Frog

The Frog Tadpole balance bike is fitted with a rear brake to get your child used to the concept of braking (although they will probably still use their feet a lot to stop, especially in the early days).

The tyres are pneumatic, so good for use on a variety of terrains, and a steering lock  prevents over-steer accidents.  The quick-release seat post is useful for when your Cycle Sprog has a growth spurt.

The 10″ wheel Frog Tadpole Mini is one of the very smallest balance bikes available and it’s suitable for children with an inside leg of just 24cm.

The Frog Tadpole Mini balance bike does have a rear brake which will allow your child to get used to braking when they are ready. However, don’t expect a very young child to use them – feet are more than adequate for stopping!

The tyres are pneumatic, which means you can take this bike outside and ride on a variety of surfaces, and there’s a quick-release seat post so the bike easily grows with your child.

The Frog Road 58 makes a good first drop handlebar bike for those wanting to start riding on roads, circuits or at cyclocross events.

The frame has clearance to fit both slick road tyres and more grippy cyclocross tyres, which makes this a good choice kids bike for youngsters racing in triathlons and cyclocross as well as riding on the roads.

When we reviewed the Frog Road 58, one thing our 7 year old tester really liked is that it comes with auxiliary brake levers on the handlebar tops. These are very useful if your child is not confident enough to lean forward onto the drop handlebars.   [sc name="bike-club-frog-bikes" bike_name="Frog Road 58" ][/sc]

The Frog MTB 62 has a specifically designed junior specific air suspension fork with lockout and damping control, a lightweight oversize handlebar and stem plus easy-reach junior specific hydraulic brakes.

The Shimano rapid-fire 9-speed shift lever is an easy to use way to move the chain.

When we reviewed the slightly larger Frog MTB 69 our only complaint was with the supplied tyres, but the later versions have been upgraded to have a bespoke mountain bike tyre which is much better for off road riding.

The Frog 73 is a good all round bike which will be happy on most terrains so ideal for children who ride anywhere and aren’t specializing in any one particular kind of cycling.

It has an 8 speed Shimano gear system operated by thumb shifters and having an 11-32T cassette, which should be good for all but the steepest hills.

The larger Frog bikes have lost the childish branding of the smaller bikes, so should appeal to an older audience.  However if you have a shorter but older child in their teens don’t be surprised if you find some resistance and the desire to move onto a more “adult” brand, as Frog is very much known as a kids bike brand. [sc name="bike-club-frog-bikes" bike_name="Frog 73" ][/sc] [sc name="bike-club-26-inch-deal" ][/sc]

The Frog 52 has everything you’d expect to see on a quality kids bike designed for a child using gears for the first time.  It was discontinued in 2021 to be replaced by the Frog 53 so is now only available secondhand or to lease. It’s last retail price in 2021 was £400.

The gears are simple to use – there’s a single chain ring at the front so your child doesn’t have to worry about changing gear with both hands.  The 8 gears are operated by an easy to use thumb shifter designed for small hands, and the spread of gears should help them get up all but the steepest of hills. 

There’s plenty of room for growth with the Frog 52. The handlebars can be lowered or raised within a range of 54mm and it’s easy to adjust the seat height using the quick release system. 

We’ve reviewed the slightly larger 20″ wheel bike – the Frog 55 – and were very impressed with its performance and longevity. [sc name="bike-club-frog-bikes" bike_name="Frog 52" ][/sc] [sc name="bike-club-20-inch-deal" ][/sc]