The best road bikes for kids aged 8 and over – 24″ wheels
If you've got a budding road cyclist on your hands, then you're most likely going to be pestered for a drop handlebar road bike.
Unfortunately at the current time there are very few 24 inch road bikes available for kids aged between about 8 years and 11 years who want to ride on drop handlebars on a tarmac surface, without having to specify a bespoke built bike.
A number of brands who used to produce junior road bikes have sadly gone out of business in the past few years, or else stopped making junior sized bikes.
However, we have been hunting down options for you, and in this guide we've also included a number of second hand options for you to look out for, as well as the very limited choice of new 24 inch kids road bikes.
Does your child really need a road bike?
Before you go ahead and buy your 8 year old a drop-handlebar road bike, please do ask yourself whether s/he is really ready for one. Whilst they may want to emulate their racing hero, there are a few things to remember about a road bike:
- A kids road bike is much harder to ride than a hybrid or mountain bike
The skinny tyres and drop handlebars and paddle gear levers mean your child must have good bike handling skills in order to cope with a drop handlebar bike. We've seen quite a few children struggle to cope with drop handlebars, so unless your child is going to specialise in road, track or cyclocross cycling we'd recommend a 24" wheel hybrid bike, or even a 24" wheel mountain bike. - They can be more restrictive in where you can go
Will your child want to ride on off road track and trails, as well as on road? Buying a drop handlebar bike makes this much harder, so think carefully whether you're going to be restricting where they can ride. Some of the bikes in this article can be fitted with cyclo-cross or gravel tyres for riding on grass and gentle trails, but not all. - The riding position isn't ideal for carrying heavy rucksacks
It is more than possible to commute on a road bike (plenty of people do it, including myself), but do be aware that it's harder on your child's back to carry a rucksack full of school books when they're are bent over the drop handlebars. Their riding position also means that they're not as upright and visible to other road users, compared to being on a more upright, flat handlebar bike.
At this point, if you're rethinking your decision, then you need to visit these two posts:
If you've considered all these points and are happy that your child is ready to move onto a drop handlebar bike, then this article will help you choose the correct bike.
Road bikes for kids aged from 8 years - 24" wheels
Here's our selection of both new and secondhand kids 24 inch wheel road bikes currently available in the UK. Hopefully you can find one that suits both your budget and location. We do wish we could provide you with a much longer list of available options, but it's a challenging time to find this type of bike at the time of writing (October 2025).
Frog Road 61 junior bike (£735)
Cycle Sprog reviewed and recommended bike
Frog Road 61 key data:
Price: £735
Typical age range: 8-10 years
Inside leg: 58-74cm
Bike weight: 9.2kg
Brakes: Tektro Oryx (992AG) Aluminium Alloy Cantilever
Frame: 6061 T6 heat treated Aluminium alloy
Available colours: Red, blue
Warranty: 2 years - extended to 5 years for frame if you register the bike within 28 days of purchase
Hurray for Frog Bikes! At Cycle Sprog HQ we've been lamenting the lack of any new off the shelf 24 inch wheel road bikes for kids for quite some time. And then in autumn 2025 Frog Bikes got in touch to say they have relaunched their really popular Frog Road 61.
It is an all aluminium road / triathlon bike with 24" wheels designed for junior riders with a minimum inside leg between 58 and 78 cm. In practice this means it's a road bike for kids aged between about 8 years and 10 years old, depending on height and leg length.
The Frog Road 61 is fitted with brakes on the drops, as with adult road bikes, but also with auxiliary brakes on the top of the handlebars, as often found on cyclocross bikes.
This can be very useful when learning to ride a kids road bike - you may find your child does not lean over and use the drop handlebars all the time. It can be a struggle to manage the "twitchiness" of a road bike for the first time, and these additional brakes can be very reassuring.
If your child decides they want to ride on both smooth tarmac and off road for gravel / cyclocross you can purchase a conversion kit directly from Frog Bikes. This includes front and rear wheels with gravel tyres, quick-release skewers, brake discs, and a gravel specific cassette (11-42T), for a, easy transition from road to gravel riding. This means you don't have to buy a separate gravel bike which is both cheaper and saves on storage space.
The best secondhand kids road bikes with 24 inch wheels
Given the lack of brand new kids 24 inch wheel road bikes at the current time you may find your best option (and definitely the cheapest) will be to hunt down a second hand bike.
In this section we include a range of previously available bikes that will hopefully help identify options available to you.
Islabikes Luath 24 kids road / cross bike
Cycle Sprog reviewed and recommended bike
Luath 24 key data:
Price when last sold new: £699.99
Typical age range: 8+ years
Minimum height: 130cm
Minimum inside leg: 59cm
Bike weight: 8.3kg
Brakes: Tektro, flatmount cable disc
Frame: Aluminium, flat-mount dropouts
Tyres: Islabikes Road, 24" x 1.0 (26-507) folding, 120TPI
Available colours: Granite, teal
Islabikes took the cycling world by storm over the past decade, creating top quality bicycles designed specifically for children and selling them with apparent ease to an ever expanding audience. Unfortunately they stopped making new kids bikes in 2023, but you can still get spare parts from them, making this a good choice secondhand bike.
The Islabikes Luath 24 oozes quality and does not disappoint. The bike had a major makeover for winter 2019, with a lightweight aluminium frame and carbon forks.
The newer model Luath features Tektro cable operated disc brakes, paired with easy reach Shimano levers and Islabikes’ custom shape dropped handlebar designed for smaller hands. As a result, Islabikes have removed the secondary brake levers on the handlebars (a feature found on earlier models).
The 8 speed gearing on the Islabikes Luath 24 is courtesy of a singlespeed 34t chainring means there's no confusion with having to change two levers and no chance of chain crossover. The rear cassette range is 11-34t.
The Islabikes Luath has enough clearance to be fitted with grippy tyres making it an ideal bike for cyclo-cross, triathlon and gravel riding.
Eyelets are fitted for both mudguard and rack, so you can pop a pannier on and no more carrying the school bag/lunch box/gym kit on your back if using to ride to school. This also makes the Luath 24 an ideal road touring bike.
Therefore the Islabikes Luath is a good choice for an all round junior bike if your youngster is into a bit of road, cyclocross, triathlon and touring.
Islabikes Luath 24 (old model)
Islabikes completely refreshed their Luath in October 2019, so there are two different versions available.
Built around an aluminium frame and Chromoly steel forks, and with the weight of the bike coming in at a shade over 8kg, the old style Islabikes Luath 24 is definitely still a lightweight offering.
The 10 speed gearing on the older Islabikes Luath 24 is controlled by Shimano STI levers, with a nice touch being the secondary brake levers mounted on the top of the bars to provide a little safety net, as wherever your child's hands are on the bars there is a brake lever close by. The 10 x 1 gears mean there's a wide range available, but no confusion with having to change two levers, and no chance of chain crossover.
It can also be fitted with grippy tyres making it an ideal bike for cyclo-cross and triathlon. Eyelets are fitted for both mudguard and rack for commuting / touring.
eBayWiggins Rouen 540c Junior Road Bike
Bradley Wiggins made cycling history when he was the first Briton to win the Tour de France in 2012. His Wiggins kids bike range was launched at Halfords in July 2016 and was discontinued in early 2021. The road bikes were all named Rouen after one of his stage wins, with the 540c being the smallest road bike in the range.
The Wiggins Rouen 540c used to be one of the cheapest 24" kids road bikes available, whilst still retaining a lightweight (8.7kg) and quality components.
The Wiggins Rouen 540c has some design features such as the reverse curve front forks and Wiggins distinctive 'mod' target logo, which we think will appeal to young road cyclists looking to emulate their hero.
Cuda CP24R
Cycle Sprog reviewed and recommended brand
Cuda CP24R key data:
Price when new: £500
Bike weight: 9.3kg
Brakes: Tektro Kanti
Frame: Alloy Double Butted
Tyres: Kenda Road 24 x 1” & Kenda Cross 24 x 1”1/8
Available colours: Pink, orange, green
Cuda Bikes 24" wheel road bike offering was the CP24R - with the "P" standing for "Performance" and the "R" standing for "Road".
The bike is a well specified alternative to some of the bigger names, and the fact that Cuda partnered with the Triathlon Trust during the 2018 season to get more kids giving the sport ago speaks volumes about these bikes.
When sold ned this bike used to come with two sets of tyres - road and cross - which is great if your child races or rides on two different surfaces.
The spec includes a 9 speed 14-25t rear cassette, junior specific 110mm drop bars (340mm wide) and Tektro Kanti – Microshift short reach lever. Minimum saddle height is 62cm and maximum 78cm, with a weight of 9.3kg with pedals.
We reviewed the slightly larger C700R and our reviewer was really impressed with the bike.
Scott Speedster Junior 24
Scott Speedster key data:
Price: £759 (in 2018)
Bike weight: 8.7kg
Brakes: Scott Comp SCBR 312 39-49mm
Frame: Speedster24 Junior
Tyres: Kenda K-191 / 24x1 / 60TPI
Scott have been producing great mountain bikes and road bikes since 1986. Known for their work on carbon fibre frame technology, they have a great selection of kids bikes suitable for riders aged from two years up to teens.
Scott's children's 24" wheeled road bike offering was the Scott Speedster Junior 24 road bike. The 2018 model was kitted out with a combination of Shimano Claris and Sora components. There are 16 gears to choose from making this slightly more complicated to ride than the other bikes listed with a single chainring. However, all this comes in with a very respectable weight of just 8.7kg.
The Scott Speedster Junior 24 was priced at £759 during 2018.
Hoy Meadowmill 24
Cycle Sprog reviewed and recommended brand
Hoy Meadowmill key data:
Price when sold: £530
Typical age range: 10-13 years;
Minimum height: 135cm - 150cm;
Inside leg: 62cm;
Bike weight: 8.69kg;
Brakeset: Tektro 930AL alloy V;
Frame: HOY 6066-T6 heat treated alloy;
Tyres: Maxxis Locust 24 x 1.25, 32-520;
Available colours: Black/red;
Released in 2018 the Hoy Meadowmill 24 was a great bike for anyone wanting a drop handlebar bike but still wanting to ride on the rough stuff from time to time. The geometry and the tyres mean you can mix it up on tarmac, road, grass and gravel, all on the same ride. It's not going to be the fastest bike on the road but is great for a Sprog who wants to do a little bit of every type of riding and is desperate for a drop handlebar bike.
We've tested some smaller bikes in the Hoy range and they all got the thumbs up!
If you're looking on eBay, be careful not to get confused with the Meadowbank, which is a single speed track bike. There was an earlier Hoy kids road bike called the Hoy Cammo which it's worth looking out for too if you want a pure road bike.
Worx JA24 (£595)
Cycle Sprog reviewed and recommended brand
Worx (the JA-24) key data:
Price: £595
Bike weight: 8.5kg
Brakes: Tektro Oryx Canti
Frame: Hydroformed profiled aluminium 6061 triple butted
Tyres: Kenda Road Tyre (Maxxis CX 5 also available as an optional extra £50 /pair)
Available colours: Gloss black and blue
The JA24 was the Worx road and cyclocross model aimed at kids wanting to race or at least ride very fast! Their target age range is those competing in the U8-U10 category.
The JA24 is built around a 6061 aluminium triple butted frame that is both light, coming in at 8.5kg, and strong with a low standover height (tiptoe of 60cm) to cater for differing sizes of child.
As expected, everything is designed with the child in mind, from the narrow q-factor cranks of appropriate length to the profile of the handlebars that have been shaped specifically to give comfort and ideal body position on the bike.
Worx have specified Microshift components for the 9 speed drivetrain, matched to a Worx branded single ring 36T (34T can be specified) crank. Now many a good thing has been said about the Microshift system, especially the shifters that are sized for small hands and have a short throw for changing gear that is easy for a child to do (something that is not always true!). Out back, there is an 11-32T cassette that matched with the fitted 36T chainring provides a broad range of gears for most scenarios. As mentioned, a 34T chainring can be specified when purchasing the JA24.
There's a smattering of Worx branded kit such as the stem, bars and saddle and these look to be well designed and manufactured pieces of kit. The wheelset is also in-house which is a good thing indeed as Worx have a very good reputation for the quality of their wheelsets.
Being designed for cyclocross, there's generous clearance all round to accommodate cyclo-cross tyres and the inevitable clingy mud. Braking is provided by Tektro Oryx cantilevers, with supplementary top mounted levers on the bars.
In summary, the Worx JA24 is a serious bicycle that has had countless hours spent on its design to produce a robust machine with a great specification for the budding U8-U10 rider. It also helps that it's a delight to look at too.
We've reviewed the larger Worx JA-700 if you want a more detailed view on these bikes.
Bombtrack Beyond Junior 24
Bombtrack Beyond Junior 24 key data:
Price when last sold in the UK: £999.99
Typical age range:
Minimum height: 135cm
Maximum height: 155cm
Standover height: 66.6cm
Bike weight: 10.2 kg
Brakes: Taktro Mira F/ Lyra R mechanic disc brake with 160 mm F /140 mm R rotors
Gears: Microshift CS-H093 9-speed cassette 11 - 42 T with 32T chainring
Frame : 6061 aluminium
Tyres: Kendal Small Block Eight 24 x 1.95
The Bombtrack Beyond Junior 24 is a kids bike designed with long distance cycle touring in mind, with features like top tube direct mounts and cage mounts underneath the downtube, plus triple cage mount bosses on the fork blades. If you're planning to pack up your panniers and head off bike packing with your child then it's worth checking out the specification of this bike to see if it suits your plans. It has a maximum rider weight of 90 kg incl. luggage.
Bombtrack are a German company who aren't all that well known in the UK yet, especially in the junior market. It was very briefly available for sale in the UK pre-Covid so you may find one or two availabel for sale.
The best 24 inch wheel road bikes for kids - the summary
As you can see from our selection, there is a lack of drop handlebar road bikes for kids available with a 24 inch wheel at the moment if you want to buy a new bike. There's quite a few models available second hand which will be much cheaper than buying new, or getting a custom built bike (which is the option many racers go with to ensure the perfect fit bike).
We hope you found our article on 24 inch road bikes for kids useful - if you did please share it with your friends / cycle club! Thanks!
Other articles you may find interesting:
- Buying a second hand kids bike
- 12 things you need to know before buying a kids bike
- The best kids 24 inch wheel mountain bikes
Want to know more about cycling with your kids?
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This article on road bikes for kids was first published on Cycle Sprog in November 2013, and is regularly updated to reflect changing makes and models of 24 inch wheel kids drop handlebar bikes suitable for riding on tarmac surfaces.
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Comments
While your two opening points are valid, I’d say only for the first 10 minutes of a child riding the bike.
At least that’s the experience of my children, aged 6 and 8 who took to their Frog 58 and 67 respectively in less than ten minutes.
The road tyres have coped just fine along bridleways that would test the comfort of a Chelsea tractor. For winter we have switched to the cross tyres that came with the bikes, but only because we have them.
The handlebar difference and gear changing wasn’t an issue. Here, perhaps the biggest challenge would be if Mum or Dad cites it as a challenge. In our house I have drops, and the children aspired to have the same. Mum has a Liv road bike with flat bars and irrational fear of drops, but she doesn’t share that with the kids, but if she did, I expect they would judge her as being less confident.
One thing I will raise… The brake levers for changing gears, make sure they are small like the micro shift brand. We did have a 2017 Isla Luath which used an adult lever and required a full swing to change down gears, that really did not suit small hands.
After my sons first ride, 4 miles, we added SPD mountain bike cleats. Like most adults, he fell off twice on the first ride (on grass alongside a golf course), after that he’s always remembered to think ahead and de-clip.
The right choice for us? Yes, we often have family cycles of 6-20 miles. These would be much tougher on typical kids bikes.
Benefit for the 6 year old beyond her Ridgeback of a similar size (wheels and gear ratios)? Yes, but I changed it a year before I might have, because we picked her used never ridden Frog 58 for £180, I’d think twice at £400.
For the 8 year old, for sure the right choice, we get out cycling a lot more together, and he loves his cleats.
Hi, wondered if you have looked at the Giant Espoir tcx? With disc brakes it seems a winner for kids cyclocross, but at what cost?