Best bike for kids
Best bike for kids
Hi all. I’m pretty new to all this cycling malarkey however my 7 year old would like a bike so we can go out together.
Can someone please ade us with some information please.
I have seen 2 bikes that look okay but I don’t have a clue what’s better.
This is one from Halfords with front suspension
https://www.halfords.com/bikes/kids-bik ... 00534.html
This is one from go outdoors front suspension with disc brakes
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/16185419/p ... e-16185419
Both are aluminium frames
Any help or guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Can someone please ade us with some information please.
I have seen 2 bikes that look okay but I don’t have a clue what’s better.
This is one from Halfords with front suspension
https://www.halfords.com/bikes/kids-bik ... 00534.html
This is one from go outdoors front suspension with disc brakes
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/16185419/p ... e-16185419
Both are aluminium frames
Any help or guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Re: Best bike for kids
Welcome.
I'd look at a new or preloved Islabike:
https://www.islabikes.co.uk/pages/childrens-bikes
Recent discussion:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=146838
Jonathan
I'd look at a new or preloved Islabike:
https://www.islabikes.co.uk/pages/childrens-bikes
Recent discussion:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=146838
Jonathan
Re: Best bike for kids
Thanks for the reply.
They are slightly more money than we were looking to spend.
Thanks again
They are slightly more money than we were looking to spend.
Thanks again
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Re: Best bike for kids
We bought one of these for our 10 year old grandson a couple of months ago and he really likes it. It seems well made and robust enough too.Ljones wrote: ↑23 Aug 2021, 9:36am Hi all. I’m pretty new to all this cycling malarkey however my 7 year old would like a bike so we can go out together.
Can someone please ade us with some information please.
I have seen 2 bikes that look okay but I don’t have a clue what’s better.
This is one from Halfords with front suspension
https://www.halfords.com/bikes/kids-bik ... 00534.html
Any help or guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Steve
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- Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
- Location: Near Bicester Oxon
Re: Best bike for kids
You should be OK second hand. They really are a smart buy, but if you do want to buy new, look at bikes that have rigid, not suspension forks - they add weight for a younger child, and are pretty ineffective.
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Re: Best bike for kids
+1 for buying second hand but in all cases pick the bike up, the lightest bike is usually the best.
Eschew any suspension, it adds weight and serves no useful purpose.
Make sure the brake levers are small and light to pull, very little hands will be using these, same for gear changers if there are any. At age 7 you don't really need many gears unless you're planning a cycle tour?
Eschew any suspension, it adds weight and serves no useful purpose.
Make sure the brake levers are small and light to pull, very little hands will be using these, same for gear changers if there are any. At age 7 you don't really need many gears unless you're planning a cycle tour?
Re: Best bike for kids
Thanks for the reply.Grumpy-Grandad wrote: ↑23 Aug 2021, 10:53amWe bought one of these for our 10 year old grandson a couple of months ago and he really likes it. It seems well made and robust enough too.Ljones wrote: ↑23 Aug 2021, 9:36am Hi all. I’m pretty new to all this cycling malarkey however my 7 year old would like a bike so we can go out together.
Can someone please ade us with some information please.
I have seen 2 bikes that look okay but I don’t have a clue what’s better.
This is one from Halfords with front suspension
https://www.halfords.com/bikes/kids-bik ... 00534.html
Any help or guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
I’m guessing this maybe slightly too big if your 10 year old grandson has it. I see a massive difference between companies depending on wheel size. One company they fit second company they don’t.
But thanks for the information
Re: Best bike for kids
Thanks for the replies people.
It’s interesting to hear you say that suspension isn’t really worth it. We ride across fields etc so my thinking was it would help him a little hence me looking at front suspension and the go outdoors bike relic24. It also has one set of gears (right hand) and disc brakes. Hence I’m looking at it but would still listen to other suggestions. Looking around 250 300 pound mark.
It’s interesting to hear you say that suspension isn’t really worth it. We ride across fields etc so my thinking was it would help him a little hence me looking at front suspension and the go outdoors bike relic24. It also has one set of gears (right hand) and disc brakes. Hence I’m looking at it but would still listen to other suggestions. Looking around 250 300 pound mark.
Re: Best bike for kids
We've been getting Frog bikes for my daughter since she was small. They are brilliant, hold their value if not to knackered up, and can be a good buy second hand. I'd definitely recommend them.
Re: Best bike for kids
My daughter's on her second Frog and she loves it. Both have been their standard hybrid with a rigid front fork, but this one came with a spare set of knobbly tyres. With those fitted it becomes a half-decent bike for off-road riding, at least on non-technical trails.
I wouldn't go for anything resembling a proper mountain bike unless she was really into 'serious' technical stuff at trail centres and suchlike. Apart from the suspension issue, I think it makes sense for kids to just have a single chainring for simplicity apart from anything else. Of course most adult MTBs are like that now anyway, so many of the the kids' versions are behind the times.
Re: Best bike for kids
Suspension is potentially very useful but there are caveats. Particularly, doing it well costs Real Money while doing it cheaply adds to weight for little gain. Also, with a fairly light load (e.g., a child) a typical suspension fork won't actually deflect much so riding across a field (which while bumpy compared to a road, isn't actually that rough) you won't get much out of it.Ljones wrote: ↑23 Aug 2021, 1:14pm It’s interesting to hear you say that suspension isn’t really worth it. We ride across fields etc so my thinking was it would help him a little hence me looking at front suspension and the go outdoors bike relic24. It also has one set of gears (right hand) and disc brakes. Hence I’m looking at it but would still listen to other suggestions. Looking around 250 300 pound mark.
I coach basic mountain biking at a junior cycling club, and the kids with no-suspension bikes don't have any obvious issues.
There's less to go wrong, and the bike is lighter. Unless you're hitting proper bumps at speed most children get all the suspension they need from decent tyres at a an appropriate pressure.
What is worth paying for on a bike for a wee one is light weight and components like brake levers and cranks that are scaled for smaller hands and shorter legs. Other than that, as a rule of thumb the more "features" it has the worse it is at any given price.
Pete.
Often seen riding a bike around Dundee...
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Re: Best bike for kids
Our 8 yo is on his second frog bought new. Frog website had a few secondhand ones. Our reason for frog bikes is because they're built with the same ethos as islabikes but without the high price tag. Plus secondhand are often cheaper.
20" wheeled one came with road and off road tyres plus inner tubes. The 24" one he has now didn't. I thought it should have and really think I should ask about it, it's got hybrid tyres on so good for on n and off road to some degree. Rigid fork too. Front suspension adds too much weight that will impact kid's enjoyment more than not having it. Weight affects enjoyment at 7/8yo more.
At 7yo they're close or at the 20 to 24" wheel changeover point. Our son got his 24" wheeled frog bike this spring but he's almost tall enough for a 26" one. He had the height of a 9/10 year old though, currently the height of a kid 2 years older.
I can only say that low weight is very important as is child specific brake levers that can be adjusted for small hands (a screw locks it so the levers don't fully open too far I believe).
20" wheeled one came with road and off road tyres plus inner tubes. The 24" one he has now didn't. I thought it should have and really think I should ask about it, it's got hybrid tyres on so good for on n and off road to some degree. Rigid fork too. Front suspension adds too much weight that will impact kid's enjoyment more than not having it. Weight affects enjoyment at 7/8yo more.
At 7yo they're close or at the 20 to 24" wheel changeover point. Our son got his 24" wheeled frog bike this spring but he's almost tall enough for a 26" one. He had the height of a 9/10 year old though, currently the height of a kid 2 years older.
I can only say that low weight is very important as is child specific brake levers that can be adjusted for small hands (a screw locks it so the levers don't fully open too far I believe).