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Best 16″ kids’ bikes for 4-5 year olds

If you’re looking for a new set of wheels for a child aged around 4 or 5, it’s likely that you’ll need one of the best 16” kids’ bikes. 

Here at Cycle Sprog, we're experts in the best kids' bikes, having reviewed, written about, and recommended them since 2012. So whether you're on the hunt for your child's first pedal bike, or they're sizing up from one of the best 14" kids' bikes, finding the best bike for your child is an important mission. Choosing the right one can instil a lifelong love of cycling in your child (or grandchild). 

Children around 4–5 years old are usually just beginning to pedal or building confidence after mastering a smaller bike. The ideal bike for your child will depend on their height, inside leg measurement, and riding ability, as well as your budget and where the bike will be used. 

 

A girl standing over her 16 inch woom Automagic bike, in front of a brick wall

In this guide, we've explored numerous brands to offer you a variety of 16" wheel bikes in different colours, prices, and styles. Additionally you’ll find options for buying second-hand, ensuring there's a bicycle for every budget. At the bottom of the page we’ve also included some FAQs, in case you need a little more buying guidance. 

Once you’ve found your child’s dream bike, don't forget to check out our top picks for the best kids' bike helmets to keep them safe while cycling. If you’re keen to find out more about how to enjoy bikes together with your youngster, you’ll find a huge amount of advice on our site, all collated in our guide to cycling with kids: everything you need to get started.

Contents: best 16" kids' bikes

Use the below links to jump to the most relevant section of the article for your needs.

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Quick picks: the best 16" kids' bikes for parents in a hurry

Not got time to read the whole article? These are our top three picks, covering a range of budgets.

  • Best budget option: B’Twin 16 100 (£129.99) - Relatively lightweight, decent quality, and very affordable.
  • Best midrange option: Yomo 16 (£340) - Light, agile, and excellent value for money.
  • Best premium option: woom Original 3 Automagic (£459) - Features ‘magic’ gears that are a genuine game changer for young learners.

Top tips: choosing the best 16" kids' bikes

If you need a bit of guidance before making a purchase, here are some top tips to consider before you click ‘buy’. If you want some more in-depth information, head down to our dedicated FAQs section.

  1. Size: While 16-inch bikes tend to fit 4-5 year-olds, always measure them first to make sure you’re getting the right size. Here’s how to easily measure your child for a new bike. 
  2. Price: How much you spend is up to you, but here’s why you shouldn't buy a REALLY cheap new kids’ bike. Our list below covers a range of budgets, and they’re all good quality investments.
  3. Weight: The most important thing to consider is how heavy a bike is, because when they’re small, they have to be able to lift and manoeuvre it. Plus you might end up carrying it when they get tired.
  4. Get a bike, not a toy: Don’t be tempted to buy a cheap bike because it has their favourite cartoon character on it - these are never built for actual cycling and break very quickly.
  5. Brakes and gears: At this age they won’t need to worry about shifting gears, so the bikes listed here are single-speed. If they are ready to get speedy, then the woom Original 3 Automagic will be a winner. Some have coaster brakes or a rear V-brake, to introduce them to simple braking without overwhelming them.
  6. Buy back schemes: Some retailers will buy back your old, smaller bike and offer a discount on the next one up. Decathlon is one, which is why we love recommending their B’Twin series. It also means you can buy the same bike, used and refurbished, for a fraction of the price.
A boy seen from behind riding a 16 inch bike along a gravelly path

Best 16” kids’ bikes

Below you’ll find our roundup of the best 16-inch wheel bikes for children aged around 4 or 5 years old, starting with the cheapest and ascending in price.

 

 

B’Twin 16 100

Best budget option

Best 16" kids' bikes: The B'Twin 16" bike with Inuit cartoon design

  • Price: £129.99
  • Weight: 8.7 kg
  • Rider height: 105 - 120 cm
  • Rider inseam: 48–60cm
  • Colours: White

Buy if: You don’t want to spend a lot of money

The B’Twin 16 100 is an affordable yet reliable kids' bike, and a great option if your budget is tight. It features a robust steel frame and simple design, making it easy for young riders to handle. Equipped with a full chain guard and easy-to-use brakes, it prioritises safety and ease of maintenance. Its straightforward assembly and durability make it an excellent entry-level option for children starting their cycling journey.

If you’re still searching for a cheaper option, be sure to check if Decathlon has some discounted refurbished models, which will still be as good as new, and remember you can return this one in their Buy Back scheme when it’s time to size up again.

Specialized Jett 16

Best for off-road riding

Best 16" kids' bikes: The Specialized Jett 16 in purple on a blank background

  • Price: £270
  • Weight: 9.3kg
  • Rider height: 95 - 120 cm
  • Rider inseam: Not specified
  • Colours: Orange, Purple, Silver

Buy if: You want wider tyres for fun on the trails

For a bike that can handle off-road adventures, the Specialized Jett 16 is an ideal choice. This bike is designed with a lightweight yet sturdy aluminium frame and wide 2-inch tyres that offer excellent traction on varied terrains. The adjustable components, including handlebars and seat post, grow with your child, promising longevity and adaptability. Its robust build and reliable V-brakes make it perfect for tackling trails and rougher paths, providing little rippers with both confidence and control​.

Yomo 16

Best value for money

Best 16" kids' bikes: in orange - the YOMO 16

  • Price: £340
  • Weight: 5.8 kg
  • Rider height: 105 - 120 cm
  • Rider inseam: 43.5 - 53.5 cm
  • Colours: Purple, Green, Orange, Red

Buy if: You want to strike a balance between affordability and quality

The Yomo 16 offers exceptional value for money, combining quality components and thoughtful design at a competitive price. It features a lightweight aluminium frame, child-specific ergonomics, and easy-to-adjust components, like the reach-adjustable brake levers. The Kenda Small Block Eight tyres and sealed bearings promise a smooth ride, while the overall build quality guarantees it will last a long time. Yomo is a new brand, but already we’re getting great feedback from our reviewers. It balances affordability with quality, making it a strong contender for parents looking to get more bike for their money.

Cube Cubie 160

Best for smaller kids

Best 16" kids' bikes: The Cube Cubie 160 in green

  • Price: £389
  • Weight: 6.5 kg
  • Rider height: 96 - 111 cm
  • Rider inseam: 41 - 49 cm
  • Colours: Green, Grey, Purple

Buy if: They need a lower standover for little legs

The Cube Cubie 160 is the best option for smaller kids, thanks to its compact and lightweight design. With a low standover height and child-friendly geometry, they’re in for a comfortable and safe riding experience. The Cubie features a durable aluminium frame, reliable braking system, and ergonomically designed components tailored for small hands and bodies. This attention to detail makes the Cube Cubie 160 particularly suited for smaller riders just starting out their cycling journey​.

 

Frog 44

Best colour selection

Best 16" kids' bikes: The Frog 44 in white with multicoloured polka dots

  • Price: £390
  • Weight: 6.39 kg
  • Rider height: Not specified
  • Rider inseam: 40 - 53 cm
  • Colours: Red, Green, Blue, Pink, Orange, Multi

Buy if: They want a bike that matches their personality

The Frog 44, in addition to being an excellent bike, offers a brilliant range of colours, making it easy to please. Beyond aesthetics, it features a lightweight aluminium frame and high-quality components like Tektro brakes and easy-grip handlebars. The 44 is designed to be as comfortable as possible, with a geometry that supports a natural riding position. Its wide variety of colour options makes it easy to choose a frame that reflects their personality, while parents can trust in its build quality.

 

Woom Original 3

Best lightweight option

Best 16" kids' bikes: The woom Original 3 in yellow

  • Price: from £356
  • Weight: 5.5 kg
  • Rider height: Not specified
  • Rider inseam: 48 - 54 cm
  • Colours: Red, Green, Blue, Purple, Yellow

Buy if: You’re likely to be carrying it a lot

The woom Original 3 is the best lightweight option on this list, ideal for young riders who need an easy-to-handle bike, and parents who are likely to carry it a lot of the time. Weighing in at just 5.4 kg, it features a lightweight aluminium frame and child-specific geometry, which means better control and confidence for your little one. It also includes high-quality components, including ergonomic grips and easy-to-operate brakes designed for small hands. A nice feature is the green brake lever, found throughout the range, which helps them eventually learn the difference between front and rear braking.

 

woom Original 3 Automagic

Best for hilly areas

Best 16" kids' bikes: The woom Original 3 Automagic in red, photographed on a quiet cycle path

  • Price: £459
  • Weight: 6.1 kg
  • Rider height: 105 - 120 cm
  • Rider inseam: 47 - 54 cm 
  • Colours: Red, Green, Blue, Purple, Yellow

Buy if: They'd benefit from having some gears

Whether you can’t throw a stone in your area without it rolling down a hill, or your youngster likes to go as fast as possible, they're going to need to learn about gear shifting sooner or later. For this, we couldn’t recommend the woom Original 3 Automagic highly enough. It offers all the premium quality of the woom Original 3 listed above, plus it comes with ‘magic’ gears — an automatic two-speed gear hub that allows young riders to effortlessly tackle gradients and stand a fair chance of climbing when they wouldn’t otherwise with a single speed. Plus it's great for confident riders who want to get speedy.

For more details on this bike, take a look at our woom Original 3 Automagic review.

 

Islabikes Cnoc 16

Best secondhand option

Best 16" kids' bikes: The Islabikes Cnoc 16 in blue

  • Price: Varies
  • Weight: 5.6 kg
  • Rider height: 104 - 120 cm
  • Rider inseam: 42 - 52 cm
  • Colours: Red, Pink, Teal

Buy if: You’d rather not buy brand new

The Islabike Cnoc 16 is a great secondhand option if you’d prefer not to buy brand new. Although now discontinued, the brand was always known for its quality and longevity. The Cnoc features lightweight aluminium construction, making it easy for children to manoeuvre. Its carefully designed geometry and components, including child-specific brake levers and a narrow Q-factor, make for a comfortable and efficient ride. The Islabike's durability means it retains value well, making it a smart investment for families looking to buy a high-quality bike without the new-bike price tag.

Black Mountain SKØG

Best for learning to pedal

Best 16" kids' bikes: The Black Mountain Skog bike in white

  • Price: £499
  • Weight: 6.1 kg 
  • Rider height: 102 - 121 cm
  • Rider inseam: Not specified
  • Colours: Orange, Green, Purple, Blue

Buy if: Your child has outgrown their balance bike but isn’t quite ready for pedals 

The Black Mountain SKØG is a great quality bike that grows with your child. It can start out in balance bike mode, which is great if they’re not confident pedalling yet. Then you add the pedals when they’re ready. The frame also has two sizes which means the bike will last several growth spurts.  

It’s also perfect for parents who enjoy getting their hands dirty in the workshop, because it requires some tinkering to get the most out of it. With its adaptable frame and easily replaceable components, the SKØG can be modified to suit different riding styles and sizes. It is both a practical and fun bike for kids, and an exciting choice for parents who appreciate great engineering and enjoy tinkering with their bikes.

 

How to choose from the best 16” kids’ bikes

If you’re looking for a bit of advice to help you narrow down your options from the best 16" kids' bikes listed above, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions.

What age child is a 16" wheel bike for?

It goes without saying that all children are different, but on average a 16" bike is aimed at children aged between about  4 or 5 years of age.

16" wheel bikes tend to be sized for children with a minimum height of about 105 cm, with a variety of minimum inside leg measurements from about 40cm upwards.

Measure your child carefully – there’s a big variation in the height and inside leg measurements between a small 4 year old and a tall 5 year old, as well as between different makes of bike. Here’s how to easily measure your child for a new bike.

Please don’t be tempted to buy a bike that is too big – it can be very off-putting (and dangerous) for a 4 year old to have to ride a bike that is too large for them, and it’s unlikely to get the use it deserves. 

A boy seen from behind, cycling a 16 inch bike along the beach

What makes a good 16″ wheel kids bike for a 4 and 5 year old?

We’ve briefly covered these points in the top tips section above, but if you’re after a bit more of an explanation, you’ve come to the right place. These are the key things to look for in a good 16-inch wheel bike, and why:

  1. Size: 16-inch wheel bikes generally tend to suit children aged around 4 or 5 years old, but of course, all children grow at different rates. To be certain this is the correct size bike for your child, follow the instructions in our handy guide to how to easily measure your child for a new bike. There’s even more information in our article on how to choose the right size bike for your child’s age.
  2. Price: How much you spend on your child’s bike is a personal choice, based on your budget and how much you anticipate they’ll be riding them. If this is your child’s first bike and you’re not certain that they’ll take to it, or if you’re trying to coax a reluctant child to ride by upgrading from a smaller bike, then you could definitely get away with one of the cheaper models in this list. All bikes we recommend are of good quality, regardless of price. If you want to spend more, then you’ll also find premium options that boast better quality components and features to make life easier, like adjustability so they grow with your kids. It's also worth bearing in mind that many bikes will retain their resale value if they're well looked after, and if you take advantage of Buy Back schemes like the one offered by Decathlon, then you'll get a discount off the next size up. Buying a refurbished second hand bike, either through one of these schemes, or through other means, is another way to get more bike for your money. We've got a guide to buying a second hand kids' bike that should help you out a lot here.
  3. Weight: Some cheaper bikes can be extremely heavy, which are not only harder for you to pick up and carry around when you need to, but more importantly, are difficult to ride and manoeuvre, making them less fun for your child. If there’s one piece of advice we’d offer, it’s to buy the most lightweight bike you can afford, as it’ll likely be much more comfortable and enjoyable for them, meaning they’ll be more inclined to ride it.
  4. Proper bike, not a toy: At this age it’s tempting to buy a themed bike that has their favourite cartoon or movie character. These bikes tend to be very heavy, difficult to ride, and made with cheap components that rust quickly. If you’ve come to Cycle Sprog because you’re looking for the best 16” bikes, then you’re likely someone who wants their child to enjoy cycling in the long term. If that’s the case, you’re best off investing in a ‘proper’ bike, rather than a toy that won’t last very long.
  5. Brakes and gears: At this age group, they’re unlikely to be comfortable with braking or shifting gears, so most 16” bikes will be single speed and either have a coaster brake (where they pedal backwards to slow down) or a rear V-brake with a lever designed for small hands. This means they’ll be simple and easy to ride, and shouldn’t overwhelm them. However if they are confidently riding and itching to keep up with older siblings, then they'd probably benefit from some gears. In this case, we couldn't recommend the woom Original 3 Automagic highly enough.

Does my child need stabilisers?

We recommend against the use of stabilisers, even though many of us relied on them when we were learning to ride a bike. Things have moved on a bit since then, and with the development and research around the best balance bikes, it’s been shown that scooting along without pedals sets children up much better for real cycling, using their body weight to lean and steer. 

At this age, many children will likely be sizing up from their balance bikes and ready to start pedalling, however everyone learns at different rates, so if you’re in need of a 16” balance bike for your brand new learner cyclist, then check out our article on big balance bikes for taller children, and consider the Black Mountain SKØG listed above. For more on this, read our article, does my child need stabilisers?

Can you fit a water bottle to a 16” wheel bike?

If you’re making the most of the hot weather and want to be sure your youngster has enough water on hand, you’ll be pleased to know that although it’s quite uncommon on bikes of this size, there are two that do come with bottle cage mounts: the woom Original 3 Automagic (and indeed the regular woom Original 3 without gearing), and the Yomo 16.

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Comments

Patty

Hi I have a very short 5 year old. Already very confident on an Islabike Cnoc 14s. Would like to get her on a 16” bike – which one has the lowest seat height? Her older sister had the Carrera cosmos but that is still too big for her. Would the Islabike Cnoc 16 be lower? Or it looks like the new Vitus might be even better? Can you confirm? Thanks

Karen

Hi Patty, Thanks for getting in touch. The Vitus website states that the recommended inside leg for the 16″ is 40 – 54cm which is 2cm less than the Islabikes Cnoc 16. However, we haven’t personally verified that measurement. You also need to remember it can be more than just the leg – you need to also consider your daughter’s reach.
We haven’t been able to do a comparison between these three specific bikes – it might be worth asking on the Family Cycling UK facebook group to see if anyone has experience of these bikes and can help you with measurements of their children. The alternative is to try and find someone locally who has the Islabikes which you could try out. Kind regards Karen

Jamie

Hi just wanted to say this guide has been an amazing help in my search for the right bikes for my little ones. Especialy the tips on 2nd hand buying and how models have changed. Thank you

Penny Millar

Hi Jamie
Thank you for your comment. We’re very pleased to hear that you’ve found the post so helpful and have sourced bikes for your cycle sprogs! We wish you many happy days out on your bikes. Penny

Carolann

Hello,

Thanks for this great blog, so useful!! We went bike shopping for my almost 3 and a half year old daughter today. Tried the Frog 43 and her feet were easily flat on the floor, which I guess is good for balance biking (which she already does well) and for learning to pedal, but we, and the lady in the shop (a reputable independent bike shop) felt the bike wouldn’t last her very long at all. They didn’t have the Frog 48 and we already had the Wild from Go Outdoors in mind so we bought that in the 16’’ size. Only problem is her tip toes only just touch the floor!

Am wondering if we have now bought too big?? The sizing in Go Outdoors suggested that size for 1m upwards but she is 98/99cm… Do we stick with what we have but leave trying to pedal until she is a bit taller?? Would be annoying to spend so much when we know it won’t last, but then I don’t want to make it harder for her either. Confused!!

Nicola

Hello,
Thanks for this brilliant list, really useful. We’re hoping to get our son his first pedal bike for Christmas and have been looking at the Early Rider Belter 16. It’s a very lightweight bike and seems to babe a good spec, so just wondered if there’s a reason why it’s not included here?

Karen

Hi Nicola,
Thanks for getting in touch. We try to include only bikes that are currently available and the Belter 16 hasn’t been in stock in the UK for quite some time so I’d taken it off the list. Their website now says that bikes will be arriving end of October, so once I know it’s available for purchase I can add it back in.
Hope your son enjoys his first pedal bike – exciting times! Karen

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