What Size Bike for a 12 Year Old?

OK you have a 12 year old nipper who needs a bike? Well you came to the right place! We are passionate about getting kids on the (right sized) bikes. Whether it's a BMX park/street bike, a BMX race bike, a mountain bike or a jump bike - we can help.

Firstly, we have to say, if you possibly can try a bike in person you s should do that, we have a physical shop right in Wigan town centre, next to the train stations. Anyway, let's get started:

So, How Tall is a 12 year old?
The internet says that the average height for a 12-year-old is:
4' 7" / 140cm to 5' 5" / 163.5cm for females
4' 6" / 137cm to  5' 3" / 161cm for males
So, now we'd got that out of the way...

BMX Sizing
For "regular" BMX bikes that are used for skatepark or street riding. The first thing you have to get your head around here is that BMX wheel sizing DOES NOT equate to regular bikes - so if your kid had a 20" kids moiuntain bike, it DOES NOT MEAN you'll need a 20" BMX bike. Remember, adults 6'+ ride BMX bikes with 20" wheels. So with the average 12 years old, they'd typically be moving onto a 20" wheeled bike (up from an 18" wheel around age 10). However, you'd want a shorter toptube frame size, between 19" and 20.25". You can actually filter this on our website and here are the results:
Simple as that!

Our best selling bike in this size is by far and away the GT Slammer:

How Long before they Outgrow it?
With about a 20" toptube frame that should be good for a few years, and if just riding casually they'd get away with it for most o their teens. Also, keep in mind just how great BMX bikes are for kids - no gears, suspension and disc brakes to go wrong and they are built to take abuse. 

BMX Race Bikes
There is probably no more imporant bike to get the sizing right with than a BMX race bike. There really is no way to get a size up so they can grow into it, everyhing will be wrong, not just with the frame size and weight, but the handlebar size, crank length and gearing, so you have to get this right, there is no way around it. 

So for the average 12 year old, we are looking at an Expert XL, something like this:

You can see all our Expert XL race bikes here. Also worth noting at this age riders are typically transitioning from 1 3/8" wheels to 1.50". We like to keep them on 1 3/8" as long as we can and weight is usually the deciding factor for when they move to the wider wheels. 

Mountain Bikes
Here we have frame AND wheel size to think about, but the good news is that as 12 they won't be outgrowing bikes quite as much as when they were younger. So here is a size chart for the main two brands we sell, Scott and GT below. As you will see for the average 12 year old, we're pretty firmly in size Small territory and both brands at this point offer 27.5" and 29" wheels. 27.5" are a bit more monoureable but 29" roll faster and go over logs and stuff easier. 

See all our small mountain bikes here.

Oh and this 26" full suspension GT Stomper has been a big seller and is perfect for a 12 year old. 

Dirt Jump Bikes
At this age Dirt jump bikes are an interesting proposition, as typically they come in just one size - GT do offer Small and Large in the LaBomba but these are based on length rather than height. All jump bikes, by design, have low standover frames so would work for a 12 year old but they wouldn't recesessarily grow out of it as quick as a normail trail mounatin bike - win-win! These Dirt jumpers are a bit more BMX-like so have more durability as well, the downside is that don't come in as cheap as regular MTB's.

The Haro Thread Two Jump Bike is a popular choice.

Check out all our Dirt Jump Bikes here

So, there you go, we have this have been helpful for you, for more info you can contact us via Live Chat or phone us on 01942 826598.