Wahoo 20 Trail

The Trek Wahoo 20 Trail is a lightweight, rigid trail bike built around modern geometry, useful gearing, and real brakes.

The geometry is the biggest difference from a basic 20-inch bike. A longer wheelbase, low center of gravity, and 67-degree head tube angle make the Wahoo Trail feel more stable than most small kids’ bikes. That slack front end helps reduce the twitchy, over-the-bars feeling kids can get on steep or uneven terrain.

Trek skips the suspension fork, which is the right choice for many riders at this size, and it helps keep cost in check. Cheap coil spring suspension forks add weight and often do little for lighter kids. The carbon fork keeps the bike light while the 2.2-inch Kenda Amrak tires add grip and cushion on dirt, especially if converted to tubeless and run at low pressure.

The drivetrain is better than the simple “9-speed” label suggests. The microSHIFT Advent system pairs a 30-tooth chainring with an 11-38T cassette, giving kids an easy climbing gear for longer hills and trail riding. The clutch rear derailleur also helps keep the chain from bouncing off over rough ground.

The brakes are another strong point. Tektro hydraulic discs with 160mm rotors front and rear give kids real stopping power, and the short-reach levers are built specifically for smaller hands.

The Wahoo Trail is more bike than most kids need for casual neighborhood riding, but at this price it's a great value for a very versatile bike. For a young rider who is interested in more than casual riding through the neighborhood, this bike strikes a good balance between price and performance.

The only downside is can be tough to find online, but is more readily available on showroom floors at Trek dealers.