The best bikes for kids

When your child enters their pre- and early-teen years, it's natural for them to want even more out of the bikes they're riding. Perhaps they're at a stage where they even want their own cycling jersey or pair of stretchy shorts. For the budding advanced cyclist, it's time for the Frog Road 70.

The first thing you'll notice about the Frog Road 70 is its drop handlebars, just like you've seen on adult racing bikes. Drop bars provide multiple hand positions, which is essential for remaining comfortable on longer rides, as well as for assuming an aero tuck when going for all-out speed. The handlebars on the Frog provide all the hand positions of their grown-up counterparts but they're sized specifically for kids. This means your child won't have to stretch out or sacrifice control in order to use them.

Another adult race bike feature of the Frog is its shifters, which are integrated into the brake levers. This means kids can operate both the shifters and the brakes without changing hand positions. Also, like the handlebars, the levers are sized for smaller hands. There's even a second pair of brake levers on the top portion of the bar for them to grab a handful of brake even with her hands on the bar tops.

The Frog Road 70 also features an 18-speed drivetrain that offers a number of gears for a variety of terrain. Best of all, while the Frog is performance-oriented, it also has plenty of versatility built-in.

The frame and brakes provide ample room for either skinny tires or fatter knobby tires (it comes with both), which means you can set it up for going fast on pavement or for ripping around in the dirt. The aluminum frame is lightweight and it even accepts fenders and a rack, so it can easily double as a race bike and an everyday workhorse.

Pros: Full-on race bike features in a child-size package

Cons: At 20 pounds, it's a bit heavy for carrying over obstacles

If your child is at the stage where they've mastered shifting and braking, it's time for them to move onto the best part of riding a bicycle: exploration. Not only are they ready to start discovering their neighborhood and its environment on two wheels, but they're also ready to discover how else toenjoy life on a bicycle. Road riding, mountain biking, racing, commuting, touring, and even casually riding around; there are many paths to follow as a cyclist and the Cleary Bikes 24 is the perfect machine for learning that.

Like your child, the Meerkat has increasingly adult proportions, and the larger 24-inch wheels provide a stable platform that rolls smoothly over irregular terrain. The five-speed drivetrain is internally geared, meaning the gear-changing mechanism is inside the rear wheel's hub where it's protected from both the elements and crash damage.

Front and rear disc brakes offer effortless and consistent stopping power in wet and dry conditions, and because the brakes are hydraulic (in that it uses brake fluid like a car or motorcycle) they're sealed from water and mud and require little adjustment and maintenance. Treaded tires and flat handlebars mean your child can explore both the pavement and the trail with total control. Durable yet elegant, fast yet practical, the Cleary Meerkat is ready for anything.

Pros: Low maintenance hydraulic disc brakes and internal gears, highly versatile, and offers great performance

Cons: Unless you're a skilled mechanic, when the brakes and gears do require maintenance, you'll need to bring it to the shop

As your child grows and becomes more comfortable on two wheels, they'll inevitably need a bigger bike — and one that even has features similar to an adult bike. At this stage, the best pick would be the Woom 4.

Bigger kids on bigger bikes means more speed, which means they now need better braking. Instead of a coaster brake, the Woom 4 has a freewheel (which means their feet keep turning when they pedal backwards) and front and rear hand brakes, just like most adult bikes. While it may take your child a few rides to get used to that, they'll quickly discover that being able to apply stopping force to each wheel independently requires less effort and gives them much more control over the bike.

The freewheel also means they can also adjust their pedal position when pedaling through turns without engaging a brake. The Woom 4's brake levers are sized specifically for a child's hands, and they're easy to grip and modulate.

Not only is your child going faster but they'll also going further. This means it's time for gears. Hills can be discouraging for children if they can't shift but if they can, they'll love downshifting to get up them and then upshifting so they can fly down the other side.

The shifter on the Woom 4 is integrated into the hand grip making it simple and easy to operate. All they need to do is twist it in order to find the right gear — and with 8 gears to choose from, they'll always have plenty. An easy-to-read numbered gear indicator on the shifter also means they'll quickly learn to associate which gear is best for the terrain they ride.

The unique handlebar stem and tool-free quick-release seatpost on the Woom 4 makes it easy to dial in the ideal position and change it as needed. Rugged tires with a low-profile knobby tread roll smoothly on pavement while also offering plenty of grip if your child ventures off-road. An included kickstand means they won't have to lay the bike down on the ground — assuming you're able to get them to stop riding it.

Pros: Lots of adjustability, handbrakes and gears give your child greater control

Cons: Big kid bikes come with bigger price tags

After they've perfected the use of a balance bike, it's time to move on to a pedal bike. Above all, the mantra in choosing a bike for your budding rider should be "simple, simple, simple" since not only do you want to minimize distractions while they get the hang of it, but you also want something that stands up to all the spills — and yes, there will be spills.

Given this, the Cannondale Trail 16 is a perfect choice. Stopping is easy thanks to its coaster brake (the kind of brake that engages when it's pedaled backwards) which never needs adjustments and won't get damaged in a crash. The chainguard avoids getting grease on a child's pants and also keeps anything from getting tangled up into it.

The Trail 16 also comes with training wheels and while some kids move seamlessly from a balance bike to a pedal bike, others need a little time to familiarize themselves with the mechanics of pedaling. Training wheels can help them focus on that without having to worry about keeping their balance. Putting on or taking off the training don't require any tools, either, so you're able to quickly use them if your child needs a little extra support.

Pros: Durable, comes with removable training wheels, coaster brake is easy and fun

Cons: Heavy

Traditionally, most kids learned how to ride on a bike with training wheels. However, American parents have increasingly imported the European technique, which is to use a balance bike. A balance bike has no cranks, chain, or pedals, and instead, your child simply pushes it along with their feet, Fred Flintstone-style. This allows them to learn to balance a bicycle without having to worry about pedaling. And since they can easily put their feet down, falls are few and far between.

Balance bikes are available in a variety of designs but the go-to model is the Strider 12. While some kids are raring to go the second you put a balance bike in front of them, others are a bit more apprehensive, and it might take them some time to warm to the idea of it.

Either way, you don't want to find yourself frantically searching for a pump when your child wants to ride, and the Strider's air-free tires mean it's ready the moment they are. It's also reasonably lightweight, which means your child won't have trouble maneuvering it in tight spaces. You can even easily toss it into the car or onto your cargo bike for family outings to the park. Best of all, the low-slung frame design and adjustable seat and handlebar mean the bike can grow along with your child until they're ready to move on to a pedal bike.

Pros: Light, simple to ride, easily adjustable, and affordable

Cons: Solid tires offer less grip and ride compliance than air-filled counterparts