Stories | Ridgeback

This is a very common question from parents looking for a new bike. A cheaper bike might look the same, but weigh a lot more than a quality kid’s bike, so parents often choose the cheaper option, but this can be a false economy if your little one never wants to ride it.

A heavy child’s bike can be very hard to pedal, to brake and to control, as it’s such a big proportion of their body weight. (Just imagine if you had to ride a bike that weighed 40 or 50kg – it would be like trying to push your sofa around the park.)

A lightweight kids bike is a bicycle designed to reduce overall weight so children can pedal, steer and control the bike more easily. Most quality lightweight children's bikes use aluminium frames, lighter wheels and child-specific components to improve handling and confidence.

As a general rule, a kids bike should weigh significantly less than the child riding it. Heavy bikes can make cycling tiring, harder to balance and less enjoyable for young riders.

Children’s bikes benefit greatly from being made from lighter-weight materials (up to a point, which we’ll get on to later...) so that the bike is lighter in feel and more responsive to steer. Lighter tyres and wheels are easier and faster to accelerate, getting up to that stable cruising speed quicker – and overall light weight helps them when climbing hills (and descending them too, as a lighter bike is easier to slow down).

In addition, every time they stop and put the bike down, they’re going to have to lift the bike back upright in order to get riding again. Imagine having to do that repeatedly with a bike you can’t lift and can hardly move. 

And, when they’ve had enough of all the fun, a lighter bike is easier for you to carry or push back home for them.

Children’s bikes should be as light as possible without sacrificing safety or durability.

While your friend’s carbon fibre road racing bike might be impressively light and made from all of the latest trends, that’s not always a benefit for kids’ bikes. A carbon road bike is usually only ridden on smooth tarmac on sunny days, then wiped down and carefully put away at the end of the day. 

Children’s bikes put up with a lot more than grown-up bikes, being used for off-road escapades in the park, jumping off kerbs and racing pals, only to be left lying around on the driveway after a hard day’s fun. A good children’s bike needs to be durable, as well as being light. You won’t find anything too delicate on a Ridgeback; as parents, we know how our bikes get used. You’ll get a light, but reliable and durable bike that your child will massively enjoy, while still being tough enough to pass on to their siblings, or upgraded as they grow.

The most important thing when choosing a kid’s bike is that it should fit your child well, regardless of weight. A well-fitting kid’s bike is easier to control than one that’s too tall or unstable. A lighter bike is easier still. Your kid has enough to think about, without worrying about having to muscle a heavy machine around. 

Lighter bikes and components do usually cost more, but the trade-off (or trade-up) is that a lighter bike is easier and more fun to ride. The more fun it is, the more often it’ll get ridden, so your cost per ride and cost per smile gets cheaper every ride. 

Now go and push your sofa round the living room and see if you’ve changed your mind about light weight bikes...

“In all designs we’re making compromises, we could aim for the absolute lightest bike and have less durable part or thinner tyres, for example. We approached these bikes like we do our own and we prioritised overall rider enjoyment, efficiency and confidence. They’re light, light enough to make riding easy on a variety of terrain and they fit young riders really well to make handling the bike as natural as possible. We’ve made bikes that are fun as well as durable.”

This child-specific approach helps create bikes that are easier to ride, safer to handle and more enjoyable for young riders.

Choosing the right kids bike is about more than just weight — but a lightweight, properly fitting bike can make cycling dramatically easier and more enjoyable for children.

When children feel confident and in control, they ride more often, improve faster and enjoy cycling more. That’s why Ridgeback kids bikes are designed around child-specific fit, balanced handling and lightweight durability.

1. What size bike does my child need
2. Why parents and Kids love it
3. What is a balance bike
4. Teaching your child to ride
5. How to choose the right kids bike