our experience, pedal bikes are best suited to children 5 and over who have already mastered the balance and coordination skills needed to ride, making the addition of pedals easy to learn.

Convertible Bikes - 2 in 1 Balance Bikes with Pedals

Offering the best of both worlds, convertible bikes allow the bike to be used as both a balance bike and a pedal bike.

This allows the bike to grow with your child through the addition of pedals to the frame once your child is ready. They can also be removed again for younger children as needed.

18 inches bike 118 inches bike 2

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON PRICE VS. QUALITY IN KIDS BIKES

A quality kids bike should be seen as an investment. Not only are they guaranteed to give your child, their siblings and friends years of use and fun, but they also retain a high resale value.

Expertly crafted and manufactured, they are made using only the best and lightest materials. Inferior bikes tend to be clunky, heavier and made with easily broken components.

Designed to give your child the best performing, most enjoyable and most comfortable ride, they are crafted with quality in mind, not the cheapest possible price tag.

LIGHTWEIGHT KIDS BIKES - WHAT DO YOUR LOOK FOR?

Once you have determined which type of bike your child is best suited to based on their age and height and ability, it’s time to check a few other key features.

Weight & What It’s Made Of

As mentioned, weight plays a critical role in how easily your child can learn to ride or enjoy their bike. The most lightweight bikes for kids are made using aluminium or alloy, rather than heavier steel.

12-inch balance bikes for beginners can weigh as little as 2kg all the way up to 7.5 kg for a convertible balance bike.

Larger pedal bikes for teens will naturally be heavier again. As a rule, the weight of your child’s bike should not exceed 30% of their weight.

This allows them to safely manage the bike and ensures they can feel confident while riding it.

Wheel Size

Bike sizing refers to the size of the wheel rather than the height of the bike itself. While this can act as a guide for the right size bike for your child, it pays to check a few other measurements before deciding.

Children’s bikes usually fall between 12 inches up to 24 inches, above this is adult sizing.

Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Quality Components

The best bikes for kids are built tough. Kids can be incredibly rough on their bikes and as such it pays to check that all components are made of durable materials.

Avoid bikes with plastic parts in mechanisms such as the headset that links the fork and handlebars to the frame of the bike or plastic saddle (seat) coverings. These are more likely to break down over time due to use and exposure to UV rays.

Quality Brakes

While most balance bikes will not feature brakes, pedal and convertible ones will. Your child’s brakes need to be easy to engage and reliable.

An obvious safety requirement, larger bikes come with either hand brakes, coaster Brakes (back pedal brakes) or a combination of the two.

You can read an in-depth comparison of both types of brakes and which is best suited to your child here.

While there are pros and cons to both styles of brakes, the most important thing is to ensure your child is capable and comfortable using them.

Gearing

The choice of whether to opt for single-speed or multiple, rider-controlled gears will largely depend on the child you are buying for.

Single-speed gearing is ideal for beginner riders or those who just want to ride and not have to think about changing gears. 

Multiple gears or rider-controlled gears are for older or more experienced riders who are proficient at juggling multiple coordination tasks such as braking, steering and pedalling.

Adding in gear changes at this stage is easier and safer for your child to adjust to.

Wheelbase & Cockpit Size

The best kids bikes in Australia have kid-specific bike geometry. This geometry ensures the best handling and comfort for the rider. It is linked to the measurements of the wheelbase, the angle of the fork and the distance from the fork to the seat (the cockpit).

Ample wheelbase length and a roomier cockpit allow for better stability of the bike, more space for growing legs and encourage proper posture in your child.

Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Warranties & Customer Service

One of the best advantages to buying a high-quality lightweight kids bike is the included warranty and customer service.

Several leading brands of kids bikes offer a 2-5 year manufacturer’s warranty or lifetime warranty on the forks and frame.

With dedicated customer service teams, this ensures you can easily access help or process a warranty claim.

Easy Assembly

Assembling a child’s bike should not take hours and cause serious frustration. Quality bikes are often assembled in just a few simple steps and with few or no tools needed.

Additionally, the more complex the assembly, the more likely something is to be fitted incorrectly, so always opt for easy assembly wherever possible.

TOP 10 KIDS BIKES YOU CAN BUY IN AUSTRALIA ONLINE IN 2024

Our Top 10 Kids Bikes for 2024 that you can buy online Australia.

Riding a kids bike is a great way to get your kids outside and active while having lots of fun. With tons of benefits including improving balance and coordination, there’s no wonder why kids bikes are becoming increasingly popular with kids of all ages.

However, with so many different kids bikes on the market, it can be hard to know which one is right for your child. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best kids bikes for 2024, to help make your decision a little easier.

Kidvelo Rookie 12 inch Kids Bike

5/5
Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Kidvelo Rookie 12 inch Kids Bike

5/5

The Kidvelo Rookie 12 Balance Bike in Neon Red is designed in Sydney, Australia, to provide your child with the perfect foundation for a lifetime of riding.

We designed the Rookie 12″ bike to be easy to ride and learn how to ride with a super lightweight aluminium frame, fully adjustable seat height and handlebar height, a real headset, and durable air-filled tires.

Weighing in at 2.93kgs, our Rookie 12 is the lightest balance bike with REAL air tyres in Australia.

Cruzee 12 inch Kids Bike

5/5
Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Cruzee 12 inch Kids Bike

5/5

A Cruzee Balance Bike is a lightweight, durable, safe, adjustable, and fun bike for your child. Since it is made with an aluminum frame, a Cruzee Bike weighs in at just 1.9 KG, and it will not rust.

A Cruzee 12″ Balance Bike will survive no matter where your child leaves it for the night, while the punctureless tires ensure durability and hassle-free riding.

The adjustable handlebar and seat height mean a Cruzee Bike will grow like your child.

It even has a long seat post to extend the sizing options. Suitable for children aged 18 months to 5 years of age.

Torker 12 inch Kids Bike

5/5
Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Torker 12 inch Kids Bike

5/5

If you’re after an affordable balance bike to get your child used to two-wheels, this popular model from kids’ brand Torker is a great choice.

Coming in at less than $150, it’s a pretty basic design but still has plenty going for it.

It’s on of the lightest model in our round-up – an ultra-light 2.5kg, thanks to its aluminium frame – which makes it really easy for toddlers to get to grips with and move around on.

Both the handlebar and non-slip, padded saddle are easy to adjust, and the small frame size means you can stick it in the boot of your car to take with you when travelling.

The puncture-resistant tyres mean you’ll never be caught out; however, they are more suitable to riding on flat ground rather than grass or really uneven surfaces.

The streamlined racer-style aesthetic appeals to all kids and, despite being one of the simpler models in the market it’s a bike that kids will love to ride again and again.

Hornit Airo 12 inch Kids Bike

5/5
Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Hornit Airo 12 inch Kids Bike

5/5

The AIRO, from the British brand Hornit, is far superior to other lightweight balance bikes.

Weighing only 2.95kg, it is an excellent choice for toddlers who may struggle with heavier models.

Despite its lightweight, the AIRO is incredibly durable.

The magnesium alloy frame is extremely hard-wearing, which is why AIRO offers a lifetime warranty on the frame and forks.

The scooped saddle provides extra stability for young riders and is adjustable to accommodate children with an inside leg measurement of 30-48cm.

This ensures that you can make the most of this balance bike as your child grows.

The tires are chunky yet lightweight, allowing them to handle bumpy terrain effortlessly.

Additionally, the frame features built-in footrests, contoured for kids to rest their feet on while freewheeling.

We adore the cool matte yellow and black styling. Our five-year-old tester even said it looked like a motorbike, which is truly the highest praise for a balance bike.

Kidvelo Rookie 14 inch Kids Bike

5/5
Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Kidvelo Rookie 14 inch Kids Bike

5/5

The Rookie 14″ Balance Bike with Pedals is a revolutionary training bike from Kidvelo that allows kids to learn how to balance and ride without the use of stabilizers or training wheels.

Featuring an ultra-lightweight 6061 aluminium frame and alloy components, the Rookie 14 quickly converts between a balance bike and a first pedal bike by adding the included easy-ride pedal kit.

This transition is made simple and fast, allowing kids to have instant success in riding and retain the same geometry when switching modes.

Parents will love the convenience of this 2-in-1 bike that is sure to please even the most discerning of them.

SmartTrike Xtend Mg+

5/5
Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

SmartTrike Xtend Mg+

5/5

The Xtend balance-to-pedal bike was designed to give your child the skills and confidence they need to ride a pedal bike without training wheels.

Thanks to the easy pedal installation system, you can take your child from balance bike to pedal bike in seconds, with three simple screws.

The innovative design of the Xtend Mg+ means that you get three products for the price of one.

Start your kids off with a fun sturdy balance bike, when they are ready add pedals and teach them to ride, and finally extend their bike and let it grow with them.

The innovative design of the Xtend Mg+ means that you get three products for the price of one.
 
Start your kids off with a fun sturdy balance bike, when they are ready add pedals and teach them to ride, and finally extend their bike and let it grow with them.
 
For a bike to grow with a child, it needs to last with a child.
 
We built the Xtend Mg+ out of the highest quality materials so that you can hand it down from child to child as your kids get older, allowing the whole family to enjoy their bike for years.

Vuly 16 inch Bike

5/5
Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Vuly 16 inch Bike

5/5

Vuly is proud to launch a bike that is ready for any adventure your kids are looking to go on.

Our bikes are designed to be durable, easy to ride and include a number of features to make riding enjoyable no matter the trail.

Vuly’s award-winning design team brings you the Vuly 16-inch bike.

Our 16-inch bikes are the perfect outdoor ride for kids aged 3-6 years old, prioritizing quality and safety. These are some of the best bikes for 5 year olds in Australia.

 

Trek Precaliber 16” Coaster Bike

5/5
Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Trek Precaliber 16” Coaster Bike

5/5

This kid-friendly bike has a handle integrated right into the saddle so you can help guide your child while they ride, plus a coaster brake and tool-less training wheels that can be installed and removed at the turn of a dial.

Plus, the lightweight aluminium frame is easy to manoeuvre.

You want to make sure that your child’s first bike is comfortable, durable and fun.

Each of our Trek 16″ bikes, all the way down to the smallest size, is built to our highest standards, so you can feel confident when you choose Trek for your family.

Kidvelo Rookie 18 Inch Kids BIke

5/5
Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Kidvelo Rookie 18 inch Kids Bike

5/5

The perfect balance bike for older kids from 5 to 8 years of age, the Kidvelo Rookie 18 is the largest in the 2-in-1 range.

Created with an aluminium frame and alloy components, it’s lightweight and durable enough to never rust.

The balance bike quickly converts into a first pedal bike, simply by adding the included pedal kit.

This conversion process only takes a few minutes and since it still has the same geometry and handling during both modes of operation, it will be easier for your child to transition from balance to pedals.

If you’re looking for the perfect gift for your young one, then look no further than this revolutionary Rookie 18 Balance Bike with Pedals from Kidvelo!

 

Malvern Star Cruisestar 20 SL

5/5
Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Malvern Star Cruisestar 20 SL

5/5

Malvern Star’s 20” wheel kids bikes are their last fun step before progressing to the world of ‘gears’.

They have adjustable saddle & stem height for a better fit and low gearing for easy pedalling.

Back pedal brakes are safe and intuitive and reach-adjustable front brakes are easy for little hands to use.

It’s this attention to detail that makes us the most well known and trusted bicycle brand in Australia.

Neo+ 20 inch Kids Bike

5/5
Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Neo+ 20 Inch Kids Bike

5/5

The Neo+ 20 Boy’s is ideally suited for zipping around flatter areas without hills. Its single-speed drivetrain allows kids to master the core skills of cycling without worrying about the use of gears.

Kids stay in control and gain confidence while riding thanks to the kid-friendly short brake lever for the front, and coaster rear brake, along with a low standover frame design so kids can easily touch the ground when they need to.

Apollo Cougar 24 inch Kids Bike

5/5
Xchange Sports | Your Guide To The Best Kids Bikes In Australia [2024]

Apollo Cougar 24 inch Kids Bike

5/5

The Apollo Cougar is a 24 inch kids mountain bike ideal for 9-12+ year olds.

Perfect for riding around bike paths, parks and some easier trails, the Apollo Cougar is the ideal bike for getting out and about with family or friends.

The Cougar is made with an alloy frame for lightweight control, which is much easier than a steel framed equivalent, it also makes it easier to transport and pull in and out of the car.

The front suspension fork helps absorb some of the bumps and is a little introduction to what the world of mountain biking is like.

A suspension for on kids will improve comfort and make their ride a bit more forgiving.

The 7-speed drivetrain lets the little ones keep up on a family ride and helps them keep riding up the hills rather than having to get off and push.

While V-brakes offer excellent braking control for a youth bike.

The Apollo Cougar is the ideal stepping stone to get the 9-12+ year old onto a bike that features 7 speed gears and traditional brakes.

The Cougar is excellent value, with an alloy frame, suspension fork and 7-speed drivetrain giving young riders the chance to grow and ride a bike that is a bit more grown up.

Kidvelo Rookie 24 Kids Bike

5/5