Is Your Child's Bike and Helmet the Right Size for Them? Schwinn Family Ride Guide Can Help

This post is sponsored by Mirum, but opinions expressed are my own.

I still remember my first bike. It was a yellow Schwinn with a black banana seat and I loved it. I remember my parents teaching me to ride a bike and feeling the wind in my hair when I finally got my training wheels off. It was the best feeling. And this is what I hope to impart to my children. My oldest son has been riding independently for a long time, but my 10-year-old daughter is still not the rider she’s like to be. It’s okay, because I know she’ll get there. As her mother, it’s my job to encourage her to practice her riding skills so she can really soar. Biking is such a fun, family-friendly activity and I love that we are creating memories! Is Your Child’s Bike and Helmet the Right Size for Them? Schwinn Family Ride Guide Can Help + Sweepstakes

We made sure it was the right size for her. It’s so important to choose the correct helmet? We just got all new Schwinn Bike Helmets for daughter and older son recently because they had outgrown their other ones and we wanted to make sure we figured out the correct size. My daughter fit in the size we figured (8+), but my son ended up moving to the 14+ size. We measured their heads and then ordered new Schwinn Helmets from Amazon – they have a terrific selection.

Last year we got my daughter a Schwinn SmartStart Bike from Amazon (read my post here) and she loves it, but we are careful to make sure that it still fits her. We always do a bike fit check before every season.

How to Do a Bike Fit Check
As a starting point, use the rider height in the chart above as a guide to determine the correct wheel size as the infographic indicates. The front wheel size of a child’s bicycle directly correlates with the frame size of the bicycle. Wheel size is a good starting point but bicycles vary. Check that the rider can safely reach the handlebars while still bending the elbows at least 10 degrees. When standing over the bicycle, in front of the seat, straddling the top tube of the bicycle, there should be a minimum of 1-3 inches of clearance. The seat height is determined by the leg position when the foot is on the pedal. The leg should be almost completely straight when the pedals in the down most position with a slight bend in the knee. With beginning riders, the seat can be adjusted lower, so their feet have more contact with the ground. As they gain confidence the seat can be raised.

It is important to “fit” your child with a correctly sized bicycle. Riding a bicycle that is not correctly sized to the rider may result in the rider’s feet not being able to touch the ground, balance the bicycle, properly reach the handlebar for steering or braking and loss of control when pedaling.

Parents are often concerned that their child will grow out of a bicycle too quickly. Schwinn SmartStart bicycles have a feature that can help. The bike is designed to “grow” with them. When the saddle of a Schwinn SmartStart bicycle is raised the angle as well as the distance from the seat to the handlebars and seat and to the pedals also increases. This means that as your child grows the bike fit them for a longer period of time.

This kid’s bike size chart will help you determine the correct sized bike for your child:

Height: 28” to 38”
- Ages 1-4
- Wheel Size 12”

Kids Bike Size Chart:

Height: 38” to 48”
- Ages 3-7
- Wheel Size 16”
Height: 42” to 52”
- Ages 5-9
- Wheel Size 18”
Height: 48” to 60”
- Ages 7-13
- Wheel Size 20”
Height: 56” to 66”
- Ages 10-15
- Wheel Size 24”

Note: Riding a bicycle that is not correctly sized to the rider may result in the rider’s feet not being able to touch the ground, balance the bicycle, properly reach the handlebar for steering or braking and loss of control when pedaling.

Get a Schwinn SmartStart Bike and Helmet for your child on Amazon.

Share your family helmet selfie using #schwinnfamilysweepstakes! Here’s ours!

Then enter the Schwinn Sweepstakes through the widget below for the chance to win a prize pack including a Schwinn bike (worth up to $400) and a Schwinn SmartStart prize pack with bike accessories. You can also download the shareable Ride Guide.