The Best 24 Inch Bikes for Kids: Tested & Rated

The best 24 inch bike depends on the type of riding your child will be doing. Whether it’s simple neighborhood adventures, jumping ramps, long family rides, or tackling local dirt trails – there’s a 24 inch bike designed for that!

Over the years, we’ve tested over forty 24 inch bikes with our own kids and have learned first hand what features are important and which are just “nice to have”. From budget-friendly options to premium models, we’ve tested all the major brands and are confident that you’ll find the best bike for your child on our list.

NOTE: 24 inch bikes are typically the best fit for kids ages 8, 9 and 10, but be sure to check out our Kids Bike Finder Tool or our Kids Bike Sizing article if you are unsure about the best size bike for your child.

24 Inch Bike Rubric vs. MSRP

This chart plots our rubric scores against price to help you spot the best values. Higher scores reflect better performance across 60+ data points including weight, components, brakes, and fit. Click any bike for full specs, or find a complete rubric breakdown in each mini review below.

One important note: our rubric is designed to be comparative, meaning only the lightest bike earns full points for weight, and only the widest gear range earns full points for gearing. No bike can score a perfect 100. That said, every bike on this list far outperforms the cheap department store bikes we’ve also tested — bikes that typically score in the teens.

What Age is a 24 Inch Bike For?

While bikes are often marketed for a specific age range, those ranges are really just a rough estimate. In general, 24 inch bikes fit most kids between 4’0″ and 4’9″ tall, typically ages 7–11 but the right fit varies significantly from brand to brand. The same child might fit a 20″ bike from one brand and a 24″ from another. Guardian, for example, recommends their 24″ for ages 6–9, while Retrospec recommends 8–11.

The best way to determine fit is via your child’s inseam. By comparing their inseam to the minimum seat height listed in each bike’s review below, you get a precise picture of how they’ll actually fit on the bike. The best way to measure is with the book method outlined in our Kids Bike Sizing Guide.

For taller kids or those approaching ages 11–12, it may be time to size up. Check our 26 and 27.5 Inch Bike Guide for some suggestions.

BIKES ON A BUDGET

What We Look for in a Budget-Friendly Bike

In recent years, a handful of budget-friendly brands have brought much-needed change to the kids’ bike market. Better geometry, lighter weight, and more kid-appropriate components are slowly trickling down to lower price points. Brands like Guardian and Retrospec have led the way, producing bikes that are significantly better than what you’ll typically find online or at big-box stores: lighter, better built, and designed to actually make riding easier for kids.

What We Love About the Huffy GRM 24

The Huffy GRM 24″ is our favorite super-budget 24″ kids’ bike and one of the best values in its wheel size. This is not your typical cheap Huffy. Its confidence-building frame geometry, dual V-pull brakes, and 7-speed gearing make it a genuine performer at this price point. Its 243% gear range is notably wider than both the Retrospec Dart and the Guardian 24″, giving kids access to a lower climbing gear and a higher cruising gear than either competitor.

The GRM’s main tradeoff is weight — it runs on the heavier side, which is reflected in its rubric score. Most confident riders won’t notice, but if you’re planning longer rides or tackling a lot of hills, a lighter option may be worth the price jump.

What We Love About the Dart 24

If you’ve been considering a no-name budget bike, we highly recommend choosing the Retrospec Dart 24″ instead. The overall quality and design is simply better. Once properly tuned, the brakes offer good stopping power and the gearing shifts smoothly. Our kid testers found it fun to ride, and parents were consistently impressed by the quality given the price.

Sizing note: While the seat height goes as low as 23.4″, that’s too low for the overall size of a 24″ bike. We recommend setting the seat at 25.5″ or higher, best suited for kids around 50″ tall or taller.

What We Love About the Guardian

Guardian bikes offer a great frame design and a riding experience kids genuinely enjoy, paired with colorways they love. Their unique SureStop braking system simplifies braking to a single lever — a great feature for timid riders sticking to paved surfaces. For older or more adventurous riders, however, independent brakes offer more control and may be worth the upgrade.

What We Love About the Retrospec Dart Plus 24″

The Dart Plus is the budget pick for families who want trail capability without a premium price tag. Built with an aluminum frame and reliable Shimano components, it’s designed to hold up over time and is straightforward to maintain. Its extra-wide tires deliver solid traction and added cushioning on gravel paths and basic trails.

The tradeoff is weight — the Dart Plus is one of the heavier bikes in this category, which is reflected in its rubric score. If your child is ready for dirt trails and weekend adventures but you’re not ready to invest in a high-end mountain bike, it hits a practical sweet spot.

NEIGHBORHOOD RIDERS

What We Look for in a Neighborhood Bike

Whether riding to school or heading out on a long family ride, neighborhood bikes are designed for kids who mainly stick to paved surfaces. With smoother or narrower tires and a slightly more upright riding position than multi-use bikes, these are comfortable and natural to ride.

With a focus on simplicity for the average kid rider, these 24 inch bikes feature easy-to-use grip shifters, fewer gearing options, and v-brakes. They also boast exceptional quality that will allow you to pass them down to several kids or resell them for a good price.

What We Love About the Priority Start

Intelligently designed with just three simple gears and a grease-free belt drive, the Priority Start 24 makes biking simpler for kids and more maintenance-free for parents. If getting your hands greasy to fix a chain or tweak a derailleur isn’t your thing, the Priority Start is the perfect bike for your family.

The Start boasts beautiful lines, an impressive paint job, and multi-terrain tires that accommodate everyone from timid to aggressive riders. Top-notch quality and great performance, backed by outstanding customer service.

What We Love About the Cannondale Quick 24

Lightweight, durable, and reasonably priced, the Cannondale Quick 24 is a standout in this category. Its lightweight aluminum frame and low minimum seat height make it easy for young riders to handle, while the narrow q-factor promotes efficient, natural pedaling.

The Quick 24’s gear range won’t match wider-range bikes like the woom EXPLORE or Prevelo Alpha, but it has more than enough for neighborhood rides, bike paths, and light trail adventures. The MicroSHIFT shifter is intuitive, with a helpful viewing window so kids always know which gear they’re in.

One note on assembly: our bike required connecting the front brake cable to the caliper out of the box — an easy fix with a quick YouTube tutorial, but worth knowing. If you’d rather skip that step, the Quick 24 is also available at REI fully assembled and ready to ride.

What We Love About the Biky 24 S7

As the lightest 24″ neighborhood bike on our list, the Biky Air 24 S7 is nimble and easy to maneuver — a confidence-builder for newer riders and a thrill for faster ones. Its low weight is one of its strongest rubric scores, and it backs that up with quality components: Tektro brakes, a Shimano drivetrain, and Kenda tires with a reflective sidewall. Available in five colors, it’s a bike kids are genuinely excited to ride.

Why We Love the Early Rider Belter

The smoothest-riding bike on this list as declared by our kid testers. The Early Rider Belter’s combination of a belt drive and internally geared hub makes pedaling feel nearly effortless, and the grip shift changes gears with an impressively fluid motion that surprised even experienced riders used to high-end derailleurs.

What makes the Belter truly unique is its eight-speed internally geared hub — most internally geared hubs top out at three to five speeds, making this the only 8-speed internally geared kids’ bike available. That translates to a genuinely useful gear range for both climbing hills and gaining speed on flat roads.

Its one drawback: a relatively narrow fit range means the bike won’t grow with your child as long as others on this list — something to factor in when considering the investment.

What We Love About the Kent MTX

The Kent MTX was a genuine surprise. While Kent is known for budget bikes, the MTX competes solidly with mid-range options, featuring a lightweight aluminum frame, dual V-brakes, and a MicroSHIFT 8-speed drivetrain with an impressive gear range and its rubric score reflects it.

In back-to-back testing against the Guardian 24″, Huffy GRM, and Retrospec Dart, the MTX was the clear favorite among our more aggressive riders. As the lightest bike in that group with the widest gear range, it inspired the most confidence in fast turns and quick maneuvers. A fantastic option for families who want a meaningful step up from the basics without breaking the bank.

ADVENTUROUS RIDERS

What We Look for in a Multi-Use Bike

For adventurous kids who need a bike suitable for occasionally hitting dirt trails, these multi-use bikes are the perfect choice.

These bikes feature wider and/or knobby tires for better traction on varied surfaces, and generally a more aggressive riding position that allows kids to shift their weight through jumps and tight turns, whether on pavement or dirt. They also feature one or more of the following: trigger shifters for faster gear changes, disc brakes for top-notch stopping power, or a suspension fork to soak up rough terrain.

If your child is a dedicated trail rider who spends more time on dirt than pavement, check out our Best 24 Inch Mountain Bikes page, where we go deep on bikes built specifically for singletrack.

What We Love About the REI REV

Built on a durable frame with mechanical disc brakes and 2.6″ wide cushioning tires, the REI Co-Op Cycles REV 24 Plus is a great entry-level trail bike that also performs well around the neighborhood. It’s a solid choice for families who want a capable base bike at a very decent price and a good platform for upgrades if your child’s trail riding progresses.

We are currently completing our rubric evaluation of the REI REV and will update this review with scores shortly.

What We Love About the Polygon Premier Disc

The Polygon Premier Disc delivers plenty of capability for adventurous riders without breaking the bank. Tektro mechanical disc brakes provide better stopping power than the v-brakes found on most bikes at this price, and the Shimano drivetrain with trigger shifters makes for responsive, satisfying gear changes.

The 7-speed drivetrain’s gear range isn’t as wide as what you’ll find on the Prevelo or woom, but it’s more than adequate for rolling hills and gentle climbs. Knobby 2.25″ Crown Gem tires round out a capable package that looks and rides the part of a true trail bike.

Why We Love the Prevelo Alpha

Updated in 2025, the Prevelo Alpha Four is now lighter and more capable than ever. Hydraulic disc brakes, wider all-terrain tires, and double wall tubeless-ready rims make it equally at home on pavement or basic singletrack.

Lightweight, nimble, and quick, the Alpha Four suits adventurous kids who want to go the distance or push their limits on varied terrain. Eight gears with a wide gain ratio range handle both climbing and speed, kid-friendly trigger shifters make finding the right gear intuitive, and the hydraulic disc brakes deliver confident stopping power in any conditions.

What We Love About the woom EXPLORE

The woom EXPLORE 5 is a more sophisticated woom — visually and technically. With mature colorways, wider tires, hydraulic disc brakes, and trigger shifters, it’s designed for older, more adventurous riders who want to pound pavement, tackle climbs, and explore trails without compromising on any front.

A standout feature is the proprietary adjustable stem, which makes both the reach and height of the handlebars adjustable. This gives the EXPLORE 5 a longer useful fit range than most bikes on this list — a meaningful advantage when you’re investing at this price point.

What We Love About the Early Rider Seeker

Recently revamped with modern mountain bike geometry — including a low bottom bracket and slack head tube angle — the Early Rider Seeker 24 delivers the stability and confidence young riders need on technical trails, while remaining practical and easy to maneuver for everyday riding.

The Shimano Cues drivetrain is smooth and intuitive for small hands, and Tektro hydraulic brakes provide reliable stopping power on descents and daily cruising alike. Tubeless-compatible rims, quality pedals, and four sets of mounting bosses also make the Seeker an excellent platform for bikepacking or longer adventure days — a versatility that’s rare at this wheel size.

For beginning to intermediate riders looking for one bike that can genuinely do it all, the Seeker remains one of our top picks in the 24 inch category.

COMPARISON CHARTS OF TOP PICKS

Bike	Seat Height	Weight	Gain Ratio*
Retrospec Dart 24	25.5” – 29.8″	28.5 lb.	2.6 – 5.2
Guardian Bikes 24	25” – 33″	25.5 lb.	2.45 – 5.6
Retrospec Dart Plus	26” – 32.5″	30.5 lb.	2.1 – 5.2
Priority Start 24	27” – 34.5″	23.3 lb.	3.1 – 5.9
Early Rider Belter 24	27.3” – 31″	22.8 lb.	–
Polygon Premier XC	26.7” – 33.7″	29.7 lb.	2.4 – 4.9
REI Co-op REV	25.25” – 31.5″	28.2 lb.	–
Prevelo Alpha Four	26.1” – 31.5″	19.6 lb.	1.79 – 6.18
woom EXPLORE 5	26” – 32.1″	20.5 lb.	2.05 – 5.97
Early Rider Seeker 24	28.25” – 34.5″	23.3 lb.	1.69 – 5.5

*Gain ratio measures how a bike’s gearing works by taking into account the drivetrain along with crank arm length and wheel size. A lower gain ratio makes pedaling easier, which is ideal for climbing hills, while a higher gain ratio makes pedaling harder but allows for greater speed on flat ground.

What to Look for in a 24-inch Bike

Sizing for 24 Inch Bikes

A 24 inch bike is typically the best fit for 8 to 10-year-olds or children between 49” and 59” tall. If your child is 11 or a tall 10-year-old, you might want to consider a 26 inch bike for more room to grow.

Through our experience testing 24-inch bikes with kids, we’ve found that they are confident enough at this stage to ride with the seat set about 3 inches above their inseam. This height allows them to touch the ground with their tiptoes while providing the optimal knee bend on the upstroke for pedaling efficiency.

Keep in mind, the minimum and maximum seat heights on 24-inch bikes vary widely across brands. Always check the seat height against your child’s inseam to ensure a proper fit. Most 24-inch bikes offer an adjustment range of 5 to 8 inches, which allows them to grow with your child and last longer than smaller bikes.

Weight – Light is Better, but More Expensive

From our hands-on testing, we’ve learned that a bike should ideally weigh less than 40% of a child’s body weight for the best riding experience. While this ratio is most important for younger, learning riders, it still applies to 8- and 9-year-olds. Lighter bikes are easier to handle, especially for longer rides or tackling hills. 

Be cautious of bikes with suspension forks, as they add significant weight without providing much benefit for most young riders. Unless your child is riding rugged trails, the added weight of a suspension fork often outweighs any advantages.

Best Frame Design – Depends on Riding Style

A bike’s frame geometry varies widely depending on the bike’s intended use. Considering most kids stick to neighborhood riding, most of our recommended bikes have a more upright geometry, which places the rider in a somewhat upright body position (shown on the left below).

If you have a more aggressive or adventurous rider who loves to take on curbs, jumps and basic trails, a bike with a more aggressive, leaned in geometry, like the bike shown on the right, is a better fit.

Brakes – Varied Options for Different Needs

Dual handbrakes are the most common braking system on 24-inch bikes, with a few models offering coaster brakes. However, most feature either V-pull brakes, disc brakes (mechanical or hydraulic), or Guardian Bikes’ SureStop system.

V-Pull Brakes

Standard V-pull brakes work great for the mass majority of 8 to 11-year-olds, but the quality and performance of V-brakes vary from bike to bike.  High-quality, high-performing brakes are easy for kids to activate and don’t require them to exert a lot of pressure on the lever.

Higher-end brands like woom and Priority have superior braking performance with easy-to-pull short-reach levers designed for small hands.

Disc Brakes

High-quality disc brakes offer more stopping power than V-brakes and perform better in wet conditions. Disc brakes are more expensive and found only on higher-end bikes.

Guardian’s SureStop Brakes

Guardian’s unique patented braking system allows kids to activate both the rear and front brake with ONE brake lever.  Upon pulling the single brake lever, the rear brake is activated, which in turn activates the front wheel’s brake. 

As a result, it’s impossible for kids to “endo”, or be bucked off the bike by braking with only the front brake because the SureStop system prevents the front brake from being activated until after the rear brake has.

Gears – Essential on 24 inch bikes

By age 8 or 9, kids are likely exploring varied terrain, from flat roads to hilly neighborhoods and dirt trails, where gears become essential. Most 24-inch bikes come with 7 or 8 gears, but the gear range varies between models. Higher-end bikes typically offer a wider range of gears, making it easier for kids to climb hills or gain speed on flat roads.

Gears are operated by either grip shifters, which are easier for beginners, or trigger shifters, preferred by more experienced riders. Kids who are more timid often do well with grip shifters, while adventurous riders tend to favor trigger shifters.

Price

Shopping for a 24-inch bike can cause sticker shock, as prices tend to rise with the size of the bike and the complexity of the components. However, investing in a quality bike from this list can make a huge difference in your child’s riding experience.

Every bike on this list is pretty incredible and significantly better than a bike you’ll find at a big-box store. If budget is a concern, consider buying a used model from one of these top brands. In the end, the most important thing is to keep your child riding—any bike is better than no bike! For a more in-depth look at what to consider when buying a kids’ bike, check out our detailed guide: The Hidden Costs of Cheap Kids’ Bikes.

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