Daughter needs a new bike - What do your kids ride?

itboffin

I'm going to shift my daughters 24 itboffin custom build FOC for collection once I swap the sram twist shifter back in and root around for a matching 7 speed cassette

method7

My daughter (6) has a Frog 55 (straight bars). Its aluminum frame is well made and nicely finished - came with off-road tyres and mudguards - she can reach the controls easily and the brakes actually work - well - very well in fact - caution advised :-) - we just ordered a tadpole for our youngest - he's 2. if i was their age I would want a Frog or a Dawes Blowfish

larkim

I know we all want the best for our kids. But turning the thread on its head a little (inspired by the Grifter comment) - what bike did you have at the 5-8 years old stage, and did it affect your long term love affair with cycling?

I had a very un-fashionable single geared, probably 16 inch bike that was more suited to a granny than a kid. Probably had terrible brakes, was definitely not "cool" and was a hand-me-down from my great uncle. Didn't stop me enjoying cycling.

poah

POAH wrote:

I'm getting my 2nd son a scott scale jr plus for his 7th birthday.

had a change of plan, bought a specialized riprock 20 instead.

Tashman

larkim wrote:

I know we all want the best for our kids. But turning the thread on its head a little (inspired by the Grifter comment) - what bike did you have at the 5-8 years old stage, and did it affect your long term love affair with cycling?

I had a very un-fashionable single geared, probably 16 inch bike that was more suited to a granny than a kid. Probably had terrible brakes, was definitely not "cool" and was a hand-me-down from my great uncle. Didn't stop me enjoying cycling.

Started with a Raleigh Striker handed down from a neighbour, Then graduated to a Grifter, again second hand. My first new bike was a Raleigh Equipe "racer" in white with grey/yellow flashes. i loved that bike, had my first major off after half wheeling my mate avoiding an oncoming car, racing downhill on a recently chipped road - I still have some of that chipping in my lip 25 years later!

method7

I think that's a fair point, Our daughter has three bikes dotted about and to be fair she loves them all, we have the Frog at home a Raleigh Jungle up the allotment and a Raleigh Zoo at grandads gaff.

Both Raleigh bikes were pulled from skips, the jungle had a fixed wheel so I fitted a free hub but other than that they have cost nothing. One was used as a balance bike, I only removed the pedals. She needed a bike that she can grow into so we considered the options and she said if she could choose she wanted a purple one, it was a no brainier since we have a 2yo who will inherit everything including the frog.

The Spiderman

I have always bought second hand bikes for my kids as you never know how much they are going to use them. We've had Carrera,Ridgeback, GT and Trek, which were all good. In all cases I've sold them on for what I paid. The kids Treks are good as they are designed specifically for kids with adjustable stems and cranks.

bompington

The Spiderman wrote:

adjustable stems and cranks.

How does that work?

dirkpitt74

bompington wrote:

The Spiderman wrote:

adjustable stems and cranks.

How does that work?

I think it had 2 sets of holes for the pedals in the crank arms.

method7

bompington wrote:

The Spiderman wrote:

adjustable stems and cranks.

How does that work?

Ive seen then with two pedal holes so for short legs you can shorten the effective crank length by lifting the pedal up the crank arm closer to the bottom bracket.