is there such a thing as a lightweight birthday bike for 4 year old dd

[sacbina]

she's currently using an inherited bike with stabilizers. she really enjoys it but seems to be struggling with the effort of cycling! wondered if anyone could recommend anything or point me in the right direction

[omama]

Think islabikes are meant to be pretty lightweight, though a bit £££. Hopefully someone else may pop along with some ideas.

[Elvish]

We got an Islabike, they are expensive but keep their value. I was looking for a second hand one on ebay and they are only £50-60 less than new. So if you think you would sell it afterwards it might be a good choice.

DD is just 5 and small, I didn't want her to struggle to move a bike that weighed 50% of her!

No miracle story of her cycling off with no stabilizers yet though

[bakingtins]

Islabike Cnoc 14 or 16 inch. Take the pedals off completely and use it as a balance bike until she can balance then put them back on and off she goes. Stabilizers teach them not to balance and to lean on the stabilizers around the corners, plus you can travel very slowly with stabilizers on and you need a bit of speed to actually balance on a proper bike.

Other brands that get a mention are Frog or Early Rider Belter. They are all more expensive than any heavy steel thing from Halfords but it's so fantastic to see them cycle off into the sunset. I haven't regretted a penny of the money we spent on our Islabikes.

[CMOTDibbler]

We've had Islabikes since ds was 5 - and got our money back selling them afterwards which you can't say for any other childrens bikes. Unlike other childrens bikes, all the components are the right size and amount of force for them to brake effectively, steer properlt etc

DS is 8 and on a Luath now, cycling 20 miles at a stretch quite happily.

[TaurielTest]

We went all round the houses in search of an aluminium framed proper bike for DS. Islabikes are indeed expensive - cost more than my own bike! - but the high resale value (75%ish on ebay) and the fact that DS2 will use it too persuaded us to go for it. No regrets, and he learned quickly without stabilisers from the start.

[Elvish]

Bakingtins can I ask for some advice please?

DD had an old bike with stabilisers and outgrew it, so we got the Isla CNOC 16. She isn't doing well with balancing it but I think if we put the stabilisers on she will give up trying to balance...

However, as we don't have a lot of time to take her out on it we have an expensive bike doing nothing!

Do you think she would pick up riding independently faster if we remove the pedals for a bit?

She can pedal and has done for years on trikes etc, so I think this would be the way forward, but I'm worried she won't want to do it without the pedals and think it babyish...

Sorry for the hijack OP!

[micah]

I was going to say get a cheap balance bike for 6 months.

We got on when dd was about 4, after persevering with stabilisers (were given it which is why we didn't get a balance bike earlier).

She was off straight away, and moved to a normal bike easily before she was 5. Well worth the money, and we were able to buy the size up in the next bike so overall no more expensive ..

[addictedtosugar]

What bakingtins has said.

Elvish

Yes, I'd try taking the pedals off. iirc, our cnoc pedals just clipped in. Hopefully its really easy to take them in and out!

Noone notices DS2 doesn't have pedals, just no stablisers when he flys past them aged 3. If i point it out, they are a little less shocked, so I don't think it will be babyish, as I don't think anyone will take much notice of pedals/no pedals.

[kateecass]

Chris Hoy for Evans is meant to be comparable to Islabikes. Slightly cheaper. It is a new range. We just got a new islabike would have got one of those if we'd known about it.

It's very hard to find second hand Islabikes. We tried for a while, auctions on ebay are very popular. We gave up but will sell on after been handed down to DD.

[CMOTDibbler]

I looked at those Hoy bikes in Evans when we were in their recently (I was sulking about the tiny choice of womens road bikes), and they are not as well designed for children as Islas imo. The width, radius of the handlebars for little ones especially

[Elvish]

Thanks addicted the pedals do come off quite easily as we took them off to take it on holiday. I will try it and see how we go.

[bakingtins]

elvish yes I'd try without pedals. Is she big enough - to start with it's easier if they can get both feet flattish on the floor.
When you are ready to try pedals again, give her a push to start her off, you need a bit of speed to balance. If you need to hold on hold her, not the bike. Those LittleLife rucksacks with the handle are great for this.
For starting off, they need to identify what the Germans call their 'chocolate foot' (the dominant one) no idea why it's called that but it helped my boys remember. From standing feet together push her gently and the foot she puts out to break her fall is dominant. this is the foot she should start off with, weaker foot on the floor.
It's only taken my boys a very short time to put the skills together (one circuit of the park) if she can balance and pedal it's just a matter of confidence and going back to the balance bike stage until she can whizz along on the cnoc with feet off the ground should help.

[Elvish]

Thanks baking we missed the balance bike stage and are trying to get rid of the stabilisers, so I think trying balance will be the best way. -I- DH does hold her not the bike to try to get the balance right whilst he's running along but I think we're not doing it enough on consecutive days to get her used to it.

We will try without pedals and see what happens, and make the effort to go out every day to practice too!

[BikeRunSki]

I am a big fan of Islabikes (3 in garage!) but think their Rothan balance bike would be a bit small for a 4 year old. Stryder make good quality, lightweight balance bikes I larger sizes.