to consider buying this bike for ds (5)?

[mikado1]

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.

Ah ok, felt very confused!

Sorry Mikado😉

I'm baffled by all of the comments on here saying this bike is too heavy for a child. Obviously, it isn't. My daughter rides hers easily, and she's a pretty slight just turned six year old. My son is 4 and has a similar one too, which he finds easy to handle.

Commenters suggesting £3/4/500 bikes are a better option because of the resale value are on another planet - does getting £200 back in a few years time mean people have got that money to outlay now? Of course not.

If agree first, all this stuff about bikes being too heavy for kids, they can't ride easily, should have ridden some of the ultra heavy bikes of the 60s/70s, we still learned to ride, and used to be on our bikes most of the day, so that's a red herring really, probably a marketing thing to buy their £300+ bikes. They are doing a roaring trade off Mumsnetters pulled in by this.

I really disagree. I had a really heavy bike in the eighties. I loved it because it was my bike but I didn't really enjoy cycling.
Ds1's first bike was a bog standard Halfords bike and he rode it about outside the house but wasn't up to much in terms of actual rides. When he grew out of it I looked at Islas after seeing them about and then found Frogs. On day 1 he got on his Frog bike and rode 5 miles including steep hills in crappy weather with a massive smile on his face. He isn't especially sporty but he loves cycling and will ride for hours.
We earn enough to be able to buy them decent bikes and I'll continue to do so. If you don't want to spend your money on bikes that's your choice to make but it doesn't mean we're wrong for choosing to spend it.

And that's fine 3dogs.

What I find shitty is comments like 'YABU for going to Halfords.'

Not everyone can spunk hundreds of pounds on a bike, and suggesting that a parent is somehow not trying hard enough by buying a Halfords one is just a dick move.

I can see you are looking at different bike options now, but perhaps when you find the right bike a small secondary gift could be some nature themed stickers so your son can personalise his bike to his aesthetic?

I agree First, one comment from a poster was Yabvvvu getting a bike from Halfords. Another poster said something like: I woulden't get a bike endorsed by a middle range sports person, from Halfords, a lot of snobbery going on. What if that is the only bikes that people can afford, my friend is on a very low income, and can only afford to get her child a bike from Halfords or Supermarkets, at least they have a bike! Even the secondhand Isla bikes go for £200+.

Everybody is entitled to spend their money how they want, but the awful comments about Halfords bikes are not nice, quite nasty.

For the record, my bike expert friend has said that Carrera are good bikes, not the best but they are good, and they are made by Halfords. Bradley Wiggins bikes look good, similar to Isla, especially the 16"inch one, that looks identical to the Cnoc. Tbh they range from £230+ and I would rather get an established brand such as Giant, Ridgeback, or Specialised Hotrock, Frog, for the same money.

Not everyone can spunk hundreds of pounds on a bike, and suggesting that a parent is somehow not trying hard enough by buying a Halfords one is just a dick move.

Yy to this.

I have a light aluminium hybrid from Halfords which stood up to a daily commute through several winters/rain/kerbs/cobbles/potholes and with no punctures and is now giving DD1 plenty of fun.

It cost £170.

A lot of bike snobbery about Halfords and decathlon etc but they do produce some excellent bikes. There is no way we could afford 3 Isla bikes no matter what their resale value is and TBH I'd rather they had a nondescript bike with small value so it doesn't get nicked.

And yy to Carrera. I'm looking at a woman's carrera roadbike at the moment. Boardman too - I know people who commute a long distance on Boardmans and who absolutely love them.

(Sorry op - derailing thread)

He chose a Carrera! www.halfords.ie/cycling/bikes/kids-bikes/carrera-cosmos-kids-bike-16

The frame was slightly higher than the Wiggins which was definitely small for him and he he had a bare tiptoe down on the 18". Anyway he prefers the Carrera and the brakes are particularly easy for him.

Dnamummy, super idea, he loves a bit of customisation! ;)

Thanks to all for opinions and info. Totally agree 're halfords/Shite bike comments, I purposely ignored them, not helpful at all. He didn't give a backwards glance to the Apollo today (which had no Florence on bar btw) and hopefully we'll have a summer of cycling adventures ahead! :)

P.S. I learnt myself on a Raleigh Eighteen at 7- I had to run alongside and swing a leg over to get going it was so big! And yet I went everywhere on it till I got my brother's castoffs later!

Excellent choice , my dh got a carrera bike last year to replace his when he got run over , he's very happy with it .

Very nice choice Mikado, looks great. I now a few biking enthusiasts who have Carerras, and they bike regularly. I just hate the bike snobbery, and if you are not getting your child a branded bike, you are doing them a disservice. My daughter has a Carerra from my bike friend, and she rides it really well, I won't be getting her a £300+ as she is not a frequent rider, and not as keen as my son.

A much better choice than the first bike he picked out! The extra 50 euro is likely to money well spent. It has got you a far better bike!

I agree the anti Halfords thing is tiresome. They sell very well reviewed £1k plus carbon fibre Boardman road bikes which i can only dream of owning. In fact the whole Boardman range is well specified and good value.

Mikado I should have got my son that one, he's called Benjamin

LordAnthony we even got 10% off :) Definitely worth it, he's so at ease on it.

Thanks for the endorsements all! :)

Aeroflot

Great op!

Glad you are sorted OP. For anyone interested in another option, this has been a fantastic investment...

early rider bike

They are getting pricier, but they are light as a feather and take a lot of bashing.

And that's the main thing, they have some fantastic lightweight 16" in Halfords, like the Wiggins and the one you bought. As long as he loves it, who cares! If he likes it, he will ride it.

Glad you got sorted Mikado, looks a great bike, hope your DS enjoys riding it.

Boardman too - I know people who commute a long distance on Boardmans and who absolutely love them.

My wife has the Boardman Road Sport, it is a fantastic bike. She's recommended it to loads of people as a great first bike. Likewise, my bike is from Decathlon, their B'Twin range is top value (less good for women's bikes, Decathlon seem to be of the pink and shrink philosophy when it comes to women's road bikes) so no i have no time for bike badge snobs.

mikado1 that's even more of a bargain then. Hope mikado1 junior gets many happy miles on his new steed.