Once my daughter turned four, she decided she was ready to learn how to bike. So, I went from searching for cheap bikes to searching YouTube for how to teach my kids how to balance on training wheels to what could actually work to help my kids learn to bike! Low and behold, I stumbled upon the Guardian Bikes, and wish that this Guardian Bike review I made for you below was the first that that I discovered! This review contains everything you need to know if your kids are just getting started or if you are looking to transition out of training wheels.
(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase anything from my links, which will be at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my small business!)
Table of Contents
How We Got Started with Guardian Bikes
I had a four year old who wanted to learn how to bike! Of course, our first inkling was to go to Walmart to buy a cheap starter bike. We came home, it had wobbly training wheels on and we were all excited. Until, we weren’t. Between the wobbly training wheels (that couldn’t be corrected even by a professional bike shop), and the uneven sidewalks in our neighborhood, we were off to a rough start!
I finally had her going on the training wheels, but how were we supposed to move on from that? I had people tell me to just take the training wheels off and let her go, others to take the pedals off and let her do a balance bike and after we both got a little frustrated, I turned to YouTube! YouTube told me to do the balance bike, but my searches also led me to the Guardian Bike ads, which totally sold me (thanks to their 1-year money back no questions asked policy).
Below, I am going to review our totally awesome experience with a Guardian Bike, and how it transformed the ‘learning to bike’ process from a stressful mess to a super positive experience for all, and a confidence building moment for my child!
What are Guardian Bikes?
Guardian Bikes are bikes that are made lightweight and easy for your children to learn how to start riding a bike. Their bikes also allow children to use them as a bike and/or a balance bike (all dependent on whether or not the pedals are attached). They have a large range of sizes, so this could be the first bike/balance bike that your child rides and they can size up as they grow, and/or it could be a bike for an older kid that wants a more manageable bike.
They even provide a ‘how to teach your child how to bike’ guide on their website that is a great tool to help you get started!
How do Guardian Bikes Compare to Other Bikes?
There are six main differences with the Guardian Bikes that are the most obvious:
- They are significantly more lightweight than other kids bikes.
- They are easier for your kids to handle and manage, which results in them getting going quicker. They learn to bike on their own quicker, get the bike started quicker (with that initial push), and can even move the bike around easier (like walking with it or holding it up to get the kickstand up or down correctly).
- You can easily go back and forth between a bike and a balance bike.
- The braking system is different and gives the kids more control (which ends up resulting in more confidence). There is no backpedaling to break on these bikes, they are braking with a hand break on one side.
- When you order the bike for your child, you are customizing the bike size to the current size of your child. There is a measuring guide that is really great and removes the hassle of estimating what is the right size for your child.
- There is a one-year money back guarantee (regardless of how much the bike has been ridden). Imagine that – your child can ride the bike as much as they want, and if it isn’t a fit for your family, you still have the opportunity to return it.
Our Experience Using Guardian Bikes
I got the 16″ bike (after researching and matching her up with the sizing chart on Guardian’s website) and took the pedals off for one week so she could use it as a balance bike. I set up a small obstacle course outside our house and had my daughter practice for like 10 minutes per day for at least five days, before the moment of truth came!
I’m not even kidding, the very first time I put my daughter on the bike with pedals, she biked. Like, for real biked down the street. Wobbly, sure. But, she biked!!!!!
And, then in that same bike riding session, she had already gotten to where she could ride a half block on her own, without stopping. Then, a few sessions later, she was getting started on her own. Then next, she was going a block on her own and I had to run to keep up with her! It was such an awesome experience, and so empowering for my daughter!
After we were so excited about our success, I called my sister to tell her about it because she has two children similar in age to me, and she immediately bought the Guardian Bikes, and had the same success as we did!
Now that we are one year later, my daughter has sized up to the 20″ bike, and her initial Guardian bike went to her brother who is one year younger. I repeated the same balance bike process with him for 1-2 weeks, and then he was off riding! The same success with the same Guardian bike, with a different kid!
And, now I have a 4 and 5-year old that can bike on their own, and we can even all go on family bike rides together! It’s so awesome!
Pros and Cons of Guardian Bikes
Pros
- It actually works!
- It’s easy to assemble out of the box
- It’s easy to adjust the seat height
- You don’t need training wheels (but they can still be added onto the bike if you/your children prefer them)!
- There’s a kickstand that the kids can manage on their own
- The bikes are way lighter weight and also easy to navigate side to side
- It’s super easy to put on/take off the pedals, in case you were hoping to do the balance bike option first
- There’s a 1-year money back guarantee
- They are manufactured in the United States!!!
Cons
- It’s pricey. (A lot pricier than a cheap Walmart bike with wobbly wheels, but the amount of time and stress that you save is worth it!)
Do Guardian Bikes Actually Work?
Yes! The best part is that they work so well, that the kids don’t even realize it before they are off biking down the street on their own! Instead of being such a stressful time teaching your child how to bike, and them being frustrated trying to learn how to bike and balance and steer and brake all at the same time, these bikes remove such a great amount of stress and turn learning to bike into such a positive experience for all involved!
Guardian Bike FAQs
Are the bike petals easy to take on and off?
Yes! They provide you with a little tool that you can use to get started, and once you get used to it, you can do it with just your hand. The petals just screw on and off, and your kids can also learn how to take the petals on and off themselves.
Do the Guardian Bikes have gears?
It depends on the size of the bike you are looking to buy. The 20″ Small bikes and smaller do not have gears (which includes the balance, 14″ and 16″ bikes). However, the 20″ Large bikes and bigger do contain one set of gears.
How do I teach my kids how to bike?
Guardian Bikes has a really helpful post on how to accomplish this on their website. It follows a similar pattern as mentioned above, where you need to first start your child out learning how to balance on the bike and then proceed to attempting to ride using the petals.
How long will it take for my child to learn how to ride a bike using a Guardian Bike?
It depends on the child, including how old they are, how badly they want to learn, and how confident they are. Both of my kids had attempted a training wheel bike, did not like them, had trouble balancing on them and got a little discouraged. So, when we started on the Guardian Bike, I was really trusting it was going to work and had my kids be a little patient to not lose their confidence. However, after one week of practicing the balance bike and doing a small obstacle course (see picture above) each day, both kids were able to start riding with wheels. After that, it took a few more days of wobbly practice balancing with the pedals on before they were confident going down the street without stopping often.
How does the braking system work on the Guardian Bikes?
Unlike most other children’s bikes, the Guardian Bikes have a hand brake, instead of the kids needing to push the petals backwards to stop. There is only one hand brake that is located on the right side of the handle bars, that works by braking the back wheel first and then the front wheel.
How to Maintain a Guardian Bike?
The Guardian Bikes website has an awesome overview on their website, explaining in detail how to wash the bikes, maintain the chains and check the tire pressure.
Does Guardian Bikes make adult bikes?
Yes, they do! These are their newest bikes on the market, and they come in six different color options and two different sizes: Adult Small (5′ 0″ to 5′ 7″) and Adult Large (5′ 8″ to 6′ 3″). They are also on the cheaper side for quality adult bikes.
Where are Guardian Bikes Manufactured?
Guardian Bikes has worked to make it so that Guardian Bikes are being fully manufactured in the United States, at their plant in Seymour, Indiana!
Are Guardian Bikes worth the money?
Yes, yes, and yes! They are expensive, but they last (especially when they are getting beat up by kids just learning to ride!). They also make the learning to bike process so much smoother for everyone, and really help the kids keep their confidence up. And, for our family, being able to go for family bike rides while the kids are still younger is such a blessing, and the Guardian Bikes were what really helped us achieve that.
Are Guardian Bikes easy to assemble?
Yes! They arrive almost fully assembled, and then, for the bikes we have received, you only need to connect the handle bars and the pedals. Below, is what the 20″ Large Pink/Aqua bike looked like coming out of the box.
Conclusion
If your child wants to learn to bike and you have the means, buy one! These bikes will save you the headaches of wobbly training wheels, kids trying to navigate heavy bikes, and all of the patience needed and frustration that comes along with those things (from both child and parent)! This is something that will empower your child, and make the goal of learning to bike fun!
How to Buy a Guardian Bike
I would recommend buying Guardian Bikes directly from their website, where you can understand the sizing guides and the different options that are available, as well as any checking for discounts as they do have sales going quite often. You also get the 365 money back guarantee directly through them.
All of the Products We Have Purchased from Guardian Bikes
These are all the products that we have purchased and really used and appreciate from Guardian Bikes:
- 16″ Blue/Black Bike
- 20″ Large Pink/Aqua Bike
- 20″ Large Blue/Black Bike
- LED Bike Lights (these have a plug in charger and work so great that I can’t remember the last time we’ve had to charge them!)
I went straight from the 16″ to the 20″ Large because my kids are tall for their age and I wanted to make sure they would continue to fit on their bikes for the next couple of years. I also did the suggested measurement on their website to help determine the sizing up with my oldest child, and then just did the same with my second!
Up next, we are going to get the kids the water bottle holders for Christmas!
2025 Guardian Bike Update
Since I wrote this post last year, we have moved to an area where there are bike paths everywhere, and I am so thankful that I took the time to teach my kids to bike before we moved here so that we could fully enjoy the bike paths while we can! Here’s some of the fun we’ve had on our Guardian Bikes in the past year: biking to and from the pool, going on family bike rides with Dad, biking at the skate park (whaaaatttt?!?!), and even biking to a Halloween event (costumes and all)!!!
If you enjoyed this review, you might also like: