Kid Bike Help

[msl819]

Guys... I figured this would be a great place for advice. My son turns 3 next month and is asking for a big boy bike. No doubt I will need to start him on training wheels. For those of you who have walked this road before me, any suggestions? Do I buy the cheapest I can or buy something he can grow into, etc?

[bikerboy337]

I just went through this process. We picked up a Trek jet 16 (correct size for a 3-5 year old) for about $80.... sturdy bike, weighs a ton and will last until he upgrades...

Also... if he hasn't already... i'd start him with a balance bike... we did a balance bike for a year, then he picked up the "big boy bike" in 2 days, no training wheels...

anyways, craigslist was great...

[msl819]

Thanks... I have been looking at the Jet 16 but have not found any local to me on craigslist. Not sure I want to buy one of them new for $180.

[Andrewlcox]

We are expecting and when she grows up enough to ride, I plan on a balance bike. The balance bike idea makes sense to me but training wheels don't. I never had training wheels and learned to ride my Schwinn after about 5 pushes from Mom.

[TAW]

Guys... I figured this would be a great place for advice. My son turns 3 next month and is asking for a big boy bike. No doubt I will need to start him on training wheels. For those of you who have walked this road before me, any suggestions? Do I buy the cheapest I can or buy something he can grow into, etc?

Our shop sells kids' bikes and we also service quite a few kids' bikes. It is well worth it not to buy the cheapest thing (Wal-Mart/Target). Even if you have decent mechanic skills, getting a cheap bike to work right for a long period of time is next to impossible. Spend the extra money and buy something good, which your child will enjoy and make him want to ride.

[msl819]

what do you sell/recommend that fits this category? I like the balance bike idea. Those of you who used this, how long did you kids enjoy this before they wanted a bike they could pedal? looks like these are in the $100 range.

[fourflys]

craigslist or friends... if you have a Performance nearby you can get a fairly affordable kids bike and them get %15 off the next bike they need... there's no way I'd buy a new bike for 3 y/o though... they just grow too fast...

[struggle]

Two kids girl(8) and son(10). We never had our kids use training wheels. My duaghters bike came with them but we threw them away never letting her see them. Our kids never knew they even existed this way. We personally felt like it was a crutch that was not needed.

Our kids did though ride one of those Trek three wheel fat tire trikes and they loved it. They put a lot of miles on it. When they completely out grew that then they went on two wheels.

When we bought them bikes they had to be able to have a seat low enough to be able to touch the ground before taking off. This plays huge for confidence in learning how to ride so they have a sense they were not going to fall over. Also really low tire pressure helps balance as well.

[FGC]

The balance bike is the way to go. You can make one out of any bike by taking off the pedals, or if you want to go all the way, take off the crankset and chain too. Then when the kid is ready you slap it back together and you already have a whole bike.

Your kid will learn to ride far quicker on a balance bike. And it'll save your back.

[jonnyBgood]

I too am a big beleiver in a balance bike. I started my son on a Specialized HotWalk (12" wheels) at 18 months.

He would just stand over it and walk around then as he could sit on the saddle and push with his feet he was off. Total helps with the balance because wothout having training wheels to hold them up they learn to turn the bars or lean the other way.

He just got a Specialized HotRock 16" (no training wheels) from Santa and already is riding around. He is getting used to the coaster brake because he thinks to put his feet down to stop from his other bike.

He will be four in April.

[rePhil]

My two oldest grandchildren started on training wheels but quickly learned to ride on two wheels by coasting down the driveway with no training wheels or pedals.We lowered the seat so their feet can touch the ground, Just like a Strider. We bought our 2 1/2 year old grandson a Strider. He really likes it and I can tell it won't be long and he will be ready to pedal.
It's a durable little bike with semi soft tires. The nylon headset is cheesy but I am sure he will outgrow it before he wears it out.

We had the 2011 Strider worlds here. Kids from 14 countries. Here's a Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUUwfhhmApE

[Bradford]

I did the same thing johnnyBgood did...same bikes, same ages...I live a few miles south, so they might have come from the same store.

Push bike at 2, pedal bike for fourth. He didn't ride the pedal bike too much at first, but took to it this spring at about 4 3/4. He loves it and has ridden as long as 8 miles with me.

I also picked up a tag-a-long this year and that allows us to do longer rides.

I balked at the price of the specialized at first, but I'm really glad I got him a good bike. I've worked on some of the neighbors walmart bikes and they really are pretty crappy. They don't ride as well and the kids don't enjoy them as much.

[Steevo]

The balance bike is the way to go. I made one by removing the pedals and crank on an old 12" bike. My daughter learned how to balance, and then she learned how to pedal. No training wheels for her. She was riding well before all of her friends. I think training wheels slow down the learning process. BTW, I got the idea for the balance bike right here on the forum.

[vqdriver]

i also just removed pedals from a "normal" bike to make the balance bike. my son found his balance point quickly and after letting him tool around on that for a few months i popped the pedals back on. he was pedaling in minutes.

to answer the question regarding fit, i say get a bike that fits right. if you get one to "grow into" they'll never feel totally comfortable UNTIL they grow into it anyway. they should be able to easily reach the ground to in order to gain confidence, and if you do the remove-the-pedals approach, they'll need to push anyway.

yes kids grow out of stuff quickly and it definitely gets expensive. but that's kinda the nature of the beast. and tho i've cheated with other stuff, namely toys and clothes, i wanted to foster a quick comfort on the bike so it's worth it to get what's appropriate now. yes, CL is your friend here.

just my .02