Likeabike- should I buy one...

[Jzee]

for a 3 year old? If so, how many years use will we get out of it? Are they good or just another trend?

Not had one so not much help, but I know you can buy the same sort of wooden bikes on Ebay, for around £35.

My ds1+2 both got a proper bike for their 3rd birthday.

Likeabike = gimicky nonsense to me

They are meant to be good and I have seen a 2.5 and a just 4 year old on them pushing themselves along very happily.

However, another cheaper theory is to take the wheels (and the arms (?) they are attached to the bike) off a regular bike.

I think they are good for little ones, maybe age 2 and up, but not sure if it's worth buying for a 3-year-old. I love the way they are made of wood though!

Message withdrawn

I read this interesting article about children and bicyles and have posted it before! They said just take the wheels off the normal bike
cycling

You can get very nice lookalikeylikeabikes on ebay for about £50 inc carriage and helmet. We got one recently for DS'3rd birthday. I do think they're better to learn on than a proper bike because they teach balance rather than peddling - pedding's the easy bit after all. They're also lighter than metal bikes and the design makes it impossible to over-steer - so yes I think they're a good idea. The seat is adjustable and would easily fit 2 - 5 year old - have a feeling he'd have mastered a real bi8ke before he grows out of this one. I'm a sucker for the impressive comments we get with it too [I'm shallow]

Gem13 & alex8, I think you mean take the pedals off

DS is currently scooting along like mad on his bike-with-pedals-off, and it is clear that he will pedal without stabilisers in no time. It really does teach them to balance on two wheels.

In fact, I think the opposite to TooTicky, and I think they are great for kids up until the age they would normally take the stabilizers off an ordinary bike.

Puky make a metal 'Likeabike' which has a brake, so is perhaps suitable for older children (and it is cheaper than the wooden likeabikes). Or, get a good bike and take the pedals off - but make sure the pedals do unscrew and can be put back, and that the bike is small enough / seat and handlebars go down, and then up, far enough. The seat needs to be lower for scooting than it does for pedalling. Bikes with the pedals off are much heavier than likeabikes of all types.

pegasus I have never heard of likeabike, but couldn't imagine how it could be like one without wheels!!

it would be really easy without wheels!

We bought the Tchibo metal one for £25. Our lo soon learned to ride his proper bike, through scooting (whizzing!) along on the likeabike. He still plays with it even though he can ride his proper bike without stabilisers. He just treats it as a separate thing.

DS got a likeabike last christmas when he was 2 + 4 months. Now nearly 3 and LOVES it. Can go really fast, freewheels with feet off the ground etc. He's really tall (98th centile) and seat still on one of the lowest settings so not worried that he'll outgrow it anytime soon. (Tobysmumkent you could tell your friend that there's a seat extender to raise it even higher if you need to). I expect he'll have lots more fun from it. And it's such a beautiful thing to have around! Much better than the scooter he got at the same time and has hardly touched...