Bike for teen/tween

Fidelio
Fidelio Posts: 3
Hi,
After showing no interest in cycling ever, my 12 going on 13 year old son has suddenly been bitten, and I've taken in him out using my pub/shopping bike which is a cheap heavy hybrid and he loves cycling. Now, this bike is way to big for him. He can straddle it safely but it's only a tad on the small side for me and I'm 6' while he is a pint sized (Quintana-sized) 5'5" and skinny as a rake
So I want to get him a bike, but cash is short. My pride and joy is only a triban 3 with Aksium wheels. The absolute max I can spend is £200. I was wondering if something as cheap as a Halfords job would do him. This looks like a terrible bike for an adult
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_912087_langId_-1_categoryId_165710
But given that he weighs about 7 stone I thought it might do him OK? Most of the objections to this kind of bike are that they are a bit feeble and lack resilence. But he's going to be putting a tiny wattage into it. I'm sure if I rode it for a few hundred km it would almost fall apart, but it only has to cope with a skinny little fellow, so it maybe it would be OK. Maybe that's the one thing a Halfords job is OK for. A small, light rider who puts half as much power (less actually if I recall my school physics correctly) into the drivetrain and breaks as a grown-up does.
Other suggestions welcome. I know people say s/h but blimey, I've been trawling gumtree etc and there's not much there.
Thanks for reading.
F

Comments

  • Fidelio
    Fidelio Posts: 3
    Yes, would be great. I just never see anything like that at a good price s/h. Not within driving distance anyway. Maybe I just need to be a bit patient.