I won’t lie—I get a little anxious when it comes to my children’s safety. For instance, when it comes to riding a bike, a million scary scenarios start to run through my head. If you’re a parent, chances are you know how that feels!
Because I’d heard friends rave about the Guardian Bikes they got for their kids, I knew I had to check one out when it came time to get a “big kid” bike for my 5-year-old.
Guardian makes bikes with features specifically designed to help kids learn to ride with greater safety and confidence. Now that I’ve seen my son Joey learn to ride on his 20” Bike, here are 5 reasons I'll never buy a bike from anywhere but Guardian:
1. Its Patented Braking System Prevents Over-Handlebar Accidents
One of the first things that convinced me to get a Guardian Bike for Joey was their patented, super-safe SureStop braking system. These bikes feature a kid-friendly, single-lever hand brake to intuitively and safely stop both wheels without locking up, which eliminates the chances of flying over the handlebars, and provides kids with a faster more controlled stop.
Not only did this innovative safety feature ease my anxiety, but it was also easy for Joey to wrap his head around compared to a pedal brake system or a larger two-lever handbrake, which can be harder for kids to operate.
This helped both of us focus on him actually learning to ride the bike instead of just how to stop safely.
2. It's Designed with Little Bodies in Mind
A lot of mass-market kids’ bikes are just smaller versions of adult bikes, which means they can be super heavy—some even weigh up to 75% of a child’s weight. Needless to say, this can make it difficult for children to learn how to get on their bikes—much less ride them.
Guardian Bikes have done more than just shrink down adult bikes—they’ve designed custom frames with low centers of gravity, wider wheelbases, smaller hand grips, and closer hand brakes to better accommodate children’s proportions.
Guardian Bikes are also surprisingly lightweight (Joey’s 20” Small Kids Bike weighs just 20.7 lbs). This has allowed my kid to more easily maneuver the bike by himself, which has made a huge difference in his confidence while riding.
If you’re not sure which size bike is right for your kids, you can use Guardian’s RideSizer Tool on their website to determine the perfect size! This tool also provides how long your chosen bike will last your child before they need to size up again.
3. An Easy 5-Minute Setup
When my kids were younger, I refused to set up their high chairs because I was terrified that I would miss some key component and the whole thing would come crashing down halfway through dinner. Imagine my fear at the thought of having to assemble a bike!
Thankfully, Guardian Bikes arrive mostly assembled. All we had to do after taking Joey’s bike out of the box was attach the handlebars and pedals with the included tools and then adjust the seat—all of which took us 5 minutes with the help of Guardian’s step-by-step video assembly guide.
4. Quality Construction Built to Last Years
One of my biggest pet peeves about anything made for kids is that the materials can often feel cheap and disposable—which is absolutely not a quality you want in a bike.
When Joey’s Guardian Bike arrived, I was happy to see it was built to last. The Guardian 20” Small Kids Bike feels solid and, despite my son dropping it on the sidewalk or garage pretty often, the bike has held up remarkably well.
I’m confident he’ll be able to use it for years to come thanks to the adjustable seat—and I have no doubt it’ll be a great hand-me-down for my two younger ones when Joey's outgrown it!
5. 365 Day Return Policy + Full Refund
Guardian is so confident you (and your kid) will love their bikes that they’ll even cover repair and replacement parts or give you a full refund within one year if the bike doesn’t work out, so there’s no risk in giving them a try!
We’re a Guardian Family Now!
The Guardian 20” Small Kids Bike has given me and my son confidence and peace of mind that I never expected while watching him learn to ride a bike.
The best part? He’s gotten the hang of riding in less than a week—and I’ve seen testimonials from other parents showing their kids learning to ride on a Guardian Bike in just one day.
For our part, we’ll be a Guardian family until all of our kids outgrow their bikes!
