The Best Bikes for Big Kids: woom 5 and woom 6
Your child has already mastered balancing, braking, pedaling, and shifting gears, so what’s next for your kiddo? Once there are no more gears, pedals, or shifters to add to the design, your Rider’s increased comfort on the saddle will change how they view their bicycle. This leads to them becoming a more confident Rider with a stronger sense of independence. Their bike – once just a toy – transforms into a vehicle of freedom and mobility.
The woom 5 and the woom 6 may appear similar to a woom 4, but a variety of subtle changes in the design make these models ideal for bigger kids. You probably noticed the larger frames and the bigger wheels, but how about the new colors? Along with the classic woom red, the woom 5 and woom 6 also come in mint green, midnight blue, and moon grey. As kids get older, personal style matters more.
Also, kids grow quickly, so when they become too tall for their previous bike, it’s important to have them on one that fits well. Children approaching 49” tall are prime candidates for the woom 5, and once they reach 55” they can consider upgrading to woom 6.
woom Bikes Grow Proportionately with Your Child
To further your kid’s hill-climbing capabilities and put those legs to work, our larger models carefully ramp up the bike's dimensions. With its 24” wheelset, the woom 5 represents a sizeable jump from the 20” wheels on the woom 4. The cranks increase in length by almost an inch (from 4.3” to 5.1”), providing additional leverage to each pedal stroke. Lastly, four extra teeth are added to the largest cog in the cassette (from 28 to 32), increasing the range of gear options for growing Riders.
When leveling up to woom’s largest model – the woom 6 – Riders are met with a larger 26” wheelset, longer 5.9” cranks, and an even wider range of gears (the largest cog has 34 teeth), making this the perfect segue to adult bikes later down the road. While these increases in wheel size, crank length, and cassette range all work to bring young cyclists up to speed, that’s not all.
A variety of other incremental differences between the woom 5 and woom 6 work to accommodate the massive growth that those preteen Riders are bound to go through:
- The handlebar gets wider to make room for growing arms
- The wheelbase lengthens to increase stability
- The saddle height rises to accommodate increased height
- The tires get wider to provide more comfort and support increased weight
- The handlebar height is raised to promote good posture
Adjustability
Comfort can make or break the ride. When it's in short supply, no amount of gorgeous scenery or ice cream can save a bike outing. While each woom bike has been carefully crafted to meet your Rider at their appropriate size range, not all children have the same proportions. To ensure your child is free from the discomforts of an ill-fitting bike, the woom 5 and woom 6 also come with a number of ingenious features that allow them to be adjustable on the fly to dial in the fit for each unique child.
One of the handiest features for kids going through epic growth spurts is the Vario stem, which allows the handlebars to rotate forward so the Rider can choose the handlebar position most comfortable for them. Be sure to reposition the brake levers to the optimal angle for your Rider (see video)!
Besides dialing in the stem, determining the proper saddle height can greatly increase the Rider’s comfort. As they get older and taller, they can easily adjust it themselves without any tools, thanks to the quick-release lever. Just make sure they don’t have it crooked!
Lastly, in addition to adjusting the brake lever angle when adjusting the stem (as we mentioned earlier), the brake lever reach can also be adjusted using a Phillips head screwdriver. Check out our blog for a deep dive into setting up and maintaining all woom bikes.
woom 5 & 6 Were Made Specifically for Growing Kids
We only make bikes for children. Why? So we can focus on making them the best bikes in the world for your child. When children have bikes intentionally designed for their unique needs during a pivotal stage of growth, they are often inspired to become lifelong cyclists.
The following design elements in the woom 5 and woom 6 may not be easily noticeable but greatly contribute to your Rider’s comfort when cycling:
Superlight, Redesigned Aluminum Frame
woom bikes are not only incredibly light, which makes balancing a cinch, but also make mounting and dismounting easier for growing kids, due to the curved top tube which lowers the standover height.
Narrow Q-Factor
When children approach adult height, they typically still have narrower hips. All woom bikes have a narrower “Q-factor” than adult bikes, which means the lateral distance between the crank arms (where pedals connect) is narrower to match narrower hip bones. This detail is especially important for pre-teens and early teenagers.
Higher Bottom Bracket
A higher bottom bracket, coupled with a narrow Q-factor, means your adventurous child will be less likely to pedal strike when rounding a tight corner.
Ergonomic Contact Points
Each component is designed with children in mind, which is very important when it comes to touchpoints. For starters, woom saddles are designed specifically to accommodate the anatomy and the biomechanics of your child. Our custom woom ORIGINAL Ergogrips are ergonomically designed for kids' hands. The pedals are durable, reflective, slip-resistant, and come in age-appropriate sizing.
Narrow-Wide Chainring
Tackling hills can be tough work. And when you drop the chain in the middle of cranking up a hill, it can be demoralizing. As the teeth on a narrow-wide chainring come in alternating sizes, they interlock firmly with the alternate-sized chain links to prevent chain slippage and instead provide control and confidence.
woom 6 or Adult Bike?
When a child has outgrown their woom 5, some parents may consider purchasing an “adult bike” rather than a woom 6. After all, they’re almost adult-sized, right?
However, for the reasons mentioned above, your child will likely be much more comfortable and confident riding a bike that was designed specifically for them and their still-growing bodies rather than an adult bike.
Another factor to consider when making the “next bike decision” is the potential resale value of a woom bike. Due to their high-quality frame and components, depreciation is minimal. Whether sold on Facebook or elsewhere online, it is no secret that woom bikes typically fetch upwards of 75% of their initial MSRP even after years of use!
Riding Out with woom: the Later Years
The latter elementary and middle school years are a period of incredible growth for children - physically and emotionally. As they become more independent both on and off the bike, preteens and teens develop preferences and habits that can last a lifetime.
Fresh air, screen-free fun, eco-friendly transportation, and mental and cardiovascular health are just some of the benefits of cycling. For any parents out there hoping their kid falls in love with cycling, providing them with a quality bike that fits them matters. We design bikes specifically with your child in mind, so we make it easy for you to make sure you have the right size bike for your growing Rider.
The late Robin Williams once said, “riding a bike is the closest you can get to flying.” Both the woom 5 and woom 6 will keep your Rider flying, facilitate more magic moments, and prepare them for whatever lies ahead on their journey into adulthood.
