Would you get your child a second hand bike?

[Fourtvpackagesandnothingon]

We’ve always bought new and usually for birthdays or Christmas. Dd is in the in between stage of being a bit too big for her bike with stabilisers, but hasn’t learnt to ride one without. Her birthday isn’t until late summer, but she’s keen to get trying without stabilisers, I can’t really afford or justify buying a brand new, expensive bike for no reason.
I saw a great one for £30, little basket and bell, would you buy it?
I’m guessing she’ll outgrow that one in a year or two 😅

I'd second this.
A big reason my kids could ride bikes with no stabilisers so early was due to them having a good, lightweight bike!
We got my son a bike from Halfords and he struggled to ride it as it was so heavy. Swapped to an Islabike and he was away straight away. They hold their value well too!

But in answer to your question a second hand bike is fine or course!

I have bought new and second hand for DC.

Never bought new.

@DreamW3aver

There are so many bikes in existence that we would not need any new for a hundred years at least.

I rent second hand bikes so we get much better ones than we would ever buy new and outright.

Yes always second hand like many PP and tend to sell them on for a very similar price. As others have said, go for a super lightweight one such as Frog, Squish, Woom, Islabike

Also agree with PP who said they help them ride unaided sooner - both mine were riding without stabilisers at 3 years old and I am sure the choice of bike heavily contributed

Much better to get a good, lightweight second hand bike than a heavy cheap new one that will put the poor child off cycling.

Opposite here. Finally bought our 7 year old new bike after only having secondhand ones. Why wouldn't you?

Yes, nearly all our dc’s bikes have been secondhand. It’s so much more important to have a lightweight well fitted good quality bike than a shiny new one. You can get such good deals on really good bikes buying secondhand. Much better than buying some junk new from Halford’s.

God yes! They grow out of them so fast

Always. And then get them serviced.

Why is this even a question? Three kids and only ever bought second hand bikes or had hand me downs.

Of course. Why would you buy a new one when they grow out of them so quickly? The world doesn’t have enough resources to keep buying everything new. If we want to gift our kids and future generations a healthy plant to live on, we need to get over this shame around reusing things. When you think about it, it’s a really weird human trait actually!

Always such great deals on kids bikes which have not been used much at all. Can get high quality ones for great price

Literally never bought a new bike. I prefer the more expensive ones while the kids were small and it’s far too expensive to justify a new one when second hand are perfectly good and half the price

I always buy second hand, better brands keep their value really well and are lighter so easier to ride

Even the bikes for me and hubby are 2nd hand. My kids have always had 2nd hand bikes except for the first strider bike and that was won at a raffle. Buying 2nd hand has meant we have been able to get better quality bikes for our budget.

My teens are fine with second hand bikes. They don't mind at all.

Yes, although even second hand we pay a lot more for Isla/frog bikes.

I paid £20 for my daughters first winther trike (second hand). From there we upgraded to a second hand strider balance bike and onto second hand cube or specialized bikes ever since. Alongside it being better for the environment, we’ve been able to obtain high quality second hand products then selling on once used, having never invested any more than that original £20.

Not sure which way the voting goes, but YES, we buy second hand bikes. And then sell them on again!

Agree with every word

My son got a brand new bike from grandparents for xmas. I and he would have been happy with second hand!

If your budget and interest in cycling doesn't stretch Woom, look for a Bike CIC locally. These are charities that refurb old bikes and less than in for a good prices, usually -<£50 or so. There are several in York, but they are around several parts of the country.