Best 18" wheel kids bikes for 5 year olds

18" wheel kids bikes are becoming more and more popular, as they plug the gap between a small starter bike and a larger geared bike.

Some children aren't quite the right size, ability or age to move up to a bigger geared bike, and a 18" wheel bike can be a great solution (plus they usually cost a bit less than a geared bike too!)

A word of warning though - it's a wheel size that has traditionally been dominated by very cheap "toy" bikes (and click here to read why we don't recommend these).

Thankfully now there's a number of good quality 18" wheel bikes that are available to buy or lease long term.

In this article we'll take a look at the best 18" wheel kids bikes - they're all great bikes that should bring years of fun for your child.

We include options on where to buy new and also how to lease long term or buy second hand (where available) so there's hopefully something suitable for every budget.

What age child is an 18" wheel bike for?

Obviously all children are different, but on average an 18" wheel bike is suitable for children aged between about 5 and 6 years of age. In general 18" wheel bikes tend to be suitable for children with a minimum inside leg of approx 50cm and a minimum height of about 110cm.

Every 18" bike has different geometry (sizing) so we've provided the measurements provided by the manufacturer, to allow you to choose the one that fits your child. Please measure your child carefully and if possible test ride the bike if you're worried it won't fit.

These articles will help you:

Black Mountain KAPĒL 18 inch wheel bike is one of the few 18" wheel kids bikes with gears

Bike: Black Mountain KAPĒL
RRP: £449.00
Age Range: 5–8 years
Colours: Green Orange Purple Blue
Bike Weight: 8.4kg
Frame material: Alloy
Gears: Twist Grip Shift — 7 speed 32T chainring 11-28T cassette
Brakes: Tektro
Tyres: Schwalbe Black Jack - 1.9"

Black Mountain Bikes have a really clever “growing frame” which means that when your child outgrows the original frame size you can adjust the frame and the gearing to make it last much longer.

This means you get at least two bikes for your money and don’t have the hassle of having to sort out a new bike.

The KAPĒL is their 18″ wheel offering, but taller children may want to move straight onto the 20″ wheel HUTTØ to get maximum usage.

Most 18″ wheel bike are single speed, meaning they don’t have gears. The KAPĒL is one of the exceptions, making it ideal for those who regularly ride hills. Do remember that not all children are ready to start using gears at this age.

Another clever feature about these bikes is the fact that they can start out in balance bike mode if needed (you do need to buy an additional balance bike convertor kit) so your child can progress from learning to balance through to pedalling all without you needing to buy a new bike.

Buy New Buy Used

Squish 18 kids bike 2021 is one of the best 18" wheel kids bikes for children aged 5 years and over

Bike: Squish 18
RRP: £339.99
Monthly Lease from: £9.99
Age Range: 5–8 years
Inside Leg: 50–60cm
Rider Height: 110–130cm
Colours: Blue Aqua
Bike Weight: 6.66kg
Frame material: Alloy
Brakes: Tektro Mini V-Brakes with junior specific levers including reach adjust
Tyres: 18 x 1.5” Cadence Lightweight Multi-Terrain Tyres

The Squish 18 is a good choice if your child isn’t quite ready to move up to a geared bike. It has a long wheelbase to give confidence and easy-to-use ‘child-sized’ brakes that are perfect for smaller hands.

The Squish 18 is fitted with lightweight components, and our 6 year old tester was impressed when she reviewed this bike for us.

Small block tyres are fitted to give good grip on a variety of surfaces, so the Squish 18 can be used for fun in the mud too.

The Squish 18 is available to lease from the Bike Club for a low monthly subscription - when your child grows out of it just send it back and upgrade to a larger bike.

Buy New Bike Club Buy Used Buy Local