Starter Bike For My 12 year old

[singletrackmind]

A used Tandem!

That's working very well for our 11 year old, though she is NOT a bike rider (hates it by herself) at all she actually almost enjoys being a stoker. And we still get to go fast.

Our other kid is much more competitive and likes the single bike. She likes passing people and putting the hurt on her dad.
She's been riding my old bike for awhile now, since she was 11 or 12, it was a little big at first but after the growth spurt about fits. She's 14 now. Saddle heights are adjustable, stems interchangeable, and that's helped make something imperfect fit enough as to be comfortable to her.

There are many fine used bikes out there if you have a budget like ours and aren't sure how into biking she'll get...or how tall. If it turns into something she'll likely do on into the future like our oldest then you could always sell the used one and get something new, if that's what she wants. Thankfully, ours is pleased with the bikes (a mountain and a road) she has.