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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to consider buying this bike for ds (5)?

198 replies

mikado1 · 15/04/2017 17:25

His favourite apparently but his dad thinks it's 'girlish'-only because the halford's man said it's a girl's bike, I believe. And yet I see all the reviews talk about buying it for a girl :/ I feel we should go with whAt he wants, I've always told him that boys and girls can play with/wear/do what they choose and aren't limited to 'boys'/girls'' things. Think dh worried he will be snagged and not want to ride it. I think it's terrible to have to think like that.

OP posts:
LordAnthony · 16/04/2017 18:07

A pleasure. I've ridden and owned bikes all my life, but I'm new to the world of kids' bikes (I've already picked out my as yet unborn niece's balance bike for her second birthday!)

The Apollo is crazily heavy for a child's first bike and getting a five year old to propeller themselves and a stone and a half of bike seems no fun at all. Apollo (which is Halfords value brand) are really skimping by making it out of steel rather than aluminium.

Aeroflotgirl · 16/04/2017 18:09

That's a nice one, my son has a 16" wheel.already, so looking at 20. He is very tall, looks 6/7 years, already his cnoc is starting to look small, might have to get save now. I just want him to be more confident on too wheels, as he just learned without stabilisers last week.

Aeroflotgirl · 16/04/2017 18:12

Apparently you can get 18" wheels.

Lowdoorinthewal1 · 16/04/2017 18:14

My 6.5yo has just gone onto a 26 so resale value is important!! I really hope he will now not need another one for at least 2 years.

Aeroflotgirl · 16/04/2017 18:16

Low are you sure, my huge Giant bike has a 26"wheel, i am 5ft 3!

Lowdoorinthewal1 · 16/04/2017 18:19

Yep, he's on an Isla Bienn 26 small. The frame is not adult size.

Aeroflotgirl · 16/04/2017 18:22

Wow he must be very tall. The frame must be tiny.

BikeRunSki · 16/04/2017 18:57

DS was also on a 26" wheel Isla Bike (a Luath) at 7. He is tall, but the way Islabikes are designed, you get larger wheels on smaller frames iyswim. An 18" wheel Islabike has a lower "leg over" height than an 18" other bike, even a Frog. This is very important if you race!

Lowdoorinthewal1 · 16/04/2017 18:59

138cm I think. Not wildly tall.

to consider buying this bike for ds (5)?
Original poster
mikado1 · 16/04/2017 19:15

Yes you can get 18" but 16" down as 5-7y.. we'll check them out. I feel v knowledgeable now! Grin

SirAnthony, I found the balance bike great for transport (although scooter was faster so preferred here), but for actually getting cycling, ds went from an obsession with cycling his trike (around 3), to stabilisers on a mini, 12" bike that he only got because it was going free and while still 3, he asked for stabilisers off and away he went. Worth being open to all forms!

OP posts:
Aeroflotgirl · 16/04/2017 19:42

5 yr ds is 115 tall, so will get him a Giant 20" my 10 year old daughter has a 24" mountain bike which I at 5ft 3, can quite easily ride, so he should be ok.

clarab3 · 16/04/2017 19:45

Great bike, since when were animals and green considered 'girly'. If he has his heart set on it, I'd go for it.

3boys3dogshelp · 16/04/2017 19:52

They both look good to me. If you can get him to try them i definitely would though. The 16"/18" etc refers to the wheel size but the frames can be quite different sizes so suit different children. Eg we had two different frogs. They both had 20" wheels but different size frames as one ds is taller than the other.
My ds tried a ridgeback like that before we got our first frog. I thought it was great before we went to the shop but he just didn't feel comfortable on it. He is very tall and slim so probably not very strong and it just didn't suit him. His friend has one and loves it.

Aeroflotgirl · 16/04/2017 19:55

Yes my son is tall and slim, so a bulky frame won't be good

rebus1 · 16/04/2017 22:01

Glad you like it Mikado! The Ridgeback ones look good as well. Hopefully you can find a bike that you and DS both like. I hope we haven't promoted Wiggins too much and they all sell out before I can get one for my DD!

Thanks for the encouragement for my DS from you and Aeroflotgirl. I have four DC and they're all very sporty and active, cycling is his thing though. The DC have actually made me more active as I need to try and keep up with them!

Original poster
mikado1 · 16/04/2017 22:04

Ah that's great Rebus, such a positive thing. I was a super sporty child and teen but I need to do more now and it's great to be forced into it. I will attach a pic when he gets it :)

OP posts:
hennaoj · 16/04/2017 22:05

Spotty Frog! Wish my 8 year olds one was spotty but he wanted orange. My younger two have Isabikes, the cost of the bigger Islabike and grip shift gear change put me off getting one instead of a Frog.

to consider buying this bike for ds (5)?
foxyloxy78 · 16/04/2017 23:04

Yes, this is very girlie. Would not get for my son.

Aeroflotgirl · 17/04/2017 09:01

Aww bless him rebus, that Frog bike looks nice, but I love the Giants, good longstanding brand, I have one too and love it.

Rossigigi · 17/04/2017 09:04

Def a girls bike- just showed it to my son and asked if it was boys or girls? He laughed at a boy riding it and said it was a girls bike. Sorry.

Aeroflotgirl · 17/04/2017 09:25

Plus the max I can go up budget wise is £250 with lots of scrimping and saving. Oh yes Op, just seen the name Florence on the bike that you posted, though it would be fine for a younger child of either sex, even for a girl they might consider it babyish. I would buy a nice neutural bike that will last, instead of that one, if after a year he gets bored of the pattern and says he want's a new bike as its babyish. It is a younger pattern, put on a big child's bike. I don't think even I would have liked it at 6, I wanted a Raleigh burner, and not the flowery shopper with basket I was bought by my parents :-(

Original poster
mikado1 · 17/04/2017 09:42

Huh, aeroflot? It's been clear a long while I'm decided on a better bike, thanks to your advice. Off to look at Wiggins today.

Rossigiggi, you haven't RTFT obvs but I can see where we differ anyway-I wouldn't ask if something is boys or girls... and that's why my son feels free to pick as he likes and wouldn't laugh at others' choices either. Sorry.

OP posts:
LordAnthony · 17/04/2017 10:30

mikado1 thanks for the advice on balance bikes/trikes and riding at three minus stabilisers is seriously impressive!

Aeroflotgirl · 17/04/2017 10:35

I know Mikado, we were just discussing the bike in general. It is nice and for boys and girls, but of the younger variety :-)

Greyingmumto3 · 17/04/2017 11:14

My daughter has this bike I thought is was unisex . (Hers doesn't say Florence on it though ). She is six and has no problems at all riding it . Has your son tried it ? We went to Halfords to buy a completely different bike that she had her heart set on ,but a few trial runs of every bike in the shop she wanted this .