Recreational & Family - $239 bike for 7 Year old?

I keep hearing two voices in either ear. One tells me that it is ok to buy my soon to be 7 year old a $239 Trek Mountain Track 60. (http://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/Kids-BMX/Kids/Ages_6-9/Mt._Track_60/index.php)

The other voice tells me that it is wasteful and that he will outgrown it in a couple of years. I know that it will retain some value, but i don't expect i would be able to get more than $50-$75 for it in 2 years.

My son says he wants "gears" like my bike and this bike will give him that. I just wonder how many others have bought there kids better bikes and what your experiences are/were?

I know if I spend that much on a bike he won't likely get anything else. If i get him an X-Mart bike there will be more than $100 to get him other gifts. I dunno what the heck to do.

Somebody please move this to REcreational & Family. I accidentally put it in the wrong forum. Thanks.

I think the real question is if the extra $139 is worse than the hastle of the x-mart bike breaking when you take him for a ride.

Buy a good used bike. X-mart bikes are not safe.

My 8 y/o has toys'rus $35 bike, it works fine, and he's just as happy with it as his older brother with a $300 BMX. They both just drop it on the ground as a parking method. The harder the better it seems...
Kids don't need expensive toys to be happy.

That's complete BS that X-mart bikes aren't safe. They aren't the best bikes, but they're affordable and decent for people who can't afford the cost of buying at LBSs. I rode a Walmart mountain bike on roads going 15 mph for years as a kid. It never broke and impaled me in the chest. It's still fine in my garage right now. Now I'm 16 and I wanted to invest the money saved from before for a real road bike and I'm happy I did. Your kid will outgrow the bike, wait till he's in high school and buy him a real bike, maybe a road. Hmmm?

Do you have any younger kids that could use it as a hand me down?

Don't do it! By the time he is 8 years old, he'll need a 24". The 24" will last him about 4 years. A 20" is okay for a 6 year old. My 5 year old daughter rides a 20" Fuji 7 speed mountain bike.

If your son has to have a 20" bike now, get a cheap department store bike, knowing that it will last only a year, or buy a used bike and get all your money back when you resell it next year. Heck, if you get a good deal, you might even be able to make a few bucks.

My 8 year old rides a 26" Trek 820 mtb with a 13" frame. He is a little taller than average I guess, but has no trouble with it and rode with me every day this summer. His last bike was a 20" Trek Mountain Lion(?) that was still in good shape when we donated it to a local charity. We are lucky in that we have been able to teach him to take care of his stuff, so the bike never gets left out, or thrown on the ground. If he did that stuff, he'd be on a Huffy! The Trek cost $229 last fall. My nephews got xmart bikes recently and are already having trouble with shifting and brakes. So far, the Trek has been reliable. If your kid will ride it alot, I don't think that price range is out of line. I am hoping our son will be able to ride his bike for quite a few years before he outgrows it. Now he wants a road bike, but I am not spending $600 on a Trek KDR 1000!

Buy a good used bike. X-mart bikes are not safe.

bullcrap - take your weak a$$ generalizations elsewhere

That's complete BS that X-mart bikes aren't safe. They aren't the best bikes, but they're affordable and decent for people who can't afford the cost of buying at LBSs. I rode a Walmart mountain bike on roads going 15 mph for years as a kid. It never broke and impaled me in the chest. It's still fine in my garage right now. Now I'm 16 and I wanted to invest the money saved from before for a real road bike and I'm happy I did. Your kid will outgrow the bike, wait till he's in high school and buy him a real bike, maybe a road. Hmmm?


+1

I keep hearing two voices in either ear. One tells me that it is ok to buy my soon to be 7 year old a $239 Trek Mountain Track 60. (http://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/Kids-BMX/Kids/Ages_6-9/Mt._Track_60/index.php)

The other voice tells me that it is wasteful and that he will outgrown it in a couple of years. I know that it will retain some value, but i don't expect i would be able to get more than $50-$75 for it in 2 years.

My son says he wants "gears" like my bike and this bike will give him that. I just wonder how many others have bought there kids better bikes and what your experiences are/were?

I know if I spend that much on a bike he won't likely get anything else. If i get him an X-Mart bike there will be more than $100 to get him other gifts. I dunno what the heck to do.

I bought my daughter a Wal-Mart bike - it does everything I have expected it to do. Remember most active kids do 5-10 sports per year - baseball, football, bike riding, roller skating, soccer, basketball, cross country etc etc. I would either buy a new bike from a Target/Wal-mart or a quality second hand bike. Remember most kids are experimenting in sports at this age, it's not a commitment, spending $240 on a bike will eat at your gut for for the next 2 years if he discovers he is not interested.

My almost 7 year old daughter enjoys her Trek very much. It cost about that much but it was worth it. The Trek is lighter than most cheapo bikes, it has good wheels, it has pretty much the same things that are different in the bikes that we prefer as adults. Plus it was set up and built properly by the LBS who will also check on it in six months. A heavy, slow, and poor performing bike is no fun no matter who you are or what age you are. If a child does not enjoy their bike they will definitely migrate to other activities. I'd gladly spend the same money again. My daughter has already done 18 miles in one weekend and she is already signed up to do two duathlons that she is training for. She loves her bike.

Congratulations - you have a beautiful daughter - plus the helmet fits right! I hope you two enjoy every mile together

I doubt that he would be able to tell the difference

And yes, Wal-Mart bikes are safe. 99.9% of kids ride them and I doubt they would be legal to sell if they weren't If I were you I'll use the extra money to get him a water gun or something. Kids lose interests in things very quickly.

+1

+ another 1

Congratulations - you have a beautiful daughter - plus the helmet fits right! I hope you two enjoy every mile together

Thanks for your kind words.

We always tell those who are considering different bikes to ride them. The same thought applies to kids. Your neighbors have all kinds of bikes. Once your child has a chance to compare bikes odd are they will be happier with a lighter more responsive bike - just like you. And like you if a child does does not enjoy their bike they will not ride it. The Trek is an aluminum frame - if you pick up any Wal-Mart bike you can immediately tell the difference - and so can they.

you, i really don't know if its true, but i read somewhere(i think on these forums) that often the bike frames that make up the kids treks and whatnot are the SAME FRAME as the frames on a lot of the XMart bikes.....somthing to think about, anyways.

Our son (age 7, almost 8) just completed his first "organized" ride last weekend, completing the 16 mile loop on his Trek 60. Only problem was wanting for more gears to go faster! In addition, he seemed to prefer walking the steeper hills vs. trying to gear down and spin his way up. Probably a matter of practice and comfort.

When he has outgrown this bike, his younger brother will use it. After that, we will still have a decent bike with name brand recognition to sell to someone. By that time we will have gotten our money's worth out of it anyway, so whatever we get will be a bonus. I doubt you'd find much market for an "x-mart" bike after that much time and use.

Our local bike shop takes this type of thing on consignment to sell for you; maybe your LBS would also?

Buy quality and you'll only cry once.

you, i really don't know if its true, but i read somewhere(i think on these forums) that often the bike frames that make up the kids treks and whatnot are the SAME FRAME as the frames on a lot of the XMart bikes.....somthing to think about, anyways.

Surely you don't believe everything you read in these forums. Rest assured there is no way that the frames are the same.

Well, thanks a lot. Instead of having two different voices telling me to do two different things, now I have 12 different voices telling me to do two different things. :D

It really is a tough call. I currently have Xmart bikes for both of my kids. (Ages 4 and 6) They really have been pretty good except for the fact that my sons rear wheel wasn't set fully in the dropouts for about 1 whole year before i discovered it.

The problem is that as a parent, we always want the best for our kids. But sometimes we have to ask at what cost? I guess the cost here is $239. Not a whole lot of money but considering my most expensive mountain bike cost $359, i have to stop and think. I have ridden my bikes over 14,000 miles in the last two years. I obviously can justify a good bike, probably a lot better bike but I am starting to think that a cheaper bike might fit the bill for him.

I recently got remarried and my now new wife bought her 7-year old son a "Toys-r-us" P.O.S., despite my urging against it.

Myself, being a cycling enthusiast, spent the extra cha-ching on a 20" Specialized Hotrock w/6 speeds.

The Hotrock weighs about 6 lbs less. After initial cable stretch hasn't needed much work. Gets ridden further, longer, harder by my 5-year old, then his 7 year old stepbrother who after about 7 miles is too tired to make it back to the trailhead.

The T-r-U bike has needed constant readjustment. The forks have tremendous amounts of stiction and the seat post Quick Release bent trying to get it tight enough so the seat wouldn't move.


Spend the extra $.

The problem is that as a parent, we always want the best for our kids. But sometimes we have to ask at what cost? I guess the cost here is $239. Not a whole lot of money but considering my most expensive mountain bike cost $359, i have to stop and think. I have ridden my bikes over 14,000 miles in the last two years. I obviously can justify a good bike, probably a lot better bike but I am starting to think that a cheaper bike might fit the bill for him.


One thing to consider is if the LBS has a childrens upgrade program. My LBS (Mystic Cycle Center in CT) had a program where you could trade in your old bike when you outgrew it and put its value towards the purchase of a newer larger bike. I did this, from a 20" Specialized which got traded in for a 24" Jazz Rocket (subdivision of Trek at the time), and then finally I traded that in and got myself a Softride Powercurve XC Mountain Bike. Personally, I would go to the LBS and see if they offer any such programs, because it is a great way to promote cycling and keep the kids fitted correctly. Anyhow, just my $0.02. Whatever you do, make sure it is enjoyable for the kid. And if the LBS doesn't offer any such program check a couple others and if they don't either, then an X-mart bike might be more feasible since your kid will grow undoubtedly.

X-Mart bikes are fine... BUT... You do have to TIGHTEN everything!!!!

Remember who is putting these bikes together.... Grab your tools and go for it!!!

I just got our 8yr old one of those Schwinn Crusiers... lots of Nuts/Bolts were loose.
99.00 get price from a Shopko. He has a "X-Mart" BMX type bike too... he has about grown out of that one. 10 yr girl has a "X-Mart" ATB she rides all the time.

When they get older...then comes the $$$$$ Bikes. But for now... forget it... save your money.

I think its all about what you can afford and how much he will really use it.

For example, we live beneath our means. We are not big spenders and make a good living and are not into material items like expensive cars, so we have money available for stuff that we want to invest more into. So when it came time to get bikes for the family we had no problems buying three bikes at our local LBS including one for my just turned 6 year daughter. Hers was around 150 for the 20inch. The LBS kids bike is so much better then the dept store bikes. This Raleigh bike is lighter and you can tell from the parts and how it rides that the quality is much better.

Then again it fits into what we can afford. Do not over spend if you do not have the money unless this is the one and only big item he will be getting for a while and its that important to him. If its just one more thing and you live on a tight budget then get the dept store bike which is ok. Kids out grow them anyway. We knew when we paid for hers that it would not last like ours because she will outgrow it.

The point is, its hard to make a recommendation without knowing your finiancial situation.

I'm facing a somewhat similar issue with getting my son a better bike. At 8 he has been treking along on a single speed 20", but as we ride more and further it is becoming a problem. I don't think I would spend $239 on a kids bike unless they had younger sibling who could use it.

As to what to buy -- since you are fairly willing to part with some money I would look at the used market. Either through an LBS, Craigslist or whatever in your area to see if you can get a decent bike for less money. If the used market in your area is thin then I think and Xmart type bike could work. I doubt most kids could use a bike like that so much that they would wear it out before they outgrew it. If they really ride a lot and seriously get into riding then spending more substantial money on a bike will make more sense.

With an Xmart bike you just have to remember that it is what it is. If you go the Xmart route make sure you go over it very carefully to make sure everything is tight and connected properly since assembly can be a weak point. I am guessing that under most circumstances the Xmart bike would work perfectly well and you can set aside the money for a real bike later on.

My son learned to ride on a Schwinn/Walmart starter. He banged it around pretty good learning, especially once the training wheels came off. He is 6 now and has been riding a while. He told me that he wanted to move up to a bike with gears so that he could stay with me over more miles and not get so beaten down by all the hills. I couldn't blame him. He offered to work to earn some money to put towards it, which he faithfully did all last winter and spring. He even learned to cruise parking lots that we passed along our rides so that he could spot any loose change.

So when school let out, we looked at pretty much everything and settled on the Specialized Hotrock 20 6-speed. Since he 'paid for it with his own money' he takes incredibly good care of it. We ride every week together which is great. He is definitely more comfortable over the longer rides and climbs with the gearing.

My LBS threw in a bike safety rodeo class with the purchase, along with a manufacturer's coupon deal on a better helmet. ("Dad, I think I'm ready for one that doesn't have those cartoons on it. Those helmets are for the little kids.") We donated his old bike to a children's advocacy shelter. He went along so that he could help me deliver it.

He goes with me on all my recovery rides. We are set to ride our first rally together next month on its family route. Results may vary but we are pretty happy with the way things worked out for us.

If he hadn't been willing to work and save to chip in for a better bike, I probably wouldn't have done it. But that was a good incentive for him and it has really taught him how much fun it is to get something when you earn it. ;)

Rule, excellent story and a very good model for many of us to work towards. Its great when these things work out well all around.

Shop around a couple more LBS and you may find something under $200.00. The x-mart bikes are priced 1/2 or 1/3 of the LBS's and are 1/2 and 1/3 of the value.

As for safety: last year I checked (note: I'm not a pro/retailer) a brand new x-mart cruiser bike after the kid who was riding it fell over the handle bars - no major injuries, just scratches - the head set had a huge play, significant enough that I could see the bearings :eek: through which I could not see any trace of grease :mad: and the bars' bolts were not tightened properly (along with the saddle post, brake axles, wheel nuts, and the chain appeared to be too long :rolleyes: ). His mother decided to bring it back for a refund and bought a similar (read: better) model bike at an LBS for and additional $80.00 or $100 approx. Was this worth the $ difference?
Should I mention the training wheels on another one that I could not align for securing minimum stability?

This year, I have purchased a Giant bike and a Gary-Fisher tag-along for my daughter and don't regret the extra combined $150.00 or so I spent on both items compared to "similar" bikes I could have got at x-mart or on-line. Both bikes came with an assembly report, signed by an employee (who services my road bike, excellent job thank you!) and were thoroughly checked for fit and recommendations for best choice was given by the shop owner.

The LBS bikes not only look more solid but are better built, better assembled and will last longer, they will provide better biking enjoyment and require less maintenance + an LBS will fix/replace any problem for one year (often longer) for $0. Gears and also suspensions on a mountain bike are trouble-plagued components that are not often easy to fix, even by a mechanically inclined parent.

Shop around, there are significant price differences between reputable brands, usually Giant, Fuji are less expensive than Treks, Gary-Fisher for example but far better than x-marts.

Finally, if you are concerned by a retail value, well, LBS brands have one, while x-marts don't, they usually end-up rusting out at yard sales unsold items and litter back-yards if they don't make it soon enough to the landfills.

Shop around a couple more LBS and you may find something under $200.00. The x-mart bikes are priced 1/2 or 1/3 of the LBS's and are 1/2 and 1/3 of the value.

...This year, I have purchased a Giant bike and a Gary-Fisher tag-along for my daughter and don't regret the extra combined $150.00 or so I spent on both items compared to "similar" bikes I could have got at x-mart or on-line. Both bikes came with an assembly report, signed by an employee (who services my road bike, excellent job thank you!) and were thoroughly checked for fit and recommendations for best choice was given by the shop owner.

The LBS bikes not only look more solid but are better built, better assembled and will last longer, they will provide better biking enjoyment and require less maintenance + an LBS will fix/replace any problem for one year (often longer) for $0. Gears and also suspensions on a mountain bike are trouble-plagued components that are not often easy to fix, even by a mechanically inclined parent.

Shop around...

Great advice- to this I'd add the already mentioned suggestion that you look into a used, nice quality bike, either locally or through ebay, craiglist, etc. Then, if you are not skilled, get it tuned up at the LBS.

I'm sure some kids will never get full value out of a X-mart bike, just as some folks will never see full value out of their computer, or pickup truck (you get the idea). These same kids will never appreciate or get the value out of a nice bike, whatever the brand. If your kid is the kind that needs the stimulation of a new object every 10 minutes (the aforementioned water pistol, and a gameboy, and RC cars, and, and, and), then investing on a quality bike is probably not gonna pay. If your kid, riding the wilds of Salina, Kansas, is on his bike a lot, and expresses a desire to go on longer or more challneging rides w/mom or dad, then yippie! Spend the dough, and encourage his/her passion. Buy them the tool they need- think function.

FWIW, I'm dying for my son to get past the training wheel stage so that he can start riding trails and such. I'll spend the money on a good, used bike, and support him every step of the way if he is so interested.

Steve

One thing to consider is if the LBS has a childrens upgrade program. My LBS (Mystic Cycle Center in CT) had a program where you could trade in your old bike when you outgrew it and put its value towards the purchase of a newer larger bike.

Delurking to say this is an EXCELLENT idea, and I'm going to check my LBSes to see if any do it. And suggest it if they don't!

My 8 yr old daughter has 20" Huffy I bought at a garage sale for $25. She rides the dickens out of it. She commuted to school last year with me, and this year she's going by herself. It's a 6 speed, and due to my amazing mechanical skills, 5 of them actually work at any given time.

She doesn't really ride with girls her own age, 'they're too slow'. One of her friends came over on about a $250 Trek 24" the beginning of summer, they went out together, but her friend came back wheezing and crying. My kid was jealous of her bike so took her out to the (little) hills by our house and punished her. Another time at camp this summer they had a riding day; when I picked her up I asked how it went. "I ripped their legs off, Daddy." Tears in my eyes that time. (note: I didn't raise her to be uber competitive, it's just who she is.)

I think gaspipe bikes are totally safe, make sure everything's tight and the brakes
work. Actually, other than cheap shifters/derailleurs, I think they're bombproof. I'm looking at garage sales this fall for a 24", maybe I'll spend $35 this time? And think how appreciative she'll be in a couple years when she gets a really good 27" bike (from a garage sale).

Just like grown-ups, it's not the bike, it's the motor.

I dunno what the bias against these Xbrand bikes is. My daughter has gone through a couple and maybe as she's starting to climb hills now it may be time to get a nicer lighter brand name one. But have to say, especially around 5 years old, the bikes were some of the best $50-75 I spent on stuff for her (use & durability wise) that I can remember. The best thing was handing them down to friends or family in great condition and watching their kids enjoy them too.

I've too been trying to figure out what to do about my 7/yr/old move to a multi-gear. My 11 yr/old daughter's Target Swhinn is a heavy bear as is my 7 yr/old son's 1-speed. I might just bite the bullet and get him a lighter Trek or a used 20" alum bike (if I can find one) just so that it's easier to hang in the garage! We have bikes everywhere now, and i'm always reaching up to put one up or take one down.

I've too been trying to figure out what to do about my 7/yr/old move to a multi-gear. My 11 yr/old daughter's Target Swhinn is a heavy bear as is my 7 yr/old son's 1-speed. I might just bite the bullet and get him a lighter Trek or a used 20" alum bike (if I can find one) just so that it's easier to hang in the garage! We have bikes everywhere now, and i'm always reaching up to put one up or take one down.

I'd say check a few LBS by yourself, get accustomed with what they have and price ranges. If budget is a concern, put a cap on what you will want to spend. As I mentioned earlier, LBS who carry Fuji, Giant, are less expensive than Trek, Gary Fisher and the like, when it comes to kids bikes I question the premium pricing on the latter brands. See what the shops offer and advise, check with your kids what they would like (lot of peer pressure at these ages I think..) and what suit best their use.

Make it a big event to go try and buy the bikes, being part of the purchasing process I think makes kids even more aware of the investment made and will help them appreciate more and take better care.

One idea if you have too many bikes: part with the ones you no longer use, yard sale or craigslist them, get your kids to do the selling and cash in the proceed against the sale of new bikes.. ;).

I dunno what the bias against these Xbrand bikes is. My daughter has gone through a couple and maybe as she's starting to climb hills now it may be time to get a nicer lighter brand name one. But have to say, especially around 5 years old, the bikes were some of the best $50-75 I spent on stuff for her (use & durability wise) that I can remember. The best thing was handing them down to friends or family in great condition and watching their kids enjoy them too.

Well, fine- Then these bikes work for you, and you shouldn't be concerned about what folks buying higher quality bikes are doing. As well stated in earlier posts in this thread, many of the X-mart bikes are heavier, suffer from poor inherent and assembly quality, and are laden with useless trinkets, such as full suspension. I'm glad you made it work for you.

A European friend learned to ride on a folding bike. Her parents were able to adjust it to fit her as she grew, since so much of folding bike fit is in seatpost and stem length... Might be a workable idea!

Well, fine- Then these bikes work for you, and you shouldn't be concerned about what folks buying higher quality bikes are doing. As well stated in earlier posts in this thread, many of the X-mart bikes are heavier, suffer from poor inherent and assembly quality, and are laden with useless trinkets, such as full suspension. I'm glad you made it work for you.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a 'cheapo bike' snob or anything :p More power to those who can & do get the nice bikes. For me, they were good enough for my daughters' use at that age. Honestly, I never thought about it until recently as I got into cycling and bought myself a couple of nice bikes (that both weigh fractions of what her current TRU bike does). Needless to say, an upgrade for her this Xmas is very likely, but that would be more me than her pushing that.

When my kids started out they were all riding X-Mart bikes...actually, one is a CCM and the other two are Toys R Us bikes. All but one were purchased as birthday gifts. My oldest son is now 10 and we purchased him the Trek Mountain Track 60 as his 9th birthday present. his old bike went down to the next oldest brother and his bike in turn went to my 7 year old. We spent the money on the Trek as we know it will get passed down to the next brother. I've got 4 boys aged 10 down to 3 so I know I'll get good use out of the bikes. In fact, I think the Trek is the most expensive bike in our fleet. The 2 bikes I have that are in working condition are an ebay special Kona Lava Dome frame that I converted into a singlespeed and the other is a Miele road bike converted to fixed. The non working bikes (frames) were all saved from a bike shop that closed down and were destined for the trash.

Long story short....As long as your child will use the Trek, it will be money well spent.

Yes, it is a "big jump" from the $40 Wal-Mart bikes to the $200 Treks and Fishers. If someone was selling a Trek quality kid's bike for around $125 or $150, they would be filling a real need.

Trek has done ONE very good thing with its Trek and Fisher models of kid's bikes. They designed the cranks and the stems so that single bike can be dialed in to provide a good for for two or three years of riding. Start out with the pedals at the "high" hole on the crankarm and then move the pedals to the "low" position when the kid's legs are longer.

The other thing I liked about the Treks I given my nephew was the service. I can't even change a flat-tire without doing damage to a bike. I would take my nephew and his Trek in for service. The tech's would take a $3,000 bike down off the service rack, and put the $200 kid's bike up there. Let my nephew watch the repair. Hand him back his bike.

I've taken Trek's in for flat tires, brake adjustments, headset adjustments, etc. five or six times in the past six years. Always did the repair "on the spot". Never a charge, except for the cost of a new inner tube.

My nephew does stuff to bikes that are way beyond what they are designed to do. If he was riding a $40 bike, I suspect any "savings" would have evaporated at the emergency room.

If it's what your son really wants and you are certain he'll use it, enjoy it, and take care of it- why not? It sounds like you've budgeted enough to cover the amount anyway. Say you get the cheap bike and $100 worth of other "stuff"... what's the other stuff going to be worth in a couple years? Unless it's a savings bond or similar investment, it's likely money down the drain.

Considering what some people spend on video games, TVs, DVDs, etc for their children to vegitate in front of, I would GLADLY pay a little more for my son to have a really nice bike so long as he gets a ton of mileage out of it before he outgrows it. It's a question of how you allocate money- I'd rather focus on healthy alternatives that promote time together as a family. Not saying it's impossible with a cheap bike- just that I would personally be able to justify shifting money into something like a nice bike more so than getting the latest Nintendo/Playstation/DVD system for the car...

-Scott

Many posters here have told you to stay away from X-Mart bikes and I agree.

3+ years ago I started to look for a replacement bike for my son. He had a Toys R Us Kent bike that weighted a ton and he wanted to give BMX a try after racing the Kent on one race. Off course, he finished last but gave him a test of what BMX was like.

I was able to land a deal with the Haro distributror and got a $200 Haro Mini BMX bike, after some futile attempts on BMX he told me that what he really wanted was to tag along with dad on his mtb rides. How can you say no to that? I convinced my wife and for Christmas we got him a 24" mtb. I wanted an Al frame to avoid rust mainly and components that he could work with. After visiting several LBS I chose the Diamondback Octane 24, not for its components but for the frame.

After that I took charge of the kids league on my area and my son started to race. The $220 bike was upgraded and now is a race machine. It has a mix of Deore/LX drivetrain, along with RaceFace, Easton, Avid and others parts. Even the fork was upgraded trying to reduce some weight.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a315/DiRt_DeViL/Bike%20Pics/PC220013.jpg

I can't tell you not to spend $$$ on your kids bike but if you can go for it, there are some nice bikes for less than $600 around.

I my case I don't have any regrets because he rides and races his bike and that's the reward for me.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a315/DiRt_DeViL/Little%20Devil/P1010343.jpg

After breaking a leg during the summer (not bike related) he gained weight and needs to exercise the broken leg so I went ahead and got him a roadie for his birthday. He doesn't want to ride the mtb know until he feels strong enough to tackle the trails.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a315/DiRt_DeViL/Little%20Devil/P8060004.jpg

What's my point, if you can spend go for it. I love riding along with my kid :) and know that you'll too ;)

Did I mentioned that he loved night riding?

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a315/DiRt_DeViL/Little%20Devil/1stNightRide.jpg

Awesome pictures - every riders dream. I think that if your child has shown a commitment to any sport (and you can afford it) and if you are planning on dedicating the hours to the training - spend the money.

If your kids (like mine) see cycling as a neat idea 20 minutes per week - go to Wal-Mart

I made some sort of a compromise. I bought a used Giant MTX 125 used off Ebay for $50 + $30 shipping. So for $80 i expect a pretty decent bike. I haven't gotten it yet. For near the price of an X-mart bike i got a $200 bike. (formerly) I'll report how it turns out. Thanks for the suggestions.

http://www.giantbicycles.com/images/_upload_us/bikes/models/zooms/2005/MTX-125-Black.jpg

We recently got our 9 year old a Trek 220 and I can tell you he is getting way more enjoyment out of it than he did from the POS hand-me-down Toys-R-Us bike that he was riding before. Plus, our local Trek store (where we bought it) has a trade-in policy where we get back 1/2 the cost of the bike when we upgrade him to an adult bike.

I made some sort of a compromise. I bought a used Giant MTX 125 used off Ebay for $50 + $30 shipping. So for $80 i expect a pretty decent bike. I haven't gotten it yet. For near the price of an X-mart bike i got a $200 bike. (formerly) I'll report how it turns out. Thanks for the suggestions.

Glad to help, that bike will give your kid tons of smiles and enjoyment. All you have to add is some trails and lots of patience, eventually your kid will become skilled enough to tag along on mellow rides.

$200-250 isn't really that much in the grand scheme of things. At 13, I managed to save up enough babysitting money to buy an X-mart 10-speed, which wasn't any great shakes of a bike, but I liked it. However, if we'd known such things existed, my parents could, and probably would have kicked in the extra $100-150 so I could have gotten something better. When I wore that 10-speed out, I could not fix it back up. Replacing components would have cost more than the whole bike. I managed just fine with a crappy bike, but if I have a kid, and she gets all gung-ho about biking, I'd definitely want her to have something other than a ten-ton-wallybike.

When I was a kid, from ages 7-11, I rode a third-hand 20" Huffy "stingray" ripoff. It was pretty much a boat anchor with wheels, but I was a tough little kid, and granted, the way I rode, through pastures and launching off the front porch, it's probably just as well I had an indestructobike.

Still, if my parents had the means to buy one, and bikes like DiRtDeVil's little boy's Trek existed back then, I think I'd have been in six kinds of heaven if I had one.

As it was, I was a little girl much like Ivan Hanz's daughter, and I took pride in smoking other kids who had nicer bikes with my Huffy. I knew I had a lousy bike but strong legs. Much the same concept that carried me through quite a number of group rides since I've been an adult, where I was on a "street-converted" mountain bike, trying to run with a bunch of roadies. If you're hard-headed and tough enough, it's possible to do, though I'd always be utterly obliterated by the time I got home!

If/When I have kids, if they are into biking, I'll definitely spend the money and get them on as good of as bike as is feasible. I'd think secondhand would be a great option, especially in the 24" range, since kids do grow quickly, and such a bike might only last a kid three or four years.

When I was a kid my parents couldn't afford or where willing to get me any kind of bike, my first bike was a 20" BMX bike that I got for myself by having a paper route.

My kid can consider himself lucky by having 2 nice bikes at 9 but he rides them hard and races and for me he has earned them. Maybe next year a XS FS rig will be on his future if he does well in school and on his XC racing age group.

Dirtdevil I am jelous of your son with the 2 bikes.
I have 5 kids.a few years ago we went down to xmart and bought 3 of them bmx bikes.they were not cheap but not the best either.they rode them till they got flat tires and then quit.so those bikes laid out here in the back yard and rusted.finnally I see recently that they have been scavanged over for tires wheels and seats.
they finnally got old enouph to earn some money on there own and bought LBS bikes.they just beat the crap out of them.but we have a theft problem here.and I cannot get the older boys to lock them up so they lost them.(yes at one time they all had locks and a place to lock them up they just wouldn't do it)
now one of the boys has a lbs bike and the other has an old xmart bike.both boys complain about the various components of there bikes but they have to deal with it.
the wife and I have xmart super cheapy mtn bikes.I ride mine alot.she doesn't.I am wanting a new bike and as soon as I can sell my racing kart I will buy a new bike.have thought I wanted a roadie but would end up buy myself with that.thought I would get 2 mtn bikes and really deck them out.
anyway I digress.my 8 yr old daughter has a trek 2.0 ( I think)she rides all the time.just loves it.oh yea I got it at our local goodwill store.$5.00.yup five dollars.then I took it to the lbs and had it all tuned up and better tubes and had it ready to go for her.she loves it.(anouther reason I want a better bike)if she tries a little she can outride me.(course I am 40 and fat and lazy)but as far as I am concerned it was the best money spent.and she takes care of it.never just throws it down it gets leaned up against the house or where we park it.she loves it.I thought about spending the extra for a roadie for her(like your sons trek but she is growing fast now)I chickened out.to much for to little time.she will stay with the mtn bike.
I would love to get involved witha club to keep interest up but I can't keep up with those guys.thats ok my family loves riding together.
Now with gas as it is we will ride more yippee

I feel your pain, 5 kids wow. I only have 2 and they're a handfull and with everything getting more expensive I don't know up to when we'll be able to keep the cycling addiction going.

Don't know what to say about the kids leaving the bikes around and eventually getting stolen, have them learned the lesson that if you loose it you really loosed it? My nephews were like that until they realized that dad wasn't going to replace stolen stuff so easily, they're 3 boys BTW.

Give the Xmart bikes another try with what ever funds are left over after your new bike purchase and enforce punishment for everytime they leave the bikes unlocked and unattended, hopefully they'll get it.