4 Top Kids Bikes for 8-Year-Olds: Expert Picks

“My kids ride casually and have grown out of their smaller bikes. I am a lifetime BMX rider and was looking for bigger bikes so that we can continue riding together. I wanted to buy two higher end 18″ BMX bikes but could not justify the cost. Global manufacturing of kids’ bikes is at a low point, so the option seemed to be poorly designed department store bikes. Fortunately, I stumbled across the Cubsala 18″ BMX bike here on Amazon.The Cubsala 18″ BMX bike is a low-end product inspired by higher end design. Essentially, it is what I want for my kids’ bikes and sacrifices only what I do not consider to be necessities for them. For instance, it features modern freestyle BMX geometry which made it easy to set up for them. It uses freestyle BMX U-brakes and does not have a coaster (foot) brake. It also has a clamp style stem instead of the antiquated wedge style stem. In order to decrease the overall cost, these 18″ Cubsalas use one piece cranks, unsealed bearings, hi-tensile steel frame, hi-tensile steel forks and off-brand parts.The 18″ Cubsala BMX bike is ideal for a kid who physically can fit the 18″ BMX size and will be mostly pedaling. It can also be an introduction to freestyle BMX bike. I believe that a kid can learn the basics such as bunny hops, fly outs, and pumping ramps on it. However, 180 and 360 type spin tricks will destroy the wheels. Grinding with pegs will bend axles and dropouts. The frame does not look to be reinforced and overall, the parts are not built to withstand the stresses of freestyle BMX. Therefore, any kid who advanced beyond the beginner stage of freestyle BMX should not be riding this bike.Given the target rider, there are two minor issues I found with the bike. First, the brake pads are terrible. From the factory, stopping power on the Cubsala is poor largely due to the brake pads and painted rims, even after the brakes are dialed. Depending on how the bike is being used, the brakes may or may not be an issue. In fact, most BMX riders do not use brakes. Regardless, the Cubsalas are for my kids and I am a BMX brake user, so I changed the pads on the Cubsalas to Kool Stops and this improved braking considerably. Secondly, the forks are welded in a way which leaves the front wheel offset to the right. Both of our bikes have this exact same problem, which leads me to believe the jig they use to hold the forks together for welding have an inherent offset problem. The offset is not really a problem unless you run front brakes and this bike does not come with any. And in reality, most people would not notice this. To fix the offset, I simply placed a washer on the right front axle inside of the dropout to push the wheel in the opposite direction.Assembly was easy since the bike is shipped mostly assembled. First, I checked all of the bolts, nuts and screws. These were all torqued adequately and the threads were lightly greased. Then I installed the bars, wheels and pedals. I went on to make adjustments such as bar angle and seat height to suit my kids. Finally, I disassembled the braking system and tuned it by greasing the brake mounts, cutting/adjusting the cables, changing/adjusting the brake pads and adjusting the spring tension. U-brakes are a little difficult to tune so I recommend checking an online tutorial for dialing u-brakes if you are interested in improving braking. The Cubsalas come with tools to assemble the bike if you do not have any. Each bike came with some extras which I did not opt to use such as a kick stand and chain guard.”

“Great buyNo driving to Store got here on time for birthdayAll tools provided for build”

“Great bike. Well made, sturdy, easy to assemble. Shipped well and scratch free. Good price point. Grandson loved that it looked and sounded like a dirt bike! A little bigger than expected.”

“The bike itself is good and my son loves it. Putting it together was a little bit of a pain. Some of the parts flat out did not fit/work and I’m a mechanical guy. Without modification the front fender, number plate and both hand guards were completely useless. Aside from that it rides fine and he loves “revving the engine”.”

“I cannot say enough how much I love this bike!! I was looking at so many bikes and it’s crazy how affordable but well built and durable this bike is. It really is a great deal. The color is absolutely adorable. My son was so excited and thinks he has the coolest bike. It didn’t take long to put together. It has wide tires, easy breaking & as long as you put it together well & tight, it is very stable with no wobbling unlike a lot of other training bicycles!”

“I bought a few of the 12 inch model and am very happy with them. The quality is comparable to much more expensive “name brand” small BMX bikes. These have legit BMX geometry and a threadless headset. All the bearings were greased well from the factory. Be sure if your assembling it yourself to adjust the wheels, headset and crank tightness to let the bearings spin free and smooth. It has a rear coaster brake and also comes with a rim front brake with the handlebar brake lever. The seat is perfect size and nicely made and comfortable. The wheels are good quality and have 2.4″ wide BMX tires. I got the snow white color and am surprised at how good the finish is on the frame and fork. The frame has a little pearl in it that you can see in the light, the black forks also have a slight pearl that looks very good. The top tube checkered pad that matches the small graphics on the fork is also a nice detail that looks great. All the stickers on the frame and fork are easily removable if you wanted to change it up. I can honestly say that I’m impressed with the quality and what you get for the price. I would recommend this model to anyone looking for a small BMX for kids or a Mini BMX for anyone.”

“All of the parts were accounted for and in excellent condition. The bike comes semi-assembled, you pretty much just have to attach the wheels, seat, handle bar, pedals, & the optional add-ons. Thankfully, the bike chain is already attached and ready to use out of the box. It comes with the a tire pump, required assembly tools & instructions. The picture instructions are admittedly poor, BUT, there is a QR code within the instructions that takes you to an easy to follow video assembly guide! I practically have no mechanical skills and I followed along with the guide just fine. The toughest part of the assembly, was inserting the handlebars into the frame. I made the mistake of loosening one of the parts too much (you have to loosen it first before inserting into the frame), which made a couple of pieces fall off the handle bar that was kind of tough to put back together. I also had to adjust the brakes a bit. Other than that, it was a manageable enough.As for the bike quality, I’m completely satisfied with it. It is heavy bike, especially when factoring in that its a bike intended for 4-8 year olds. The wheels freely spin, the brakes function exactly as they should, and the handlebars easily turn. I love that the chain has a guard around it, which will help prevent loose clothing or shoestrings interfering with the chains while being ridden.I ordered pink and it looks just like the bike’s color featured on the product page. It’s painted consistently.I have one small complaint. In order to attach the water bottle holder beneath/behind the seat, you have to have the seat up in a fairly high position in order to attach it, otherwise the seat itself will prevent it from being attached due to lack of space (hence why it is missing in my photos). That’s a minor issue in the grand scheme so I don’t feel the need to take a star off.Overall though, I highly recommend it. My niece will be able to start learning to ride in a couple of years, so she is going to love this bike!”

“I picked this up for my niece, and it’s a legitimate upgrade from the cheap big-box bikes.Let’s break it down…Semi-assembled: Chain is already on. You just attach wheels, seat, handlebars, pedals, and training wheels. Took about 45 minutes with the included tools.Video instructions: The paper manual is weak, but the QR code links to a clear video guide. Even if you have zero mechanical skills, you can follow along.Dual brakes: Front hand brake plus coaster (pedal backward) brake. Good for teaching kids both systems.Safety features: Chain guard, reflectors on wheels and frame, adjustable training wheels.Adjustability: Seat and handlebars grow with the kid. Training wheels can be set slightly off the ground to encourage real balance.Included extras: Pump, bell, water bottle holder, tools. The pump is flimsy, but it’s a nice gesture.It is heavy though… weighs 20–25 lbs. Fine for cruising, but don’t expect any BMX tricks.Minor fit issues: Water bottle holder is tight at lower seat heights. Bell is flimsy. Adjusting the seat can scratch the paint if you’re not careful.She loves it. I love it. I love her. She loves me. I love you. Win win win win all around! :)Enjoy!”