Kids Bikes

High Quality Junior bikes
from Cycle Heaven
At Cycle Heaven we believe that you should give as much consideration to the purchase of a child's bike as you would to one for yourself.

"For me the benefits of kid's bikes are worth every penny. I'd much rather they were on their bikes enjoying the benefits of fresh air and exercise than cooped up in their rooms with a Playstation."

"We don't want anything too expensive, he'll only… grow out of it / trash it / get it nicked."

We hear words such as these on a regular basis. If like us, you agree with the first, then welcome to Cycle Heaven. If you agree with the second, then read on...

At Cycle Heaven we believe bikes to be objects of great intrinsic utility and value. In our shop you will find the kind of bikes that most embody these characteristics - high quality bikes. If we don't compromise on the quality of the adult bikes that we stock why should our kids have second best?

By contrast, many dealers and manufacturers seem to build bikes down to the expectations embodied in our second quote. The sad result is usually a product of poor quality that weighs more than most adult bikes. Perhaps it's because they don't have to ride them.

Why's cycling important for kids?

Healthy
With the decline of school sports, cycling may be the only form of regular exercise that your child will get.

Their Independence
In an age of the cosseted, chauffeured upbringing, riding their own bike is a child's first taste of real independence.

Mobility
A bike may be your child's only form of personal transport.

Togetherness
Many of our customers say that cycling is one of the few active pursuits that they can all do as a family and all enjoy.

Their Future
Cycling doesn't just bring personal benefits. Recent floods in York have made us all aware of our own impact on the environment. Everyone stands to gain from an increase in cycling, so why not get your kids off to a good start. What kid of world will they inherit?

Why Buy a Quality Junior Bike?
What you get for your money…
High quality kid's bikes are worth every penny. As with adult bikes you get what you pay for…

Great quality bikes will last longer...
Some argue that durability is not important with a junior bike, as kids will inevitably grow out of them. However, if bought at the right time, a junior bike should last at least 2 - 3 years. Some designs of junior bikes have a low stepover frame design which will allow for more growing room than standard. Most of our kids' bikes also feature lacquered over graphics which will ensure that they keep their good looks. Finally, quality bikes last - they can be handed down or sold on, rather than thrown away.

A bike is not Just for Christmas:
good quality gets used...
Experience has taught us that kids are far more likely to use a bike that works well and is a pleasure to ride. Our best kid's bikes will deliver objectively better performance than the competition, due to their lighter weight and better quality components. They will also be less prone to breakdown. These days quality also goes hand in hand with branding, and it is perhaps a sad fact of contemporary life that even the youngest kids are now brand aware. If they are embarrassed about it's brand however, the bike won't get used!

Right Fit

Suspension or Not?
Your kids will inevitably pester you for suspension
- as much of it as possible!

Suspension exists for three reasons:
1) To increase comfort.
2) To increase performance.
3) To look cool.

On most bikes the only real benefit is No. 3 - style or rather, for the sake of your children's street cred with their mates. The suspension on cheap junior bikes will definitely not enhance the performance of the bike - more likely it will detract from it. Low quality suspension adds extra weight to the bike and is generally quite sticky and unresponsive, making the machine harder to pedal and control, with only small gains in comfort. This could be a significant disadvantage if you like to go out on longish rides as a family, as it is likely that your child will be riding a bike that weighs more than yours!

On the other hand, if your child's street cred does play on your conscience (and your peace and quiet), suspension might well be a benefit worth paying for! As with our adult bikes, we only stock high quality full suspension kids bikes - for which you can expect to pay more.

Back Pedal Brakes?
Some of the kids' bikes that we sell come equipped with 'back pedal' rear brakes. Coaster brakes, as they are called, are unusual in the UK but very common on the continent even on adult bikes. Their advantages are that they are easy and intuitive to use, powerful, durable and low maintenance. They are particularly good for kids' bikes as many of the youngest kids don't have the strength to pull a lever brake (even when they are correctly proportioned). They are also easy to use and as they a rear brakes don't involve the risk of flying over the handlebars. you will find them on all of our starter bikes and all of our kids' cruisers.

Finally, consider this:
The cost of…

An XBox 360 Elite: £260
Average cost of one game for a 360: £40.00

A 10 year old kids' bike from Cycle Heaven: £219.99
(with one year's free servicing)

What we offer:

Training cycle with 12" wheel - no pedals
Rigid: Ridegback Scoot 12" £89.99

For 3 - 5 Years old: with 12", 14" or 16" wheel
Rigid: Scott Contessa/Voltage 12" £169.99
Rigid: Ridgeback Honey (14") Girls £129.99
Rigid: Ridgeback MX14 £129.99
Rigid: Scott Contessa 16" £179.99
Rigid: Scott Voltage 16" £199.99
Rigid: Ridgeback MX16 Boys £139.99
Rigid: Ridgeback Melody Girls (16") £139.99
Rigid: Electra Mini Rod/Hawaii (16" cruiser) £159.99

For 6 - 8Years old: with 20" wheel
Full Suspension: Scott Spark Jr 20 £329.99
Front Suspension: Scott Scale Junior 20 £279.99
Front Suspension: Scott Contessa 20" £249.99
Front Suspension: Scott Voltage 20" £259.99
Front Suspension: Ridgeback MX20 Boys £199.99
Front Suspension: Ridgeback Harmony Girls £199.99
Rigid: Electra Rat Rod/Hawaii (20" cruiser) £219.99

For 7 - 11 Years old: with 24" wheel
City Bike: Gazelle Whale/Shark £319.99

For 8 - 11 Years old: with 24" wheel
Full Suspension: Scott Spark RC Jr 24 £899.99
Full Suspension: Scott Spark Jr 24 £399.99
Front Suspension: Scott Scale Junior 24" £329.99
Front Suspension: Scott Voltage Jnr 24" LTD £499.99
Front Suspension: Scott Voltage Jnr 24" £349.99
Front Suspension: Scott Contessa Jnr 24" £279.99
Front Suspension: Ridgeback MX24 Boys £219.99
Front Suspension: Ridgeback Destiny Girls £219.99

For 9 - 14 years old: with 26" wheel
City Bike: Gazelle Shark/Whale 3 £399.99 (see Dutch bikes)

For larger 10-14 years old: with 26" wheel
(These are technically adult bikes, but many are available right down to XS or XXS and are very very popular! See the Mountain bike section for further details).
Front Suspension: Scott Voltage YZ2 £299.99

Front Suspension: Ridgeback MX2 £249.99
After this it's adult bikes!

Full Suspension Junior Bikes

Scott Spark Jnr 24 £309.99
Full suspension, full aluminium, full on sports geometry, the Spark Jr is not just for those kids who want to keep up with dad - it's for those who want to leave him standing. It's a scaled down version of the Scott Spark and is therefore the ultimate in Junior full suspension. 21 speeds with twistshift controls and Shimano Alivio/Tourney transmission.
For the serious off road family.

Scott Spark Jnr 20 ('08 shown) £329.99
20" version or the Spark 24 with 12 speed gears.

Front Suspension Junior Bikes

Ridgeback MX24 Boys £219.99
With a lightweight aluminium frame, this 21 speed 24" wheel hardtail bike comes in cool grey.

Ridgeback Destiny 24" Girls White (pictured)
Ridgeback Destiny 24" Girls Pastel Green £219.99
Same lightweight aluminium as the boys MX24 but available in two colours!

Scott Scale Jnr 24 £329.99
Full on high specification racing hardtail for kids. Whether it's for sprog-racing or pounding the fells, you know at last they'll have the kit to match. Racing geometry and a lightweight aluminium frame are the key to its great handling. For confident young mountain bikers

Scott Voltage Jnr 24 £289.99
High spec and bombproof junior urban bike with 18 gears.

Scott Contessa Jnr 24 £279.99
Great looking and stylish girl's mountain bike.

Ridgeback MX20 Boys £199.99

Smaller wheeled (20") 5 speed bike for 6 to 9 year olds, similar geometry to its older brother, with equally light alluminium frame, suspension and brakes.

Ridgeback Harmony 20" Girls £199.99
Lightweight aluminium 5 speed; 20" wheels and funky purple colour!

Scott Scale Jnr 20 £279.99
Pretty much the sportiest 20" hardtail available, with 12 speed gears. The emphasis here is on lightweight.

Scott Voltage Jnr 20 £259.99
Bomproof 12 speed package for little bombers!

Scott Contessa Jnr 20 £249.99
Gorgeous little lightweight girls mountain bike.

Rigid Junior Bikes

Ridgeback Scoot £89.99
Start them offf on the basics of balance with this great value lightweight aluminium training cycle. It's available in four colours. Each one comes with a short and a long seatpost to accomodate growing tots.

Electra Rat Rod 20" Cruiser £219.99
Stylish and easy to ride. The laid back angles of a cruiser make it easier for your child to touch the ground. Easy to ride with robust construction - including steel mudguards and a chainguard. Single speed with back pedal brake for easy intuitive learning. All models come with lever operated front brakes (not shown). Suprisingly practical.

Electra Hawaii 20" Cruiser £219.99
Simple, pretty and fun to ride. The laid back angles of a cruiser make it easier for your child to touch the ground. Easy to ride with robust construction - including steel mudguards and a chainguard. Single speed with front lever brake and a back pedal brake for easy intuitive learning. All these features make from an unexpectedly practical kid's bike.

Electra Rat Fink 20" Cruiser (and others) £269.99
OK, so not quite as practical as the other cruisers (look at that mudguard!), but what fun. Fat, fat tyres and triple clamp chromed forks make this the one for junior dude. Like the othersthe laid back angles make it easier for the rider to reach the ground. Single speed with a front lever operated brake and a back pedal brake for easy, intuitive learning.The Rat Fink is just one 'themed' model available for kids - see the Electra website for details of the others.

Ridgeback MX16 Boys £124.99
Lightweight aluminium single speed: his first proper bike!

Ridgeback Melody 16" Girls £124.99
Lightweight aluminium single speed: her first proper bike!

Scott Voltage Jnr 16 £199.99
Striking 16" boy's single speed with stabilisers. Back pedal brake for easy intuitive learning.

Scott Contessa Jnr 16 £179.99
Colourful 16" girl's single speed with stabilisers. Back pedal brake for easy intuitive learning.

Electra Mini Rod 16" Cruiser £159.99
Stylish and eay to ride. The laid back angles of a cruiser make it easier for your child to touch the ground. Easy to ride with robust construction - including steel mudguards and a chainguard. Single speed with back pedal brake for easy intuitive learning.

Electra Hawaii16" Cruiser £159.99
Stylish and eay to ride. The laid back angles of a cruiser make it easier for your child to touch the ground. Easy to ride with robust construction - including steel mudguards and a chainguard. Single speed with a back pedal brake for easy intuitive learning.

Ridgeback MX 14" £119.99
Lightweight aluminium single speed: try smaller boys on this size of wheel instead of a 12".

Ridgeback Honey 14" Girls £119.99
Lightweight aluminium single speed: try smaller girls on this size of wheel instead of a 12".

Scott Voltage Jnr 12 £169.99
Chunky 12" single speed with stabilisers. Back pedal brake for easy intuitive learning.

Scott Contessa Jnr 12 £169.99
Sweet 12" single speed with stabilisers. Back pedal brake for easy intuitive learning.

For full specification on Ridgeback Junior bikes follow this link:
www.ridgeback.co.uk

For full specification on Scott Junior bikes follow this link:
www.scottusa.com

For full specification on Electra Junior Cruisers follow this link: www.electrabike.com

For more information on suspension: