THE ULTIMATE BMX BUYERS GUIDE

In this day and age buying a new BMX bike no matter what size can be a little overwhelming since there’s so many great options available.

With decades of experience within the bike world we’ve put the work in for this article to help you get a good idea of what bike might suit your requirements.

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BALANCE BIKES / 2-5 YEARS OLD  APPROX. PRICE RANGE: $250 - $500

Balance bikes are true to their name being just that! A bike for the young riders to be able to stand over and learn to balance safely along with learning more skills such as steering a bike before moving on a pedal powered bike!

Currently our favourite choice when it comes to balance bikes is the DK Nano as it has a lower stand over height making it easier for a new riders to stand over the bike and it also has a great price for what you get.

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12" BMX BIKES / 2-7 YEARS OLD (65cm - 90cm)  APPROX. PRICE RANGE: $450 - $800

12 inch bikes are a great step up from learning the basic skills on the balance bike. One of the best things about 12” bikes is that they give you the option of running training wheels if needed.

Some may find it possible to skip straight to the 14 inch bike if training wheels aren’t needed and your child is tall enough to feel comfortable.

We really like the 12” Colony Horizon because of its lightweight Alloy frame helping the younger riders not yet ready for a heavier bike when not necessarily needed.

Popular upgrade options for 12” bikes:

• Colony mini Pivotal slim seat (Available here)

• Salt Kids brake lever (Available here)

• Family F2128 Coloured tyres (Available here)

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14" BMX BIKES / 4-7 YEARS OLD (75cm - 105cm) APPROX. PRICE RANGE $450 - $800

When it comes to 14 inch BMX bikes the range of options is ever growing which is great for young riders as it helps you find something that really suits your needs. The first thing you should look out for when comparing the bikes is the material the frame is made from.  For example both the Colony Horizon and Cult Juvi have Alloy frames which are lighter than some of the other options which are Hi-Ten steel. There’s no right or wrong answer in the choice there, it ultimately comes down in price because lightweight almost always also equals more cost.

One thing to take into account is the top tube length AKA “TT”. You’ll find that most 14” bikes have a TT length of around 13.9” but in case your child is a little taller for this age bracket the Cult Juvi has a TT of 14.5” Which is a good thing to know.

Popular upgrade options for 14” bikes:

• Salt Kids brake lever (Available here)

• Salt Tracer coloured tyres (Available here)

• DRS Junior grips (Available here)

• Salt Junior Pedals (Available here)

Check out our detailed 14 inch bikes comparison guide here.

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16" BMX BIKES / 5-9 YEARS OLD (90cm - 115cm) APPROX. PRICE RANGE: $450 - $2,200

The 16 inch bikes range is where more options become available, you can really get a bike that suits your needs. The past few years has seen the riding level of some riders on 16” bikes explode so the spec’s of the bikes have needed to cater for that.

If you’re just looking for a bike that is just needed for general bike riding such as to and from school then something like the Division Blitzer would be a great option for you due to it’s price point. However if you’re looking for something that a young rider can rip on and progress than you have some great options as well such as the Colony Horizon or the We The People Seed. The Colony Horizon boasts an Alloy frame for lightweight and sealed hubs which is great for less maintenance, where as the WTP Seed has a High-Ten frame for extra strength.

There is also the king of the castle in the form of the Colony Sweet Tooth Elite which is in a league of its own being spec’d to a PRO level build that can handle anything you throw at it.

Most 16” bikes have a TT length of around 16” and a rear end of 11”, the Cult Juvi has a slightly longer TT of 16.5”.

Popular upgrade options for 16” bikes:

• SaltPlus Short Pivotal seat (Available here)

• Cult X Vans tyres (Available here)

• Colony Variant 35mm reach stem (Available here)

• Colony Venator cranks - 127mm (Available here)

• Salt Junior Pedals (Available here)

• Colony Pintour wheels (Available here)

• Colony Sweet Tooth 7" rise bars (Available here)

Check out our detailed 16 inch bikes comparison guide here.

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18" BMX BIKES / 6-12 YEARS OLD (110cm - 145cm) APPROX. PRICE RANGE $450 - $2,200

18 inch bikes are a great stepping stone before jumping on a 20”, you may also find young riders wont grow out of an 18” bike as quick as smaller sized bikes because 18” bikes also have a lot more options when it comes to customisation as more and more brands are producing quality aftermarket parts for them.

When it comes to frame spec, most bikes in the 18” range are very similar having around an 18” TT and 12” rear end length. If you were looking for something slightly longer than that then you could check out the Sunday Primer as it has an 18.5” TT, or at the other end of the size scale the Colony Horizon has a 17.9” TT.

Our pick for best value for money 18" bike would be the Academy Inspire because of it's $649.99 price tag but coming standard with sealed hubs and double wall rims.

Popular upgrade options for 18” bikes are:

• Colony 18” Sweet Tooth forks (Available here)

• Cult Max Vu 43mm reach stem (Available here)

• Colony Sweet Tooth 8" rise bars (Available here)

• DRS Arrow FS Camo tyres (Available here)

• SaltPlus Summit Wheels (Available here)

• Colony Venator cranks - 140mm (Available here)

Check out our detailed 18 inch bikes comparison guide here.

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When you step up to the 20 inch bike range you have a vast array of options which is why we’ve gapped out the choices into 2 different size categories.

20" BMX BIKES / 13+ YEARS OLD (115cm - 165cm) APPROX. PRICE RANGE $450 - $1,000

The first thing thing to look at when buying a new 20” bike would be the top tube length because this will eliminate some options instantly so that you don’t waste time looking at bikes that aren’t actually the best option for some riders.

Any bike with a top tube length of 20.4” or smaller would be more suited for riders that may be a little too big for an 18” bike so these bikes give you the option of skipping the 18” size and going straight to a 20”

Some of our favourite options for this range of bikes would be The Colony Horizon because it has a 18.9” TT and an Alloy frame for light weight. The Academy Trooper is also a great option when budget is a priority. Or you have a bike like the Fit Series One (SM) which has a top tube of 20.25” but has the look of a top of the line custom bike.

20" BMX BIKES / 13+ YEARS OLD (135cm +)  APPROX. PRICE RANGE: $650 - $2,700

The 20” bikes with a longer top tube of 20.5” or more are where we get serious! You’ll find more bikes with full CrMo frame, forks and bars along with other important features such as sealed hubs and double wall rims.

The We The People Justice is a great option for a mid range priced bike because the parts spec’d on this bike are great with the feel and look of a custom build. If budget is a high priority than the Division Brookside is a great option with a 20.5” TT, the look of a custom bike and has sealed hubs and double wall rims.

When it comes to top end 20” bikes one of the best value for money models is the Colony Rico Pro bike as it’s spec’d incredibly well for the price and also comes standard with brakes and a cassette hub.

Something too look out for when it comes to 20” bikes is to make sure you check if the rear hub is a “Freecoaster” hub or a “cassette” hub as this preference can come down to the rider themselves.

Popular upgrade options for 20” bikes are generally asthetic things to make your bike look like your own build such as the below suggestions which are cheaper ways for your bike to look like a custom:

Grips (Available here)

Tyres (Available here)

Seats (Available here)

Check out our detailed 20 inch bikes comparison guide here.

MORE ABOUT BMX FRAME GEOMETRY

If you dive deep into the spec's of a BMX frame it can get pretty technical so we've created this graphic to easily explain the different measurements a frame has. Out of all of them the "Top Tube Length" would be the most used term when referencing complete bikes.

BMX BIKE SIZING CHART

You can use the chart below as a helpful guide when working out which size BMX bike is best suited for you so that you're not waisting your time looking at bike that won't work for you. 

Generally if you're in-between sizes it's best to go with the larger size so that there is room for growth.

Ulimately you should pop into the shop and test out a few bikes we have built up to get a good idea of how different bike sizes feel in real life.

MORE ABOUT THE MATERIALS USED ON BIKES

Within this article and throughout the product descriptions you’ll see words used such as “CrMo” and “Hi-Ten” when describing what a product is made of. We’ve put together this list of materials used so you the scoop on what is best.

CrMo (AKA Chromoly): You’ll find CrMo commonly used for frames, bars, cranks and forks. In reference to bikes when you see the use of CrMo it means the bike is of a higher quality compared to a bike frame made from Hi-Ten.

Hi-Ten (AKA High Tensile): Like CrMo you’ll find Hi-Ten used for frames, forks and bars. It’s generally used on the low to mid range of bikes because it’s cheaper than CrMo but still strong enough for bikes in this price and age range. It’s also a heavier material compared to CrMo.

Alloy: You wont find Alloy used that often in BMX frames as it’s not as strong as steel but some smaller bikes use Alloy for the frames as they’re bikes for younger kids who are less likely to have any issues with frame strength abd it’s also lighter than Steel so it helps kids with progressing on a bike.

Alloy is commonly used for stems, sprockets, rims and hub shells. There are 2 main types of Alloy used for these products, mainly 6061 because it’s a strong and light material but you might see some products made from 7075 which is even stronger and lighter than 6061 but in tern also costs more.

Nylon (AKA Plastic): At first thought you might think there wouldn’t be any reason to have any plastic parts on your bike but there sure is! Plastic pegs, hub guards and pedals are the most common material used for these parts. They grind better, lighter and last long enough to be worth the cheaper price than say Alloy pedals.

THE ANATOMY OF A BMX BIKE

Get the scoop on the A-Z of what makes parts make up a BMX bike.

SEALED VS LOOSEBALL BEARINGS

When looking for a new bike understanding the difference between sealed bearings and Looseball bearings is very important. There are 4 areas of a bike that have ball bearings… Headset, bottom bracket, rear hub and front hub, in a perfect world having all these areas sealed bearings would be best but that’s not always possible if you’re on a strict budget.

First of all we need to explain the difference… Sealed bearings are encaged in a “sealed” casing protecting them from the elements such as dirt and water. Looseball bearings are generally caged but are not in a sealed case so they are open to the elements which in turn will shorten the life of the bearings. This is why I feel it’s worth spending a little bit extra at the time of purchase to get a bike will only sealed bearings because in minimises maintenance and keeps your bike running smoother for longer.

We hope all this information about BMX bikes has been helpful but as always if you have any questions you are always welcome to contact us and we'll do our best to help out.