Kids Bikes - Crap vs Quality

[jayspies]

I would put n a vote for Cleary Bikes as well. Their 20" bike weighs in at about 19 lbs, and is built very well. $335. that being said, I would not probably buy less than a 20" bike (kids grow too fast) unless you have multiple kids that could get them handed down. My son had a big box 30# rolling crap ball, and rides much better on the singlespeed Cleary. Kids don't need gears, shocks or other doodads. Kids need lightness and quality.

 

[rkj__]

Kids don't need gears, shocks or other doodads. Kids need lightness and quality.

I did not have gears until I was on 24" wheels. In my experience, that was a good time to add them.

 

[rcintx]

I want single speed and coaster brakes. A handbrake as well would be OK, but not necessary. Lightness is my main goal. I have lots of friends with younger kids that I could pass this down to (as well as my own newborn). I'd love to find used, but have been unsuccessful so far. I am going to try and take my son to a local bike shop this weekend and see what size he really needs. Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[not another subaru guy...]

Second on the balance/strider bike. That is how my son learned confidence on two wheels. A little secret is to just take the pedals, crank, chain, and other drive train stuff off of a 12" bike and dont go out and spend on a new balance bike. If he is struggling with learning, this will get him to where he needs to be with little risk of falling and injury.

 

[millerfish]

I think if you are buying new, a high end bike under 20" is not worth the money. My kids grew out of all the smaller bikes pretty fast. Even handing them down they never wore out a basic cheap bike. If you look at the 12" 14" & 16" higher end bikes they don't seem to be all that much better than the basic bike. Just because it is a good brand doesn't mean it's a good bike. A lot of good brands make low end bikes as well as nice high end stuff. Now my kids are on 20" BMX bikes and they beat the crap out of them and I'm glad they have good bikes. Yard sales are the best place to find killer deals on bikes, if you have the time...

 

[BEG]

My experience on the matter is that when the child is at the learning stage, you want it to be as easy as possible, which means spending a little more on features like low weight, ergonomics, proper geometry etc. Once they know how, they can ride any old heap and you can recoup your money there, if you want.

I also recommend a balance bike as the first bike any kid gets (see my previous post on the Islabikes Rothan model). It's amazing how fast they get the hang of it and you skip the frustrating training wheels stage when you switch to a pedal bike. Here's someone else's 2-year-old at a skate park:

 

[agavelvr]

This is an interesting conversation to watch. People on both ends of the discussion have valid points. But here's something to consider for those of us who have been riding a while...

Branded light quality bikes did not really exist when we were all young. I'm guessing most of us grew up on cheap bikes. And if we were lucky, we eventually graduated to a Stingray or a Diamond Back BMX early in our career. None of those bikes were particularly light either. Did the lack of quality and higher weight keep us from riding? Heck no, if anything it made us stronger, better riders. In fact, I think this providing the best for our kids mentality is what is causing the pussification of the country. Make your kids work for it, it will payoff throughout their lives.

 

[BEG]

This is an interesting conversation to watch. People on both ends of the discussion have valid points. But here's something to consider for those of us who have been riding a while...

Branded light quality bikes did not really exist when we were all young. I'm guessing most of us grew up on cheap bikes. And if we were lucky, we eventually graduated to a Stingray or a Diamond Back BMX early in our career. None of those bikes were particularly light either. Did the lack of quality and higher weight keep us from riding? Heck no, if anything it made us stronger, better riders. In fact, I think this providing the best for our kids mentality is what is causing the pussification of the country. Make your kids work for it, it will payoff throughout their lives.

Interesting point. I think you're not taking your comparison far enough though. This day and age it's not "kids who ride big heavy bikes" vs "kids who ride expensive blingy bikes." It's more like "kids who go outside" vs. "kids who are glued to an electronic device all day." It's a challenge to raise active kids nowadays when only a generation ago you didn't have to force a kid to go outside and play; it was a given. We didn't have as many choices of entertainment as kids do today. You either learned to ride that too-tall lump of steel or you got left behind. Now parents are faced with having to make outdoor activities as easy and attractive as possible to compete with binge watching cartoons on netflix or playing video games. IME, while cheap bikes were fine for our generation (who were motivated to learn to ride because it was our ticket to freedom) there's a very different value system in place today and spending a little more to get the "blingy," easier to ride bike might make the difference between a bike being used or gathering dust in a corner of the garage.

 

[tgreening]

I've got two girls, 8 and 9, 15 months apart in age. The hand me down scenario sounds good, but it gets to the point "I" start to feel guilty because the older girl always gets the new and the younger not only gets used but ends up not getting to choose. I buy walmart/toys r us bikes and dont regret it a bit. The qulaity is crap compared to what you can buy, but its ok for the price and more than sufficient for the couple years they can use them before the bikes are outgrown. So far they've always been outgrown prior to any real failure. They're cheap so buying two is no big deal and each girl gets to pick exactly what she wants.

When growth gets to the point I can expect them to get more than 2 years at best, I'll think about a better quality bike. Till then, to me its just wasting money.

 

[calicamper]

I've got two girls, 8 and 9, 15 months apart in age. The hand me down scenario sounds good, but it gets to the point "I" start to feel guilty because the older girl always gets the new and the younger not only gets used but ends up not getting to choose. I buy walmart/toys r us bikes and dont regret it a bit. The qulaity is crap compared to what you can buy, but its ok for the price and more than sufficient for the couple years they can use them before the bikes are outgrown. So far they've always been outgrown prior to any real failure. They're cheap so buying two is no big deal and each girl gets to pick exactly what she wants.

When growth gets to the point I can expect them to get more than 2 years at best, I'll think about a better quality bike. Till then, to me its just wasting money.

We buy used for just about all our kids entertainment stuff but! That will only last so long before they reach an age where they know the difference. But the difference we my wife and I are teaching them will be value vs quality not new vs used. This thread came up at a perfect time given Monday I picked up a $40 Trek off the mothers list my wife is on for my 6yr old who is almost outgrown her first little bike. So far both my Daughters high end pricy bikes picked up used more or less were never ridden original tires still have nubs on them etc. So I currently have over $600 in bikes parked in the garage for my daughter that cost me a total of $60 bucks. When she reaches the age where the bike she gets will fit her through college then I will invest possibly in a new bike name brand etc and thats it. The bike I purchased in HS and rode the wheels off of is currently the family mule set up with a kids seat on the back, front panniers and a big coffee/beer holder on the handle bars. It just spent the weekend hauling beach gear and my youngest around a campground and over to a swimming area. Its been rebuilt twice. I finally caved and bought a new MT bike this spring given I no longer had a bike I could go ride trails on with the guys. I didn't have the budget aka wife approval for crazy I ended up with a nice GT Zaskar with the entry level decent gear on it really nice frame fits me great and no doubt will probably be ridden for the next 25yrs like my old GT now the family mule.

My road bike was the most I've spent for a bike but I've ridden the hell out of that thing and will ride it again at some point.

My kids will get a new fancy name brand bike if they ride allot and we end up doing family MT bike trips etc but if they don't ride much makes no sense to spend the money for a new fancy rig.

 

[rcintx]

In fact, I think this providing the best for our kids mentality is what is causing the pussification of the country. Make your kids work for it, it will payoff throughout their lives.

While I do partly agree with you, I also have to disagree with you. I think kids need to learn to work for what they get. But, I think you are confusing "pussification" with expecting hand outs. I don't believe making my son struggle through riding a bike that is much harder to pedal than it has to be makes him learn to work for what he gets. I see your point, I just think it is a little misaligned.

I did ride a Walmart bike growing up, and until I was 16 it was my only mode of transportation to go see my friends in the summers as my parents wouldn't take me. Going to see my friends was a 15 mile bike ride on poorly maintained country roads, and I only got to go when I was down working on the farm, which wasn't often. I understand learning to work and it paying off later. That is me all the way. However, had I known there were better bikes out there, I wouldn't have spent my money on the tank I bought from Walmart. It would have been something more enjoyable to ride. :bike_rider:

 

[calicamper]

While I do partly agree with you, I also have to disagree with you. I think kids need to learn to work for what they get. But, I think you are confusing "pussification" with expecting hand outs. I don't believe making my son struggle through riding a bike that is much harder to pedal than it has to be makes him learn to work for what he gets. I see your point, I just think it is a little misaligned.

I did ride a Walmart bike growing up, and until I was 16 it was my only mode of transportation to go see my friends in the summers as my parents wouldn't take me. Going to see my friends was a 15 mile bike ride on poorly maintained country roads, and I only got to go when I was down working on the farm, which wasn't often. I understand learning to work and it paying off later. That is me all the way. However, had I known there were better bikes out there, I wouldn't have spent my money on the tank I bought from Walmart. It would have been something more enjoyable to ride. :bike_rider:

Working for things is very much an issue today. My parents are teachers and thats their number one pet peeve!!! Smart kid screwing off in class and the parent says to my Mom I can't get him to do squat - and they expect the teacher to get the kid to perform? LOL Great example ^ though in one case my Mom says hey he's been talking about how much he likes music and wants an Ipod. Make a deal with him! Get your homework in on time which he wasn't turning any in before that and bring up your grade in science and we'll go look at ipods!!! No joke the start of the next week he has a DAMN IPOD!!! Didn't Do a damn thing to get it!!! And the dumb *** parent hasn't a clue why she can't get him to do anything!

My 6yr old came to me over a year ago and out of the blue says I want a pet lizard! I made a deal with her when she could sit down and read a book to my wife and I we would go check out lizards and get one. She worked her tail off practicing reading every night all year and in June I took her to a super over the top local reptile place found a young college girl working there to take my daughter around and talk about all the different lizards and to sort out which one would be ideal for her desk. We were there for two hours my Daughter loved every second of it. By the time we left I was $300 lighter in the pocket with a very very proud daughter holding her Gecko with all his assorted gear and crickets. He has been a great pet actually really cool rainforest Gecko very tame he gets lots of out of the terarium time and my daughter does all the feeding and care etc. She already knows how to make deals for things she wants, but she now gets a basic allowance and is trying to grasp the idea of her having her own money and being able to save up to buy things etc. Its really interesting to see how different kids are with these things, but if you never set a goal and they never need to work to achieve a goal they are doomed as an adult. They need that skill of working to a goal and sense of achievement when they achieve the goal and the earlier you can get them doing that the better!!! Bikes are just bikes but getting that fancy super cool one after achieving a goal just makes it all that more valued.

 

[agavelvr]

While I do partly agree with you, I also have to disagree with you. I think kids need to learn to work for what they get. But, I think you are confusing "pussification" with expecting hand outs. I don't believe making my son struggle through riding a bike that is much harder to pedal than it has to be makes him learn to work for what he gets. I see your point, I just think it is a little misaligned.

I wasn't clear. My position...
For a young child, there is not significant performance advantage or brand value in buying a high end bike. This is a value placed upon the bike by the parent, then imparted to the child. I believe the "pussifications" of kids is due to weak parents who imprint their young children with values that do not serve their children's best interest.

IMHO, parents who think their young kids will "suffer" on a walmart bike and believe this "suffering" is actually hardship...that's the problem. It's a freak'n bicycle not a poorly constructed, overweight backpack. Same goes for parents who can't get their kids outside, away from the video games, perform at school, etc. Kids are amazing if they are allowed to be, and directed appropriately if they fail to be.

 

[rcintx]

I wasn't clear. My position...
For a young child, there is not significant performance advantage or brand value in buying a high end bike. This is a value placed upon the bike by the parent, then imparted to the child. I believe the "pussifications" of kids is due to weak parents who imprint their young children with values that do not serve their children's best interest.

IMHO, parents who think their young kids will "suffer" on a walmart bike and believe this "suffering" is actually hardship...that's the problem. It's a freak'n bicycle not a poorly constructed, overweight backpack. Same goes for parents who can't get their kids outside, away from the video games, perform at school, etc. Kids are amazing if they are allowed to be, and directed appropriately if they fail to be.

Kids are amazing, you are right about that, but they have to be given the opportunity to be. My son is so frustrated with his bike right now he doesn't want to ride at all. Am I pussifying him I get something he can do better with? Maybe. Or am I giving him the tools necessary to go explore and ride and be a kid?

 

[njtacoma]

I would check out garage sales in your area as well as far as used bikes for cheap. When I was looking for smaller size bikes for my kids it didn't seem they popped up on Craigslist, but every garage sale (or so it seemed) had one. They will all have flat tires, but usually need air as opposed to an actual hole in the tube.