Working it Out:  Unfortunately this isn't quite as straightforward as it seems but we'll do our best to give a sensible guide to buying the main bike styles on this site. The style of bike has quite a lot to do with sizing because the modern mountain bike has a completely different rider posture to traditional bikes. It will often have a smaller frame compared with its road bike cousin.

And to save some of you further reading none of this applies to folding bikes of any style most of which play clever tricks with some part of the design to achieve both compactness and rideability!

Frame Styles:  Back in the days when all bikes were 'bicycles' and road bicycles at that, frame sizing was well defined and easy to look up in a single table. Since then we've introduced mountain bikes, city bikes, hybrid bikes, bmx bikes, and folding bikes and all have different requirements. For example the recommended minimum stand-over clearance on a conventional man's bike is 1" but is 3" on a mountain bike frame. Inevitably then a MTB frame will be at least 2" smaller than an equivalent road bike frame.

This measurement is of course more difficult to determine on a ladies bike with a cut away frame style.

Given that these are minimum clearances it follows that the recommended frame size is a maximum and that smaller frame sizes can be ridden easily and comfortably! We can't emphasize this enough - far too many people buy the maximum frame size rather than the most comfortable. These days over-size bikes are considered to be potentially dangerous so do keep these rules in mind when viewing size tables showing the maximum size you can ride. An added complication is the suspension on modern bikes, the standard recommendations apply only to rigid or 'hardtail' bikes - those with no rear suspension. Extra compensation has to be applied if there is rear suspension. Complicated isn't it? Anyway here's a simplified guide ...

Children's Bike Size Guide:  (adults coming soon).

This is just a guide - various bike styles may differ from these but it will give you a start! 

Remember style will affect frame size - we have one bike with a 6.5" frame and 12 - 18" wheel options!

There is nothing that says you must buy a bike of a particular size for a child of a specific age. If the child is comfortable and not too stretched; they can turn the handlebars safely, reach the brake levers and touch the floor with their toes, then there is nothing to prevent you from selecting a bike in a bigger or smaller age category than shown in the chart. It's not uncommon for girls to ride boys bikes either - though I must say that the opposite is very rare indeed!

Sizing Guide   Cycle Citi: Ladies & Gents  Boys & Girls  Folding   Other Bikes: Bike in a Bag  Folding MTB