What do your kids ride?

slowmick said:
Just wondering team - did you go through all the wheel sizes with your kids or skip the odd one? My daughter was given a 20" with a coaster rear brake and no option for adding a "hand" brake. Trying to decide between going for a better 20" or going to 24" as she is probably line ball on sizing but still rides with a very low seat so she can put a foot down.
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My two boys are growing like weeds, went from 20" straight to a S 27.5 adults bike.
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This is my 11yo's S Giant XTC
My 14yo is now taller than me so rides my bikes lol.
 
slowmick said:
Just wondering team - did you go through all the wheel sizes with your kids or skip the odd one? My daughter was given a 20" with a coaster rear brake and no option for adding a "hand" brake. Trying to decide between going for a better 20" or going to 24" as she is probably line ball on sizing but still rides with a very low seat so she can put a foot down.
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My eldest was on a 20" bike for about 4 months! I've got it sitting here for when my youngest is tall enough to ride it.
The eldest is now on a 26" bike and youngest is happy riding an old 16" bike.
@slowmick where are you located? You are welcome to borrow the 20" I'm hanging onto for the brief window before your daughter jumps to 24". As long as your daughter doesn't mind bright orange with blue highlights...
 
slowmick said:
Just wondering team - did you go through all the wheel sizes with your kids or skip the odd one? My daughter was given a 20" with a coaster rear brake and no option for adding a "hand" brake. Trying to decide between going for a better 20" or going to 24" as she is probably line ball on sizing but still rides with a very low seat so she can put a foot down.
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My eldest son is light on for confidence and balance, he went through all the sizes (all varying second hand) and went from 20 with coaster brake to a Scott Scale 24". He's a big kid for his age, 7. Stoked I made him jump up, he's loving the bigger bike but it's still very much baby steps with him.
He never really learned to use the hand brakes so was very reliant on the coaster.

His younger twin brothers (4) are different again.
One has just removed the training wheels off his bike two weeks ago and from his first pedal stroke has never looked back. Wants to ride all the time. He's much more coordinated and confident, will go past his big brother in six months without even batting an eyelid. Luckily he's got 16" & 20" bikes waiting for him. I never taught him about the coaster brake, having learned from the first time round, so has been hand brakes only, despite having the coaster.
The the other one has absolutely no interest in trying without training wheels, he's just happy as he is.

TLDR, Depends on the confidence level of the kid and how reliant on the coaster brake they were.
 
slowmick said:
Just wondering team - did you go through all the wheel sizes with your kids or skip the odd one? My daughter was given a 20" with a coaster rear brake and no option for adding a "hand" brake. Trying to decide between going for a better 20" or going to 24" as she is probably line ball on sizing but still rides with a very low seat so she can put a foot down.
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The Lad went from a 16" converted to a strider into the 16" then jumped straight to a 24" (Polygon Relic, which we still have hanging in the shed) then the biggest 26" I could find. He's now not quite 15 and 194 cm tall...and I need to hit the Rotorburn XXL community up for any gigantic 26" or 29" hardtail they might have that could make for a decent bus run bike!!!
 
Thanks team - will measure her again tonight and have a think. She is growing like a weed at the moment. We've gone from size 10 clothes to size 16 in months. I am guessing that she won't be on a 20" for long but it might make her more comfortable.

Thank you for the offer @Labcanary but not really practical leading up to Christmas. She's also a bit picky about stuff and not a huge bike rider - I just like having one available if case the urge strikes.
 
slowmick said:
Just wondering team - did you go through all the wheel sizes with your kids or skip the odd one? My daughter was given a 20" with a coaster rear brake and no option for adding a "hand" brake. Trying to decide between going for a better 20" or going to 24" as she is probably line ball on sizing but still rides with a very low seat so she can put a foot down.
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Liam went - 16 - 20 - 24 - 27.5 and now on 29.
 
My son in turning 3 in Feb and looking to upgrade things from his balance bike. The balance bike he is on now has foam tyres that are now almost bald, and no capacity to fit a hand brake to learn that first. He's pretty handy on it - rides the bottom section of the Anglesea bike park and some mild singletrack with me, and happily coasts along with his feet up. He's forever trying to launch it off the steepest, biggest hill he can find.

I had thought I'd get him another balance bike with pneumatic tyres and a hand brake to learn that first, but I can't imagine he'd be on a balance bike much longer. Now thinking, of a 14in pedal bike. If the pedals are too much of a challenge at three, I'll take the drivetrain off for a bit.

Any clues as to a decent 14in kids bike? I don't want to spend stupid money, but everything I've seen so far is pretty rubbish. Prerequisites are probably a hand brake, and pneumatic tyres off road tyres.
 
It's really hard to get a non coaster brake 14" bike.

Earlier commencal Ramones were handbrake. If you can jag one of those.

Frog and Islabikes come with handbrake instead of coaster, AFAIK. Though they are harder to get in Aus.
 
smitho said:
My son in turning 3 in Feb and looking to upgrade things from his balance bike. The balance bike he is on now has foam tyres that are now almost bald, and no capacity to fit a hand brake to learn that first. He's pretty handy on it - rides the bottom section of the Anglesea bike park and some mild singletrack with me, and happily coasts along with his feet up. He's forever trying to launch it off the steepest, biggest hill he can find.

I had thought I'd get him another balance bike with pneumatic tyres and a hand brake to learn that first, but I can't imagine he'd be on a balance bike much longer. Now thinking, of a 14in pedal bike. If the pedals are too much of a challenge at three, I'll take the drivetrain off for a bit.

Any clues as to a decent 14in kids bike? I don't want to spend stupid money, but everything I've seen so far is pretty rubbish. Prerequisites are probably a hand brake, and pneumatic tyres off road tyres.
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Wot @Labcanary said.
I got a Ramones and did what ur thinkin. Got him on it about 2.5 years old.
Loves to rip a skid. Cut down some foot pegs and put grip tape on so he has somewhere to put his feet when I use the tow rope.

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All
smitho said:
My son in turning 3 in Feb and looking to upgrade things from his balance bike. The balance bike he is on now has foam tyres that are now almost bald, and no capacity to fit a hand brake to learn that first. He's pretty handy on it - rides the bottom section of the Anglesea bike park and some mild singletrack with me, and happily coasts along with his feet up. He's forever trying to launch it off the steepest, biggest hill he can find.

I had thought I'd get him another balance bike with pneumatic tyres and a hand brake to learn that first, but I can't imagine he'd be on a balance bike much longer. Now thinking, of a 14in pedal bike. If the pedals are too much of a challenge at three, I'll take the drivetrain off for a bit.

Any clues as to a decent 14in kids bike? I don't want to spend stupid money, but everything I've seen so far is pretty rubbish. Prerequisites are probably a hand brake, and pneumatic tyres off road tyres.
Click to expand...
The 14" kids bikes ARE rubbish. However, I can assure you that your young bloke won't give a shit.

The Lad, at that age, had a Giant Animator 16" that I found at the Mildura Tip Shop. I took the cranks out and slammed the saddle and stem until he could fit the thing...and then left him to it. When he was ready the cranks went back in and away he went. As I recall, he didn't like the coaster brake much...and front brake was awful but he made it work.
 
14" is a relatively uncommon size, so there are very few options, in a small pool to start with that aren't shit. Get what you can and make it work.
 
smitho said:
My son in turning 3 in Feb and looking to upgrade things from his balance bike. The balance bike he is on now has foam tyres that are now almost bald, and no capacity to fit a hand brake to learn that first. He's pretty handy on it - rides the bottom section of the Anglesea bike park and some mild singletrack with me, and happily coasts along with his feet up. He's forever trying to launch it off the steepest, biggest hill he can find.

I had thought I'd get him another balance bike with pneumatic tyres and a hand brake to learn that first, but I can't imagine he'd be on a balance bike much longer. Now thinking, of a 14in pedal bike. If the pedals are too much of a challenge at three, I'll take the drivetrain off for a bit.

Any clues as to a decent 14in kids bike? I don't want to spend stupid money, but everything I've seen so far is pretty rubbish. Prerequisites are probably a hand brake, and pneumatic tyres off road tyres.
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Labcanary said:
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That would have been perfect - I was way too slow and already sold unfortunately.

On that note, if any one is looking to offload a 14in kids bike let me know! Not fussed about condition, it'll likely get a fancy rattle can job anyway.
 
smitho said:
That would have been perfect - I was way too slow and already sold unfortunately.

On that note, if any one is looking to offload a 14in kids bike let me know! Not fussed about condition, it'll likely get a fancy rattle can job anyway.
Click to expand...
In the same group there is a pink Frog and red Vitus 14" bike for sale. Both sellers are in QLD and asking $200.
Good luck!
 
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