Kids bikes

[winetime89]

How much would people spend on a kids bike?
sons turning 7 and needs a new one, was thinking around 150-200 but partner seems to think bikes of this price are 'cheap shit' and is saying we need to be spending 300 plus. he does use a bike everyday and I could understand it if he was older but does he really need an expensive bike at 7?

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If it’s new, then £250-300 is about standard for a decent kids bike imo. We’ve just bought DD (almost 7) her next bike, and it was £110 second hand. We didn’t want to buy a cheaper Halfords bike that weighs a ton.

We’ve gone decathlon for most recent ones for 11, 9 and 6 yr olds, under £150 and they’ve been great. Not a serious cycling family though.

If he’s using it every day I’d spend the money, or go second hand. They do resell well, there’s a Facebook page for second hand Isla bikes for example, and they go for a lot.

We spent a lot on bikes for 4-8 years as they need something light and with gears to get up hills and do a decent pace. As they got older we spent less as they could keep up with us ok. I need them to slow down now! I’m guessing we will spend more once they go full size.

Weight is a big difference, if you get a heavy one, then it's much harder to ride and demotivating, remember they grow out of them and you re-sell them, so the actual cost of the more expensive bike if you can afford to the cash ends up less, in fact it can end up the same as the "cheap shit" bike will have much less resale value.

Of course your real problem is going to be finding anything at the moment, bikes are really sold out, and second hand are extra expensive.

I would get a second hand Frog, Isla Bike, Squish, Wiggins bike. These are lovely a light weight and good quality. They are expensive so people generally look after them and children grow out of them in a year so you can pick up a good second hand one on Facebook for just under half price.

Agree about the reselling. We got DD’s previous bikes cheaply 2nd hand, and ended up selling them for more than we originally paid for them.

I agree with a lighter bike, it makes everybody's life so much easier. Much better a good second hand bike than a cheaper and new heavy one.

You will be looking at around £180-220 for a 20” second hand Frog but if you look after it you could probably sell it for £120-150 depending on how long you keep it for!

islabike (either new or second hand)- they cost £££ but the 3 we've bought have held their value really well.

My DD has bought 2 secondhand Isla bikes over the years. Her eldest has outgrown both and now has a Frog, DD2 is riding the second one with DS3 about to graduate to the first one from his balance bike. She reckons she's saved a fortune by buying good quality second hand rather than cheaper ones and will probably be able to sell them on.

Isla bikes are brilliant, our son had his from 7 and it lasted him years. The resale is excellent as long as it's looked after. They are really light and designed for small hands ( brakes & gears) . Definitely worth the money .

If he uses it every day then definitely and Isla or a frog. You’ll sell it for almost what you buy it for in a years time anyway.

It's well worth the money to buy frog or Isla. Buy cheap, buy twice.

Thanks everyone I will have a look at frog and Isla.

Cheap bikes are a total waste of money because they have no resale value and your kid will hate riding them. Never ever buy from Kmart or the UK equivalent. Buy a decent brand and re-sell.

You're looking for lightweight, good geometry (i.e. not short and high, long and low) and decent componentry. Brands in Australasia to look for are BYK and Specialised.

We have just spent over £300 on a second hand isla bike but it is very good, she finds it easy and we will pass it to our second child after then sell. It's so light!

@winetime89 - at 7 he will outgrow whatever you get super quickly! I would second the recommendations and get a good second hand bike for him.

In our family growing up none of us had any "new" bikes until we had stopped growing.

Another vote for Isla. My son really struggled learning to ride until I got an Isla when he was 7 and it all suddenly worked for him.

Frog bikes are great, you can buy second hand and pretty much get that money back when you sell it on.

Isla bikes are great and have a good second hand value too. We had 4 of them in various sizes for our two DC and they were well worth the investment.