Am I being tight?!

[McSteamyorMcdreamy]

My friend has just turned her nose up at me....

"Really? You're doing that?. Ew, I would feel awful if I did that!"

DD4 turns 5 later on in the month. Nailed her NEW balance bike and is now ready for her first proper bike.

Money is a bit tight and with her birthday party I didn't want to spend £££s on a brand new bike for her not to get on with it and sell it a loss/have it in the shed forever.

Anyhoo found a decent on on FB MP. Needs new tyres and new saddle and has a couple of age related marks but it's not battered. With the extras it's probably going to come to £70-£80.

Been looking for something decent for a while so was really chuffed to get it. Told friend and she said the above.

I feel really shit now and worried DD will be really disappointed as it won't be brand new and shiny. Realistically I know she won't give a shit and I will just be a bike, but I can't shake the feeling.

Am I tight???!

All my bikes were secondhand as a kid. And they were usually passed down to my siblings after I'd had them too 😅 just as well as we were completely careless with them and a posh new bike would have been wasted on us. Due to the nature of my dads job quite a few came out of skips as well.

I bought my toddler a quality secondhand balance bike cos I couldn't afford one as good new. He was thrilled with it. And I'm not precious about how he treats it either as it was secondhand.

Your friend is definitely BU.

I don't think I ever had a 'new' bike - I couldn't have cared less. Loads of cast off clothes as well. I used to find getting them really exciting!

Funny story though - I had a really old Raleigh bike when I was roughly 10 or 11. It'd be called 'vintage' now. It was very pretty, red and green, and I loved it and went everywhere on it. Until the day I was going along our road and it parted - the frame fell into two pieces, front and back wheel separated like a clowns bicycle! 😄I almost briefly overtook my own handlebars. Hilarious 😂

Absolutely not tight, just got my DS an immaculate forme cubley for £50, they retail for £260. Absolutely nothing wrong with second hand.

I’d say prudent rather than tight. Sometimes the choice is good second hand or not at all… luckily for your daughter she’s getting a party and a great present, I hope she loves her new bike!

your child won't even know it's not brand new.

Why wouldn't you buy second hand? The best bikes cost a fortune, they are just as good and you can resell them when the kids grow up. There are even entire groups dealing with Frogs and the likes.

Yanbu.
most of our kids bikes have been second hand, including ones we’ve given for Christmas or birthday.
they don’t get heavy use and they outgrow them pretty quickly. Makes sense to go second hand.

This.

Just checked and brand new its £329.99 - so think ive got a proper bargain! 🤣

I was thinking this

Think mini blondes bike at 4 was £70ish from Halfords new

I echo all the others.

Your child will love it. And you're doing your bit for the environment.

Tell your friend not to be a snob

🙀🙀🙀

For a kids bike

Omg

She'll love it! Did the same for my DS.

Cheapest 16" at halfords is £110 and it's 10kg! A lighter, better quality, second hand bike would certainly be the better choice.

I’m a bit funny about some second hand stuff and even I know pre-owned bikes are the way forward. My son’s bike came from walking past a neighbour a few doors down (who we didn’t know) and them saying “excuse me, do you want this bike?” 🤣 he absolutely adores it and now reveres their son from afar for being its original owner. It looks like it’ll do another kid or two after him too. Madness to buy new kid bikes just for the sake of newness.

But a new children’s bike that cost £70-80 will probably be poorer quality, meaning it’s more likely to need repairs. It’ll probably also be much heavier, making it more difficult for a child to ride. OP second hand (but good quality) second hand bikes are all my DD has known and she’s loved all of them.

What a strange thing for your friend to say. I don’t understand. Is she jelous?

My son’s bike was £48 on fb marketplace.

It was from guy who services old bikes and sells them on. It’s his retirement hobby. Already planning on getting his next bike from him!
It was in brilliant condition and I knew it was properly functioning rather than putting one together from a box

Why buy brand new- stops a bike going to landfill!

Your friend is a rude idiot. Bike sounds amazing! Much better to reuse and love something second hand than buy new just for the sake of it. You've got your DD a brill bike that she will love and you're helping look after the planet for her future 💪

Kids that age outgrow their bikes so quickly there is no point in spending more than that.

We got our kids bikes from the local reuse centre which is attached to a recycling centre. Paid £15 for two bikes in great condition 🤷🏻‍♀️ Spend the money you have saved on a good helmet if she doesn't already have one.

Better for the environment and the wallet .. second hand only way to go.

its very normal to buy second hand or use hand me downs.

This!

so much this!

Not tight at all!

But im baffled about the costs of fixing the bike up you mention- £60-£70 will buy a good brand new bike for a young child of 5-6?

I have 3 kids. Not one of them has ever had a brand new bike. It's just wasteful when they grow out of them so quick. Your friend is rude and a bit stupid.

The problem with brand new bikes is that the cheaper ones are really heavy. By buying second hand you are able to get better and lighter bikes for the same price (sometimes less). All of DD’s bikes have been second hand, really cheap for their brand and almost as new. In fact we made a profit when we sold them on later.