Finding a bike to gift your kid this Christmas? You can go for any of the Magna Bikes reviewed below. Click Magna Bikes Review in the contents section – and see the details and specifications.
However there are many things you will want to look for before selecting any Magna for your kid.
Make your selection based on Magna Bikes Review – and certain facts related to your kid. For example the age of your child, his/her height and other factors discussed shortly.
Magna Bikes Review – 5 Best Magna Bikes you can buy for your kids
Below we have reviewed only the selected five Magna Bikes which you can buy for your little ones.
All the 5 bikes are the best among Magna Bikes. We have checked these bikes’ – frames, brakes, weight, materials and synthetic. These 5 selected ones can compete other premium bikes in the market.
Don’t be a Bike Snob. Because Magna Bikes Review below are all genuine. So you can buy any one of them without any hesitation.
1. Throttle BMX Street/Dirt Bike
Throtte BMX Street/Dirt Bike is a 20″ Bicycle. The bike weighs 27 pounds and spans over 35″ x 26″ x 54″.
Frame and other parts are all steel. The frame is Rugged BMX. It is tough and will resist most of the shocks. Magna gives a lifetime warranty on frame and fork. This again will give you assurance over the frame.
Premium features of the bike include Coaster Brakes – which work pretty well. And adjustable seat which makes it ideal for a variety of age groups.
Other accessories include Handlebar Pads, Kickstand, and Reflectors on front handlebars and on the spokes (for increased visibility in low lights).
Magna Bikes review this bike as a very well designed one. They claim it to have different color combinations. But the only color we were able to find was red and white graphics on the frame and rims.
Other than that – this Magna Bike is an all Black Bike. It features a Black Frame, Black Saddle, Black Grips and Black Tires.
We feel that as a children bike – the product should be designed more colorful.
Other than this drawback – the bike does well.
A major positive about this – is it being a Hybrid Bike. Your kid can use it as a college/school bike and can take it on rough roads too when needed.
The bike is at its best for 6 to 10 years. And the maximum it can hold is 105 lbs. Below is a chart which can assist you in selecting appropriate bike frame for your kid.
Check prices and ratings on Amazon
2. Magna Gravel Blaster
Gravel Blaster – is a 12 inches bike. It is a beginner bike you can get for your little ones.
The bike weighs 21 pounds and its dimensions are 20.5 x 34.5 x 28 inches.
All the other features are almost like the Throttle BMX Bike reviewed above. The frame and fork are steel and Magna offers a lifetime warranty on both.
Other accessories include – a Saddle, Black Grips, Black Tires w/ Green Trim and Pedals and Handlebar pad.
As the “Throttle” this bike also features premium coaster brakes to make stopping efficient and easy.
We were not happy with the colors and the design. The bike features a simple fusion on Black and Green. As a beginner bike – it requires to be more colorful and attractive.
We critically inspected this bike – under safety parameters and found that it is pretty safe for your kids. Even the weight is not very much and the frame is rigid and can absorb shocks to a certain threshold.
Magna Bikes provides adjustable training wheels – factory fitted. So you’re not required to buy them.
Check prices and ratings on Amazon
3. Echo Ridge 24″ Bike
Echo Ridge is a 24 inches bike. Magna Bikes review the “Ridge” as a – perfect bike for a young rider who is ready for an exciting adventure!
Dimensions of “Ridge” are 64.2 x 23.6 x 40.2 inches and weighs around 30 pounds.
The bike features a bright red BMX frame with custom graphics and navy blue, silver, and white accents. Magna Bikes however does not offer any guarantee on the frame of this bike.
“Ridge” has a 18 speed index shifter (derailleur) – making it perfect to climb difficult terrains. This is the bike on which you can train your “near-adults” about derailleurs and gears.
The bike comes with front and rear linear pull brakes which are necessary considering speed shifters.
Other accessories include a quick release seat post with a padded seat which makes it quite comfortable. The bike also has
Reflectors on front handlebars and on the spokes are also provided by Magna.
So overall its a fair price that you can go with. It has almost adult bike features and costs pretty decent.
The bike is best suited for above 10 years of age – and it best serves as a beginner adult bike.
Check prices and ratings on Amazon
4. Starburst Girls BMX Street/Dirt Bike
Starburst Street + Dirt Bike is a 16 inches – specially designed for your girls bicycle. It is the best beginner bike available.
Starburst weighs 27 pounds and spans 7″ x 17″ x 36.5″ inches.
The bike features a sturdy solid frame. Frame material is steel. BMX frame is decorated with vibrant pink and purple flowers.
Magna Bikes offer a lifetime warranty on frame and fork like they offer for “Gravel” and “Throttle”.
Other features of the “Starburst” include coaster brakes, Handlebar Pad, White Tires, Silver Rims and training wheels.
Training wheels are removable and adjustable – providing extra balance and stability.
Seat is adjustable which makes it apt for a varied number of age groups.
Design and appearance wise the bike really stands out from the Boys “Gravel” and “Throttle”. It is available in 3 beautiful colors – Purple, White and Pink.
Magna has matched the accessories with the bike’s color. The pink version has a hot pink seat, matching grips, pedals and pink training wheels.
The bike is quite safe and stable. It does not cost much too. As a specialised girls bike – Starburst is the best you can get.
5. Guardian Kids Bikes Ethos – Best Alternative to Magna Bikes
Note – Guardian Ethos is not a Magna Bike. The bike is reviewed here – an an option for you if you don’t want to purchase Magna Bikes.
Frame – Ethos is made up of aluminum. Aluminum is custom pressed to perfectly mold it into appropriate tubes. It is one of the lightest bike for kids weighing 24 pounds.
Overall body of the bike is positioned lower to the ground and offers low center of gravity. And the bike extends horizontally having a larger wheel base as compared to other bikes.
This design is developed understanding Kid specific geometry. It increases stability, safety and keeps the bike in contact with the ground.
You get a lifetime frame warranty and a 30 day trial period with the purchase.
Brakes – Guardian uses their SureStop braking technology in all their models. SureStop has a single brake lever which controls both the wheels – the front and the rear.
Guardian claims that this technology allows kids to stop 44% faster in comparison with other braking systems. It also decreases head-over-handlebar accidents.
Sizes – You can order 3 sizes of Ethos Bikes. And keep in note that Ethos is a unisex bike.
- A 16 inch model is appropriate for a height range of 40 – 46 inches.
- A 20 inch model is appropriate for a height range of 45 – 53 inches.
- A 24 inch model is appropriate for a height range of 49 – 61 inches.
Design – We love this about Ethos Bikes. They are designed by kids for kids. The bikes are designed according to Decal Patters. It increases the bikes visibility on the road and without doubt makes them more attractive.
Safety – Guardian claims to deliver the bike after a rigorous 34 point safety check. They claim that in every Ethos – you receive “a 99% professionally assembled bike”.
Assembly – You can assemble the 16 inch model in less than 10 minutes, whereas the 24 inch model in less than 15 minutes. All tools are included in the package making assembly very easy.
Cost – Guardian Ethos come with a cost. You can buy around 5 Magna Bikes at the same price of an Ethos. However an Ethos is something which will last more than your kids childhood age. It is the best in the market. And no Magna can ever compete an Ethos.
About Dynacraft Magna Bikes
Magna Bikes are American Made Bicycles. All parts are not manufactured locally but the final assembly is done in the United States.
Magna is a house brand for Dynacraft. Dynacraft Magna Bike is one of the largest distributor of bicycles, scooters and battery-powered ride-on’s in the United States.
The production house faced a lot of criticism in 1999 when Dynacraft voluatarily called back “Great Divide” (21 speed mountain bikes). They were swiped away from the market because of defective handle bars.
However no accidents were reported!
This led to a lot of bad mouthing for Magna Bikes. If you google Magna Bikes Review – you will see a lot of forums discussing “Is “Magna” a quality brand?” or “Are Magna bikes good?”
We will answer both the above questions.
Is Magna a Quality Brand?
Not the most Eccentric Brand. But mark the word Eccentric Brand. If you ask is Magna a Brand? Then the answer is a Definite Yes. Magna is a good brand or to put it best an Above Average Brand.
Magna or Dynacraft Magna is a preeminent manufacturer in the wheeled goods industry since 1985. It has over 40 years of experience in production and distribution of Bikes, Scooters and Battery-powered ride-on toys.
Up until now – Dynacraft Magna has its headquarters in American Canyon, California. And it leads most of the North American Bicycle Manufacturing Market.
This is one side of the truth. The other side is that you cannot expect Magna Bikes to be of a very huge brand. Do not compare Dynacraft Magna with Stowabike or Columba or Dahon.
It will be like comparing a Kia to a BMW!
Are Magna Bikes Good?
Second most asked question while discussing Magna Bikes Review is – “Are Magna bikes good?
There are certain factors you need to evaluate to answer are Magna bikes good or not.
Because in certain conditions (Discussed Below) – they are the most apt bike and in some criterion – you will not like to Buy a Magna.
Is your Kid Learning to Ride Bikes?
If you are buying a learner bike – then don’t go for any other brand. As a learner bike Dynacraft Magna should be your only option.
While learning the bike will fall, take blows, and will crash several times. Your kid is going to drop it on the sidewalk, leave it down the street when they get distracted and don’t bring it home.
Any bike will loose its luster and strength. You will have to discard it – once your kid has learned biking. This is where an X-Mart Bike comes into play.
Buy a Magna Bike which will cost you less than 50 to 60 dollars. And spend the money saved – in buying bicycle accessories – mainly a kid’s helmet and knee pads.
And once done with the bike you can get some money back out of it. Go for a premium bike like a Schwinn Koen then.
As a learner bike – Gravel Blaster for boys and Sweet Heart Bike for girls are the best by Dynacraft Magna. Both have several positive responses by parents.
Your Kids Age
If you are buying the bike for your infant – then you don’t have much option other than Battery-powered Magna ride-on toys. They are the only best available option in the market.
If you want a kids bike – for above 5 years to 10 years of age – then again Magna Bikes are a good option.
The reason being – your kid will outgrow the bike pretty soon. Between 5 and 15 a girl or boy will probably have gone through 4 sizes of bikes
And buying 4 branded bikes costing 250 dollars (premium brands cost this much) in a span of 5 years – is economically less viable.
You can go with the most popular – Dynacraft Magna Street + Dirt Bike or the Echo Ridge. The minimum they will last with all the rough use – is 2 years!
Above 10 years – when the height and weight are almost stable – you can go for a Specialized Hotrock or the Guardian Ethos.
Both cost around 260 dollars – which is worth – expecting that your boy/girl will use them for another 5 years.
How Safe is your Kids’ Biking Techniques?
If you receive frequent complaints from your neighborhood about your kid crashing into their fences. Or if your kid mostly returns with a broken elbow or injuries. In short – he is a rash while biking.
In likewise scenarios – NEVER go for a Magna Bike
Magna Bikes tend to be a little heavy. Considering rash biking – weight can boost the impact of injuries.
Secondly you will not get best of the premium bike materials in Magna Bikes. Sometimes even materials can be damaging if it presses against your kids’s bodies’.
And if you want to go with a Magna – then buy all the necessary safety equipment. Do not let your kids out without the following –
Purchasing these safety guards might cost you some dollars. But remember that the dollars are not more expensive then your child’s health.
Moreover consulting a Pediatrician or a health care costs a lot in America.
How much is your kid into cycling?
If cycling is the passion for your kids – then obviously they will ride their bikes a lot. In this case Magna Bikes are not the best option.
Go for the premium version RoyalBaby Space Shuttle. It is the best and the safest if your kids spend a lot of their hours on bicycles.
However if cycling is not their taste – and the cycles breathe once or twice a weak – then there is not point in investing a lot many dollars. Better spend it on things – they want or prefer doing.
If your kid loves engineering bicycles
From age 7 and above – kids try to engineer the mechanics. If your kid is somewhat like Sheldon Cooper – trying to experimenting with things – then go for a Magna.
Your kid can disassemble a Magna, clean it, re-grease it and do all types of engineering experiments. Even if the bike never gets reverse engineered – you are just at a risk of 50 to 70 dollars.
We receive several bikes each month – with mechanical issues. Some bikes were exposed to experimenting while others just took a severe blow because of careless riding.
Sometimes the cost of rebuilding a premium brand bike – is more than buying a fresh Magna.
Magna Bikes Review – A peak into their manufacturing process
Dynacraft Magna is a branded company. It is registered on stock exchange and it works under the America’s Bicycle Association.
They follow all the safety procedures that a Bicycle Manufacturer should adhere to.
Although Magna Bikes is a bargain brand – the manufacturing is done by professionals. And they know what they are doing.
Secondly you should evaluate their performance per dollar. They give you a lot more than a 10,000 dollar carbon or titanium bike.
Magnas, Huffys, Mongoose and other bargain brands – for what they cost, they’re very good.
Recent events and a lot of bad mouthing has given Magna an evil image. But this is not the honest truth. They are very much “a bike” and not a scrap.
Converting a Magna Bike into a Premium Bike
Considering that you don’t want to go with the Guardian Ethos or the Huffy Go Girl – what is the best option then?
You have 2 options to do something like this.
Either do it yourself. You just need to change the following.
- Bike’s Frame
- Braking system
- Pedals
If you don’t want to change all – then the frame and the braking system is also more than enough.
The second option is – go to any trained service staff in any local bike shop near your area. He will fix and remodel the Magna.
This will not cost you a fortune. The up-gradation will be somewhere around 40 to 50 dollars.
You will still be saving a minimum of 100 dollars comparing Magna Bike and its remodelling over any other premium bike.
And your Magna Bike will work better than ever. Isn’t it smart to convert your Kia into a BMW – by spending a little money.
Final thoughts
Our closing statement (after inspecting both – Magna and Ethos – physically) is – to buy an Ethos if you can afford it. But if you cannot – then any of the above Magna Bikes reviewed is just fine.
There are no problems – with any of the 4 Magna Bikes reviewed above. Of all the Magna Bikes – these are the best.
They are safe and sound. And they will never harm your kids. So you can go with any of them.
Additionally they are very cheap. So you can always buy them – even as a spare or a learner bike.
And being on a cheap bike is still better than being on no bike. Biking is the best activity you can enroll your kids into.
