Which bike to buy my kid??? help please

[abcatt]

I have a 5 1/2 year old boy who bikes A LOT - first time I took him on a real bike ride we went about 5 miles. We bike 5-7 miles on average a few times a week and will do more this summer. However, he needs a new bike and i'm thinking one w/a few gears would be appropriate based on his ability and he'll pick it up easily i think. I have no idea what types of bikes to look at. Ideally no more than around $250 tops and something that can last for 3 yrs or so. I've tried looking at buying guides but for his age they're all geared towards the 'learning to ride" side of things which we've definitely got down pat.

 

[oldbobcat]

A geared bike that's small enough for him might be very difficult to find. If he's tall enough for a kid's bike with 20" wheels, he's in luck because every major brand has one of these. Two that I like are Trek's MT60 and Specialized's Hot Rock 20. The drawback is price for a new one, $330 MSRP for the Trek, $360 for the Specialized.

All kids outgrow their bikes, so you might be able to find a used one for about half that amount. Expect to spend a few bucks to get it ready for extended rides. Don't get drawn in by discount store or even big-box sporting goods store bikes. A fixed-up quality used bike will be a more reliable and enjoyable ride for your son.

 

[maydog]

I have the specialized hotrock 20" for my daughter that she has pretty much outgrown. For my younger son, I bought the performance bike burnout when he was about 5.

The burnout was much cheaper and is just as functional as the hotrock. There is little difference between the quality of a name brand children's bike and a equivalently spec'd department store bike. I doubt that the bean counters at trek, specialized and cannondale are throwing alot of R&D dollars at the children's market. Instead they slap their decals on mass produced units.

The children's used bike market is pretty good - you should be able to find something nice on craigslist.

 

[oldbobcat]

Originally Posted by maydog
I have the specialized hotrock 20" for my daughter that she has pretty much outgrown. For my younger son, I bought the performance bike burnout when he was about 5.

The burnout was much cheaper and is just as functional as the hotrock. There is little difference between the quality of a name brand children's bike and a equivalently spec'd department store bike. I doubt that the bean counters at trek, specialized and cannondale are throwing alot of R&D dollars at the children's market. Instead they slap their decals on mass produced units.

The children's used bike market is pretty good - you should be able to find something nice on craigslist.

You're right, there isn't a lot of R&D money going into kids bikes, but you'd be surprised at the small things that add up. For instance, Raleigh, a decently regarded second stringer, fits their 20" geared bikes with cranks that are too long for short legs, chain rings that result in gearing that is too high for small kids, and brake levers that are too large for small hands. Yes, the levers can be adjusted, but why weren't correctly sized levers spec'ed in the first place?

The Burnout looks pretty good. Another small bike that does things right is the Fuji Dynamite 20", also available at Performance.

Spec'ing a bike goes beyond shifters and derailleurs. It's the brake levers and calipers, the brake pads, saddles, handgrips, and cables and housings. All of the bikes we've mentioned are a level or two above big-box bikes.

 

[leroy1010]

Maybe you can look up 18" ,I think this size is more suitable .

 

[oldbobcat]

Originally Posted by leroy1010
Maybe you can look up 18" ,I think this size is more suitable .

18" only exists for a limited range of BMX bikes.