First Bike: Help Requested, Please

[Robert1111]

Hello,

Has been many, many years since I've looked into bikes, so would appreciate some help with this, please:

Want to get a bike for my Grandson.
Will be 4-1/2.
On the short side.

a. What size would be most likely to consider ?

b. Is it still either a Boys bike or a Girls bike these days ? Or, is there a combo
style that might be appropriate, and won't be laughed at by his "buddies ?
The girls style certainly is easier to get on and off safely, but he's a Boy !

Was in Toys R Us looking at their selections. Wow. A bit confusing.

c. - What are the better/Premium kids brands these days ? Still Schwinn, or...?

d. - Any to stay away from ?

e. - I see that just about all of them have hand brakes like grown up bikes.
Do any kids bike still/also have the back-pedal style of brake ? If so, a good idea, or...:

Wat else should I be asking, but missing ?

Much thanks, appreciate the help,
Bob

 

[oldbobcat]

Is your grandson balancing on two wheels yet? If he isn't, I recommend a Strider trainer, http://www.striderbikes.com/product. Getting a kid a bike with training wheels is like setting your kid in front of the TV while you play on the computer. His time is better spent learning how to balance.

If he is up on two wheels, consider if he has younger siblings or cousins to pass the bike to when he outgrows it. On the expensive side are the Trek Jet series, available with aluminum or steel frame, a simple but but slightly overbuilt bike that should last two or three generations of growing kids. On the cheap end are the bikes you can get at big-box stores. Look for something simple, with some adjustability in the seatpost and handlebar stem, and training wheels that can be easily removed. On the Wal~Mart site, this one caught my eye. http://www.walmart.com/ip/16-Titan-Champions-Boys-BMX-Bike-Red-and-Gold/22910715. If you have a Raleigh dealer in your area, the boys' MXR series hits a nice midpoint between Trek and big-box.

By shopping at a real bike shop you get service that isn't available at a big-box store. I'm sure there are other brands offering durable bikes that are cheaper than the Trek.

Regarding size, unless he is really tiny, I think a bike with 16" wheels will hit the mark.

 

[Froze]

How old is the grandson?

I have young grandkids which means I have kids too over the years and all I bought them was Walmart bikes, why? because kids will do stupid stuff, like crash into curbs, trees, other kids, leave their bikes out in the front yard of their house or a friends house and some other kid comes by and takes it, leave the bike out in the rain, and the list goes on. So I would spend between $40 to $100 depending on age of the kid. When my grandkid was 4 we bought him a $40 starter bike from Walmart, that bike then got passed down to his sister, next year it will go down to the youngest; obviously the oldest outgrew the $40 bike so we got him a $60 bike from Walmart when he was 6, now this summer he'll be 8 and will need another bike and I'll look at $60 to $80 bikes and that $60 bike will go to the grand daughter. But as long as the kid is growing there is no reason to buy an expensive bike that they're just going to outgrow in a year or two.