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Original poster

Bike for an older child that can't ride.

22 replies

LemonFrosting · 19/06/2023 19:44

Please help!!

5 year old son with special needs has just started taking an interest in bikes. He can't ride a bike, but has started scooting around on a balance bike at school.
I've read to not bother with stabilisers, but am unsure on which bike as son seems to be in between a 16inch and 20inch bike. Finding it difficult to find an 18inch bike.

His measurements are:

Height 109 cm
Inside leg 48cm

Please can you help recommend whats best? Had an awful experience with halfords, they recommended a boardman bike with stabilisers.....turns out that it was unsafe as the bike wasn't meant to be fitted with stabilisers, thank goodness we realised before son got on it!

Can a geared bike be used without pedals to start off as a balance bike?

I've seen the rookie 18 inch balance bike which you can then attach pedals to when needed. But so torn on what's best?!

OP posts:
maidmarianne · 19/06/2023 19:47

We bought a bike for a tenner off Facebook marketplace and took off the pedals and chain to turn it into a balance bike

namechanger563 · 19/06/2023 19:53

I've used bikeclub.com as you can just swap the bike when they grow out of it rather than having to sell it and buy a new one.

Original poster
LemonFrosting · 19/06/2023 19:54

namechanger563 · 19/06/2023 19:53

I've used bikeclub.com as you can just swap the bike when they grow out of it rather than having to sell it and buy a new one.

I've actually messaged bike club asking for advice but no reply as yet

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

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NewUserNewName · 19/06/2023 20:24

Do you have a budget in mind? Squish bikes are great, and come in 18“, and can fit stabilisers. my son has one and loves his, but they’re rather expensive.

he used to have a balance bike, but still needed stabilisers before he managed to ride a bike. As with so many things, the recommended solution often doesn’t work for everyone unfortunately.

lavagal · 19/06/2023 20:35

Another vote for bike club, we recently got DD5.5 a frog bike I think it's the 47 - she had no interest in riding until recently and struggled with the weight of the standard bikes in Halfords. Frog is light and absolutely perfect. She's already zooming along - we have put the bike club reccomended stabilisers on as she needed confidence to peddle - 2 weeks in and I'll be trialing taking them off this weekend

Follow the tips on bike club and measure their inside leg: the bike we chose actually says age 4-6 -DD will be 6 next month there is still loads of growing room with adjustable seat and handle bars

Original poster
LemonFrosting · 20/06/2023 08:31

If I was to buy brand new I was thinking around 300. I'm thinking second hand would be better though as honestly nit sure how much use he would get out of a bike. I bought him a scooter a couple years ago and it's never been used!

OP posts:
mindutopia · 20/06/2023 10:00

I would look to get a balance bike secondhand off Facebook marketplace. That should be perfectly fine for a 5 year old. My 5.5 year old still rides his balance bike. That will give him time to get used to it and also grow into the next size before you invest. We got dd at that age a secondhand Isla bike for about £150 off marketplace. It's great. Ds is starting to ride it now so it's lasted us 6 years so far.

Geneticsbunny · 20/06/2023 10:36

As above. My son is disabled and we bought a normal bike and the local bike place took the pedals off for us free of charge to make it a balance bike. We were also able to access some bike riding lessons via occupational therepy. Might be worth asking if he is really struggling.

Original poster
LemonFrosting · 20/06/2023 15:12

When taking pedals off a bike to use as a balance bike, is it only one gear bikes you can do that with??

OP posts:
NewUserNewName · 20/06/2023 15:43

Yes. 18“ usually don’t have gears, if you look for bigger bikes, you’d need to look out for single speed bikes

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 20/06/2023 15:59

maidmarianne · 19/06/2023 19:47

We bought a bike for a tenner off Facebook marketplace and took off the pedals and chain to turn it into a balance bike

Same

Original poster
LemonFrosting · 20/06/2023 16:04

Thank you!
I am now looking for second hand but not on Facebook so gumtree and eBay aren't showing much choice!

OP posts:
NotMyDayJob · 20/06/2023 16:14

My five year old just learned to ride, we got her a couple of lessons and then got her a bike from bike club. I would highly recommend it. She had a bike, but the difference in riding to the frog bike we got from bike club (which was the same type the instructor used) was really noticeable

Original poster
LemonFrosting · 20/06/2023 18:23

Having a look at squish bikes. I'm confused as to which size, do I go for the 16 or the 18? Reading mixed info online of the recommended size on this bike. 😖

OP posts:
maryberryslayers · 20/06/2023 19:11

Frog. Just put your measurements in and they tell you the bike you need. You assemble without pedals for use as a balance bike.

Original poster
LemonFrosting · 20/06/2023 19:55

maryberryslayers · 20/06/2023 19:11

Frog. Just put your measurements in and they tell you the bike you need. You assemble without pedals for use as a balance bike.

Thanknyou! I've looked for second hand frogs on ebay but there are none within 30 miles of me sadly

OP posts:
Geminio · 20/06/2023 20:12

Have a look at islabikes, the cnoc model is their single gear bike. DD is 6 and is still ok on her cnoc 16 and they do a larger cnoc 20.
We have bought second hand from eBay and then resell when they are outgrown.

Original poster
LemonFrosting · 20/06/2023 20:14

Geminio · 20/06/2023 20:12

Have a look at islabikes, the cnoc model is their single gear bike. DD is 6 and is still ok on her cnoc 16 and they do a larger cnoc 20.
We have bought second hand from eBay and then resell when they are outgrown.

Thats the one I've been looking at but wasn't sure whether to go for a 16 or an 18?!

I think I'm now definitely thinking second hand thanks to this thread, like you say I can sell it on for pretty much what I'll pay for it.

OP posts:
Original poster
LemonFrosting · 20/06/2023 20:16

LemonFrosting · 20/06/2023 20:14

Thats the one I've been looking at but wasn't sure whether to go for a 16 or an 18?!

I think I'm now definitely thinking second hand thanks to this thread, like you say I can sell it on for pretty much what I'll pay for it.

Show quote history

Oops getting confused! I was looking at the cnoc16 but thought it may be small? That's when I came across the squish!

OP posts:
Original poster
LemonFrosting · 20/06/2023 20:20

So he's the top end of the islabike cnoc 16 but very bottom of cnoc 20 so I don't think he'd be able to comfortably use the 20 as a balance bike?

OP posts:
Geminio · 20/06/2023 20:25

I think I would go for the cnoc 16 as he’s only learning.

WellTidy · 20/06/2023 20:30

Ds1 was 9yo learning to ride a bike. He has dyspraxia and found it a huge challenge. He learnt on an islabike and we then taught Ds2 (who has classic autism) on an islabike too. I think each of them had a cnoc, but I might be wrong. They both rode bikes with gears now but the islabikes were amazing and so light. There are two Facebook groups for resale and they hold their value amazingly well.

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