I decided to look at popular, “nice bike”, brands – Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, GT, Jamis, etc. Most offer a range of kids bikes, available exclusively through local bike shops. Price points start around $250. While I was not blown away by any particular model, there are some notable advantages of these bikes over department store models:
- Superior overall build quality – tighter frame assembly, higher precision welds, pieces just fit together better
- Aluminum frames and rims – considerably lighter
- Better, lighter components such as brakes, saddle, pedals
- Proper length seatpost allowing you to raise the seat – department store bikes have really short seat posts to save money
- No unnecessary accessories
- Interesting technologies, such as Trek’s “Dialed Fit Design” that provides adjustable pedal positions to accommodate your child’s growth
Knowing that bike shops each carry several major Bicycle brands, I could have visited a handful of shops to have the kids try out various bikes. This would be a perfectly good approach.
Instead, I continued my research to see if I could find something online, through Amazon, an online bike retailer, or direct from a manufacturer. This led me to the kids-only bike maker Woom, available from Amazon and directly online. The geometry on these bikes is designed 100% for kids’ body types, with high-end components and materials. They are super light and more expensive when compared to most other brands of kids bikes. I was curious. I wanted to dig in further to understand why they were more expensive and how it could possibly be worth the extra money.
