why can't I find a nice bike!

[pandacub]

I'm getting jacob a pedal bike for either his bday or christmas but I can't find one I like anywhere! I don't particularly want a character one, all of the ones ive seen online are themed.
Ideally I'd like a shiny red bike. Thats all.

Where did you get your LOs bike (if they have one) and where did you get it?

 

[EcoMama]

Islabike, the best kids bikes ever! (IMO ... And a lot of othe people's too!) They're expensive but they are brilliant, light and easy to learn on! They also have a good resale value on ebay, so you can get over half your money back!

They had blue and red ones last yr, but have just brought out orange and green, check their website

 

[tommyg]

Specilized do nice red bikes but like the Islabike they are a lot more expensive than the halfords character type ones. The 12" is about £150 the 16" £170 but you will be able to recoupe some of that on the secondhand market.

 

[pandacub]

Thanks! I really like frog bikes but they only have 12" balance bikes and then 16" pedal bikes.. no way he'll fit on a 16"!

Love the look of the islabikes! I'm just trying to decide whether I can justify the money now... Quite a bit more than my original budget

 

[huggybear]

We got LO a Pinnacle Koto from Evans Cycles last Xmas. OH is bike mad so wanted a low bottom bracket, light weight bike with quick release wheel for LO, this seemed our only option, alternatively, OH was going to build him a bike (no joke). Can highly recommend the Pinnacle

 

[tommyg]

It's a funny one with bikes.
The traditional sizes were 12" 16" 20" 24"
The 14" bikes are fairly new and yes islabike do a 14" rather than the 12".
I have a similar issue DS doesn't look like he'll get to long out a 12" and the 16 was miles to big. Which means either accepting he won't get too long out a 12" or go for a 14".
A couple of parents I know have gone for the 14" bike but ran into the issue later when the child was. Ready to move up the 16" isn't enough of a jump and the 20" far too big. 18" bikes are hard to come by esp in the better ranges.
I've hit the point of accepting he is going to need a smaller bike before he is ready for a 16" so I've hit the point of saying get a 12" but won't probably won't get long out of it ( a year or 2 ) so if I can get one 2nd then fantastic and I won't get too upset if he scratches it.

 

[EcoMama]

Totally tommyg!

My ds had a 12" balance bike which lasted from 2-4, we then got him the islabike 14", but by 6 months he was too big and ready for the 16". He's now 5 and wants a bike with gears, but we're going to hold off until the spring to get him the 20"

(Luckily he's got a younger sis who the bikes will be handed down to :smile)

 

[tommyg]

What height and leg length was your LO when he was ready for the 16"?
My LO has inside leg of about 14" and height 37"

But I have to say that is what I was getting at, currently the 16" would be miles to big. So to get him off his balance bike we need something smaller but sooner or later he will end up with a 16" so if the smaller bike is a nearly new then so be it