bicycles for kids

[southtxrider]

I hope this is the right place for this

I just got started cycling (own a TREK WSD 1.2 pilot) and while I was shopping I noticed some really cute TREK kids bikes. My kids received "cheapy" ($20 at Walmart) bikes for Christmas last year, but I have never been happy with them - they feel unstable and hard to control. Anyone have any experience with the higher end kids bikes? I am talking about small ones - 12" and 16" wheels

Thanks!!

[Bikingmomof3]

My boys have always had Trek bikes. My oldest just inhereted DH's old Trek 800. My twins have a Trek 3500 and a Trek 3700. We tried the cheaspo bikes and they were worthless. They kept breaking down and needing repairs.

[Bikingmomof3]

My boys have always had Trek bikes. My oldest just inherited DH's old Trek 800. My twins have a Trek 3500 and a Trek 3700. We tried the cheapo bikes and they were worthless. They kept breaking down and needing repairs.

[mimitabby]

as hard as kids are on bikes, once they learned to ride, i'd ditch the cheapo bikes, you want something that will last.

[gnarwhal]

Yeah i bought a real cheap lil bike for my son from a second hand sale last year and he's nearly ridden the life out of it (unfortunately still got the stabilisers - we're working on it...) but i've just bought a proper bike for his christmas. it's hiding in the loft at the moment, i couldn't afford a trek or the lovely lovely specialised i saw but he's getting a little raleigh which are a uk company which i've always ridden since being little so i trust.

can't find a pic of one online but it's so neat and i think having a decent bike will make all the difference!

[southtxrider]

at what age do you think it's good to get a "good" bike? Just as soon as they can ride?

My DD is almost 4 and is having a hard time with her cheapy bike - not sure if it's the bike or her or both. She understands the pedaling motion, but it's like the back tire never has good traction so it frustrates her. Of course this could be the assembly (my DH did it!LOL) but maybe it's the bike itself. I plan on taking her to my LBS and letting her ride the professionally assembled kid bikes and see....

So how old were your kids?

[bike4ever]

Eight years ago I purchased a shop bike for my eldest son. My youngest is still using it with only minor maintenance needed. The cool thing is come spring the youngest of three will outgrow this 24" Specialized, and I know I will have no difficulty reselling the bike.

I purchased the boys first 16" bike eons ago. It went through 3 very rough boys, two girl cousins, and has been passed to another family.

[Brina]

I don't trust cheapie bikes. Kids are hard on things and I just feel safer with them on well made, professionally assembled bikes.

My boys have 16" Specialized Hardrocks. They just came through their 3rd summer on them and they are in like new condition. For their 7th birthdays they are getting new 20" bikes - they are asking based on color, so i am currently investigating the brands I trust (trek, specialized, gary fisher, giant, marin) to see who makes a good 20" with handbrakes and gears in the colors they have requested. You need to watch what you are buying, some 20" bikes are what are called Transition bikes. They have foot brakes and one handbrake. They are good for large, younger kids (ie, a 4 year old who needs a 20") who do not yet have the fine motor skills to use handbrakes full time and to use gears.

My daughter has a 12" Giant. She was adopted at 21 months old and did not have good gross motor skills when she first came home. She was never able to master peddling her tricycle. One day we were in a sporting good store, hopped on a Giant 12" and started riding around the store. It has been a great bike. She has had it for about 13 months now and it is in great condition.

You can check out reviews of kids bikes at moutain bike review, www.mtbr.com

[Brandy]

I just bought Gavin (8...will be 9 in May) the Trek 1000 KDR for Christmas.



He rides a BMX but he's been asking for a road bike since I started riding and hasn't let up on it. I kept telling him he needed to wait until he was bigger, but he saw the Specialized and Bianchi Junior's at a LBS and knew he was big enough to ride them. After talking to another local rider on Bike Forums who rides with his nine year old, I went searching for the Trek KDR and found one on closeout at a local LBS for $339! I was so stoked...a great deal and much less expensive than the Specialized and Bianchi bikes.

It's living at the LBS until Christmas, then we'll hit the road...or the bike path to start. He's already asking to do group rides, so I think I'll do one of the shorter options at Tour de Palm Springs with him in February.

[gnarwhal]

Well my son has not long turned 4 so i recommend a "real" bike as soon as they can manage one. He's been having the real wheel lack of traction thing too - and sometimes he's pedalling and he's giving it too much, the chain slips and the wheel just whirrs because he's going faster and harder than the little bike can manage.

(remembered what his new one is called - it's a 16" raleigh Zapp)

[DDH]

Our son has always had a good bike. My DH absolutely doesn't trust the cheapy bikes because of brakes not working as well and such.
He started on a little Trek with training wheels and once he learned the bike was still good for him to use without the training wheels. Then we got him a specialized, and now he has a new Trek that should last him a while.
Kids are hard on bikes but if you get them a good one than they components and are all adjustable, you can't upgrade them, and replace things on them, where as the cheapy bikes aren't really worth fixing up if something happens to them.

Just my opinion but that is how we have done things with ours. You can sometimes find them used and still in really good shape at the bike shops.
We have bought them new, and the kids bikes aren't nearly as expensive even new. Of course I guess you can get them that way, but depends on how much you have to spend.