Learning to Ride
Best training wheels for kids bikes
Training wheels are chosen on two numbers: the bike wheel sizes they bolt to and the rider weight they are rated for. Wald 1216 is the only set that fits a 12 or 14-inch first bike; FATWHEELS is the only one that fits a geared bike at all.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through one, we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes which bike we put first — here is exactly how we make money.
Before you buy any set, check three things on the bike: the wheel size, whether it has gears, and whether there is at least 3/8 inch of axle sticking out past the nut on both sides of the rear wheel. Get any of those wrong and the set will not fit at all.
| Set | Fits wheel sizes | Rider limit | Geared bikes? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wald 1216 | 12–16" | 75 lb | No | The only set that fits a 12 or 14-inch bike |
| Wald 10252 | 16–20" | 100 lb | No | Adapters for 0.75 and 1.00 in rear tubes |
| FATWHEELS Small | 16–20" | 150 lb | Yes | Adds about 25 in of width at the rear |
| Wald 742 | 16–26" | 125 lb | No | Brace arms fit rear tubes up to 0.75 in only |
Read from Wald's and FATWHEELS' own product pages on 2026-09-26. All three Wald sets state they are for single-speed bicycles only.
The fitment check, in order
Step 01
Measure the rear wheel, not the front
Training wheels bolt to the rear axle, and the bracket geometry is set by that wheel's diameter. A bike sold as “16 inch” has a 16-inch rear wheel, so this is usually straightforward — but check, on any bike with mismatched wheels.
Step 02
Check for gears
This is where most orders go wrong. All three Wald sets state explicitly that they are for single-speed bicycles and are not designed for multi-speed ones — the derailleur and the bracket want the same space. If the bike has a shifter, FATWHEELS is the set that works, because it states outright that it fits coaster or multi-speed bikes.
Step 03
Check the exposed axle
Wald requires at least 3/8 inch of axle outside the axle nut on both sides of the rear wheel. Look at your bike now: if the nut is flush with the end of the axle, no Wald set will mount. FATWHEELS ships axle extenders in 3/8 in-24 and 3/8 in-26 tpi for exactly this problem, and also works on 10 mm axles.
Step 04
Measure the rear frame tube
The brace arms clamp around the rear frame tube. Wald's 742 fits tubes up to 0.75 inch only. The 10252 includes adapters for 0.75 and 1.00 inch tubes, and fits 1.25 inch tubes with the adapters left out. Modern bikes have fatter tubes than old ones, which is why the 10252 exists.
Rider weight is the limit people ignore
A training wheel bears real load every time the bike leans, and steel brackets bend. Wald rates the 1216 to 75 lb, the 10252 to 100 lb and the 742 to 125 lb. FATWHEELS goes to 150 lb. The CDC's median eight-year-old is about 56 lb and the median ten-year-old about 71 lb, so the smaller Wald sets are genuinely near their limit on an older child.
If you are fitting stabilisers for an older or heavier learner — which is often a child with a coordination or motor-planning difference, and a completely legitimate reason — the rating is the spec that matters, and FATWHEELS is the answer.
Set them level, then raise them
Training wheels fitted hard to the ground on both sides teach a child that a bike does not lean, which is precisely the wrong lesson. Fit them so there is roughly half an inch of clearance, so the bike can tip a little before a wheel touches. Then raise them again every couple of weeks.
The honest caveat
We would rather you did not need this page. Training wheels prevent the child from learning to lean, which is the one skill that takes months, and the balance-bike route is faster for most children. The full argument is on do kids need training wheels.
But there are good reasons to fit them: a bike that was a gift, a child who is older and frustrated, a rider with a disability, or simply a family that wants to do it this way. Wald says outright that its sets are “training aids used for a temporary period of time”, and that is the right framing.
What we would actually buy
For a 12 or 14-inch first bike: the Wald 1216. It is the only set here that fits at that size, it is rated to 75 lb, and it has multiple bracket heights so you can raise it as balance arrives.
For a 16 or 20-inch single-speed: the Wald 10252, because the included frame adapters cover 0.75, 1.00 and 1.25 inch rear tubes and modern stays are thick.
For a geared bike, or a heavier rider: the FATWHEELS Small. It is several times the price, it adds about 25 inches of width at the rear, and it is the only set that states it works on multi-speed bikes. Check it clears your doorways first.
For a 24 or 26-inch single-speed: the Wald 742, rated to 125 lb — as long as the rear frame tube is 0.75 inch or under.
The picks
Every figure below is the manufacturer's own published spec, linked to the page we read it from. We have not ridden these bikes and the cards say so — here is how we choose.
Quick picks — sorted by what it fits
| # | Product | Best for | Fits | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FITS Top pickWald 1216 Training Wheels The small Wald: the set that actually fits a 12 or 14-inch first bike, which most training wheels on sale do not. | 12 and 14 inch first bikes | 12–16" bikes · ≤75 lb | |
| 2 | FITS Wald 10252 Training Wheels The 16-to-20-inch set with the adapters that make it fit fat modern chainstays — the version to buy when plain brackets will not close around the frame. | Thick-stayed 16 and 20 inch bikes | 16–20" bikes · ≤100 lb | |
| 3 | FITS FATWHEELS Small The only set here that works on a geared bike, and the only one rated to 150 lb — which is why it is the answer for an older child, a heavier child, or a rider with a disability. | Geared bikes and heavier riders | 16–20" bikes · ≤150 lb | |
| 4 | FITS Wald 742 Training Wheels The long-reach Wald: 16 to 26 inch wheels and a 125 lb rating, which makes it the set for an older or heavier child who is still learning. | Older or heavier learners | 16–26" bikes · ≤125 lb |
n/p = the manufacturer does not publish that figure. We do not fill in a number they never gave.
Top pick — 12 and 14 inch first bikes
Wald 1216 Training Wheels
The small Wald: the set that actually fits a 12 or 14-inch first bike, which most training wheels on sale do not.
| Fits | 12–16" bikes · ≤75 lb |
|---|---|
| Brakes | — |
| Gearing | Single-speed bikes only — not for multi-speed |
| Frame | Steel brackets and steel wheels |
| Brand says | Wald rates them for riders up to 75 lb |
What works
- Fits 12 to 16 in wheels — the only size band that covers a genuine first pedal bike
- Steel brackets with several mounting heights, so you can raise them as balance arrives
- Wald publishes a rider weight rating (75 lb), which most brands do not
What doesn't
- Single-speed bikes only — they will not fit a geared bike
- Needs at least 3/8 in of axle outside the nut on both sides, which rules some bikes out entirely
- Steel wheels are noisy and scuff, and Wald says outright these are temporary aids
Hands-on status: Researched from published specs · Wald — 1216 training wheels specs
#2 — Thick-stayed 16 and 20 inch bikes
Wald 10252 Training Wheels
The 16-to-20-inch set with the adapters that make it fit fat modern chainstays — the version to buy when plain brackets will not close around the frame.
| Fits | 16–20" bikes · ≤100 lb |
|---|---|
| Brakes | — |
| Gearing | Single-speed bikes only — not for multi-speed |
| Frame | Steel brackets and steel wheels, with frame adapters included |
| Brand says | Wald rates them for riders up to 100 lb |
What works
- Fits 16 to 20 in wheels and riders up to 100 lb
- Frame adapters cover 0.75 and 1.00 in rear tubes; without them it takes 1.25 in tubes
- All-steel, and cheap enough to treat as disposable
What doesn't
- Single-speed only, which excludes most geared 20 in bikes sold today
- Same 3/8 in exposed-axle requirement as the smaller Wald set
- No published product weight
Hands-on status: Researched from published specs · Wald — 10252 training wheels specs
#3 — Geared bikes and heavier riders
FATWHEELS Small
The only set here that works on a geared bike, and the only one rated to 150 lb — which is why it is the answer for an older child, a heavier child, or a rider with a disability.
| Fits | 16–20" bikes · ≤150 lb |
|---|---|
| Brakes | — |
| Gearing | Works on coaster OR multi-speed bikes |
| Frame | Steel brackets, with an axle extender kit included |
| Brand says | Rated for riders up to 150 lb |
What works
- Explicitly works on coaster AND multi-speed bikes, unlike every Wald set
- 150 lb rider rating
- Includes 3/8 in-24 and 3/8 in-26 tpi axle extenders, and adapts to 10 mm axles
- The wide stance genuinely stabilises a rider who is not going to outgrow the need quickly
What doesn't
- Costs several times what a Wald set does
- Adds roughly 25 in of width at the rear, which will not fit through some doorways or gates
- Will not work on quick-release rear wheels, rear suspension, folding bikes or Nexus shifters
- 20 in fat-tire bikes may need the Large kit instead
Hands-on status: Researched from published specs · FATWHEELS — Small kit specs
#4 — Older or heavier learners
Wald 742 Training Wheels
The long-reach Wald: 16 to 26 inch wheels and a 125 lb rating, which makes it the set for an older or heavier child who is still learning.
| Fits | 16–26" bikes · ≤125 lb |
|---|---|
| Brakes | — |
| Gearing | Single-speed bikes only — not for multi-speed |
| Frame | Steel, with three slots on each brace arm |
| Brand says | Wald rates them for riders up to 125 lb |
What works
- Widest fitment of any Wald set — 16 to 26 in wheels
- 125 lb rider rating, 25 lb more than the 10252
- Three slots per brace arm, so one set adapts across that whole range
What doesn't
- Brace arms only fit rear tubes up to 0.75 in — thicker stays need the 10252 instead
- Single-speed only, which is a real limitation on a 24 or 26 in bike
- Still a temporary aid by the manufacturer's own description
Hands-on status: Researched from published specs · Wald — 742 training wheels specs
Questions parents actually ask
01What are the best training wheels for a kids bike?
It depends on the bike. Wald 1216 for a 12 to 16 inch single-speed, Wald 10252 for a 16 to 20 inch single-speed with thick chainstays, Wald 742 for 16 to 26 inch, and FATWHEELS Small if the bike has gears or the rider is over 100 lb.
02Do training wheels fit a geared bike?
Wald's do not — all three of its sets state they are designed exclusively for single-speed bicycles. FATWHEELS states it works on coaster or multi-speed bikes, which makes it the only set here for a geared bike.
03What weight can training wheels hold?
Wald rates the 1216 to 75 lb, the 10252 to 100 lb and the 742 to 125 lb. FATWHEELS Small is rated to 150 lb. For context, the CDC median ten-year-old weighs about 71 lb.
04Will training wheels fit my child's bike?
Check three things: the rear wheel diameter, whether the bike has gears, and whether at least 3/8 inch of axle sticks out past the nut on both sides. Wald requires that exposed axle; FATWHEELS includes axle extenders to work around it.
05How high should training wheels be set?
About half an inch off the ground, not hard down on both sides. That lets the bike lean a little before a wheel touches, which is how the child starts learning to balance. Raise them every couple of weeks.
Sources
Read next
- First Pedal BikesBest kids bikes with training wheelsFour bikes that arrive with training wheels on, compared on weight.
- Learning to RideDo kids need training wheels?A straight no, and the faster alternative.
- Learning to RideHow to get rid of training wheelsTake both off at once. Two weekends, not two months.
- Learning to RideHow to teach a child to ride a bikeThe pedals-off method, step by step.