Bike Size for Preschooler

I think 12" is too small for a 4 year old. I would go with the 16". Coming from a trike, it is going to take her a little time to adjust to a two wheeler with training wheels. If you have a flat enough driveway, have her practice steering and stopping there for a few days before you go for any bike rides. That way she will be more comfortable.

My daughter turned 4 in February and is on a 16" bike. Which she can ride great and is very comfortable on. She started off on a 12" bike last summer when she was 3.

My daughter is 5 years old, 38 pounds, and 42 inches tall. She had a 12 inch last year but now it looks too small for her, so she just got a 16 inch and can ride it very well. It was from Toys R Us, and the sales person helped us choose the correct size. I believe they also had a 14 inch. I do think you're better off skipping the 12 inch because it will soon be too small. Good luck!

Well, it kind of depends on what your/her goals are with the bike. If you want her to ride without training wheels soon, smaller is better because she'll have more confidence and control. If you plan to keep the trainers on for a couple of years and THEN have her learn to ride without them, go with a bigger bike that will be truer to size when that time comes.

If you're not sure, a 14" sounds like a good option, but they are much harder to find (so you might not be able to get her the color or style she prefers).

My son rode a 12" push bike for a month and then went straight to a 12" bicycle (no training wheels). The bike was on the small side for him (he was 3 but tall for his age) but it was important for him to be able to put both feet flat on the ground so he could feel in control of the bike. Now, (4yo) he rides a 16" bike (but he's also outrageously tall).

HTH.
T.

You will need to buy her a couple of bikes over the next couple of years. She needs to be able to touch the ground on both sides with at least her toes touching while sitting on the seat... She will need to not touch the bar when standing. If you get the middle size it should work fine but I bought the 12" then went up to the 16" when she grew just before Kindergarten.

If she recently had a big growth spurt then you'll be safe for about 6-8 months or so then she should have another but not the big one in Kindergarten.

There is no 14" bikes. Go with the 16". It'll last her a lot longer!

I get my kids the right size for them. At that age 12 inch is good. She more than likely will keep training wheels on til at least next year. It will be much easier to teach her how to ride a 2 wheeler bike that is size appropriate. Otherwise she will not feel secure if the bike is to big. I would look into getting a used bike from a garage sale or craigslist til she is secure enough for a bigger bike. I bought one last year for my dghtr that looks brand new, she will never know.

My almost-5 yr old is slightly smaller than your daughter. She's outgrown her 12" bike and is ready for a bigger one. If you can find 14" that might be right... but if you need to go to 16", I bet your daughter will handle it in no time.