The Guardian Ethos 16 Inch Bike delighted our testers—and their dad and mom—with its snug geometry, colourful designs, and distinctive brake system, through which a single hand lever prompts each the rear and entrance brake pads without delay. Guardian’s founders appeared on Shark Tank in 2016 and efficiently satisfied traders that their progressive braking system would set them aside from different bike producers. (The corporate’s steadiness bike can be our high choose in that class.)
It has kid-friendly geometry that works for many 4- to 6-year-olds. The Guardian Ethos 16 Inch Bike hits all the proper notes for a primary pedal bike. It has a low standover peak of 16.75 inches, and the rider sits comfortably with its upright, BMX-style handlebars. Due to the slender Q issue (the space between the pedals) of 5.5 inches, our little riders had extra management, which is particularly useful for teenagers who’re “all knees and elbows.” You’ll be able to modify the seat peak by 7 inches, probably the most amongst our picks: With a minimal seat peak of 18.5 inches and a most of 25.5 inches, this bike works for a variety of youngsters, and it comes with an simply adjustable, quick-release clamp for that goal. The handlebar stem has a typical adjustment vary of 1.5 inches.
Guardian’s helpful RideSizer software can assist you just remember to’re getting the right-size bike to your child primarily based on each their peak and their expertise degree. For an extra $40, you should buy coaching wheels from Guardian, although we suggest utilizing the balance-bike technique as a substitute in case your child is sport: You’ll be able to go away the pedals off this 16-inch bike and decrease the seat all the way in which (you need to take away the rear reflector) to create a makeshift steadiness bike, after which you’ll be able to add the pedals when your baby is prepared.
It has a well-constructed, light-weight metal body. Guardian went with a metal body for this bike (the corporate’s steadiness bike is aluminum), which is uncommon for higher-end children bikes since aluminum is lighter. However metal is extra sturdy. And at 18 kilos, this 16-inch bike is extra compact and due to this fact extra maneuverable than our runner-up and our finances choose. (My 6-year-old is 50 kilos, so this bike is 35% of her physique weight, inside the best vary.) The bike’s high-quality building is clear from the second of unboxing, with easy welding and no protruding nuts or bolts. Guardian’s bikes additionally include a steering limiter, which is a straightforward rubber O-ring that hooks onto a bolt on the fork tube; putting in this piece prevents your child from rotating the handlebars 360 levels. As well as, the bike comes with a kickstand for ease of storage.
Guardian bikes use an progressive—and efficient—braking system. Trademarked because the SureStop Brake System, it’s primarily Guardian’s raison d’être. One lever, situated on the proper handlebar, controls each the entrance and rear brakes: The rear brake prompts first, after which the entrance brake prompts by way of a wire hooked up to the rear brake pad. This design makes for completely distributed braking energy and just about eliminates the danger of over-the-handlebar accidents, which happen when the entrance brakes lock up because of the rider’s overeager lever squeezing. Although twin hand brakes are the last word selection for management on a motorbike, Guardian’s system gives children a simplified, but efficient, model.
Meeting is straightforward and easy. A QR code printed on the skin of the field brings up useful movies detailing every stage of meeting. The entrance wheel comes hooked up to the body, leaving meeting of the handlebars, seatpost, pedals, and O-ring to you. All instruments are supplied, aside from a Phillips-head screwdriver, which it’s good to connect the entrance reflector. The bike is packed securely in its field however with out an extra of Styrofoam. All instructed, meeting took me lower than 20 minutes. (The Guardian web site says that the method takes 5 minutes, a declare that I discover a bit aspirational.) In my expertise, the brakes wanted no adjustment, nor did the wheels require alignment.
It gives versatile rubber tires and a perfect acquire ratio. In our exams, the Guardian Ethos’s semi-knobby tires, that are streamlined like these of the Woom 3, our improve choose, and fewer cumbersome than these on our runner-up and our finances choose, did nicely on pavement, grime, and grass. Due to these much less cumbersome tires, the Guardian Ethos (and the Woom 3) has extra zip than the REI REV 16 and the Joystar Totem, however their knobbiness nonetheless gives traction on textured terrain. Our riders additionally felt assured tooling round on the half pipe on the native BMX observe, saying that the tires felt “grippy” and “robust.” We haven’t carried out in depth testing on particularly rooty or rutty trails, however judging from the testing we have now carried out, we’re happy that total the Guardian Ethos’s tires make for a easy journey on pretty diverse terrain. We discovered them regular on moist, wintery roads, too. With this bike’s acquire ratio (the quantity of energy generated by a pedal stroke) of three.55, our riders might climb gentle hills simply but additionally keep energy on flat roads.
Guardian bikes are available six colours that embrace enjoyable patterns. Our testers have been magnetically drawn to the look of the Guardian bikes. For an added value, Guardian gives cute equipment similar to bells, colourful handlebar grips, and water bottles with holders.
Guardian’s customer support group is responsive and accommodating. The corporate gives a lifetime guarantee on body defects and a one-year guarantee on element defects.
Flaws however not dealbreakers
It isn’t the lightest bike. In case your baby is on the smaller aspect, and also you’re dedicated to honoring that best bike-to-kid weight ratio (30% to 40%), the 18-pound Guardian Ethos may be a bit heavy for them. If that’s the case, you’d be higher off with the 13-pound Woom 3.
The brakes are untraditional. Although we discovered the progressive braking system to be a key benefit of this Guardian bike, some dad and mom would possibly favor that their children learn to brake utilizing a conventional setup, with separate entrance and rear brake levers (one for every hand). Since younger riders ought to favor the rear brake anyway as they be taught protected brake modulation (within the US, the rear brake lever is situated on the proper aspect, simply as Guardian’s single lever is), including the entrance brake lever on the left after they’re prepared for an even bigger bike is a straightforward transition for the kid. Nonetheless, some dad and mom might want their rider to make use of each brakes proper off the bat.
The worth fluctuates. This bike’s record value is $290, however it’s ceaselessly on sale for $250. Transport is sort of $30 within the continental US, and should you’re decided to make use of coaching wheels, they’ve an added value of $40.
