Children's bike?

[bazookaman]

Anyone have a suggestion for a 6 year old? She will be 7 in June. She's just started so she needs training wheels. Of course, i'm not sure when you're supposed to NOT have training wheels. Anyway, was just reading online that the big box stores might not be the best choice. OTOH, bike shops might be a LOT more than I'd want to spend on a bike for a 6/7 year old.

[ztirffritz]

Skip the training wheels. Get a balance bike first. Something like a skoot (sp?)

http://www.amazon.com/Chicco-Bullet-Bala...-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1393249988&sr=1-1&keywords=balance+bike

[cbelt3]

Any bike you buy will be a short term bike.. she'll ride it for three years and then abandon it for a big girl bike. The bike makers know this. Let HER pick it out and have a commitment in the whole process. Not to mention pick out a helmet that she likes and will wear. Enjoy !

:burnout:

[bazookaman]

cbelt3 wrote:
Any bike you buy will be a short term bike.. she'll ride it for three years and then abandon it for a big girl bike. The bike makers know this. Let HER pick it out and have a commitment in the whole process. Not to mention pick out a helmet that she likes and will wear. Enjoy !

:burnout:

She's got a helmet. And an old bike the neighbor's gave her. Watching her at the park yesterday was painful though. Her current bike is just falling apart

[dmann]

I've been converted to the "training wheels are unnecessary" camp. Many of my friends and family members have taught their kids (some younger than yours) to ride a 2 wheeler and none used the intermediate step of training wheels.

Good luck and have fun!

DM

[davemchine]

I found that bikes fit a kid for about two years. By the third year they look goofy on the bike. I bought all of the kids bikes at toys-r-us for about $60 each. Once my oldest daughter expressed an interest in more serious biking (and had stopped growing taller) I went to a real shop and bought a Giant brand beginner bike for about $250-300.

As for training wheels it just depends on the kid. My first daughter wanted them off as soon as possible. My second daughter never wanted to part with them. Do what makes your daughter comfortable so she will enjoy the bike.

Good luck and report back! It really is a proud moment when they ride for the first time.

[ScottG]

Neither of my boys used training wheels- they were 7 and 11 when they learned to ride. The lack of training wheels was simply because we didn't have any, rather than an informed decision. I do not like big box stores/ toy bikes- however, that is what both boys had, simply because they are used for such a short period. My older boy has graduated from a Pacific Evolution to a second-hand Diamondback, and the younger son inherited his brother's bike. For its price, I was impressed by the Evolution. It is a bit heavy, but that has not stopped either boy from riding it like crazy.

From reading reviews online, many of the big-box store bikes do suffer quality issues, and of course safety is the main priority. We may just have been lucky, but although both bikes have been ridden quite hard, nothing really critical has broken (I've replaced a seat, pedals, and a grip shift, and cheap brakes need frequent adjustment).

cheers
scott

[jdc]

daves post about sums it up my experience.

meh. big box chinese bikes are fine.

at 6, they are almost too big for a 16" wheel and too small for a 20" wheel -- you probably need to have her stand over one.

Both of mine rode with the training wheels, then sometime before 7 they went with none. Just one day take them off and go. Transisition seemed pretty easy to me.

[ztirffritz]

My boy started riding last summer at age 3. He started on a wooden balance bike until he could stay upright around corners and turn around and such. He wanted to go further, but he couldn't because the bike had no brakes. We upgraded to a 'new' bike from Goodwill for about $12. I covered it in reflective tape, took off the training wheels and in 2 hours he was pedaling around like there was no tomorrow. From balance bike to pedal bike without training wheels took about 6 months (actually about 3 months because he got the first bike in winter). I think training wheels just get in the way. But the kid has to have the balance part of it down first.

Ender on Christmas morning building his balance bike.


Ender riding around at the local skatepark on his balance bike:


Ender in front of Goodwill with his 'new' pedal bike.


Ender taking off for points unknown on his pedal bike.

[graylocks]

at 6 i think a big box bike is fine. she is growing fast and will outgrow the bike before it dies on you. when that happens determine her interest level and buy her a better bike - or none - if necessary.

get training wheels if she's that kind of kid. she'll let you know when it's time to take them off.