# Little Kids' Bikes



## William_Cannon (May 5, 2009)

Is there a difference in quality/performance in little kids bikes? I mean, is it worth forking out extra cash on a Specialized/Trek/Giant vs. a Huffy? 

My 5 yo has been riding a hand-me-down 12" Giant Lil Pudd'n without training wheels for about 6 months and it's time to move up to a 16" or 20". It's a good bike but in all honesty I can't see why that bike retailed for $150 vs. a $40 huffy (it weighs a ton).

Thanks in advanced,
WC


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## Harrier (May 5, 2008)

I have been through this process with two kids (now 6 and 7). My recommendation is that you not buy a bigger bike until the training wheels are off. 

It is MUCH easier for the kids to learn balance when their feet are close to the ground. They can learn to balance on a small bike very young (some suggest taking the pedals off). Once they can actually ride the bike, get the bigger wheels.

Otherwise you are buying oversized tricycles.

As far as bike quality, I would still look to a local recycled bike place or on craig's list to get a slightly better bike that is used. I don't think weight makes any difference until they are climbing hills, but shifters and levers make a huge difference. Good shifters that are easy for a little hand are great, and most kids hands are too small for the standard levers that come with bikes, so having an adjustment screw is a godsend.


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## traffic002 (Dec 16, 2008)

My son rode a hand-me-down 16" bike for a year. I adjusted the bars, stem, seat to fit him through the season. He got to the point where he wanted to ride farther and farther and hit some trails as well.

I think the weight of the bike was fine for him to just ride around the nieghborhood and build leg strength and riding skills. Definitely don't need a costly bike for that.

Now that he's fast enough that I have to ride my bike rather than jog, I stepped him up to a nice 20" bmx bike. He's getting stronger and stronger with each ride. Hills he had to walk before, he can now climb on the bike. He's even following me a bit over downed branches and berms.

So I'd just stick with cheap-o bikes until they are ready to ride a specific type of riding other than just cruising around the block.


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## mountain_bomber156 (Feb 17, 2009)

traffic002 said:


> My son rode a hand-me-down 16" bike for a year. I adjusted the bars, stem, seat to fit him through the season. He got to the point where he wanted to ride farther and farther and hit some trails as well.
> 
> I think the weight of the bike was fine for him to just ride around the nieghborhood and build leg strength and riding skills. Definitely don't need a costly bike for that.
> 
> ...


::nod vigorously:: Kids outgrow bikes extremely fast so shelling out cash for an amazingly expensive bike is a waste of money. As soon as he/she learns good skills, picks a type and stops growing like bamboo, stick with cheaper bikes.


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## William_Cannon (May 5, 2009)

great suggestion for craigslist. I picked up 16" Diamondback Mini-impression for $40. The handlebar crossbar pad is missing though. Anyone know where I can pick one up locally (LBS, Sportmart, Dick's, etc)? I could probably pick one up on ebay, but I'd hate to pay $10 in shipping on $4 part.


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## traffic002 (Dec 16, 2008)

I think even Target carries pads for bmx bikes. But any LBS should have some or local sporting good store.


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## Polymer (Jul 25, 2006)

Go with a 20" bike and the best bet is to get one with an aluminum frame because the weight makes difference. Look for one with low stand over height and also one that has a low seat to ground dimension.

You can cut the seat tube some so that the seat goes all the way down to the frame. This will allow your child to touch the ground easier. Look for one that has adjustable hand brakes so that you can bring the brake levers in making it easier to grab the brakes with their small hands. Allot of bikes have a small screw that restricts the brake lever travel making it easier for the child to get their hands around the brake.

I also got an adjustable angle handlebar stem so I could angle it all the way up which made the seated position easier.

I got the 20" for my little girl when she was 5 and we bought a 7 speed which made a huge difference. She is now 6 and can easily ride 5-8 miles with us! 

We bring her on single track trails and I wanted to ensure we had a decent bike worthy of off road so that she was safe, and I did not have to worry about the bike falling apart.


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## DavidNeiles (May 8, 2008)

Diamondback 20" Cobra has full 6spd shimano drivetrain and fork for 170 bucks, it is a solid bike for trails and a great price.


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## Polymer (Jul 25, 2006)

this is a link to the bike we got.. It is actually a well built aluminum frame with Shimano components that are spec correctly for a small child.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=25855&subcategory_ID=3030


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## itsme1546 (May 20, 2009)

*Diamondback Cobra 20"*

Can the handlebar/stem height be raised on the Diamondback Cobra 20"? My parents just bought one for my son's bday - it seems so low for him. Thanks!


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## rivrmutt (Mar 14, 2006)

*Gary Fisher Precaliber SS*

I just went through the same process. We opted for the G.F. Precaliber SS. 19 lbs. $200 bucks. My son was riding a Jamis laser 16", it is almost as heavy as my monocog 29er. I could see the difference right away. The precaliber ss is a great option and my 7 year old loves it. I think it is a better option than the bmx mini's or junior's. Not that much heavier, half the price, and front and rear brakes.

http://www.fisherbikes.com/bike/model/precaliber-ss


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## tozovr (Jul 26, 2006)

Neighborhood from RJ Clayton on Vimeo.

While kids do outgrow bikes quickly, I find a good quality bike makes them love to ride even more. They don't break as often and are much more efficient machines. Most of my neighborhood had kids on (I hate this term...) wal-mart bikes. Every bike was on my repair stand at least once a month. Now that most have seen how much ride time my son and daughter get, they're almost all on Specialized/trek/giants.

My son got a 12" trek and that was handed down to a neighbor when he moved up to a 16" Spec Hotrock. He turned 4 in September and asked that I remove the training wheels that day. I did and he took off. In March we upgraded him to a Haro V20 20" mtb and he's ripping. He really should pay less attention to me than where he's going LOL

At the end of the day though, as long as the kids are out riding is what REALLY matters.


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## lowendrick (Sep 2, 2008)

My son is really itching for a mtb. He has a bmx track bike and a bmx street bike both with 20" wheels. He is 10 years old, but small for his age at 4'5". I don't know whether to get him a 24" wheel or 20" wheel. We tried several at both sizes. He seems comfortable on both. Any suggestions?


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