Kids bike question!

[Fatal Swan]

I bought a Specialized Hotrock 16" kids bike a while back in anticipation of my daughter graduating to it from the balance bike. This model comes with a coaster brake, but the previous owner removed the hub internals for the brake and installed a second brake and lever instead. Now that my 4-year-old daughter's started using this bike, one thing which is causing her a problem is that it seems to take an awful lot of rotation of the cranks before the gear actually bites and begins to propel the bike forward. I have absolutely no experience at all of singlespeed bikes or kids bikes - is there anything I can do to improve that?

Cheers

 

[ishaw]

Re:

I can't help with the hub issue, but I will say that whilst the coaster brake seemed a good idea at the time (I bought the same bike new for my eldest and now my youngest is using it), it did make graduating to a bike with normal brakes more of a challenge.

If you figure it out, let me know as I'd like to do the same and fit a normal rear brake.

I'd assumed (without any research) that simply removing the arm that connects the hub to the frame would disconnect the coaster brake, guess I'm wrong. Never had a coaster brake or fettled one.

 

[t wild]

Never stripped one but rode a couple and the rear pedal back function basically contracts and locks the wheel to the spindle then expands to re engage the wheel when you pedal forwards. there is going to be a bit of slip between disengaging and engaging. Chances are the removal of the innards has given more room for movement. The only real option to remove the coaster feel is a new wheel with a standard ratcheting cog

 

[yo-eddy]

Re:

Bought an Early Rider Belter 16" for my almost 4 year old and that was the best purchase ever. Whole geometry, cranks, cantilever brakes are suited for his age. This way he learned to ride a "proper" bike from day one and still has the benefits from it. Scaled up to a Belter 20"when he was 5 (his lil'brother will use the 16"in a year or so). Funny we had to buy these from a UK brand as all the dutch brands are making rubbish kids bikes :shock:

 

[Hovis_loaf]

Re:

I got my son an early rider Alley Rider 12" following a spherovelo and I will be getting him a Belter 16......provided there is a bit of a growth spurt. They are brilliant bikes, scaled down proper bikes designed for the size of rider.

They are expensive but well worth the investment I think.

 

[Fatal Swan]

Never stripped one but rode a couple and the rear pedal back function basically contracts and locks the wheel to the spindle then expands to re engage the wheel when you pedal forwards. there is going to be a bit of slip between disengaging and engaging. Chances are the removal of the innards has given more room for movement. The only real option to remove the coaster feel is a new wheel with a standard ratcheting cog

I think this is right (thanks for the explanation). I've now got hold of a donor kids bike (never imgined I'd be saying that...) that has a 16" wheel I can fit on the Specialized - haven't got around to switching it yet but I guess that will fix things. Of course now the problem is I think my daughter prefers the donor bike to the Specialized... :facepalm: