16" kids bikes
- Thread starter bowsho
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ridgeback.
http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/series/boys
these are properly made, with good spec, a little more money than the cheap stuff obviously but they have resale value unlike the toys r us rubbish which is only for for the bin to start with.
ridgeback.
http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/series/boys
these are properly made, with good spec, a little more money than the cheap stuff obviously but they have resale value unlike the toys r us rubbish which is only for for the bin to start with.
kipperthedog
Senior Retro Guru
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Small Specialized are great, a 15" 1992 Hardrock and a 15" Rockhopper Comp have passed through my shed in recent years.
For budget buying check out Decathlons BTwin Rockrider range, XS and S sizes available but I'd visit a store with a tape measure to check the sizes myself. You can usally test ride the bikes IN the store (yes IN!). Cheap as chips clothing too.
Small Specialized are great, a 15" 1992 Hardrock and a 15" Rockhopper Comp have passed through my shed in recent years.
For budget buying check out Decathlons BTwin Rockrider range, XS and S sizes available but I'd visit a store with a tape measure to check the sizes myself. You can usally test ride the bikes IN the store (yes IN!). Cheap as chips clothing too.
Takingabreak
Dave Yates Fan
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Buy whichever one they want, Barbie, action man, whatever. They'll ride them more if the bikes appeal to them. The bikes will be garbage, but they grow out of them so quickly it won't matter.
I tried to talk mine into Islabikes, which are probably the best kids bikes available, short cranks, well thought out spec for kids etc but they weren't interested, so we ended up with a 12" giant, followed by a 16" Raleigh, then a 20" Dawes and lastly a 24" dawes. The one thing they all had in common was that they are so damn heavy.
Thankfully they are now big enough to ride full size mountain bikes, albeit with 14 and 16" frames respectively. Retro of course.. rebuilt konas, a 98 cindercone and a 99 explosif. And as they grow I can just move the kit onto bigger frames.
Buy whichever one they want, Barbie, action man, whatever. They'll ride them more if the bikes appeal to them. The bikes will be garbage, but they grow out of them so quickly it won't matter.
I tried to talk mine into Islabikes, which are probably the best kids bikes available, short cranks, well thought out spec for kids etc but they weren't interested, so we ended up with a 12" giant, followed by a 16" Raleigh, then a 20" Dawes and lastly a 24" dawes. The one thing they all had in common was that they are so damn heavy.
Thankfully they are now big enough to ride full size mountain bikes, albeit with 14 and 16" frames respectively. Retro of course.. rebuilt konas, a 98 cindercone and a 99 explosif. And as they grow I can just move the kit onto bigger frames.
The Malcolm
Retro Guru
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We went bought a Ridgeback MX24 new which has been great value for money for our oldest boy about 5 years ago and we got 2 years use out of it and it is waiting for his younger brother. For the younger one we bought an MX20 on gumtree and that has been great. There is a huge choice of ridgebacks on gumtree and I wish I had bought the MX24 on gumtree. As someone else said they only get used for a couple of years and they move onto the next bike. The MX20 we bought just needed some new brake and gear cables and handle bar grips. My only criticism of the ridgebacks is that they put suspension forks on them and they add a lot of weight to the bike and the kids are so light they hardly compress the forks.
To replace the MX24 I bought a small Cannondale 16" frame and built that up for the oldest.
We went bought a Ridgeback MX24 new which has been great value for money for our oldest boy about 5 years ago and we got 2 years use out of it and it is waiting for his younger brother. For the younger one we bought an MX20 on gumtree and that has been great. There is a huge choice of ridgebacks on gumtree and I wish I had bought the MX24 on gumtree. As someone else said they only get used for a couple of years and they move onto the next bike. The MX20 we bought just needed some new brake and gear cables and handle bar grips. My only criticism of the ridgebacks is that they put suspension forks on them and they add a lot of weight to the bike and the kids are so light they hardly compress the forks.
To replace the MX24 I bought a small Cannondale 16" frame and built that up for the oldest.
Islabike or Frog all the way.
I have had both Ridgeback 16 and Islabike 16 for my kids. Massive, massive difference in weight between the two. Islabike (and I think frog) are a world apart from the ridgeback. The weight difference really does make a difference in what they can ride. the way the reach on the brakes is thought out makes a big difference too.
youngest son learnt to ride the bike.. two weeks later we took him for proper ride on bike path. he managed nearly 5 miles on the 16 islabike. weight is king. he was 4 and only weight 17-18kg at that point.
bike worth the price I reckon. We passed that 16 inch bike down through all three of our kids too. and then sold on. If you have more than one buy new for oldest then sell on when done.
I have had both Ridgeback 16 and Islabike 16 for my kids. Massive, massive difference in weight between the two. Islabike (and I think frog) are a world apart from the ridgeback. The weight difference really does make a difference in what they can ride. the way the reach on the brakes is thought out makes a big difference too.
youngest son learnt to ride the bike.. two weeks later we took him for proper ride on bike path. he managed nearly 5 miles on the 16 islabike. weight is king. he was 4 and only weight 17-18kg at that point.
bike worth the price I reckon. We passed that 16 inch bike down through all three of our kids too. and then sold on. If you have more than one buy new for oldest then sell on when done.
