Kids Electric Bike Guide: What to Know Before You Buy

There’s nothing that will put a smile on a kid’s face like riding a bike. Now imagine that smile is five times wider, with the aid of the electrical motor pushing them up a hill and a battery helping them ride on the bike longer.

However, riding a bike can be very intimidating to children at first. Children are left on their own to pedal, brake, and shift as soon as they learn to balance.

Undoubtedly, it’s a lot to handle, and many kids are afraid of steep hills and long distances, too.

Kids’ e-bikes can change how children grow up with cycling, making a once-intimidating activity into a fun and confidence-building one.

Are E-Bikes Good for Kids?

Let’s say you planned a family bike ride weekend. You’ve all decided on the destination where you want to go, which has an amazing biking route. Except, it’s not quite going as planned. 

You’ve underestimated one of the hills, and the steep climb makes your child lose motivation. You realize it was too much to ask for your kid’s ability and fitness. 

Shame because the route was ideal otherwise! It’s not easy to find a course that ticks all the boxes for a kid-friendly tour - especially when it comes to hilly or mountainous areas. However, electric bikes are often the answer to this problem.

Whether it’s a biking holiday or just for daily use, electric bikes open up new angles and expand your family’s sphere of activity:

• Your kid conquers mountain stages, and steep climbs become a source of fun! Skilled kids can also work up to riding uphill trails on their electric bikes. The extra assistance often serves as a motivator for the youngest.

• Bike holidays are all about exploring for a whole day. Your child will get to explore new exciting locations and landscapes with ease, preserving energy and keeping up with the grownups.

• Electric bikes are a solution for daily routes that are too far or too steep to tackle with a standard bicycle. Everything that implies covering a distance is easier with an e-bike.

• An alternative to car use, electric bikes are a significantly greener, healthier, and cheaper way to move around the town. Lowering your carbon footprint while helping your health is an absolute win.

Furthermore, regular outdoor activity is beneficial for our bodies and helps your kid’s overall development. However, not all kids are the same, and some enjoy partaking in sports activities more than others. Smartphones, game consoles, tablets, and TV pose as rivals for kids' time when it comes to the outdoors. 

With so many gadgets competing for children’s attention, bikes might not always be the first option. So, this is where you’ll need to devise an alternative that provides as much fun as sitting in front of a screen and playing video games. Electric bikes are the answer, and believe us, your young one won’t need much persuasion. 

Even with a minimal fitness level, your kid won't resist the fun an e-bike offers. With each pedal stroke, your kid’s fitness will improve as they’ll be burning calories while having a fantastic time. 

Another major bonus to electric bikes is the decreased ride time. Riding to the desired location with your child will be significantly faster, meaning you can pick times that suit you best! With an electric bike, you can go for an early evening sunset ride with an electric bike to avoid the midday summer heat.

Safety Considerations for Kids Riding E-Bikes

One of the most crucial things you can do when buying an electric bike for children is to make sure that your young ones understand that the e-bike isn’t merely a toy.

Being overly cautious is a good thing when making sure your kids are familiar with the electric bike and where they can ride it before letting them ride on the streets or on some off-road trails.

If you’re getting your kid a basic pedal assist, ensure your child knows how the motor works, how the digital display works, and when is the best time to break. It’s probably a good idea to ride with your young one or take your kid somewhere to practice. This way, your child will get a feel for the e-bike before going on the road or into the hills. 

If you’re getting your kid a class 2 electric bike, it might be worth looking for a proficiency course in your local area to enroll in. 

Many parents worry about the speed electric bikes can reach, but in most class 1 and 2 e-bikes, your kid can only peddle as fast as he can. However, if you get a class 3 electric bike, the throttle speed can pose a safety hazard for your kid. But don’t worry; most children’s electric bikes are safe since they’re class 1 and 2.

When purchasing an electric bike for your young one, another important thing you should consider is safety gear, because the proper safety helmet and other safety equipment can make an enormous difference if your kid should fall down from the bike.

When it comes to choosing the adequate helmet for your young one, remember that not all bike helmets are produced equal. As a matter of fact, any helmet that you’ll find in retail stores is created with the non-motorized bike rider in mind.

If your kid is riding an electric bike that goes over 20mph, look for a helmet that meets Dutch NTA 8776 safety standards, or you can even get a light DOT-approved motorcycle helmet.

Additionally, try to get a brightly colored safety helmet, preferably one your child thinks looks cool. Not only will you increase the likelihood of your kid wearing it, but it will also help make your kid more visible on the street.

Kids Electric Bikes Price

Electric bikes for children can cost anywhere from $200 all the way up to $4,000. Many elements go into the kid's e-bike price including materials used, motor, battery, and components.

Should I Buy the Cheapest E-Bike for My Kid?

Whether or not you should get your kid the cheapest e-bike depends obviously on your budget but also on the age of your kid.

Affordable electric bikes for kids are usually smaller and less powerful as they are crafted for younger kids. The more expensive ones are crafted from lightweight materials, have long-lasting battery life, and come with more powerful motors, making them better suited for older children.

If you’re looking to get an electric bike for your kid, we recommend going for one that comes with high-quality components that will ensure your kid’s safety.

How to Choose the Right E-Bike

Before purchasing an electric bike, it’s crucial to understand several factors, one of them being the differences between the three classes of electric bikes available on the market.

Class I

The motor on Class I electric bikes can’t assist the rider above 20mph. While riders can pedal to accelerate the bike faster, the engine won’t provide additional assistance once this speed is reached.

These electric bikes also can’t have a throttle, so the bike’s motor can only be activated by pedaling, and the rider must continuously pedal for the motor to work. Most electric bikes sold in big-box shops are Class I e-bikes.

All kid’s electric bikes are also Class I, but for additional safety, they usually have a lower speed point at which the motor will stop assisting. For example, the woom UP electric bike maxes out at 12mph.

Class II

Like the previous class of e-bikes, the motor on Class II bikes can only assist up to 20mph. However, the main difference is that Class II electric bikes come with a throttle that enables the rider to turn on the bike’s motor and accelerate forward without having to pedal the bike. Also, the rider can opt to not use the throttle and trigger the motor by the pedals.

Class III

Class III electric bikes can assist up to the speed of 28 mph when pedaling, but only provide assistance up to 20mph when utilizing the throttle. Because of their higher speeds, these e-bikes are the most regulated ones and are generally limited to street use only.

Electric Bike Sizing

Size is a big factor you should consider before buying your kid an e-bike, as trying to ride an electric bike that’s either too big or too small can be a lot more difficult for a rider.

Like standard kid's bikes, kid’s electric bikes are sized according to the size of the wheels. So if your kid is riding a 24″ bike, they’ll most likely fit on a 24″ e-bike.

It’s important to take maximum and minimum seat heights into consideration since they can vary quite a bit within a wheel size, based on the brand.

When choosing an electric bike for kids, you should take your child’s inseam and height into consideration so you can get the best fitting e-bike.

Kid Electric Bikes Weight

Another important factor to keep in mind before buying an e-bike for your kid is weight, especially since electric bikes can be quite heavy.

What this means is that it’ll be very challenging for most kids to lift up an e-bike, especially over their heads.

This is an important factor to consider if your kid will ever be having to lift their e-bike up - whether walking it up the stairs, packing it into the car, or lifting it over a fallen tree on a mountain trail.

Lightweight electric bikes that are designed for kids usually come with smaller batteries and smaller motors. So, they are perfect for shorter commutes and mountain bike rides.

Bigger and heavier kids’ electric bikes are best suited for long-distance rides due to their additional power level and extended battery life.

It’s also recommended that an adult is present on these rides since the small rider will potentially have difficulties picking up the bike in certain situations.

Read next: How Old Do Kids need to be to ride an electric bike?

Mid-drive Motor vs. Rear Hub Motor

The motor on e-bikes can be located in three different places: 

1. Within the hub of the front wheel 

2. Within the hub of the rear wheel 

3. At the bike’s bottom bracket 

Rear hub motors are the most common on low to mid-range electric bikes, whereas mid-drive motors come standard on most high-end electric bikes. Bikes that have front hub motors aren’t that common.

For basic riding on pavement, electric bikes that have rear-hub motors will do just fine. These bikes are generally much cheaper compared to bikes with mid-drive motors. However, rear hub motors can throw off the bike’s weight distribution. 

As a result, bikes that feature mid-drive motors are always recommended. In addition to being located on the bike center, they’re also placed lower, therefore aiding to lower the center of gravity of the e-bike.

Another bonus of mid-drive motor e-bikes is that it’s much easier to repair or replace the bike’s rear tire. With a rear hub motor, removing or repairing a rear wheel is technically possible, but it takes a lot more time and effort to do so.

What Are the Best Electric Bikes for Kids?

The following e-bikes are carefully and masterfully crafted and are passed through all sorts of quality and safety tests to guarantee these machines are safe for your children’s use. 

From balance and acceleration to braking and comfort, every element of these electric bikes is created to keep kids’ comfort and safety in mind.

Let’s take a look at the best choices for kid's electric bikes available for sale:

What Age Does My Child Have to Be to Ride an Electric Bike?

Legally speaking, there are various laws regarding children and e-bikes, based on the state or country. In most US states, a child must be at least 14-16 years old to ride an e-bike, and some states require them to have a special license.

However, some US states have no minimum age requirements. In addition, laws may also be based on the electric bike’s classification (Class I, II, or III). Keep in mind that states frequently rewrite laws and add or take away regulations.

Therefore, it’s always a good idea to check local laws before giving your kid an electric bike.

Once you’re certain your kid is old enough to ride an electric bike where you live, it’s time to consider other questions surrounding kids riding e-bikes. For example, can a kid safely ride one? 

Ultimately, electric bikes will provide your kids with much-needed exercise. Not only that but riding around the town or on some off-road trails will offer a fun experience. 

The main advantage of these bikes is that they are powered by electricity, enabling kids to tackle hills easily. Your kid can get around the town much faster with an electric bike.

However, select the good e-bike for your kid’s capabilities, as some models can be quite heavy, making it more challenging to handle and carry upstairs if needed. 

Another important thing to remember is that safety should always be first - getting the proper safety equipment is extremely important.

Conclusion

Spending money on something your kid will enjoy is not wasted. So, if you want your young one to have real fun, check out electric bikes for kids and select the best one for your young thrill-seeker.

Riding an e-bike around the town or off-road is a great alternative to the long hours of screen time children these days are involved in.

That said, choosing the perfect electric bike for your kid should be on par with all the safety measures - make sure your kid has all the necessary safety equipment before you let them go on the road.

Use this article to select the best e-bike for kids and show your young one some new ways to have fun and be active!

Until next time - happy riding!