First Bike Purchase for Child?

[[email protected]]

Hi. I'm looking for a bike for my 5 year old (he'll be five in about
a month). This will be his first two wheeler (he had a trike, but
never really showed much interest in riding it). I've seen that I can
get a 16" Huffy from ToysRUs for about 30 bucks. Then I see that some
sporting goods stores and bike shops sell the Trek "Jet 16" for about
140 bucks. That's a big difference, so I wanted to get some opinions
if such a difference is worthwhile or overkill.

Thanks!

Ken

 

[nash]

Hi. I'm looking for a bike for my 5 year old (he'll be five in about
a month).
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Just be aware how fast they will grow out of whatever you buy them too.

 

[[email protected]]

On Apr 28, 8:17 pm, [email protected] wrote:
> Hi. I'm looking for a bike for my 5 year old (he'll be five in about
> a month). This will be his first two wheeler (he had a trike, but
> never really showed much interest in riding it). I've seen that I can
> get a 16" Huffy from ToysRUs for about 30 bucks. Then I see that some
> sporting goods stores and bike shops sell the Trek "Jet 16" for about
> 140 bucks. That's a big difference, so I wanted to get some opinions
> if such a difference is worthwhile or overkill.

I don't know much about the baby Trek though if it is the same as the
mountain bike an eight year old I know is riding it has lots of ways
of making it bigger as the kid grows.

A six year old I know has been riding a Dahon (folding bike) for
something over a year at this point. I first remember noticing the
kid on a bike of his own instead of on his dad's handlebars at the
mountain bike race last March. It started out mostly folded and has
been getting expanded as the kid has expanded.

I suppose some of it depends on how much the parents ride. One of
them trail-a-bike things might be more appropriate (and will allow the
kid to keep up with you).

-M

 

[Lynne Fitz]

I would say it is overkill. You can get a very decent child's bicycle
(nicer than that Huffy) at a garage sale, clean it up, repaint it, and
it will be as good as new. I got a very solid Schwinn for my (then) 5
year old that way. Those kiddie Treks weigh a TON. First child got a
Montgomery Ward special at the ripe old age of 4; she was riding it no-
hands 3 days later. Her next bike was an REI Scrambler, which worked
for her for many years, then it went to her brother when he outgrew
that Schwinn.

I'd recommend looking for a quality used bike.

On Apr 28, 5:17 am, [email protected] wrote:
> Hi. I'm looking for a bike for my 5 year old (he'll be five in about
> a month). <snip>
> if such a difference is worthwhile or overkill.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Ken

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
"[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Apr 28, 8:17 pm, [email protected] wrote:
> > Hi. I'm looking for a bike for my 5 year old (he'll be five in about
> > a month). This will be his first two wheeler (he had a trike, but
> > never really showed much interest in riding it). I've seen that I can
> > get a 16" Huffy from ToysRUs for about 30 bucks. Then I see that some
> > sporting goods stores and bike shops sell the Trek "Jet 16" for about
> > 140 bucks. That's a big difference, so I wanted to get some opinions
> > if such a difference is worthwhile or overkill.
>
> I don't know much about the baby Trek though if it is the same as the
> mountain bike an eight year old I know is riding it has lots of ways
> of making it bigger as the kid grows.
>
> A six year old I know has been riding a Dahon (folding bike) for
> something over a year at this point. I first remember noticing the
> kid on a bike of his own instead of on his dad's handlebars at the
> mountain bike race last March. It started out mostly folded and has
> been getting expanded as the kid has expanded.
>
> I suppose some of it depends on how much the parents ride. One of
> them trail-a-bike things might be more appropriate (and will allow the
> kid to keep up with you).
>
> -M

If you really loved your child, you'd build up a custom cyclocross bike:

http://flickr.com/photos/ttcopley/456758466/

More photos of the project:

http://flickr.com/photos/ttcopley/sets/72157594551105230/

What's going on here is that the new owner of this bike was a
cycling-mad 7-year-old who sincerely wanted a road bike. So we built one
on a 20"-wheeled frame.

The project turned out so well (both technically and in terms of how
much the rider liked it) that I'm convinced a flat-bar version of this
bike would be the most humane type of kids bicycle. Indeed, the
7-year-old now has the fastest bike on the block (the other trick was
equipping the bike with some slick-ish 20" BMX tires; not as quick as
going for full-on 20" racing tires (available thanks to recumbent riders
and fast folding bikes), but far cheaper and more appropriate).

Sora shifters have adjustable reach,

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

 

[Bill]

Ryan Cousineau wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> On Apr 28, 8:17 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>>> Hi. I'm looking for a bike for my 5 year old (he'll be five in about
>>> a month). This will be his first two wheeler (he had a trike, but
>>> never really showed much interest in riding it). I've seen that I can
>>> get a 16" Huffy from ToysRUs for about 30 bucks. Then I see that some
>>> sporting goods stores and bike shops sell the Trek "Jet 16" for about
>>> 140 bucks. That's a big difference, so I wanted to get some opinions
>>> if such a difference is worthwhile or overkill.
>> I don't know much about the baby Trek though if it is the same as the
>> mountain bike an eight year old I know is riding it has lots of ways
>> of making it bigger as the kid grows.
>>
>> A six year old I know has been riding a Dahon (folding bike) for
>> something over a year at this point. I first remember noticing the
>> kid on a bike of his own instead of on his dad's handlebars at the
>> mountain bike race last March. It started out mostly folded and has
>> been getting expanded as the kid has expanded.
>>
>> I suppose some of it depends on how much the parents ride. One of
>> them trail-a-bike things might be more appropriate (and will allow the
>> kid to keep up with you).
>>
>> -M
>
> If you really loved your child, you'd build up a custom cyclocross bike:
>
> http://flickr.com/photos/ttcopley/456758466/
>
> More photos of the project:
>
> http://flickr.com/photos/ttcopley/sets/72157594551105230/
>
> What's going on here is that the new owner of this bike was a
> cycling-mad 7-year-old who sincerely wanted a road bike. So we built one
> on a 20"-wheeled frame.
>
> The project turned out so well (both technically and in terms of how
> much the rider liked it) that I'm convinced a flat-bar version of this
> bike would be the most humane type of kids bicycle. Indeed, the
> 7-year-old now has the fastest bike on the block (the other trick was
> equipping the bike with some slick-ish 20" BMX tires; not as quick as
> going for full-on 20" racing tires (available thanks to recumbent riders
> and fast folding bikes), but far cheaper and more appropriate).
>
> Sora shifters have adjustable reach,
>
If you are mechanically adept, then that would be a great project.
I have taught many of the local kids to ride and the main way to get
them off training wheels (which I think are more dangerous than helpful)
is to have a bike that they can just put their feet down on the ground
if they get into trouble. That gives a too low saddle effect, but once
they get the hang of it the seat can be raised to the level they are
comfortable with. The only big problem I have had is teaching the kids
to properly secure their bikes against theft rather than just dropping
them on the front lawn.
Of course if you made them a bike to brag about they would probably take
pains to make sure it was secure.
I like the project but finding 20" slicks had to be a real search.
Cheers on the effort and results.
Bill Baka

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
Bill <[email protected]> wrote:

> Ryan Cousineau wrote:

> > If you really loved your child, you'd build up a custom cyclocross bike:
> >
> > http://flickr.com/photos/ttcopley/456758466/
> >
> > More photos of the project:
> >
> > http://flickr.com/photos/ttcopley/sets/72157594551105230/
> >
> > What's going on here is that the new owner of this bike was a
> > cycling-mad 7-year-old who sincerely wanted a road bike. So we built one
> > on a 20"-wheeled frame.
> >
> > The project turned out so well (both technically and in terms of how
> > much the rider liked it) that I'm convinced a flat-bar version of this
> > bike would be the most humane type of kids bicycle. Indeed, the
> > 7-year-old now has the fastest bike on the block (the other trick was
> > equipping the bike with some slick-ish 20" BMX tires; not as quick as
> > going for full-on 20" racing tires (available thanks to recumbent riders
> > and fast folding bikes), but far cheaper and more appropriate).
> >
> > Sora shifters have adjustable reach,
> >
> If you are mechanically adept, then that would be a great project.

> The only big problem I have had is teaching the kids
> to properly secure their bikes against theft rather than just dropping
> them on the front lawn.
> Of course if you made them a bike to brag about they would probably take
> pains to make sure it was secure.

This project was entirely rider-driven, as it should be. Indeed, the
proud owner has an older brother who is essentially indifferent to
cycling, and happily (but casually) rides his stock kid-sized MTB around
the neighbourhood.

> I like the project but finding 20" slicks had to be a real search.
> Cheers on the effort and results.
> Bill Baka

20" semi-slicks were dead-easy to find: you just look for BMX "flatland"
tires, the stuff the freestyle riders use for riding skate parks and
urban terrain.

Here's Kenda's selection:

http://www.kendausa.com/bicycle/street.html

Some of these tires are more slick than others, and some are sorta
inverted-tread, but all are more free-running and grippier than
knobbies, and more would be overkill for most kids.

The next step up are the truly fast and skinny 20" tires, readily
available by mail-order, but as it happens the recumbent-specialty shop
in Vancouver does stock them (prices start at $30 or so).

The set that ended up on this bike were some off-brand that was at a
nearby bike shop (I am privileged enough to have three within walking
distance of my house), C$8 each. Any shop with a pretense of serving
BMXers is likely to stock tires of this type, though perhaps not as
cheaply.

The brakes took some work, and getting a 20" fork with canti posts and
the correct steer tube was not trivial. I ended up at one point staring
at two 20" forks I already owned, and realizing that neither would
actually work. Aside from the common 1" and 1-1/8" fork sizes, BMX forks
sometimes come with a 21.1 steer tube diameter, which for this project
was a bit of a dead end. All came to the good when Dad found a 1"
threaded fork with canti posts at Our Community Bikes (used parts and
bike-fixing co-op).

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

 

[Bill]

Ryan Cousineau wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Bill <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Ryan Cousineau wrote:
>
>>> If you really loved your child, you'd build up a custom cyclocross bike:
>>>
>>> http://flickr.com/photos/ttcopley/456758466/
>>>
>>> More photos of the project:
>>>
>>> http://flickr.com/photos/ttcopley/sets/72157594551105230/
>>>
>>> What's going on here is that the new owner of this bike was a
>>> cycling-mad 7-year-old who sincerely wanted a road bike. So we built one
>>> on a 20"-wheeled frame.
>>>
>>> The project turned out so well (both technically and in terms of how
>>> much the rider liked it) that I'm convinced a flat-bar version of this
>>> bike would be the most humane type of kids bicycle. Indeed, the
>>> 7-year-old now has the fastest bike on the block (the other trick was
>>> equipping the bike with some slick-ish 20" BMX tires; not as quick as
>>> going for full-on 20" racing tires (available thanks to recumbent riders
>>> and fast folding bikes), but far cheaper and more appropriate).
>>>
>>> Sora shifters have adjustable reach,
>>>
>> If you are mechanically adept, then that would be a great project.
>
>> The only big problem I have had is teaching the kids
>> to properly secure their bikes against theft rather than just dropping
>> them on the front lawn.
>> Of course if you made them a bike to brag about they would probably take
>> pains to make sure it was secure.
>
> This project was entirely rider-driven, as it should be. Indeed, the
> proud owner has an older brother who is essentially indifferent to
> cycling, and happily (but casually) rides his stock kid-sized MTB around
> the neighbourhood.
>
>> I like the project but finding 20" slicks had to be a real search.
>> Cheers on the effort and results.
>> Bill Baka
>
> 20" semi-slicks were dead-easy to find: you just look for BMX "flatland"
> tires, the stuff the freestyle riders use for riding skate parks and
> urban terrain.
>
> Here's Kenda's selection:
>
> http://www.kendausa.com/bicycle/street.html
>
> Some of these tires are more slick than others, and some are sorta
> inverted-tread, but all are more free-running and grippier than
> knobbies, and more would be overkill for most kids.

Correct me if I am wrong but aren't Kenda's made in China? I bought some
tires last year on impulse and one blew up at about 50 PSI. Wondering
why this happened I looked on the side, and sure enough, "Inflate to 60
PSI"...."Made in China".
>
> The next step up are the truly fast and skinny 20" tires, readily
> available by mail-order, but as it happens the recumbent-specialty shop
> in Vancouver does stock them (prices start at $30 or so).
>
> The set that ended up on this bike were some off-brand that was at a
> nearby bike shop (I am privileged enough to have three within walking
> distance of my house), C$8 each. Any shop with a pretense of serving
> BMXers is likely to stock tires of this type, though perhaps not as
> cheaply.

Per my above comment, look at where they come from. Chinese tires seem
really bad and the Taiwanese or mainland Japanese tires are much better.
The European tires are the best, but also the most expensive, and they
do require me to make a longish ride to the LBS.
>
> The brakes took some work, and getting a 20" fork with canti posts and
> the correct steer tube was not trivial. I ended up at one point staring
> at two 20" forks I already owned, and realizing that neither would
> actually work. Aside from the common 1" and 1-1/8" fork sizes, BMX forks
> sometimes come with a 21.1 steer tube diameter, which for this project
> was a bit of a dead end. All came to the good when Dad found a 1"
> threaded fork with canti posts at Our Community Bikes (used parts and
> bike-fixing co-op).
>
Ah, luck wins out.
Good effort.
Bill Baka

 

[SMS]

[email protected] wrote:
> Hi. I'm looking for a bike for my 5 year old (he'll be five in about
> a month). This will be his first two wheeler (he had a trike, but
> never really showed much interest in riding it). I've seen that I can
> get a 16" Huffy from ToysRUs for about 30 bucks. Then I see that some
> sporting goods stores and bike shops sell the Trek "Jet 16" for about
> 140 bucks. That's a big difference, so I wanted to get some opinions
> if such a difference is worthwhile or overkill.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Ken
>

When he needs a 20" then you really should move from the department
store bikes to something better. I got the Specialized Hotrock, which
had better components than the Trek kids bikes, which tend to be heavy
and more like department store bicycles in the 20" size.

Used bikes from craigslist.org are they way to go for higher end kids
bikes, unless you know a friend or relative with something to sell.

For the 16", be sure that it has at least one hand brake in addition to
the coaster brake.

 

[Jorg Lueke]

On Apr 28, 1:17 pm, [email protected] wrote:
> Hi. I'm looking for a bike for my 5 year old (he'll be five in about
> a month). This will be his first two wheeler (he had a trike, but
> never really showed much interest in riding it). I've seen that I can
> get a 16" Huffy from ToysRUs for about 30 bucks. Then I see that some
> sporting goods stores and bike shops sell the Trek "Jet 16" for about
> 140 bucks. That's a big difference, so I wanted to get some opinions
> if such a difference is worthwhile or overkill.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Ken

The local LBS's I frequent have $120 and $160 versions (Trek, Raleigh,
Specialized) in the 16" size. I'm going to get my son one of those
although he does have a 2 year old brother who can hopefully inherit
and thus increase the useful lifespan of the bike. I just can't go
for the department store stuff.

 

[SMS]

Bill wrote:

> I like the project but finding 20" slicks had to be a real search.

Not too hard to find if you know where to look:

16": "http://gaerlan.com/bikeparts/parts/16wheel/wheel16.html"
20" (406): "http://gaerlan.com/bikeparts/parts/406wheel/wheelbmx.html"
20" (451): "http://gaerlan.com/bikeparts/parts/451wheel/wheel.html"
24": "http://gaerlan.com/bikeparts/parts/24wheel/wheel24.html"

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
Bill <[email protected]> wrote:

> Ryan Cousineau wrote:
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > Bill <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> Ryan Cousineau wrote:
> >
> >>> If you really loved your child, you'd build up a custom cyclocross bike:
> >>>
> >>> http://flickr.com/photos/ttcopley/456758466/
> >>>
> >>> More photos of the project:
> >>>
> >>> http://flickr.com/photos/ttcopley/sets/72157594551105230/
> >>>
> >>> What's going on here is that the new owner of this bike was a
> >>> cycling-mad 7-year-old who sincerely wanted a road bike. So we built one
> >>> on a 20"-wheeled frame.
> >>>
> >>> The project turned out so well (both technically and in terms of how
> >>> much the rider liked it) that I'm convinced a flat-bar version of this
> >>> bike would be the most humane type of kids bicycle. Indeed, the
> >>> 7-year-old now has the fastest bike on the block (the other trick was
> >>> equipping the bike with some slick-ish 20" BMX tires; not as quick as
> >>> going for full-on 20" racing tires (available thanks to recumbent riders
> >>> and fast folding bikes), but far cheaper and more appropriate).
> >>>
> >>> Sora shifters have adjustable reach,
> >>>
> >> If you are mechanically adept, then that would be a great project.
> >
> >> The only big problem I have had is teaching the kids
> >> to properly secure their bikes against theft rather than just dropping
> >> them on the front lawn.
> >> Of course if you made them a bike to brag about they would probably take
> >> pains to make sure it was secure.
> >
> > This project was entirely rider-driven, as it should be. Indeed, the
> > proud owner has an older brother who is essentially indifferent to
> > cycling, and happily (but casually) rides his stock kid-sized MTB around
> > the neighbourhood.
> >
> >> I like the project but finding 20" slicks had to be a real search.
> >> Cheers on the effort and results.
> >> Bill Baka
> >
> > 20" semi-slicks were dead-easy to find: you just look for BMX "flatland"
> > tires, the stuff the freestyle riders use for riding skate parks and
> > urban terrain.
> >
> > Here's Kenda's selection:
> >
> > http://www.kendausa.com/bicycle/street.html
> >
> > Some of these tires are more slick than others, and some are sorta
> > inverted-tread, but all are more free-running and grippier than
> > knobbies, and more would be overkill for most kids.
>
> Correct me if I am wrong but aren't Kenda's made in China? I bought some
> tires last year on impulse and one blew up at about 50 PSI. Wondering
> why this happened I looked on the side, and sure enough, "Inflate to 60
> PSI"...."Made in China".

Kenda claims factories in Taiwan, Vietnam, and China.

> > The next step up are the truly fast and skinny 20" tires, readily
> > available by mail-order, but as it happens the recumbent-specialty shop
> > in Vancouver does stock them (prices start at $30 or so).
> >
> > The set that ended up on this bike were some off-brand that was at a
> > nearby bike shop (I am privileged enough to have three within walking
> > distance of my house), C$8 each. Any shop with a pretense of serving
> > BMXers is likely to stock tires of this type, though perhaps not as
> > cheaply.
>
> Per my above comment, look at where they come from. Chinese tires seem
> really bad and the Taiwanese or mainland Japanese tires are much better.
> The European tires are the best, but also the most expensive, and they
> do require me to make a longish ride to the LBS.

These sorts of comments leave me a bit skeptical. The stuff that is
still made Japan and Europe (and North America...) is of top quality,
but with Chinese-made stuff (and other Asian factories, and to a much
lesser extent, Taiwan) the quality is variable, and probably largely
dependent on the QC practices of the ordering company.

Note that some of the best bikes on the planet (Giant's high-end TCR
carbon frames, for one) are built in Taiwan. As for China, I know one
very happy owner of a Habanero, and more and more well-known companies
are quietly moving their production to China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and
others.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos