wooden bikes - any recommendations/advice

[ajmum]

Does anyone have a wooden bike (without pedals). I'm thinking about one for my dd's Xmas present. She'll be 20mo at Xmas and has always been v mobile. Do you have any brands that you would recommend (I've found Likeabike, which looks good, but is expensive)? Do you think she will be old enough to use it?

loads of good cheap ones on ebay type in wooden bike. they might be a wee bit big for her tho unless she is tall for her age. was thinking of getting one for dd for her 2nd birthday but realised itd be a bit too big for her unless she has a major growth spurt .

That's a good point. I was so busy thinking about whether she'd be able to manoeuvre it that it never occurred to me that she might not be tall enough! Doh! However, she is quite tall for her age (86cm - 90th percentile).

I measured dd's inside leg and realised that shed be too small but then dd is very wee for her age. am tempted to get one anyway as shell prob not use it much till the summer anyway.

We love our likeabike, it's beautiful and really does the job. It's survived a lot of use and misuse by DS1, and will probably survive the same, and more, from DS2.

I don't know whether a 20-month-old would be able to use it. I bought DS1's at about that age, and he only really started using it when he was three. He might have used it younger if I'd encouraged him more, I suspect DS2 will be using it at 2, out of eagerness to copy DS1.

I don't know about the other brands. I believe Pintoy or Plantoy is making one, which would no doubt be ok. If your DD takes to it, it does need to be pretty durable.

We bought our Like-a-bike lookalike from a supermarket called Lidl for just £30. I think DS could have used it from about 2 but not before then.

dunno if it's too late, but I would say that 20 months is too young, well my ds who's 23 def couldn't use one, but it's only a matter of time?

I've seen a very good one that's metal not wood & actually has brakes - the wooden ones don't, so the brake is an added bonus, plus it then converts to a bike for when they're old enough - save you having to buy 2 big items.. it seems to be very well padded & great. Our neighbours have one. I'm tmepted to get one for ds's b'day, but we already have a bike for him, so dunno if it's too extravagant?

This site is in german but you get the idea - the ones at the bottom (more expensive are the ones that convert to a bike, the ones highr up don't here

tchibo are selling one very cheap (they were last week)

bummer! the tchibo one has sold out

I know the likeabike is expensive but it is so tough and in my oppinion the best part about it is that because it is wooden it is super light which is brilliant when the wee one gets tired of riding it. Then I just hang it off the back of the buggy, no probs. I am not keen on the ones with the breaks because they can get quite speedy on a push bike and if they break to suddenly they could go flying, it is better that they learn to slow down gradually by turning or dragging their feet.

I've known other people who have bought them and their kids didn't take to them, one clue that made me think ds would like it was that he hated his trike, he always used his feet to move not the peddles, plus he is just obsessed with wheels! Another point to remeber is that you can't make a decision to buy one based on a test drive because it takes kids at least a couple of days to figure out how to use it, IYSWIM.

As you can tell I am slightly obsessed Hope it all helps, I like this web site they are very helpful

Ours was from Ikea - has seen two children through their early years and is still going strong.

ikea do them???? Do tell, I want one from ds & was planning to get it tomorrow.

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Very cheap lovely one on Tchibo - or was last week.

Oh, see it has sold out. Sorry.

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lol

We have a metal one that we bought when Tchibo did them a over a year ago. It was very cheap - about £25. Ds was a big almost 3 year old at the time and I thought it would be great for him. Actually, he was very reluctant to make the transition from a tricycle. It sat around his bedroom for ages (we live in a flat) and we made a few half hearted attempts to take him to the park with it. He found it hard to do - and like most things he couldn't do immendaitely, wanted to give up.

However, since this past summer, he has loved it. He was 4 in July. He has really got the hang of it, regularly rides it around the london pavements when we go out and also at the park. His balance is now excellent and I am hoping to get him onto a 2 wheel bike next summer.

Ds2 is 16 months now but will be 2 in the summer (and he is small for his age) and I plan to try to get him using it straight away then. I think with ds1, if we had tried it earlier and not given him a tricycle, it would have been better.

Anyhow, I suppose what I am saying is that I think the concept is great - but it really depends on the child as to what age you could use it from.

I don't want wood. I was thinking of this one . what do you think?

The wheels on that one look very similar to what we have. Its been very sturdy and I recommend it

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Can't see the Ikea one on their website, but it is notoriously bad for finding stuff. I think you may have to ring and ask - or maybe another Ikea regular would know if they still do it? Sorry! It was green and red and yellow - very solid (DD is six and can still get on it without it giving up).

Because it is middle-class and Scandinavian, Cod!

it's cool in a way - wouldn't pay thorugh the nose for one, as will prob be burning it afterwards