The difference between a girls’ bike and a boys’ bike usually comes down to colour and style.
Bikes for older kids and adults may have significant differences in design such as a slanted top tube and smaller frame on bikes designed for female riders. But when it comes to kids’ bikes, the biggest differences are in styling with traditional girls’ bikes typically being brightly coloured.
If you are not a big fan of the gendered labels, many manufacturers also make gender-neutral bikes in all sorts of colours and styles. If your daughter’s (or granddaughter’s, if you are buying her a gift) favourite colour is not pink or white, there are plenty of other colours available.
In this buying guide, we review five great bike choices for a girl on the UK market. All of them come in the traditional pink, white and flowery styling. In terms of design, durability and safety however, they are just as good as any kids’ bike.
Key Considerations When Buying One
A. Size
The most important consideration when buying a kid’s bike is size. A bike that’s too big for your child is uncomfortable to ride and can be unsafe as well.
Kids’ bikes are sized by wheel size. They start at around 10” for toddlers, 12” for 3-4 year olds, 14” for 5-6 year olds, 18” for 6-8 year olds and so on.
Choosing the right wheel size for your child’s age will likely get you the right bike size. But that’s not always the case.
If your child has a bigger or smaller body for their age, the bike will not be a perfect match.
A more accurate way to choose the right size is using stand over height, the height from the ground to the top tube. The bike’s stand over height will tell you whether it is the right size for your child. They should be able to straddle the bike with their feet flat on the ground.
Some manufacturers will mention the minimum inseam measurement for a certain bike. Inseam or inner thigh measurement is also a good way to pick the right bike size. Measure your child’s inseam to make sure it is within the required range for the bike.
B. Design
After picking the right size, check the design of the bike. Make sure the handlebars, pedals, saddle and other parts have a child-friendly design.
The handlebars should be narrow enough for their small hands, the brake levers easy to operate and saddle set at the right angle and position to encourage a good posture.
Girls’ bikes will typically have the top tube slanting or curving downwards. For kids, this design is not that important. Significant physical differences between boys and girls do not occur until adolescence. So as long as you pick the right size, the tube design doesn’t matter that much.
That said, a slanting or curved tube makes it easier to mount and dismount the bike (for both boys and girls).
C. Accessories
Check whether the bike comes with safety accessories including a chain guard, bell and reflectors. Other common accessories include a basket, rear carrier and tassels.
If your child hasn’t yet learned how to ride a bike, consider getting a bike with stabilisers. It’ll help her build confidence on the bike. Once she is ready to learn, you can remove the training wheels and teach her how to balance and pedal.
D. Style
Most bikes labelled as ‘girls’ bikes’ have a bright styling, usually a combination of pink and white. They also tend to have decorative flower or cartoon prints.
The best style comes down to your child’s preferences. If they don’t like pink, choose another colour. You can also choose a bike decorated with the favourite cartoon characters.
Best Girls’ Bikes: Reviews
1. Schwinn Girls’ Mythic Unicorn Kids Bike, 18”
The Schwinn Girls’ Mythic Unicorn is for girls aged between 5 and 8 years. The stand over height is 17.5”. This is the minimum inside leg measurement your child should be at to ride this bike.
The design of the Schwinn Girls’ Mythic Unicorn bike is based on SmartStart geometry. SmartStart geometry matches the bike design to a child’s body, which improves control and stability.
Instead of a mini version of an adult bike, the Mythic Unicorn is designed specifically to make riding easier and safer for kids. The frame is lightweight, the handlebar grips are smaller in diameter and the pedals are narrower. The seat angle is also modified to improve riding position.
This child-friendly design is especially handy for young learners. As they learn to ride the bike, your kid will wobble less and will be riding properly in no time.
The Mythic Unicorn bike comes with several safety features including safety reflectors, a bell and a chain guard.
It also comes with a number of accessories including a kickstand, a detachable handlebar basket, foam handlebar pads for comfort and bar-end tassels that add a bit of flair to the bike.
The Mythic Unicorn bike doesn’t come with stabilisers as it is meant for older kids. In any case, they should be able to learn how to ride even without trainers. The SmartStart geometry design makes learning easier and faster.
But if you really need stabilisers, a pair of universal trainer wheels will fit the bike.
The Schwinn bike comes 95% pre-assembled. Final assembly is easy and all the parts you need are included.
What we like about it:
- Child-friendly design.
- Plenty of safety features.
- Easy to assemble.
2. LOL Surprise Girl Bike, 18”
The LOL Surprise 18’’ bike for girls between 4 and 7 years old. It has a stand over height of 18 inches.
The LOL Surprise bike has a child-friendly design that improves control and stability, especially for kids who are just learning to ride. The frame is light for easy handling and the handlebars are slim to ensure a strong grip for small hands.
The bike has both front and rear caliper steel brakes with easy to use brake levers on the handlebars. We think caliper brakes are better than coaster brakes used in many kids’ bikes. Coaster brakes can be confusing to use for some kids.
LOL surprise bike comes with a number of accessories including a detachable handlebar basket and a rear carrier. Safety accessories include a bell and a fully enclosed chain guard.
The LOL surprise 18’’ bike does not come with stabilizers. If you need stabilisers for your child, any pair of universal training wheels will fit.
The bike comes 95% pre-assembled. Final assembly is easy and the parts required are included in the packaging.
Style-wise, the LOL Surprise looks similar to most girls’ bikes. It’s mostly pink with white and black accents.
What we like about it:
- Child-friendly design that makes riding easier and safer.
- Variety of safety features.
- Easy final assembly.
3. Denver Bike 14 Lol City Bike, 14”
This pink, turquoise and white bike from Denver Bike is perfect for girls between 4 and 7 years old. It comes with LOL Surprise decals and a blue and pink finishing with some white accents.
The Denver bike comes with a pair of training wheels. If your child hasn’t yet learned how to balance, the training wheels will allows them to ride the bike right away.
But we recommend removing the wheels once they build up some confidence. It’s faster and easier to learn balancing without the stabilisers.
Other accessories include a handlebar basket, chain guard and mudguards.
What we like about it:
- Perfect for younger kids and girls with a smaller body frame.
- Includes several accessories.
- Beautiful styling.
4. Schwinn Mist Girls Bike, 20”
The 20” Schwinn Mist bike is perfect for older girls aged 6 years and above. It has a stand over height of 22”.
The design of the Schwinn Mist bike is based on SmartStart geometry (just like the Schwinn Mythic Unicorn bike, only slightly bigger). This helps your child improve control and stability.
Similar to the Mythic Unicorn bike, the Mist bike features a lightweight but strong frame for improved control, smaller handlebar grip diameter for small hands and foam handlebar pads.
The Schwinn mist also has a tool free adjustable saddle that makes it easier for your child to adjust the seat on her own.
The bike comes with a number of accessories including a removable handlebar bag (not a basket), a kickstand and blue and pink flower bar-ends.
For safety, the Schwinn Mist has 8 reflectors for visibility, a fully enclosed chain guard, a handlebar steel bell and front and rear steel calliper brakes.
The Schwinn Mist comes 95% pre-assembled. Final assembly is easy and all parts you need are included in the packaging.
The style of the Schwinn Mist bike is markedly different from other traditional girls’ bikes. It has less pink and more of blue and white. The muted styling makes it ideal for older girls who may not feel comfortable riding a brightly coloured bike.
What we like about it:
- Child-friendly design – makes learning easier and riding safer.
- Great design.
- Plenty of safety features and accessories.
5. Peppa Pig 12 Inch Bike
Your child a big fan of Peppa Pig? They’ll love this 12” bike plastered with Peppa Pig decals. The bike is perfect for younger girls aged between 3 and 4 years old.
It features 12” puncture-proof tires that are wide to add stability. Instead of coaster brakes (which we are not big fans of), the Peppa Pig bike comes with front and rear calliper brakes. The brake levers are perfectly positioned for small hands.
The bike also includes a chain guard as well as a pair of stabilisers.
Both the handlebar and the seat are height adjustable, ensuring the bike remains a good fit as your child grows. However, because of the small wheel size, you can only use it until she is about 4 or 5 years old. After that, we recommend switching to a bigger bike like the 18” Schwinn Girls’ Mythic Unicorn.
What we like about it:
- Perfect for younger kids.
- Great styling.
- Plenty of safety features.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What’s the difference between girls and boys bikes?
Girls bikes tend to be brightly coloured. Pinks, reds and purples are common. Many also have tassels on the handlebars and a brightly coloured basket at the front.
But there are plenty of designs and styles online, so you can get whatever colour your kid prefers. Older girls may prefer a simpler less flowery bike.
In terms of construction, girls bikes tend to have a curved or slanting top tube. However, this is unnecessary. As long as you get the right size, girls can ride any bike that boys can.
2. What’s the best bike size for my child?
While age is an important consideration when choosing the best bike size for a girl, inside leg measurement is an even better way to size a child’s bike.
That’s because some girls can be tall or short for their age.
Take their inside leg measurement and use that to choose the right bike size. Many sellers will include the age and inside leg measurement for each bike size they sell.
Remember to get a bike with adjustable handlebars and seat post to ensure it can keep up with your child’s growth, until they need a bigger bike.
3. What’s the best way to teach a kid to ride a bike?
For 1-2 year old toddlers who just want to have fun, getting a bike with stabilisers allows them to learn pedalling and steering without worrying about falling.
But if your child is aged 3 and up, a balance bike is the best way to teach your child how to ride a bike. A balance helps a child learn how to balance, which is the most important part of riding a bike.
You can get a cheap balance bike, then upgrade to a proper bike later once they learn how to balance and steer.
Alternatively, get a proper pedal bike and turn it into a balance bike by removing the pedals, cranks and chain.
