Electra Mini Rod/Hawaii 16

Reviews of 16-inch kids' bikes are few and far between, but one expert -- Bicycling magazine -- recommends the Electra Mini Rod 16 for boys and Electra Hawaii 16 for girls. Sixteen-inch bikes are designed for 4- to 8-year-olds with heights of 34 to 42 inches. Bicycling highlights the Electra Mini Rod and Electra Hawaii because it says they are reliable and durable choices. Even with little maintenance, Bicycling magazine's Christine Bucher says these Electra bikes will "last forever," so they'll make good hand-me-downs for younger siblings. The Electra Mini Rod and Electra Hawaii have heavy steel frames, and they are more expensive than the kids' bikes available at mass retailers. For older kids, Bicycling also recommends the 20-inch Jamis Starlite or Laser (*Est. $215).

Because there are so few reviews of 16-inch kids' bikes, we relied mainly on Bicycling magazine's recommendations when evaluating the Electra Mini Rod and Electra Hawaii. Because these bikes come in larger sizes as well, we did find some user reviews for the larger models.