Ridgeback Bikes product test – Feedback thread!

[EllieSmumsnet]

Welcome to your Ridgeback kids bikes product test. We’re so excited to have you and your little riders taking part, and we can’t wait to hear how you get on over the next few weeks.

This thread is where we’d love you to share your experiences as you test your bikes in real family life, whether that’s school runs, park rides, weekend adventures or family cycling trips. We’re really interested in hearing honest feedback, so the more detail you can share throughout the testing period, the better.

To get things started, here are a few things you might want to tell us about:

Getting started

• What were your first impressions when the bike arrived?
• What did your child think when they first saw it?

First rides & comfort

• How did your child get on during their first ride?
• Did they seem comfortable and confident on the bike?
• How easy was it for them to handle, steer and brake?
• How has the bike performed on different types of rides or terrain?

Everyday family use

• How has the bike fitted into your family’s routine?
• Have your children wanted to ride more often since getting the bike?
• Has it encouraged more outdoor time or family rides together?
• Have there been any standout moments so far?

What the kids think?

• What has your child enjoyed most about the bike?
• Any favourite features, colours or details?
• Have friends or siblings commented on it?
• Would your child recommend it to a friend?

The Website

• Did the website provide enough information around the height to help guide you to which bike is right for your child?
• Was there any information missing or anything you would like to see on the website?

Overall thoughts as you go

• How are you finding the overall quality and durability?
• How does it compare to bikes you’ve owned before?
• Would you consider buying from Ridgeback again in future?

Photos are very welcome if you’re happy to share, we’d love to see the bikes in action, family rides, muddy adventures and happy riders.

Please make sure you update this thread regularly throughout the testing period, we’d love to hear how things develop over time, not just your first impressions.

Thanks again for taking part, and we’ll be checking in along the way to see how everyone is getting on.

MNHQ x

It arrived yesterday but I won't have a chance to test it out with my DC6 until the weekend. Thanks Mumsnet for including me as a tester! Looking forward to this one 😁

I've namechanged for this in case I post any identifiable photos, even with faces covered! Here's our first impressions – 4 year old DS got the Ridgeback Scoot XL balance bike (thank you again).

Getting started

What were your first impressions when the bike arrived?
I thought it looked great. The saddle looks really comfy compared to the last one we had. I'm also really pleased to be able to get one in my son's favourite colour (yellow) which isn't common for bikes! It's also a good size for a balance bike (we have the Scoot XL). The last one we had was too small, but he wasn't ready for pedals yet so we wanted a bigger balance bike to bridge the gap.

What did your child think when they first saw it?
He was so happy and couldn't believe it was his. He was happy it was yellow and happy it had a bell and a brake, neither of which his last one had.

First rides & comfort

How did your child get on during their first ride?
He was nervous at first, just purely because it was different, and overused the brake at first, but quickly got the hang of using it only to stop!

Did they seem comfortable and confident on the bike?
Yes, after initial hesitation. It only took 10 minutes to get over it.

How easy was it for them to handle, steer and brake?
He's finding the brake a little stiff, but manages it sometimes. Handling and steering seem fine!

How has the bike performed on different types of rides or terrain?
So far it's just been on a few different paved surfaces and it's been fine on all. The tyres look like they'll handle any kind of ride we'd do at this age.

Thank you so much for including us in this bike test!
We haven't had a chance to take the bike out for a ride yet, but my son can't wait to try it this weekend. His first impression was that the colour is absolutely gorgeous, and it feels really sturdy without being too heavy. We're really looking forward to putting it through its paces and sharing our full thoughts!

My 4 year old received the Turbo Teal Ridgeback bike and has been loving using it. Here are a few first impressions of the bike!

What were your first impressions when the bike arrived?
The bike looks very attractive with very solid looking wheels that look like they would handle well in all terrains.

What did your child think when they first saw it?
My daughter was delighted, she had been asking for a green bike and when I explained that it is actually a mixture of green and blue and is a colour called teal, she declared that teal is her new favourite colour. She quite liked the dramatic nature of the name Turbo Teal!

How did your child get on during their first ride?
She took off quickly and whizzed away as we chased her, trying to keep up! She shouted that she is as “fast as a pirate”.

Did they seem comfortable and confident on the bike?
She was very comfortable and very confident riding the bike.

How easy was it for them to handle, steer and brake?
She found the bike easy to handle and steer. She also seems to find it easier to break than she did on previous bikes as she has small hands and the brakes were easy to reach (4 years old).

How has the bike performed on different types of rides or terrain?
She has ridden the bike on a regular pavement but also on cobblestones, gravel, mud, and even over some tree roots. It has been very good at handling a variety of surfaces.

How has the bike fitted into your family’s routine?
The bike has worked well for going for bike rides at the end of the day or to the local shops. As her nursery is by a busy road and she has a tendency to take off at speed we haven’t used it for commuting purposes yet, but when she is a little older and a bit better at listening, it will work well.

Have your children wanted to ride more often since getting the bike?
She has been very keen to cycle in the evenings. The recent heatwave made some days too hot to cycle outside of forests, but now that it is a little cooler again she is back in the saddle with us in hot pursuit!

Has it encouraged more outdoor time or family rides together?
She has loved riding the bike, which has encouraged us to go out a bit more. Sometimes just going on the local river and forest paths and sometimes further afield. She demands we bring the bike with her when we go out in the car in the hopes that there will be a chance to cycle.

Have there been any standout moments so far?
The first time she rode it, she took off at speed with us chasing her. Several people cracked up laughing watching us, with some remarks about the speed she was going.

She wants me to include that she wants to get a teal telescope to match the bike and thinks that it goes well with her rainbow handbag! Very important details!

We tested the Ridgeback MX in graphite. The 27.5 inch model was perfect for both my tall 11 year old and small 13 year old who are almost the same height. It was easy to find which size was best for them using the website.

With four outdoorsy boys, we’ve been through almost every make of bike going in the past decade.

This bike absolutely looks the part. It has a fairly matte finish and the logo is subtle.

My 13-year-old was absolutely over the moon with it, and he’s a fairly picky, fashion-conscious lad. His friends have also been complimentary.

The frame is very light which makes it both easy to ride and to manhandle onto the car and back into the garage.

The gears were very easy to change, which has been an issue in the past with other makes. It was also a very comfy ride and my boy was easily able to do 12 miles on it quite quickly.

We tried it out through our local forest which has a mix of both gravel paths and rough terrain. It held up really well and there were no issues with any of the mechanical parts despite it really being put through its paces.

My boy has definitely been out and about more since he got the bike. He’s ridden to the shop and back with his brother almost every evening during the holidays.

Overall, I’d say this bike easily stands up to every other bike we’ve had (some of which were double the price!). I’d highly recommend it.

My DS is still loving the balance bike. He is a bit obsessed with braking now that he has a brake to use, and ringing the bell too, but he's scooting about on it so I don't mind!

Thanks for including me in this product test. My DD couldn’t believe she was getting a new bike and it wasn’t Christmas or her birthday 😂

The bike arrived fully assembled and my first impression was that it felt sturdy, well made and fairly lightweight.

My DD was excited to try it out straight away and was able to get going with confidence. She found it easy to steer and brake, and it's handled well on a mix of pavements, park paths and some slightly rougher ground. She hasn’t been riding without stabilisers for long but that didn’t stop her!

The only slight disappointment for her was the colour. We had originally hoped to get the purple and pink version, but it was out of stock when we ordered. That said, that's purely personal preference and doesn't reflect on the bike itself at all.

So far we're really impressed with the quality and how robust it feels. Thanks again for including us x

Our first impressions of the Ridgeback bike were really positive, and DS8 has absolutely loved riding it. He felt confident on it straight away, and the fit seems perfect for him. He looks really comfortable and in control when he’s riding it.

His favourite thing at the moment is taking it to our local park. I don’t think we’ve ever been to the park so many times, but it’s become his new favourite thing to do during the summer holidays, which has been lovely.

The bike feels really sturdy and you can immediately tell that it’s good quality, but it’s still light enough for DS to carry himself when he needs to. It also just looks great.

We’re honestly over the moon with it so far. It’s encouraged DS to get outside and ride much more often, and he’s always asking when we can take it out again.

My boy has loved using his bike, big fan of the red colour. Getting better and better on it each time. If he does fall he gets straight back on it. Great way for him to get about with me.

My DS is still enjoying his Scoot XL although I'm finding it a bit heavy when I have to carry it. Re the website, I remember I initially found a slightly confusing size chart and some conflicting information about what age it's suitable for, but I revisited the website today and there's a much clearer guide where you input your child's exact height and it tells you where they sit for the bike you're looking at plus others in that height range. That's much better!