In a crowded market, can this bike deliver? Boardman JNR 20” review

Buying a 20” bike can be difficult. These bikes have much cross-over in age; you’re never sure which one to go for. At this stage, your child probably knows how to ride and you have a gauge of what sort of riding you do with them, be it riding to school on the tarmac, woodland paths or a mixture of everything. Getting the choice of bike right can make the difference between enjoyable family bike rides and walking - with such a crowded market, it’s refreshing to see a company such as Boardman take things seriously for your little one.

Taking design and geometry cues from the Boardman Hybrid (HYB) Range, the 20” JNR has a geometry which suits littler people with shorter limbs while maintaining stability and control. This is the first time Boardman bikes have brought out a kid’s bike range in 14 years. In that time, we’ve seen Frog bikes dominate the market and adult bike manufacturers are flooding into the market too.

At £340, though, it’s not a quick buy but one to be considered. Boardman has undercut their competitors here. With smart tech and excellent spec, this bike is a desirable option that should see you right for about three years, suiting kids from 125cm to 136cm.

How does the 20” JNR ride and feel?

As an adult, you can't get a perception of how your child’s bike rides unless you get on it. Even then, a lot of your cycling brain may become muddled by the geometry which isn’t set for you. However, there are a few clues which will let you know how they work. However, as a six-foot-tall parent of two, I could ride this bike, and it could support my weight, which says something about the strength and stability of the lightweight, smooth, welded aluminium frame. The bike weighs 8.6kg, which is very punchy compared to a Frog bike which weighs 8.15kg (a difference of 450g) for an extra £75.

The weight of the bike is something which should be considered. As bikes get bigger, they get heavier. They need to be able to hold your child’s weight for the duration of use. Over three years, your child will gain more weight. However, it’ll become difficult to balance if it is too light. The JNR 20” performs well here and is heavy enough to be stable yet light enough to ride around on family bike rides.

The JNR 20” has other features which make it stand out, the smooth weld frame looks better than most on the market, and the paintwork is spectacular. In fact, it’s so good that you’ll wince each time your child drops or falls off the bike. In testing, though, it is pretty durable and tough. It withstood a few drops and packing in and out of the car boot.

What else has it got?

When your child moves to a 20” bike, they’ll have something new to get used to - gears. This can take a little bit of time to understand how to use and when to use them. Shimano gears offer durability and precise changing, time after time. And with trigger shifters on the handlebars, it takes a simple pull or push to change up and down gears. These are also visible for your child, so they can understand where they are in the gear range. A 7-gear cassette from 14 – 28 tooth should be more than enough for your child to climb hills.

There is a 32-tooth cog on the crank, so setting off will be easy while having enough range on the rear gears to hold and maintain speed without pedalling out. Helping your child to gain confidence when gaining speed. A 500mm wide handlebar is wide enough to keep balance but not too wide that micromovements make a significant adjustment to the wheel.

Slowing down is done via the short-reach brake levers, which are made by Tektro - a brand used widely in kids’ bikes towards the higher end of the market. These are enough to be controlled by just one of your child’s fingers as they learn brake modulation.

Vee Rubber Speedster tyres give you grip in all-weather and will handle some soft roading, but traction gives way when it gets very muddy and slippy. The low rolling resistance and slight knobbly effect on the tyres will inspire confidence, giving your child smiles for miles.

Negatives

I rate the Boardman JNR 20”, but there are a few things I would like to see to set it apart from its competitors. It would be beneficial if it came with a kickstand to protect that beautiful paintwork; it’s surprising how often these are used with kid’s bikes. I’d also really like to see mudguards for the bike. This opens up all-weather riding and protects against puddles, keeping kids warmer on the bike and, therefore, happier.

These minor additions really help and take this to a full-marks review. As for its price point, it’s tough to find competition which holds a candle to it.

Price and competition

Stacking the Boardman up against its competitors gives them a tough time. While yes, there are options from Cannondale, Cube, Orbea and Frog, the Boardman is cheaper than them all and is equal to, if not better than them. In terms of spec and lightness, there’s not a lot out there, at this price, which would be able to beat it.

Boardman has tackled the market with its JNR range, which comprises six models, five of which are based on the HYB Range and the 26” on the ADV for all-terrain riding as your kids get older.

Something else to consider is that this bike is incredibly durable and will outlast the rider and be an excellent hand-me-down to a younger sibling. You are getting much more life out of the bike for the money you’ve paid.

Verdict

If I hadn’t already bought a Frog for my child - the only reason I did was that the JNR range hadn't launched - then I would have no problem buying this in its place. The JNR Range will be at the forefront of my mind when it’s time to upgrade my eldest’s bike.

It works so well and performs admirably, with the only slight snag of no accessories included. While this will cost a minimum of £10-£20 each for a kickstand and mudguards, having these in the box would be nice. Even if they were £20 each, it would still be cheaper than a Frog bike alternative.

A quality bike.

More items to consider

How the product was tested

I took my son, who is 5, riding on this bike numerous times. On a small pump track to test for handling and ride comfort, and longer rides to test for durability and ability to ride for a set distance.

Myles is a Commercial Content Writer for What's The Best, Parkers and CAR. His areas of expertise include cycling, fitness tech and hot hatches.

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