Molly Raleight 12" bike: will it be too small for a 4.5yr old?

[groak]

Got chance for a bit of a bargain. dd hasn't started riding a bike yet so this will be her first one, she's just over a metre tall, do you think she'll be too tall for this one or has any one found its ok for this age / height? some one at work is selling one second hand so won't have chance to try before i buy? any help appreciated!

My very avg. height son rode a 12" wheel bike age 4-5, so it might not last you very long, but worth it if a bargain price.

yes, I would go for it. You don't want too big a bike when she is learning as she needs to be able to put her feet on the ground.

If it is a bargain, then you can always sell it on next summer and buy a new(er) one.

My dd got that bike for her 4th brthday and it done her till she was 6, was a very good bike, my niece now uses dds!

We got ds an 18" wheeled bike for his 5th birthday - but he had learned to ride on a balance bike and had a smaller intermediate 2nd hand bargain in between - he has always been fairly tall for his age though.

It may last until she is about 6, but there isn't really any way round this as an 18" wheel will be too big. If she is learning to ride, can you take the pedals off it? Much easier fo them to learn like that, by using it as a balance bike first, than by using stabilisers.

Buying second hand makes more sense for a first bike as they wil always grow out of it quite fast.

I found that children learn to bike more easily if the bike is a size too small. How much is the bike? If it's very cheap (less than a tenner) it should get her started.

Blu - there is a way round - you can get 14 and 16" wheels - it doesn't jump from 12" straight to 18" !

its £25.00 like new.... getting good reviews so thinking it's good to get dd started on a bike?

You'll be able to sell it on afterwards anyway - so if very good condition and that price, I'd have thought it would make a good first bike. Avoid stabilisers though - if necessary remove pedals until she's got the hang of balancing it (balance bikes they sit on saddle and effectively 'walk' along with their feet, so their feet balance them)