Best Bicycle For 3-5 Years Old [ Review and Buying Guide]

If you are looking for the best Bicycle for a 3 year old, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll be taking a look at the top seven bicycles that are considered the best on the market. Not only will you find one that will fit best for your three-year-old, but you’ll find one that will likely be fitting for your budget.

The selection of bikes listed below is perfect for first-time riders. While looking through the review, pay attention to some of the technical specs and features.

Not every bike is created equal. They come in different sizes, shapes, and features. Which one will work best for you and your child?

We’ll be taking a look at the following seven bicycles for three-year-olds shortly. If you are pressed for time, check out the table below so you know what options are available along with some notable features you need to be aware of:

Review Of Bicycle For 3 Year Old

Woom 2 – Best Overall

First, we’ll be taking a look at the Woom 2 bicycle. This comes in five different colors that you can choose from. If your child has a favorite color, the choice may be a no brainer.

This bike is great if you are looking for something that will help your child acquire perfect balance. This will allow you to make the easy switch from a balance bike to a full-fledged pedal bike. No stabilizer wheels are needed at all. 

If you want your child to learn the basics of riding a bike while also engaging other parts of it, like the brakes, this might be the best one for them to start with.

Spec Features

This bike is 14 inches in height. And it will accommodate most children who range from 37 to 43 inches tall.

It has a braking system that is easy to engage so that your child can easily squeeze the brake in order to bring the bike to a complete stop. With its lightweight frame, your child will easily control the bike and navigate the corners and turn with ease. It won’t feel heavy in the slightest.

One of our favorite features is the steer limiter. What this feature does is that it prevents the handlebars from overturning. This will ensure that your child will keep the bike straight and get into fewer spills and accidents.

The steer limiter is by far one of the best safety features we’ve seen on any children’s bike on the market. No wonder why we consider it one of (if not the best) in the line up.

Vitus 14 Kids Bike – Runner Up

Next is the Vitus 14 Kids Bike. This bike is quite stylish (even for a child’s bike). But it’s perfectly engineered to help make riding it a lot easier for your child.

With its lightweight frame and all-purpose tires, it will give your child the confidence to ride their bike without any trouble. They can ride on smooth surfaces or even unpaved driveways or paths (with adult supervision, of course). This bike does a great job in overall performance, making it one of the odds on parents’ favorites.

If durability is one of your top priorities when finding a bike, you’ll find that the Vitus 14 Kids Bike might be worth looking at. Especially when the frame is made from one of the toughest types of aluminum in existence.

Spec Features

The bike has a frame made from high-quality 6061-T6 aluminum. It’s tough as nails and is proven to be quite durable.

Slips and falls happen due to imbalance. And the last thing you need is a bike that gets easily damaged to it constantly hitting the ground.

Thankfully, the frame is light in weight, thus making it very easy to ride and navigate for your child. If durability and lightweight frames are what you aim to look for, this bike will have it.

This is a single-speed bike, meaning there are no gears that you can shift. It makes riding the bike a lot simpler and doesn’t give your child so many overwhelming options.

The front and rear tires are 14 inch Vee Speedsters. They are all-purpose tires that are perfect for riding on smooth and even rough surfaces. Whether you’re on the side of the road or off-road, these tires can chew up plenty of dirt.

Simply put, this bike is made with some solid lightweight parts that can handle quite a lot of abuse. Nevertheless, it’s easy to ride for most kids.

Strider X 14x Balance Sports Bike – Best On Budget

Strider X 14x Balance Sports Bike

If you are looking for the closest thing to a sports bike for your three year old, look no further. The Strider X 14x Balance Sports Bike has the features where your child can go off-road and ride the dirt paths without ruining the bike’s inner workings.

This bike has a pedal kit (sold separately), but will start without them to ensure that you can help your child achieve excellent balance while riding the bike. Only then will you be able to install the pedals so they can move up to the next level and ride the bike themselves without the assistance of a “push start.”

If you are looking for a bike that is considered one of the best choices for the money, you’re in luck. When it comes to the best quality that you can afford, the Strider 14x Balance Sports Bike might be right up your alley.

Spec Features

This bike is made with a steel frame, which is tough enough to handle plenty of abuse. One of the recurring themes of a child riding a bike is that they will lose balance and fall a lot. So it takes a strong frame to handle the bumps and falls.

This bike has adjustable features that will fit children who have an inseam ranging from 16 to 23 inches. You can adjust the handlebars and the seat to ensure that it fits their frame size. When a child gets older and grows, you’ll be ready to make the necessary adjustments.

This could also be one of the best bikes for your child if you want something that will last them up until at least the age of seven. The bike’s weight capacity is 80 pounds, making it easy to handle most child sizes.

As mentioned before, this comes with a separate pedal conversion kit that you can easily install when the child is ready to use pedals. If you are looking for the perfect trainer bike for your three year old (or older), the Strider 14x Balance Sports Bike may just be the starter bike for you (even at a price that you can afford).

Joey 2.5 Ergonomic Kids Bicycle

Joey 2.5 Ergonomic Kids Bicycle

It’s loaded with awesome specs and features. And it may be one of the most ergonomically friendly bikes on the market for three year olds. The Joey 2.5 Ergonomic Kids Bicycle has plenty of durable features, including alloy caliper brakes, a fully sealed chainguard, and a low gravity frame design.

This bike will help your child learn how to ride with confidence. And they will be able to engage the brake levers simply by squeezing them. They can ride around all day long and be able to navigate the corners and ride the straights with little worry about falling down.

Spec Features

To start, this bike has a lightweight alloy frame that will make riding the bike a whole lot easier. The low gravity design will make balancing the bike even more of a simple task for your child.

This is a single-speed bike with a 14 inch fully sealed chain guard that will prevent your child’s clothing from getting accidentally caught into the chain itself. There have been many shoelaces and pant seams that can get caught up when the rider least expects it.

The disc brakes included will make stopping it a lot easier with one squeeze of the level. The stoppage won’t be sudden, but rather gradual.

Also included are training wheels, a seat release post, and a stem pad among some of the lesser-known features that make this bike function very well for three year olds.

Guardian 14 Inch Ethos Bike

Up next, we’ll be taking a look at the Guardian 14 Inch Ethos Bike. If your child stands anywhere between 36 to 42 inches, this bike will have the right adjustments that will easily accommodate your size. One of the biggest challenges that you as a parent may face when finding a bike is whether or not it’s the right size.

This bike will help you take out all the guesswork. You can make little adjustments so it’s the perfect fit for your three year old. You’d be hard-pressed to find a bike quite like this anywhere else on the market.

Spec Features

This bike includes the following features: first, it has a SureStop brake system that will allow your child to stop quickly. If you are looking for easy to engage brakes that will prevent accidents from happening, this bike will definitely have them.

For easier control and steering, this bike has a lightweight design that will help your child navigate the bike. The frame is made from steel, which will take on plenty of abuse.

This one-speed bike will make riding the bike simple for your child. No need to overwhelm them with so many different gears. Let them ride with ease and at the same speed, so they don’t have to work too hard to keep the bike going.

This has a quick adjustable seat, which will help most children of different frames of sizes to adapt to the bike fairly quickly. You won’t need to worry about whether or not the bike will fit your child (compared to some others that lack adjustable features).

If you are looking for a perfectly engineered bike for your child, the Guardian 14 Inch Ethos bike might be exactly what you as a parent are looking for in a first time bike for your kid.

Raleigh Bikes MXR Kids Bike

Raleigh Bikes MXR Kids Bike

Next, we’ll be taking a look at the Raleigh Bikes MXR Kids Bike. It’s tough as nails and can take on plenty of abuse. After all, isn’t what the best Bicycle for three year olds should be built like.

When you’re a kid, you will fall down more times than not at all. Especially when riding a bike. So it should be built to sustain a lot of potential damage as possible (all thanks to the steel frame).

Spec Features

This bike stands at the height of 12 inches. The frame is made from steel, which means better durability compared to its aluminum counterparts on the market.

The wheels are high enough for small riders who may be a bit on the short side in height for their age. This has coaster brakes, which are easy to engage simply by turning the bike pedals backwards.

At this point, we haven’t talked a lot about training wheels. But this is the bike where your child can start with them. After a while or when your child is comfortable to ride with two wheels, you can easily remove them.

This also features a chainguard, which will keep objects like shoelaces and other articles of clothing from getting caught up in the chain itself. It happens all the time with kids riding on bikes. If anything, the chainguard is one of the underrated and underappreciated safety features on a bike.

If you are looking for a bike that will be great for those who want to keep it within a certain budget, this might be one of your best affordable options.

Schwinn Elm Girls Bike For Toddlers

Schwinn Elm Girls Bike For Toddlers

Lastly, we’ll be looking at the Schwinn Elm Girls Bike For Toddlers. If you have a three year old daughter, this might be the best option for them. It may not matter which bike is great for a boy or a girl (especially the bikes already listed in this review).

However, this bike is made for the girl who will enjoy riding one that has a classic design. Something that may look like a blast from the past. It’s the perfect bike for the girl who wants to learn how to ride with a small carrying basket in front of the handlebars and training wheels.

One of the things you might notice is that it has two types of brakes. This will help your little girl know how to stop at a moments notice whether they use the pedal brakes or the levers located on in front of the handlebars.

Spec Features

To begin, this has 14-inch wheels. This is the usual size of most bikes designed for three year olds.

This has two breaks: caliper and coaster brakes. Your child will make sure that they will ride their bikes safely. It will be easy for your child to learn how to engage the brakes so they can stop whenever there are obstacles in their way (or prevent accidents).

The seat is adjustable and will be a perfect fit for the girl who stands 36 to 40 inches in height. The saddle and seat post can be adjusted without tools, so it will be perfect for your child who wants to ride a bike that perfectly fits them.

More: Discover the Best Road Bike Under $300 [Review and Buying Guide]

This includes training wheels that you can easily install so you can easily teach your daughter to ride a bike. When they are ready to ride on two wheels, you can remove them at the snap of a finger.

The pedal design is narrow, which makes handling and balance so much better. Your child deserves a bike that will help them learn how to ride a bike with better handling and balance.

Buying Guide

Finding a bike that will be best for your three years old may be a challenge. However, this buying guide will help you through the process of elimination to find you the best bike for your child. We’ll be talking about some of the features that you must look for in a cycle before making a final decision.

Here are some things to look for while searching for a bike:

Size: What Size Bike For 3 Year Old?

What is the best size for a bike for your 3 year old child? It will depend on the measurement of their inseam. At the smallest size, the wheel size will be 12 inches, while the largest will be 14 inches.

For example, if your child has an inseam of 15 inches, then a 12-inch bike will be the best fit for them. If the inseam is 18 inches, then a bike with 14-inch wheels will work more to their advantage.

Before choosing a bike for your three year old, get an accurate measurement of their inseam. Here are the measurements that will determine whether or not they need a bike with 12 inch or 14-inch wheels:

• Inseam: 14 to 17 inches   Wheel height: 12 inches
• Inseam: 16 to 20 inches   Wheel height: 14 inches

Geometry

The geometry of the Bicycle may be important because of the number of measurements that are included. For example, you will be looking at the forks measurements that are used to attach the wheels. The bike’s measurements and geometry will play a role in the overall steering and handling.

The fork rake of a bike will be a good indicator of how fast the bike will steer. Less trail will always equal faster steering while more trail will be slower. Other measurements include the height and width of the frame. The tires should also be taken into account since the height will determine whether or not it will fit your child’s size (as discussed in the topic about size).

More: Best Road Bikes Under $1500 On The Market [Review and Buying Guide]

Weight

The weight of the bike will play an advantageous role in the bike’s overall handling and nimbleness. The lighter the bike, the easier it can be handled. The bike’s weight should not, however, determine the bike’s overall durability.

A bike’s frame made from either aluminum or steel will determine the overall durability. It can be lightweight but durable enough to take on a lot of abuse.

On average, a bike designed for a three year old will usually range from 10 to 15 pounds. The lighter the bike, the better the overall handling will be.

More: The Best Road Bikes Under $200 On The Market [Review And Buying Guide]

Brakes

Three kinds of brakes usually exist on these bikes: caliper, disk, and coaster brakes. Both disc and caliper brakes are usually operated by levers located on the front of the handlebars. Meanwhile, the coaster brakes can be engaged just by engaging the pedals and moving them backwards. But which brakes are better? Caliper and disk brakes can be engaged fairly quickly. This can be due to the fact that hand reflexes will be more responsive than lower body reflexes.

With coaster brakes, the coaster brakes may not perform effectively, especially if they are installed on a bike that is 12 to 14 inches. They may take a little time getting used to. And you may have to wait a bit or slow down before engaging them, so you don’t damage the bike itself.

More: The Best Road Bikes Under $200 On The Market [Review And Buying Guide]

Boys vs Girls 14 Inch Bike – Does gender even matter?

Does gender even matter when it comes to the best Bicycle for 3 year olds? It depends on the design or even the color of the bike. Some will say that a girls bike may be shorter in height compared to bikes designed by boys. That may be true in the case of bikes that are designed for older kids.

Today, most bikes designed for kids ages three to six are usually unisex. Therefore, it does not matter in terms of gender. But if you are more inclined to find a bike that is more geared towards a boy or a girl, that’s entirely up to you.

More: The Best Bike for Teenager On The Market [ Review and Buying Guide]

Conclusion

When finding the best Bicycle for a 3 year old, one of these seven may be the best choice. But what would we recommend? Our first choice is the Woom 2 Bike. We love it for it’s ruggedness, easy adjustability, and it’s ability to provide excellent balance for your child when they are first starting out.

Our second choice is Strider X 14x Balance bike. It’s one of the best options for those who are on a budget. Although the pedals are sold separately (which will obviously cost extra money), it’s the perfect bike that will teach kids to improve their balance before the pedals are installed. Kids will need to learn how to control the bike from a “push start” before they are comfortable to move the bike themselves using their own two feet.

Both bikes are light in weight, which makes them both easy to navigate and steer. At the same time, they have the right kind of geometry and measurements so your child can handle it with ease. They both have effective brake systems that will help them learn how to use them so they can be able to stop and dismount the bike properly rather than fall off on purpose when the cycle is in motion.