Is it time to replace your bicycle?

 It is time to upgrade your bicycle when you have outgrown it in size. However, if the condition of the bicycle is good, you can repair it and pass it down to other members in the family, who are tall enough to ride it.

Do you still have the “Bicycle Owner’s Manual” for the bicycle you are currently cycling on? If you refer to the manufacturer’s bicycle sizing guide, you will be able to find out if your bicycle is still in the right wheel size or frame size for your age or height. Here is one I extracted from a manual issued for Apollo bike owners.

You can see the frame size marked on the seat tube of your bicycle, as shown below:

The tyre size is marked on the sidewall as shown below:

Click on the following link if you want to learn more:

How do you read a bicycle tyre size?

Sometimes we received bicycles from owners which require major repairs that are costly. Based on the condition of their bicycles and the age or height of the rider, we may advise our customer against proceeding, if the total for replacement parts and the service fee is close to the price of a new bicycle.

Our customers will still consider costly repair for bicycles that are branded and of good quality:

-so that younger siblings in the family can continue to ride on them.
-as it has sentimental value; it being a bike one of the parents had cycled as a kid.
-as it is an antique bike passed down as a gift from a loved one who has passed away.

Some of our customers repair bicycles their children have outgrown so that they can give them away to a charitable organisation.

Bring your bicycle to your local bike shop to have it appraised. If you like your bicycle, check with them if some minor changes that are not costly can be made to your bicycle to make your rides more comfortable, now that you are taller.  You can click on the following link to find out what I mean.

How do I get the bike fit done? 

If the attendants at the bike shop are not able to give you the advice you need or you are advised to replace it, you can refer to the following table for other types of bicycle available in the market. It will also help you to decide if you should replace your current bike.

How can I choose the best bike for my children?

This chart provides a general idea of the type and wheel sizes of bicycles your children can ride on, based on their age.

The best bike, from your children’s point of view, will be the one that is:

-suitable for their age as one that is too big scares them.

-in the colours that they like.

-printed with images of their favourite cartoons (for the younger ones).

-similar to that their friends are cycling on (for the older kids).

-meet their purpose, example, BMX for kids who enjoy performing tricks or road bike or fixie for those who enjoy speeding down the road on large wheels or MTBs for those who like to cycle on rough terrains.

From different parents’ point of view (I have met many), the best bicycle for their children will be the one:

-that is safest to ride on, which is usually smaller in size than the one recommended by the bike shop
because they are worried that their children cannot handle them and will be hurt.

-that is the cheapest one in the shop because they are frugal or they have a budget to meet.

-that is easy or not costly to maintain, example, with no gear components installed because they do not trust that their children will take care of the bike well.

-that can also be ridden by other members in the family because they are practical or there are too many members in the family to get each child a bike.

-that have more accessories installed like carrier, mudguards, bell and basket.

-that comes with lots of free gifts like helmet, bell and lights.

From a bike shop owner’s point of view, the best bike for children will be one:

-that the child can ride over a longer period of time (but that is bad for my business).

-that can be shared amongst siblings and, if possible, adults in the family (but that is bad for my business).

-that are installed with carrier, basket , mudguards, bell, front and rear light for children who rides to school or run errands on them.

If you are looking in that direction, consider getting adult folding bikes for your children. As you can see, the seat post and stem height on a folding bike are adjustable to cater to riders of various heights.  This also allows the cyclist to sit in a more upright position.

So, an adult folding bike in wheel size of:

-12″ and 14″ can be ridden by a child age 4.

-16″ can be ridden by a child age 5 and above.

-20″ can also be ridden by a child age 6 till adulthood.

Also, the handlebars on some folding bicycles can be removed if they are bolted on to the stems or there is a quick release mechanism to release them from their stems.

If the distance from the seat to the handlebar is too far to reach. it allows the parent to replace the current handlebar to one that is curved towards a shorter rider in the family.

There are adult bicycles in the market with smaller wheel size that their children can also ride on. This is a 16″ wheel size bicycle made for the Japanese market. A child age 5 or above should be able to ride on it.

This is also made for the Japanese market. Its rear wheel is 16″ while the front is 24″.

Some 20″ wheel size bicycles for children can also be ridden by adults. A child age 6 should not have any problem cycling on a 20″ wheel size BMX.  However, if the top tube length is too long, the handlebar can be pushed towards a shorter rider to enable him to reach it.

Just note that getting the child a BMX with a longer top tube length means that he will be able to ride it for a longer period of time.

When the child is taller replace the seat post to one that is laid back.  The increased distance from the saddle to the handlebar will make the child's ride more comfortable.

The carrier on this 20″ wheel size bicycle can handle load as it is welded to the frame. This is a suitable bicycle for a child who rides to school or have to run errands on it.  

Changes can be made to a bicycle to meet the purpose for buying it.  For example, the customer of the above bicycle, opt to attached a removable padded rear seat to the bicycle so that she can ferry her younger sibling. The original saddle was replaced with one that is larger so that seniors in her family can sit on it comfortably. A stem extender was also added to increase the height of the handlebar so that someone taller in the family can ride on it with comfort.

Here is another 20″ wheel size, low cost and low maintenance bicycle to consider getting for children age 6 and adults to ride on.  It looks like a folding bike as its top tube is low. 

If you plan on getting a bicycle for your child to ride to school on, consider getting one with full mudguards installed as it rains all year round in Malaysia. 

What is the best bike for a child age 5?

If you know the age of the child, you can refer to this "bicycle chart" to determine the right wheel size bicycle to buy.  A 16" wheel size bicycle will be suitable for a child age 5.

Note that if you get the child a 12” bicycle when he should be riding on a 16”, his legs will ache due to fatigue as the saddle is too close to the handlebar for him to ride comfortably. He will often stand on the pedals to cycle to ease the ache. The PVC pedals installed will not be able to withstand his full weight on them. So, if you have to replace the pedals frequently, you will know that the child has outgrown his bicycle or you have bought the wrong size bike. 

Bicycles with wheel size of 12” right up to 16” will have training wheels already installed on them. There are also 12″ bicycle with removable rod attached so you can hold on to the rod while the child learns to ride.

This is very helpful when it is time to remove the training wheels as the child may still need support.  Without the rod, you may have to lean over to hold on to the handlebar and saddle to assist the child.

If you opt for a 12” balance bike you will have to note the age range the model is suitable for. Example, the JDBug models I carry is suitable for children age 2.5 to 5 years and can take a rider’s weight load of up to 30kg. There is also an option to install pedals when these are required at a later stage. So, if you decide to get a balance bike, you will have to study what is suitable for a child age 5.

I noticed that children enjoy choosing bicycles in my shop. They will try to find the kind of bicycles that their friends are cycling. They will be even happier if they can find bicycles in colours of their choice or with cartoon characters they like.

If it is possible, bring the child to a bikeshop.  Let him sit on the bicycle of his choice. Does he feel comfortable on it? Is the bicycle too big and heavy for him? You will know that it is not suitable if he has difficulty pedaling it.

There are a great variety of bicycles for kids in the market. Make sure that the regular bicycle you choose comes with mudguards and a bell attached. The child will be able to sit in a more upright position if you get him a bicycle installed with BMX handlebars like this.

Add front and rear lights if he intends to ride out at night. If it is within your budget, also provide the child with a protector set.

Which one is the best balance bike for my toddlers?

Not all balance bikes are built the same. Some are more expensive than the other.

Through my experience selling JDBug Balance Bike, though it is indicated that child of age 2.5 years can start ridding on it, so far, only 3 years old kids are tall enough to ride. This is because the average height of Asian children is lower than that of children from Europe.



Read up on the material used to produce the balance bike. If it is made of steel will your child be hurt if he or she keeps falling while riding on it because it is heavier? It is best to bring your child to the shop selling the balance bike you are interested in to give it a test ride. Find out the maximum weight load it can take and the warranty period extended. Ask if there are replacement parts for it, especially for the tyres and tubes. Ask if they of common size so that you can easily find them in other bike stores near your home.

I noticed that quite a number of kids still can’t ride without the training wheels attached though they are old enough to ride a 20″ bike. Here is an option for children too tall to learn to ride with a balance bike.

This is the Scoot and Ride which has worn the Toy Award in 2015. It can take a weight load of 50kg.


Once your child no longer needs it as a push/balance bike, he or she can continue ridding it as scooter, possibly even after age 15.

What size BMX bike should I get?

Children age six and above should not have any problem cycling on a 20" BMX.  If the toptube is 18" to 20" in length, a child of 5ft 3in in height should still be able to ride on the bike comfortably.

The good part about BMX is that if you opt for a larger size bike and the reach is too far for you at the moment, its handlebar is high and can be moved forward nearer towards you as you sit on the saddle.

Sit on the BMX of your choice, adjust the seatpost so that the tip of your feet touches the floor while you sit on the saddle. Place your hands on the handlebar and feel if it is a comfortable reach for you. Adjust the handlebar forward if it is too far away. Note that your arms should be stretched out comfortably. If your elbows are bent as you hold the handlebar, look for one with a longer toptube length.

In choosing wheel size, make sure that it is easy for you to find the tyres and tubes when replacements are required. Some tyres with size in fractions maybe difficult to find. Examples of such sizes are 20x1 3/8, 20x1 1/8, 24x1 3/8, 24x1 1/8, 26x1 1/8. 

How do you protect bicycle tyres from cracking?

If you want to protect your bicycle tyres, avoid doing things to them that will age and dry them out and cause them to crack.

You should:

1) keep bicycle indoor to avoid exposure to the sun's heat or rain.

2) use the proper air pressure (PSI) which is noted on the sidewall of your tyres to prevent overstretching them out.

3) not wash your tyres excessively with chemical cleaners that will remove waxes and other chemical compound the manufacturer used to protect the surface. If you like your tyres looking clean and new, shop around for polish or wax for tyres that will protect or prevent dirt and mud from sticking to them easily.

4) ride on your bicycle regularly so that the tyres are stretched to maintain their flexibility.

5) inflate the tyres at least every 2 weeks even if you are not cycling your bicycle.

6) remove and hang your wheels up if you do not plan to cycle for a long period of time to prevent weight of your bicycle sitting on the tyres. You can also find other ways to store your bicycle, eg, hang it up on the ceiling, like what one of my customers is doing as he rides during the weekends and only when he is free.

24 INCH BICYCLES FOR AGE 9-13

A 26" bicycle should be comfortable for any one below the height of 5' 6".  A competent rider of 10 years of age should not have any problem mounting one to cycle.

But if height is an issue, there is always the 24" bicycle to consider.  Just make sure that when the rider straddle over the bicycle, his or her crotch is not rubbing hard against the toptube.  We do not want the cyclist to be hurt badly should he or she take a fall.

Similar 24" bicycles for kids can be purchased online at Amazon.

Kids' bikes are here

Just received these.  Cute for age 4-5.

Sweet for the young lady in the house with basket and carrier installed.

Not forgetting the boys looking for the sporty bike.

See anything you like?