Least bad cheap bike for 5 year old

[Allegrogirl]

We have a maximum budget of £100 and less than two weeks to get a bike for DD aged five birthday. We're in the Westcountry so don't have a massive choice of second hand options plus DH isn't keen.

For new we have Halfords (I would rather avoid), Toys r us plus some local bike shops. Cheapest local shop option is a Probike at £99.

Any tips for a tall 5 year old (115 cm)? Not sure whether to go for 16" or 18". She could just about manage the 18" in Toys r us. Will only be for the park not serious cycling at this stage. She's not off stabilisers yet.

I would say a 16 inch as she will be more confident on it.

I would try and get one as light as possible for your money. A second hand 'good' bike would probably be better than a new poorer quality one. Cheaper bikes are harder to ride. Some have plasticky tyres for example.

Savoy I've been checking second hand locally for weeks and nothing 'good' has come up. Should have started sooner as the population isn't big enough here for a lot of second hand choice.

Been to a couple of bike shops today and going to go for 16". Also checking out bike weights to try and get as light as possible.

I'd defiantly get the lightest one you can. Look for aluminium not steel frame. Also I'm not a fan of caliper brakes, they're too difficult to use for little hands, try direct pull or v brakes.

Can you get one online? Something like this it's a bit above your budget but maybe elsewhere will be cheaper

A shop reasonably locally has Cuda bikes which are aluminium and the same weight as the one you linked to MegMogAndOwl. A little over budget but I think we might go for it.

I'd rather get it from I shop so we don't have to put it together and we can take it back if there is a problem.

Could you get to Partridges in kenn?

One of these - discontinued now from Halfords (perhaps because it wasn't economical for them to sell them so cheap) but if you google them you will find obsessive bike fanatics all over the internet singing their praises, saying they're the next best thing to the ridiculously expensive Islabikes. I got one for £60 or so and a courier through Shiply to collect, came in at under £80 all told. DS unbelievably pleased with it, and the guy in the bike shop who checked it over for us was very impressed. Don't be afraid of getting it second hand - you really will get so much more for your money.

Melody I'm about 40 miles from Kenn. I had thought about going up there. I might give them a call tomorrow and see whether they have anything cheapish.

OhBuggerandArse I hadn't thought of widening the second hand search and using a courier. I'll have a look on eBay tonight.

They are very good, hope you find something

Ah, have just found the Carrera Blasts back in stock in Halfords! and not a bad price - £120, down from £172. Might be worth it for the guarantee/peace of mind.

I hate the way they're marketed as a boy's bike - it's a nice red bike, why does that have to be a boy thing? And none of the ones in that size that Halfords call girl's ones have half as good a spec.

I'm off to Halfords in my lunch break tomorrow I think. Thanks for the tip OhBuggerandArse. I hadn't thought of boys bikes as I had got so used to bloody pink!

Check that they have them in stock in your branch? They've got a branch finder thingy that will do that for you, and I think you can get one sent to your branch to collect there if they don't.

Am sure you could girlify it up a bit just to make sure your DD doesn't think you're palming her off with a boy thing (horrors!) - a nice flowery bell or something, or streamers?

Good luck!