Buying a bike for a child is something you may do several times as they age and grow. Each milestone presents new biking needs, and it’s crucial to find a bike with the right features for different age groups.
The average 11-year-old girl is 56” (4’8”) tall, and a 24” bike will be the best fit for room to grow. If your child is shorter than average, consider moving down to a 20” frame, but remember that the saddle height is adjustable and it’s better to have room to grow than to be at the top of the seat extension when purchasing a new bike.
Once you determine the best frame size, choosing a bike comes down to how it will be used. Is your daughter looking for a bike to ride the neighborhood with her friends, or does your family like to hit the trails together? Is your child ready to use gears and handbrakes? Are you in a family of rough-and-tumble gravel riders?
Understanding your child’s biking development and personality will help you make a choice. Here’s a collection of great bikes for 11-year-old girls to help you narrow the selection:
Comparison Chart
Most Affordable
If you are shopping on a fixed budget, there are great options for bikes under $200. The Dynacraft Magna Front Shock Mountain Bike is a best seller on Amazon because it’s a sturdy bike with quality components for a great price.
The Dynacraft Magna has a front suspension and front shock fork. The bike can easily handle the trails, so it’s classified as a mountain bike. It also has an 18-speed index derailleur, and front and rear pull brakes, so it’s smooth for road rides, too. It’s easy to assemble and comes in red, pink, black, o, purple to suit your daughter’s personality. As she grows, adjusting the padded seat is a cinch with the quick-release seat post. Consider purchasing a water bottle mount since the Dynacraft Magna is not equipped with one.
Best Mountain Bike
If you are looking for a true mountain bike, compare bikes that have these features:
- Dual suspension and suspension fork
- Wide, flat handlebars
- 2” tires or wider
- Powerful brakes
The Huffy Hardtail Mountain Bike is a great mountain bike buy. It comes with high-quality components that bikers have come to trust, such as a Shimano derailleur and Kraton handle grips.
The Huffy Hardtail covers all the mountain bike basics like dual suspension and dual forks and 2” knobby tires for excellent control on the trails. The bike has a 21-speed shifter and 3-piece crank that are built to respond effortlessly to the rider.
If bike assembly is not your strength, Huffy provides user-friendly tutorial videos or step-by-step instructions in the user manual for assembling the bike.
Best Cruiser
Maybe your daughter is looking for an easy-riding bike to run the neighborhood with her friends or take boardwalk cruises with the family. Look no further than the Huffy Woodhaven Cruiser Bike. This bike has all the bells and whistles you could want on a cruiser.
The Huffy Woodhaven Cruiser has the classic cruiser look with whitewall tires and swept-back handlebars. Huffy also includes two other functional and vintage features: the basket and the rear rack. If you know your daughter will be hauling playtime cargo, picnic snacks, or schoolwork, the Woodhaven Cruiser will provide her with the function and style she needs.
If she loves the aesthetics of a bike, the Huffy Woodhaven Cruiser comes in a matte or gloss paint finish and has five unique color options: coral, periwinkle, midnight purple, sage green, and stone blue.
Easiest to Assemble
Most bikes come boxed in parts, and it’s up to the purchaser to turn those parts into a bike. If you’re short on patience, time, and a desire to build a bike, consider purchasing a bike that is mostly pre-assembled. The Elecony Saver100 comes 86% assembled and only requires the buyer to attach the handlebars, seat, and pedals, so it doesn’t feel like you have to build the bike from scratch.
The Elecony Saver100 has a 21-speed Shimano shifter, and it’s a hardtail with a front-suspension fork. The hardtail style makes it lighter and easier to maintain over time. It’s capable of handling mountain biking trails, gravel, or basic commuting. The Elecony Saver100. It comes in Dove Grey, Tarmac Black, Radioactive Red, Orange, and Green.
Best Fat Tire Bike
Fat tire bikes have made their way into the mainstream. They started as a niche bike for gravel riders, but families soon realized that these bikes could handle a variety of terrains, such as mountain bike trails, beaches, and even snow. The Hiland Kids Fat Tire Bike is an excellent fat tire option for families who like to test rugged terrains.
This Hiland model has a carbon steel frame and 4-inch tires. It’s also equipped with dual-disc brakes, a Shimano TY300D rear derailleur with seven gears, and a Microshift MS25 grip shifter to help your daughter get in and out of any type of riding terrain. Parents rave about the bike’s ability to perform in all-weather conditions such as mud and snow. The Hiland Fat Tire Bike comes in black, green, blue, silver, or white, and it’s 85% assembled for your convenience. Fat tire bikes tend to be heavier because of the bulky wheels and tires, so make sure your daughter doesn’t mind moving around the extra weight of this model before purchasing.
Conclusion
There is a lot of information to weigh when purchasing a new bike for an 11-year-old girl. Remember to look for the quality of the components, overall durability, and ease of assembly when researching consumer sites and reviews.
No matter which bike you choose, you will be spending anywhere from $150-$5000 for a brand new bike. It’s essential to consider the features of each bike and your daughter’s riding needs. Take your time and do your research so you will feel confident in making the selection that will keep her happily riding for years to come.
