Starting kids off with a fun, easy to ride bike is a surefire way to lead them onto a lifetime of riding. Unfortunately, most kids' bikes are mere afterthoughts with not much focus or engineering behind them.
California-based Prevelo takes a different route with kids' bikes designed to inspire confidence and be easy and safe to ride.
Founded in 2016 by Jacob Rheuban, Prevelo aims to make kids' bikes that are easy, fun and unintimidating to ride.
“I was frustrated with the design of kids bikes, even in middle to high-end,” Rheuban explains. “For me, teaching your kids to ride should be a joyful experience. But I think a lot of us forget how intimidating it is."
- Let's give our kids the cycling freedom we enjoyed when we were young
- Why parents should be banned from driving their kids to school
- How Cleary Bikes makes kids' bikes fun
Lowered center of gravity
To make the bikes easy to handle, Director of Product Development Brad Hughes noted: “We designed the bikes around lower bottom brackets that keep the rider’s legs close to the ground.”
To preserve ground clearance, the bikes come with custom-sized short crank arms. The smaller crankarms also allow a lower saddle height yet still let little riders maintain decent leg extension.
Kid-ready components
Additional kid-specific features include a narrower bottom bracket for less Q-factor (131mm), short reach brake levers, and rounded bolts to reduce sharp edges on the bike. All bikes also feature internal cable routing.
Prevelo tests its substrates and surface coatings for lead and all composites are tested for phthalates. The testing is performed and certified by an independent and accredited third-party laboratory.
The line-up
The Alpha series of bikes feature aluminum frames and forks, linear-pull brakes, and three-piece cranksets.
The Zulu models step up to air-sprung suspension forks, hydraulic disc brakes and Shimano 10-speed gearing with a short cage Zee rear derailleur. “It was important to me that everything on these bikes be the real deal,” Rheuban added.
As far as availability, Prevelo sells consumer-direct to the USA only currently. The bikes are said to arrive 95 percent assembled, with just the handlebar, seatpost, front wheel and pedals to be installed.
Prevelo Bikes pricing
- Alpha Zero 12in balance bike: $199
- Alpha One 14in one-speed bike with coaster and V-brakes: $359
- Alpha Two 16in one-speed bike with V-brakes: $369
- Alpha Three 20in bike with Shimano 8-speed drivetrain and V-brakes: $499
- Alpha Four 24in bike with Shimano 8-speed drivetrain and V-brakes: $499
- Zulu Three 20in bike with Shimano SLX/Zee 10-speed drivetrain, Spinner air suspension fork and Promax hydraulic discs: $899
- Zulu Four 24in bike with Shimano SLX/Zee 10-speed drivetrain, Spinner air suspension fork and Promax hydraulic discs: $899