A family ride out testing our new range of kids (non-electric bikes) from Ōrākei to Henderson

You can now access a small collection of kids' bikes here at EBT. We decided to add these to our offering as our cargo bike customers (and our own) children started needing quality bikes for all the times that they're not sitting in the cargo bike! And anyone who has looked into kids bikes has probably found that good quality ones aren't always easy to find. We also needed a kids bike to go with our fantastic FollowMe Tandem product in the showroom!

We wanted bikes that were able to ride wherever families ride. Tyres for all surfaces, gears for going up big hills, brakes suitable for descending steep hills and an overall bike weight in proportion with a child. We picked our favourites from the local brand Apex (brought to you by the designers of Sinch bikes) as they offered qualities that fit the bill:

• Available with a rigid (non-suspension) front fork right up to 24" size. Suspension forks add a lot of weight to a kid's bike
• Available with hydraulic disc brakes right from the 20" range. Children's hands aren't very strong so they benefit from hydraulically activated brakes more than adults do - and Auckland is hilly!
• Value for money. Quality was the priority but we weren't just looking for the most expensive bike possible. These ones are priced competitively in the market.

As always, test rides are welcome! My own kids have been thoroughly testing the 20" model and the 24" model for us. We've ridden home from the shop in the rain to Ōrākei, then the next day to Waitematā station to take the train to Mt Albert. From there we all rode in a fierce headwind to Henderson and then back to the shop (with a tailwind). Oh and of course a couple of trips to Grey Lynn Park to make sure they are pump track ready!

The bikes performed really well. Having a bike that actually fits makes a huge difference. And the kids had confidence going down the various steep drops we encountered thanks to the hydraulic brakes. I really had my work cut out for me on my Brompton at times!