Cheapest bikes for a 3 year old for under £100
OK - you've read the article, so you're not going to be surprised when we say that we don't recommend a really heavy, cheap steel hunk of a bike that your child is going to find hard to manoeuvre, which won't last long and may even, in extreme cases, be unsafe for them to ride, especially if they can't work the brakes.
I know that over £100 may seem like a lot to spend on a kids bike for a 3 year old, especially if you don't know whether they're going to enjoy cycling.
But please remember, if you buy a cartoon bike for under £100 you're possibly going to find that it's not enjoyed anywhere as much as the great, lightweight children's bikes featured above, as they've all got child sized components, good brakes, decent tyres and should allow your child to develop a love of cycling that will last a lifetime.
PLEASE READ OUR ARTICLE ON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BUY A REALLY CHEAP KIDS BIKE IF YOU'RE TEMPTED TO GO AHEAD AND BUY ONE OF THESE BIKES
So, what are your options if your budget is less than £100 for a bike for your 3 or 4 year old?
RENTAL and SECOND HAND of course!
There is a roaring trade in good quality secondhand 14" wheel bikes, precisely because they are built to last.
You may have to hunt around a bit, but it's possible to get a decent bike for under £100.
Or you can lease for just over £10 per month, and swap the bike when your child outgrows it.
Other articles you may find useful:
These articles will help you:
Comments
Hi, I’m slightly confused by the description of the Vitus 14 – it says its suitable for taller children, yet it has one of the smallest minimum inside leg requirements. Is there some other aspect of its geometry which makes it better for taller children?
hi,
Thanks for this great article. Couldn’t get the right one for my boy without your help. I selected Skog black mountain for him as he is a little rusty. he loved it. and I’m satisfied. thanks to you that It could possible without any hassle.
Hi Nick
Thank you for your message, we’re thrilled that you found the perfect bike for your boy and that Cycle Sprog were able to help with this. We’re big fans of the Black Mountain range and are sure he’ll have many a happy cycling adventure on his SKOG! Happy cycling, kind regards, Penny
Hi Karen. Thanks for all the info on your website. We bought our son a super 10″ Chilla Fish BMXie for his 2nd birthday which he loves, we then – dare I say – bought a toy bike for his 3rd birthday which he has used a few times and got the hang of without stabilisers but it stays in the shed most days as it is too heavy for me to carry and my son (4&1/2) still prefers the Chilla Fish. Unfortunately he is almost too big for it now so really need to invest in something else. I’d get a larger, pedal version of that if they had one but they don’t so I keep coming back to the Strider 14″ with pedal option as it ticks my size, weight and budget boxes. I feel like I need some reassurance though as I’m concerned they no longer have a UK retailer and the model seems quite old, (your comments above refer to it in 2018). What do you think?! Thank you.
Hi Beth
Thanks for your comment and it’s great to hear that your son loves his cycling. The Strider range is great, but as you mention they don’t currently have a UK retailer. There are some great alternatives if that’s a concern, and it’s worth posing your question on the Family Cycling UK page on Facebook, you’ll find lots of parents on there with first hand experience of biking with children of your son’s age and size. It might also be worth you having a look at The Bike Club, hiring a bike for him to use could be a great way for him to progress on to a larger model without the worry of a large upfront cost. I’ve linked to a post where you can read all about how it works. We hope this helps! Penny
Hi,
Thank you for these recommendations. I wondered if you could advise. My LO is 3 and hasn’t managed to master the balance bike yet. She is tall so needs a 14″ wheel. Would it be wise to buy a lightweight pedal bike and remove the pedals, if so which bike would you recommend for that?
Thank you
Claire
Hi Claire
Thanks for your comment. This isn’t something we have tried, so we probably aren’t best to comment, however, if you head to the Family Cycling UK page on Facebook and ask the question there, we’re sure you will find parents with first hand experience of trying this will be able to give some advice. Hope this helps and good luck. Penny
My son currently has halfords balance bike/trike that has been a disaster. He just can’t ride it. He won’t sit to balance he just walks with it between his legs (regardless of seat hight) so we tried the trike mode and the pedals are impossible for him to turn due to the short crank size.
We are looking to try a real bike and are on a fairly tight budget. The advice here will definitely help me make the choice. I would love to have home choose but he would probably pick something with paw patrol on it ?.
I can always get stickers afterwards.
Thanks.
Hi Sharon, Thanks for taking the time to get in touch, and I’m so glad you’re looking for a decent second hand bike – it will be a much better use of your cash. If he demands Paw Patrol then stickers are a great idea, but I’m betting he totally forgets about that once he’s riding!! Hope he enjoys what ever you end up with. Karen
I have spent the last week reading and researching all the bikes in this article, it has been amazing in helping me look for a bike for my 3 year old. The only problem is that he is very small and won’t fit the majority of the bikes listed here. He’s 95cm with a 36cm inside leg and I wondered if you knew of any other starter bikes that I could have a look at? He’s brilliant on his balance bike so I’m sure he’s ready to have a go on a pedal bike but his height (and the fact most bikes seem to be out of stock right now!) mean that we’re really restricted. Have looked at secondhand isla bikes but they all seem to be in pink and he refuses to have a pink bike…
Thanks for providing such amazing information and making looking for a bike so much easier.
Hi Victoria
Have you had a look at the Black Mountain Pinto? It has a recommended height range of 90-109cm, but the brilliant thing about their Epok range is that they are ‘growing bikes’, starting off as balance bikes that you add pedals to when they are ready. You can also increase the frame size as your son gets taller, which cuts down on the need to replace the bike sooner (making it more cost effective!). The Squish 14 and Wild 14 would also suit from a size perspective. Unfortunately, lots of the bikes in his height range are sold out at the moment, but suppliers are replenishing stock often, so it’s worth revisiting the pages regularly and seeing if you and pre-order. Good luck, it sounds like you have a budding little cyclist there! Penny
Thanks, I hadn’t really looked at black Mountain pinto in that much detail due to the price, but looking again it does look like a good option for him, his wee brother is very small as well so it’s worth getting a bike that suits smaller children so he can use it when he’s older as well. Will look at the others you recommend as well, hopefully find something for him before the summer is over. As my boys are half Dutch I’m hoping cycling is in their blood!
Thanks so much for your help.
Great article, thanks! What’s your verdict on Bobbin bikes?
Hi Fran
Thank you, we’re glad you’ve found the article helpful! We’ve actually reviewed the Bobbin Bike and it features in a number of our posts. I’ve linked some here so you can have a read. One thing to note, the Bobbin Bikes are heavier than most of the other kids bikes, so something worth considering when deciding if they are right for your little cyclist. We hope this helps! Penny
Good article, thanks. I read this before I bought for my 3yr old son, but didn’t choose one of the bikes reviewed here.
What we went with, and what I think has been overlooked here, is the Raleigh Performance 14″. It comes in at a relative 6.2kg and has a spec to rival the above. The bike has cool BMX stylings and should be able to pick up for under £200, which I think is top value. My 3 yr old (approx 95cm tall) is flying on his and I’m very happy with the choice.
Cheers.
Hi Chris
Thanks for your comment. We pleased that both you and your son are happy with the Raleigh Performance 14″, it sounds like you have made an excellent choice for him! Whilst we didn’t include it in this post, we have looked at the Raleigh Performance 16″ in the post ‘The best 16″ wheel bikes for 4 and 5 year olds’, perhaps one worth considering when he’s ready to move up a size? Sound like you have quite the budding biker there! Penny
Great article and very helpful, thanks.
I would also suggest looking at the Early Rider Belter 14 which has just been released.
We got the Belter 16 for our 4 year old and can highly recommend it. Very lightweight and a belt drive, so no chain.
SO pleased they have a smaller frame out now we can get for our soon to be 3 year old.
Little one could not ride it so I gave up on the Ridgeback, which honestly I think anyone looking at this article should also do. The Halfords bike is MUCH better and similarly priced.
I got a woom2 for my little one, it’s amazingly light (quoted weight of 5.2kg is with pedals!)
For the bike buffs, has great design touches like sealed cartridge wheel bearings. Q factor is 140mm, perfect for tiny people.
Buy cheap, buy twice! That includes the Ridgeback. Won’t make that mistake again.
Thank you for the sound advice in this article. A huge help in deciding which first peddle bike to get for my little 4 year old. Very much appreciated!
Thanks Gen for letting us know that – glad to have been of help! Hope your 4 year enjoys their bike. Karen
Hi,
I was *this* close to buying a Bumper Sparkle 14 until I saw this article, which snapped me out of a potentially very heavy tassle and basket trap.
Santa is bringing my 1m tall 3 year old a Ridgeback Honey to replace her giant pre, and I’m excited for her!
We went for that as it should be light enough, we like pink and so does she even if that’s old-fashioned now, and it was from a retailer happy to ship to us abroad.
Thanks to you and your site 🙂
Hi Aaron – glad to be of assistance! Hope your daughter has a fabulous time riding the Ridgeback – she’s a lucky girl. Karen
It arrived today and I must say I’m disappointed. The quill headset is tight and has a detent at straight ahead, bottom bracket similar issue. Worst though, it the rims. They are poorly joined so that the rim brake will catch on every revolution of each wheel.
Mine weighs 7.6kg with pedals without stabilisers (which are supplied although not mentioned on the retailer or maker websites).
Better buy something a little more expensive if you’re looking at the Ridgeback.
Aaron – that is very disappointing to hear. It certainly sounds as if you should contact the retailer as it should have had a pre-dispatch check and you should expect the wheels to turn freely. Weight wise the Ridgeback, as stated, is one of the heavier aluminium framed bikes, and I’ve updated the post to say 7.6kg with pedals (some manufacturers will give a weight without pedals, which is annoying). As you say, the more expensive bikes will, undoubtedly, be better quality. Thanks so much for taking the time to feedback,and I hope you resolve the issue. Karen
No mention of the strider 14x?
Hi – I hadn’t realised they were now finally in stock in the UK! That’s great news – I’ll have to update the website when I get a moment. Karen
Hi Karen! Any news on the Strider 14x? We were close to pulling the trigger on the strider until we found this great article! Would love to see how the Strider 14x holds up against these options!
Hi Dean – We’re hoping to get a Strider 14x to test soon. However, the process does take quite a long time as we need the bike to be put through its paces, so at the moment I can’t really comment on them. Strider do have a very good reputation for their balance bikes, so it will be interesting to see if the transition to pedals works as well. Karen
Hi Karen,
Have you had a chance to test the Strider yet? We have loved our balance bike and would be tempted by a similar pedal bike. Any word on comparisons would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Hi Rowan, We’ve not had a chance to test the 14x yet – we had a reviewer lined up, but they got too big before we could arrange it unfortunately. Hopefully we’ll get something sorted later in the year. Karen
Dear Cycle sprog
Thank you so much for the advice and information without this we would have made a major mistake in our first bike purchase for our son. We are proud new owners of a Cnoc 14 for our son. This advice saved us a lot of money and led us to a much better bike!
Thank you!
Hi Laura – so glad to have been of help. I do hope your son enjoys his Cnoc 14 – a great lightweight bike – good choice! Karen