20 Inch Large Ethos Bike Review

Most kids learn to ride a bike within 3-7 years of age. But, not everyone can perfect their skills without a few falls and scabs. The initial lessons should always be on a well-adjusted bicycle to the child’s height with proper braking.

Putting much of these thoughts into consideration, brands have started developing unique kids bikes. Amongst them, the brand that stands out the most is Guardian. They have placed extra attention on the frame and braking to give your child a safe learning experience.

Today, we bring you our version of the guardian ethos bike review. Once you’ve read it thoroughly, we assure you that you won’t consider any other option.

Let’s check it out!

20 Inch Large Ethos Bike Review

20 Inch Large Ethos Bike

Top Features:

  • Single Brake lever stops faster
  • SureStop technology ensures synchronized braking of both wheels
  • Steel construction offers more control and stability
  • Vibrant color options available
  • Lightweight body design

SureStop Braking Technology

This is Guardian’s signature braking technology, devised to keep your child as safe as possible. Whether it be a Guardian 16″ kids bike or any of the other guardian bikes for kids, they all come with SureStop.

What this technology basically does is make use of the single-lever braking system to stop the bike 44% faster, which prevents the cycle from flipping over when brakes are pressed at high speeds.

SureStop makes sure that both the wheels are stopped or slowed down in perfect sync; this allows the bike to stop faster as both the wheels are being slowed down at the same pace.

Stable Design

The Guardian Ethos 20 inch frame has been well throughout when designing to maximize stability. If you notice closely, the frame has a low center of gravity, which keeps your child lower to the ground; this will reduce the impact of falling over and improve the stability of the bike.

To further enhance this, all the guardian ethos bike for kids have been installed with wheels that have a wide base. When combined with the frame’s low center of gravity, learning how to ride a bike becomes a piece of cake.

Lightweight Frame

With all being said, we need to keep in mind that this bike is for kids to learn and enjoy cycling. Since the bike does not come equipped with a gear system, your child would have to pedal the bodyweight of his own as well as the cycle’s.

The guys over at Guardian have used only the highest quality of steel to construct the ergonomic frame. Other than being highly durable, the frame is very lightweight when compared to other kids’ bikes. This lightweight makes it easier on the legs when pedaling forward.

Pros

  • Visually appealing designs for kids
  • Signature SureStop braking technology enhances braking control
  • Single lever braking makes it easier to brake both wheels
  • Frame with a low center of gravity ensures stability
  • Easy assembly within 10 minutes

Cons

  • Brake lever can be hard to press for younger kids with small hands

Bottomline: Guardian 20 Inch kids Bike is an excellent choice for any parent that wants to ensure safe riding for their children. The combination of a low center of gravity frame and a lightweight body will make it easier for kids to pedal around for long periods too!

And the best part is, setting it up will only take 10 minutes of your time, making this highly convenient.


Bike Brake Lever Types

The brake levers are located near your handle and are used to control the extent of your braking. Generally, there are two bike brake lever types, which can be seen almost everywhere. The first one is the common brakes we see with flat handlebars, while the other is designed for drop handlebars.

Flat Handlebar Lever

These are the brake levers you see in almost all the mainstream bicycles out there. Amongst the flat handlebar lever, you will notice that the distance at which they connect to the cycle is not always the same. In any case, they support all bicycle brakes types, whether it be V-brakes or disc ones.

Long pull levers have the braking cable attached to the top side, which gives you an extended braking experience. This means, when you press the lever, the cable is extended longer than usual.

On the other hand, the short pull lever is almost identical to the long pull with slight changes. The major noticeable difference lies in the cable opening. Here, the cable starts on the inner end of the lever. When pressing the brakes, this will contract less than the long pull lever.

Drop Handlebar Lever

We’re sure you’ve seen drop handlebars in professional cycling races or marathons. The drop handlebar levers are like short pull levers positioned vertically in front of the handlebar. As the drop handlebar allows the cyclist to gain more speed, the standard lever needs to be located close enough for them to brake when necessary.

That’s not it! There are other types of drop-bar levers as well. Another widely known lever is the one with shifters, which is the same as your standard lever but with gear shifters integrated within them.

Furthermore, cross-top levers have also been making quite the name for themselves. They are more like backup brakes as it can get tiring to ride using drop handlebars for long periods. These levers are positioned near the stem of the drop-bar rather than on the curve of the bar.

Guardian 20 Ethos Vs. Original

Those of you familiar with Guardian bikes know how confusing it can be to choose between their two renowned cycles. It’s time we settle the Guardian 20 Ethos vs. Original fight to pick out a real winner.

Price

First things first, you should know that the Original is somewhat of a more luxury line of bicycles. For the extra set of money you spend, Guardian provides slight tweaks that give your Original the lightness and performance boost it needs.

Frame

This is where you start to notice plenty of differences in Guardian’s frame sizes and construction.

The Ethos frame is built out of the finest quality Steel. Not only is it durable, but it can withstand a lot of wear and tear. With a natural weight to the steel, the bike has a sturdy feel that you won’t find in the Original.

Both the options we are comparing are 20 inches. However, they do offer other sizes, such as 16 and 24 inches. When it comes to the Original line of bikes, the frame is made from Aluminum; this takes off much of the frame’s weight, even the 24 inches one!

Design

Another basic difference you will notice is in the design construction of the bike. On the 20-inch sizes, the frame of the Ethos is much slimmer than the Original.

If you notice the positioning of the handlebars, you should be able to see Ethos’ raised bars. On the contrary, the original bike contains handlebars that are much lower in height to enhance control.

Weight

This is a given that the lighter your bike, the faster it will reach its top speed. Ethos line is already at a disadvantage because of its limitations in terms of build material. The steel frame will not be able to compare to the lightness of Aluminum. However, the narrow frame compensates for the increased weight.

On the other hand, the Original line bikes are much lighter due to their Aluminum body. The lightness can cause your kid to go super fast and eventually lose control. This is why the manufacturers place their own SureStop braking system to give kids some bit of control.

Single Speed Vs. Geared Bikes

As you know by now, bikes can either come with gears installed or with no gears at all. The ones with no gears attached to the back are called single speed, while the others are called Geared bicycles. This part of the review will help you judge Single Speed vs. Geared Brakes better.

Single Speed

These are the most basic bicycles you can find in the market. No complications go into the making and operating of these bikes. All your child needs to learn is to pedal and sustain their balance.

The maintenance of the bike also becomes easier with the single-speed setting. You don’t have to oil or clean all the other parts, such as the derailleur. Just clean the linked chain, and you’re good to go.

For the kids who will be riding for the first time, the single-speed is a good starter option. Without the need for gears or derailleurs, teaching the children will become easier.

Geared Bikes

The most crucial benefit a geared bike can give you is the ability to pedal on top slopes without much effort. Using the 1st gear will allow you to effortlessly pedal up the slope without half the effort a single speed bike would take.

In addition, when biking for long distances, using the 6 or 7-speed shifters will enable you to pedal with less force throughout your ride. This is also great for racing as these gears’ quick-shifting can give you more power output per pedal cycle.

Let’s face it; small children will literally race each other with anything they find. And so, this should be a point worth looking into before making your decision.

Benefits of a Single Brake Lever

The single lever braking system has been recently popularized as many people end up getting into accidents by pressing the wrong brake lever. Each of the two brake levers on your handlebar controls the braking for each wheel. And so, using the front wheel brake at the wrong time can cause your cycle to flip.

Let’s look into some of the benefits of a Single Brake Lever

One Braking Solution

Using the single brake lever grips both your front and rear wheels, preventing your bike from flipping or skidding on the ground.

Usable by Everyone

This braking system has been popular amongst people with disabilities that prevent them from pressing two brakes at once. Even if you aren’t disabled, this can still protect you from serious bike accidents.

Weight Reduction

This might be somewhat extreme, but some bicycle enthusiasts have been known to do this. Taking out the extra brake level and wires allow your bicycle to lose a bit of weight. This, in turn, helps gain speed faster while also ensuring that you are able to brake both wheels on time.

Related: Segway Ninebot Kids Bike Review

Is a 20-inch bike suitable for my child’s size and age?

When considering a size bike for my kid, it’s important to take their size and age into account. A 20-inch bike is suitable for children around 6 to 8 years old, depending on their height. It offers the right balance between stability and maneuverability, allowing them to ride comfortably and safely.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our guardian ethos bike review. If you have any suggestions, don’t hesitate to mail us. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

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