Like-a-Bike and equivalents

[Brangelina]

I'd like to get my DD a pedal-less bike this summer. However, Like-a-Bikes are very expensive, even second hand. I have found an equivalent locally, but it's for 3 upwards and 38cm saddle height. DD is only just 2 and not very tall. Is there another cheaper equivalent that does the smaller sizes? Preferably available online as I'm not in the UK but even if not I could find a solution.

TIA

Where are you?

There are lots of alternative ones on ebay, but they are funny makes.

The Puky ones are good, as are Islabikes. Not as light as Likeabikes, but still good.

The Micro Gbike looks good and very light, but I don't know anyone who has one.

The cheapest alternative is to buy a conventional bike with a saddle that can be lowered far enough for your dd to place her feet flat on the ground, and to take the pedals off. If you are sufficiently bike-comptent or mechanically minded you can also take out the whole chain mechanism, but I haven't found this necessary myself.

It's better IMO than a Like-a-Bike because it can grow with the child.

Yes, removing pedals is a good option. The real argument for a likeabike is how light it is - so that when your child gets sick of it, you can carry it. I actually put DS2's in my backpack, which isn't something I could do with a real bike, I don't think.

Thanks for the replies and the ideas.

DD has an old pedal bike that was given to her by her cousin and we looked at it last night to see how low we could put the saddle and how easy it was to remove the pedals. The problem is that DD is such a shortarse that even the lowest saddle setting was too high. I think though we'll just cut a bit off to make it lower and remove the chain mechanism completely. It's a crappy old bike so it's no big deal if it's unusable afterwards.

She can start on that for this year as she'll only ever be using it in the courtyard and next year when she's older and grown a bit we'll buy the 49 euro local version that she can take out with her (hopefully we'll have ditched the pushchair by then).

NQC I'm in Italy and there's sweet FA on Italian ebay. I looked at the UK site and there were a few equivalents but not many despatched abroad and when they did the cost was excessive. Postage cost from Germany was much more reasonable but they only had the original likeabikes and they were still pricey second hand. Oh the angst of being a cheapskate.

i think normal bikes without pedals are still too big and the wobbly front wheel makes it harder to balance. dd has a cheapy one from lidl and it is fantastic. tbh she ignored it last year (was probably too wee) but has been really into it this year, she is 3 1/2 now.

is great for getting places fast as she can go much further and faster than if she was just walking.

I know Tchibo and Lidl do likeabikealikes (so to speak) - do either of those chains exist in Italy? I'd expect to see their bikes on German ebay, maybe ...

I got a bike for dd from local recycling centre (the tip) was like new and payed £2.50 took the pedals off and dd never had any problem with it.

What age can children usually manage like-a-bike type things from? Would a just 2 year old be able to manage? Was wondering same thing for my 2 year old DS. My dad tried a modified bike from a tip, but it's way too big for my poor wee boy

Most of the kids I know seem to get them around their second birthday. Some can use them soon after, some take a little while. But I do know a few just-two-year-olds who ride likeabikealikes.

Right, thanks, off to Lidl then.

check the lidl webpage. they don't have them in v. often.

Oh, OK, thanks, not off to Lidl after all then