This post was written when the Wiggins range of kids bikes was first launched at Halfords in Summer 2016. The range has been updated again in October 2019, and you can read about it in this article: Wiggins kids bikes get a makeover – what do you think?
The Sir Bradley Wiggins kids bike range has launched at Halfords. Britain’s first Tour de France winner and most decorated Olympian (along with Sir Chris Hoy) wants to inspire children of all ages to get cycling, whilst coming in at a competitive price. Wiggo’s range of bikes reflects this aim with an inspirational journey “From the porch, to the park, to the podium”. The range comprises two balance bikes, a first pedal bike, three hybrids and six road bikes all designed with children in mind. Pricewise, they sit at the top of Halfords offerings but just below some of the other premium kids bike ranges available elsewhere.
Sir Bradley explained why he decided to launch his own brand of kid bikes: “These bikes are designed for kids and young people of all ages, boys and girls, to try and give them the best cycling experience, so they can get the feeling I had when I first got on a bike. Riding your bike is one of the only sports mum, dad, everyone can do together.”
Bradley Wiggins Kids Bike Range – a closer look
All bikes in the Bradley Wiggins kids bike range are named after stages in the 2012 Tour de France – Pau, Macon, Chartres and Rouen. Styling varies between each bike, but the Wiggins brand is maintained throughout by the use of the ‘mod’ target logo and a red, white, blue and silver colour scheme. There is only one colour scheme available per bike size, and we’re pleased to see that all the bikes are designed to be unisex.
In this post, we will take a closer look at the two balance bikes and the first pedal bike in the Bradley Wiggins kids bike range – the Pau and the Macon.
From the Porch – The Wiggins Pau balance bikes
The smallest bikes in the Bradley Wiggins kids bike range are the two balance bikes. (See our post “What is a balance bike?” if you need more information)
The Wiggins Pau Single Sided balance bike started out with an RRP of £120 but is currently available for £90. As the name suggests, the frame is single sided, with only one front fork and rear fork. This bike is brake free and weighs in at 3.6kg.
This is an interesting move by Wiggins, as other manufacturers have struggled to get the weightings of this design correct, as the weight of the frame is all on one side of the bike. We’re really interested to see how this particular balance bike performs for the 2-3 year old riders it’s aimed at, because if Sir Bradley’s team have succeeded this could affect balance bike design going forward.
A more traditionally designed Wiggins Pau balance bike is also available at £90 – which is £10 off the original RRP of £100. Weighing in at only 3.8kg (just 200g more than the single sided bike), the Wiggins Pau balance bike has a single rear Tektro short arm aluminium V-Brake, which is operated via a ‘pinch free’ brake lever.
Both Wiggins Pau balance bikes come with Kenda multi purpose 12″ tyres on Aluminium rims and a lightweight brushed aluminium frame. Whilst on the topic of the frame, I’m seriously intrigued by the design – the reverse forks and the numerous tubes for the rear stays and crossbar. It begs the question as to whether going for all of this pipework over the traditional has incurred a weight penalty?
A handlebar limiter means there is no chance of the handles spinning through 180°. The design features a concealed handle beneath the saddle to help parents carry it easily, which is a well thought out addition which will be welcomed by parents who often end up carrying a balance bike when the little rider has had enough.
Rivals to the Wiggins Pau
Weight wise the Wiggins Pau balance bike at (3.8 kg) is slightly lighter than Halfords best selling Carerra Coast (3.9kg) (as well as being significantly more pleasing on the eye!) The Pau is also slightly lighter than some of the other major quality bike competitors Wiggins is going up against – the Frog Tadpole (4.17kg) and the Hoy Napier (3.9kg) – but is heavier than the Islabikes Rothan (3.2kg).
Wiggins First bikes
Sir Bradley pulls on parents emotions about the importance of a first pedal bike, which helps set a child free. It is therefore disappointing to discover that the first pedal bike in the range is a 16″ bike, aimed at 5-8 year olds. Like many other manufacturers, Sir Bradley Wiggins’ kids bike range doesn’t have a 14″ bike first pedal bike.
As more and more kids are using balance bikes, we’re finding they are ready to pedal younger, so this omission may be something Sir Bradley and Halfords consider plugging in the future, as they could loose customers to Frog (with the 14″ wheeled Frog 43) and Islabikes (the Cnoc 14 -which now comes in two sizes small and large, proving the need for this size bike).
To the Park – the Macon 16″ Hybrid
So, to the Wiggins Macon 16″ – the first pedal bike in the new range. The Macon is a single speed bike (i.e. no gears), which the sizing chart says is aimed at 5-8 year olds (height of 112cm – 127cm) costing £195 (currently reduced to £175).
Being a first pedal bike, it’s good to see that the pedals are one aspect of the design that Wiggins has concentrated on. These are designed to be closer together than on many other first bikes, which we’re promised will make pedalling easier. Halfords claim this is a “unique narrower pedal width” – it will be interesting to see what this means in reality, what benefits it delivers, what impact it has on pedalling technique, and impact on ankle and knee comfort and now the pedal width differs from other manufacturers.
The Macon is compatible with quick fit stabilisers, as evidenced by the fitment holes on the rear frame, and comes in a striking red colour scheme, with the distinctive Wiggins Mod target logo.
Rivals to the Wiggins Macon
The stated weight of the Wiggins Macon is 6.4kg which again compares favourably to the Frog 48 (6.9kg), the Hoy Bonaly (approx. 6.3kg without pedals), and Wiggle’s new in-house brand the Verenti Sixteen (which is slightly cheaper than the Macon but weighs more at 7.2kg). However, the Macon falls slightly short of the Islabikes Cnoc 16 (6.1kg but £65 more expensive).
Wiggins Bikes for older kids
Where to buy the Wiggins Kids Bikes
The Bradley Wiggins Kids Bike Range is available exclusively at Halfords – either online or in store. Please note not all Halfords stores carry the entire stock, so it’s worth checking availability online before setting off.
We’d love to hear your first impressions of the Wiggins Kids bikes – please leave a comment below, or on our Facebook and Twitter feeds.
If you’ve found this article on Bradley Wiggin’s kids bike launch interesting, then it would be great if you could share it with your friends. Thanks!
Other articles you should check out whilst you’re here:
- The best place to buy a kids bike
- Where to buy the cheapest Frog Bikes
- The best 14″ starter bikes for children aged 3 and 4 years
- The cheapest kids bikes
- The best balance bikes as recommended by parents
- The best 16″ wheel bikes for 4 and 5 year olds
If you’d like more advice on cycling with your kids, inspiration for family friendly cycle routes, or reviews of the best kids bikes and children’s cycling accessories don’t forget to sign up for the Cycle Sprog newsletter.
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This post was first published on 1st July 2016. It’s been subsequently updated in November 2016 to reflect changed in the prices of the Wiggins Kids Bike Range.
Comments
You can find a balance bike with a weight of just 2kgs! First pedal bike? Early Rider by a mile!
Our Macon has been through two boys now. Its had some serious use with no problems. Obviously we’ve maintained it and stored it in the garage. WHen we first bought the bike the curvy bit that guides the brake cable into the vee brake fitted poorly so dragged on the cable a bit. I took it back to halfords and they “bent it round a bit!” This lost me a bit of confidence but I went to another bike shop and got it changed to a better part for pennies. Apart from that it’s been bullet proof though. It has quite slack geometry so really builds confidence and the gearing is spot on. It weighs nothing and getting them onto this bike from a balance bike was seriously easy… no stabilizers required. My boys are massive for there age so were on it from age 4 without problems. It looks fantastic in red as well so was an easy sell to them. Just put it on for sale and checked the price new. Cycle republic have it in the sale for 120 which seems pretty unbelievable value to me.
Better looking and much cheaper than the Hoy. I cant see how the Hoy can better it really either. Deffo recommend but check it over when you buy it as I dont completely trust halfords mechanics! Sorry to generalise, they may have good and bad like anywhere else
Hi Darren – thanks for the feedback – it’s great to know that the Wiggins bikes really do last. You’re not the first to mention the issue with the mechanics, which is a shame. However, it sounds like a great choice as you were prepared to do that bit of fixing prior to letting your sprog ride it. The Wiggins range have had an upgrade recently, including a new colour scheme – are you going for the next size up? Karen
can the handlebars on the balance bike Pau be adjusted as the child gets taller .
Hey William
Did you get an answer to your question? I have the same issue and want to know the answer.
Thx
Rita
Hi. Went to try out the wiggins macon at the weekend for my 5 year old son. It is the right size for the moment but the man in the bike shop said he would only het about 6 months out of it becaise he is so tall and there isn’t an 18 inch available. Do wiggins do an adjustable height handle bar for the macon?
Hi Michelle
Wonder if you’ve got any answer to your ? on adjusting the handle bar as I am looking for this answer myself.
Thx
Rita
I brought a Macon in December 2016. Must have had 200+miles out of it so far. Through all terrain, from tips to the shops to 8 mile X country rides. My boy loves it. And all of his friends are constantly trying to “swap it” during their trips out. Reliability is great. A service this winter heighted the need for new callipers at the front, new inner and outer brake cables and rebalancing of the rear wheel. But the mechanic told me he was surprised by the build quality and how well it had held up given the obvious abuse it had suffered. Like crashing down half pipes and a few over the handle bar incidents. When I asked him about new 16inch bike for my youngest he told me this one should easily hold up for another 1-2 years and if not – unless there was a reason to buy a Frog from him it I’d found a good quality bike at very reasonable prices.
My only grip is also one of my favourite points. The gearing is EXCEPTION at getting kids up a hill. But top speed is low. However – my boy rode up the Malvern Hills to the Worcestershire Beacon. Well almost all the way. I had trouble walking it. Anyone looking for 16inch bike for under £200 this is it!
Hi Carl, Thanks for the feedback on the Macon 16″ – it certainly sounds as if your boy has put the bike through it’s paces, and it’s great to know that it’s survived so well, and should do another few years. That’s the real test of a good bike – can you hand it on to siblings or friends. Welcome to the world of watching your Cycle Sprog go faster than you – it gets worse from here I promise!!! Karen
My youngest daughter has been cycling since she was 3yrs and was pedalling like the clappers on her cheap 14″ tank of a bike to barely reach a brisk walking pace. She ia now 4yes and we decided enough was enough and to invest in a “proper” bike for her. After considering Frog Islabikes Hoy and others we spotted the Macon by Wiggin. After a bit of a spin round Halfords ahe was absolutely taken with the bike and it was quite a job to convince her she couldnt take the demo bike home. She has been riding it for a week now and and although she was a controlled rider before its quite obvious the Macon is lovely to ride, both stable nippy and easy to stop. The tyres seem to provide good grip in both the wet a dry and the brakes easy to use for her petit hands. It looks quite lovely and she is absolutely thrilled with the choice and we are too,especially given its quite a bit cheaper than the competition. Another win for Bradley…
Hi Barnaby – thanks for sharing this – I can just imagine the battle you had to get her off the demo bike! So glad to hear she’s enjoying it – I would be interested to hear how it hold out longer term, as it sounds as if she’s going to give it a good work out. Karen
I’ve just bought the Wiggins Macon for my 4 year old son. Up until now he’s had a balance bike for a couple years and is really good on it, he also has a Rally Atom (14″) bike with stabalisers, but has never got on with it and seemed to find it really hard to pedal so would just refuse and carry on using the balance bike. After speaking to a friend about the islabikes and them saying about how good they are for kids I started to look at them, I did think they were rather expensive so was consid r in second hand until I came across the Wiggins Macon, with the price of this new being about the same as a second hand Islabike and my son having a brief go on the Wiggins in Halfords we decided to buy the Wiggins. Well to cut this long story short my son is loving the Wiggins bike, he was riding on his own pretty much straight away and found the pedals really easy to use, much much better than the Rally bike set-up. I really can’t recommend the Wiggins Macon highly enough, the brakes are another great item, so easy for little hands as close to grips and require little effort to apply. Great bike, so happy with the purchase.
Hi Scott – thanks for sharing this – it’s great to know that it gets the thumbs up – and at a fraction of the price of some other bikes on the market. It’s so important that young riders can reach the brakes, and are able to manoeuvre the bike around easily. Hope he has a lot of enjoyment out of it. Karen
We have just bought the Rouen 540 road bike for our 8 year old. I wouldn’t normally buy a bike from Halfords, but it caught my eye due to its price and its good looks when my son was doing a cycle maintenance course at Halfords. I went home, did some research and compared it to other similar bikes. With my British Cycling discount and the already reduced price it was a bargain at £236! The bike is great. Well specced, and with fairly low gearing compared to the Hoy and Frog bikes, which is great as we live in a hilly area. It’s no good for cyclocross as there is not enough clearance, but my son uses his Beinn 24 for that anyway. In any case who would want to get such a gorgeous, glossy frame covered in mud? My son absolutely loves it.
Hi Alex – great point about the British Cycling discount – that makes the bikes a really good deal. Hope your son really enjoys getting out on the roads on the Rouen 540 – and avoids the muddy puddles! Thanks for taking the time to feedback, Kind regards Karen
Hi,
We’ve done the rounds of the bike shops and looked at
Frog 48
Hoy Bonaly
Easy Rider Belter 16
Wiggins Macon
They are all superb looking first bikes. The Early Rider edged it for me with the looks and the belt drive but our 3.5 year old has decided he’s a Wiggo fan. (This makes me very happy)
I’ll report back once we’ve bought it and our little lad has attempted his first pedals.
Matt
Hi Matt, It’s great when a 3.5 year old knows what he likes! Do let us know how you get on with the Wiggins Macon – those first pedals are such an important milestone, and it will be good to know whether he finds the bike easy to ride. Thanks Karen