Actually, for little kids' bikes, I'm a fan of craigslist. We got the twins' bikes off CL, $10 for the pair, hardly used. I went over both of them carefully and made sure every thing was adjusted and lubed. They're Huffy bikes, probably a WalMart special, and boy are they heavy. They are literally heavier than my bike. But you could probably drop them off the roof and only damage the concrete sideawalk.

Become a custom bike builder and you won't even need a wally bike:

http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/723/medium/78849IMG_6428.jpg

I actually saw this when I went of the hand building show. Pretty neat...

My dad's bike is a fairly cheap late 70s 10-speed road bike. Came with full alu fenders, rack, bottle generator lights, drop bars, downtube shifters, "suicide levers" and an alu chainguard. Weighs about 35 lbs...

BUT, even though my parents live right at the coast, with constant salt spray, and even though the poor thing has received no maintenance at all, except for new tyres and tubes, and maybe new brake pads once, it's still in fairly good condition and it could be made a very safe and comfy bike without too much effort or money. My dad rides it once in a while, but only to and from the bus station (half a mile) these days.

Looks like this, only white and with a bottle generator, front reflector lamp and a chainguard.
http://www.cykelhobby.com/bilder/bilder06/309tidig.jpg

Never buy a bike at a store that sells guns or diapers.

I understand not buying a big box store bike as an adult, but why not for a child? Assuming you check out the assembly and make sure it is safe, the kid will outgrow the bike LONG before it needs to be overhauled. I really don't see the point in buying a 5 year old a $300 bike, unless you plan on having 16 kids and using it as a hand me down.

Tell that to the kid day before yesterday on the towpath who had his forks snap off at the steer tube. It was one of those look how fancy a bike i got nexts. Complete with tags still a dangling. I talked to his dad as they dusted him off checked him out to make sure he was ok and began dragign the bike remains back to the trail head. The bike was less than 5 hours old.

The fact is there are plenty of kids bikes at various bike shops that are sub $200. Heres some simple math you can buy your kids sub $100 once or twice a year for bday and xmas or you can buy a $199 entry level bmx at a LBS that will last them till they out grow the darn thing. Wich is cheaper? 2x 100 a year or one ex 200 over 4 years?

Oh btw i gave the parent my email. Kmart refused to exchange the bike or refund money for the bike. They stated that it was damage done do to abuse of the bike and to harsh of riding for the bike.

So tomorow after noon his dads stoping up and im giving him the mongoose frame under my back deck. Its ugly been painted who knows how many times but hey they hve a ser of fair rims and tires from that junk next. His son will now have a fairly good bike his friends will tease him about this year but next year when their bikes are trashed his will still be rolling :)

Tell that to the kid day before yesterday on the towpath who had his forks snap off at the steer tube. It was one of those look how fancy a bike i got nexts. Complete with tags still a dangling. I talked to his dad as they dusted him off checked him out to make sure he was ok and began dragign the bike remains back to the trail head. The bike was less than 5 hours old.

The fact is there are plenty of kids bikes at various bike shops that are sub $200. Heres some simple math you can buy your kids sub $100 once or twice a year for bday and xmas or you can buy a $199 entry level bmx at a LBS that will last them till they out grow the darn thing. Wich is cheaper? 2x 100 a year or one ex 200 over 4 years?

Oh btw i gave the parent my email. Kmart refused to exchange the bike or refund money for the bike. They stated that it was damage done do to abuse of the bike and to harsh of riding for the bike.

So tomorow after noon his dads stoping up and im giving him the mongoose frame under my back deck. Its ugly been painted who knows how many times but hey they hve a ser of fair rims and tires from that junk next. His son will now have a fairly good bike his friends will tease him about this year but next year when their bikes are trashed his will still be rolling :)

And that never happens on a more expensive bike..... But K-mart should have refunded his money. The bike was only five hours old. That is ridiculous.

The danger of department store bikes isn't in riding them around the city delivering chinese food or rolling down the MUP.

The danger is bikes that are designed to look like bmx and mountain bikes, but fail when they are used like real mountain or bmx bikes.

When we were little my brother got hurt (fortunately not too bad) riding a toys-r-us "bmx" bike when the frame failed when he landed a jump. I'm less concerned about cruiser type bikes, but if you give a kid a "mountain bike" with a full suspension, a little warning sticker isn't going to stop him from riding it like a mountain bike.

And that never happens on a more expensive bike..... But K-mart should have refunded his money. The bike was only five hours old. That is ridiculous.


Sure it can happen but its so much less likely to happen on that $199 entry level bmx at the lbs. And when it does happen (ive seen it happen once) the lbs is far more likely to make it right than kmart wlamart or any other mart. Kmart has a bad habbit of not refunding money or replacing merchendise even when they are 100% responsable for it.

Heck back before every game known to man came on cd i bought a game on 3.5 inch floppy disk. The clerk then ran it over the scanner and blanked the floopy. I did not think about it at the time figured it would be safe as well the books and such would protect it. Well in the disk goes in to my drive and windows prompts for formatign the blank unformated disk. Took it back to kmart and spent a hour argueing with the clerk then 20 more minutes going off on the store manager finally got my money back. Years later got jp3 on dvd the movie dvd ws missing and the previous purchasers receit was inside the sealed package. Kmart accepted a return and reshelved it with out checking. Again a hour long fight with them to get a replacement. This time the dvd was snapped in half. Clerk well you must have broke it just now! 20 minutes later i got the replacement. I asked to see the first one for a secound and tore the case in half and ripped the plastic cover off and did the same to the one with the busted disk and said now reshelve that one.

Kmarts buiss practices are extreamly bad even worse now that sears bought them out. I should post some of the bs sears has done to me and many other customers in a blog some where. I got prob 100 full pages worth or material. Like how they tried to reposes our tv and airconditioners that we bought out right from best buy do to a mix up in their records. Or how a sales rep for packard bell tried sellign a customert a comp that had 2 megs ram telling him he could play the hotest games of the day on it when it barely had the power to run a couple instances of hearts or........

The danger of department store bikes isn't in riding them around the city delivering chinese food or rolling down the MUP.

The danger is bikes that are designed to look like bmx and mountain bikes, but fail when they are used like real mountain or bmx bikes.

When we were little my brother got hurt (fortunately not too bad) riding a toys-r-us "bmx" bike when the frame failed when he landed a jump. I'm less concerned about cruiser type bikes, but if you give a kid a "mountain bike" with a full suspension, a little warning sticker isn't going to stop him from riding it like a mountain bike.

Bingo. Exactly right.

i need a good quality bike how about leaving yours unlocked for me to test drive, my parents didnt have money when i was growing up so i got stuck with the WM special the bike lasted 5 years i spent 2 saving up for a GT before i realized how easy it was to walk up to the arcade riding off in a unlocked spanking new 95 Dyno Compe, i still have the bike to this day but with alterations over the years

I have 3 sons... all on walmart purchased bikes... the only thing I've had to do to any of em is tighten some wheel bolts that held on the training wheels... remove training wheels on my oldest son's bike and air up the tires.

The first bike we bought around 5 or so years ago is still going strong. It only needs a new back wheel because of all the locking up of the break the kids do.

I have 3 kids, they ride their walmart bikes DAILY and all the bikes have held up nicely. I'm no idiot though. I know how to tighten a bolt and look at how something was put together (Walmart bikes come pre-assembled) to make sure it looks good. There's no brake pads to deal with.. it's all single speed rear wheel hub braking going on just like the Huffy I used for 8 years from around 10 through 18 which I would have kept on using if I hadn't got a car.

There's defintely a lot of LBS bias by bicyclist out there. Personally I don't make a bajillion $$$ a year. I have a tight budget.

I only have 1 more bike to buy for each of the 3 kids. It'll be that one bike they keep for years and years and years. And yeah it'll be a walmart bike again.

Kmart has always had a sucky return policy. Walmart has always had one of the best return policies around. It's 90 days on bikes. You could buy a bike, ride it for a month.. take it back and get your $$$ back if you have your receipt. Try doing that at a LBS. Sure you might get some instore credit... but $$$ back? No way.

I have 3 sons... all on walmart purchased bikes... the only thing I've had to do to any of em is tighten some wheel bolts that held on the training wheels... remove training wheels on my oldest son's bike and air up the tires.

The first bike we bought around 5 or so years ago is still going strong. It only needs a new back wheel because of all the locking up of the break the kids do.

I have 3 kids, they ride their walmart bikes DAILY and all the bikes have held up nicely. I'm no idiot though. I know how to tighten a bolt and look at how something was put together (Walmart bikes come pre-assembled) to make sure it looks good. There's no brake pads to deal with.. it's all single speed rear wheel hub braking going on just like the Huffy I used for 8 years from around 10 through 18 which I would have kept on using if I hadn't got a car.

There's defintely a lot of LBS bias by bicyclist out there. Personally I don't make a bajillion $$$ a year. I have a tight budget.

I only have 1 more bike to buy for each of the 3 kids. It'll be that one bike they keep for years and years and years. And yeah it'll be a walmart bike again.

Kmart has always had a sucky return policy. Walmart has always had one of the best return policies around. It's 90 days on bikes. You could buy a bike, ride it for a month.. take it back and get your $$$ back if you have your receipt. Try doing that at a LBS. Sure you might get some instore credit... but $$$ back? No way.


Theres a reason why lbs shops dont like giving back money on bikes. Simply put its the free rental scam. Person goes and buys a bike rides for a week and returns for refund. Often the bike is not in the same condition as it was on purchase. Its just like the week end dress buyer. Woman walks in to store buys a expensive dress wares for her night out on the town and returns it. My lbs i deal with has given me full refunds nurmerous times on some things tires mostly when ill get a bad from factory tire and he dont have any similar tires. Tubes same sort of thing. Bikes forget it you buy a bike and its store credit or your keeping it. Hell also store credit your rear on helmets light kits and any thing else you might need for that group ride but never for any thing else.

And you know i cant say that i blaim them in the least.

I have 3 sons... all on walmart purchased bikes... the only thing I've had to do to any of em is tighten some wheel bolts that held on the training wheels... remove training wheels on my oldest son's bike and air up the tires.

The first bike we bought around 5 or so years ago is still going strong. It only needs a new back wheel because of all the locking up of the break the kids do.

I have 3 kids, they ride their walmart bikes DAILY and all the bikes have held up nicely. I'm no idiot though. I know how to tighten a bolt and look at how something was put together (Walmart bikes come pre-assembled) to make sure it looks good. There's no brake pads to deal with.. it's all single speed rear wheel hub braking going on just like the Huffy I used for 8 years from around 10 through 18 which I would have kept on using if I hadn't got a car.

There's defintely a lot of LBS bias by bicyclist out there. Personally I don't make a bajillion $$$ a year. I have a tight budget.

I only have 1 more bike to buy for each of the 3 kids. It'll be that one bike they keep for years and years and years. And yeah it'll be a walmart bike again.

Kmart has always had a sucky return policy. Walmart has always had one of the best return policies around. It's 90 days on bikes. You could buy a bike, ride it for a month.. take it back and get your $$$ back if you have your receipt. Try doing that at a LBS. Sure you might get some instore credit... but $$$ back? No way.
X2 i buy parts from LBS never a whole bike for ovious reasons

X2 i buy parts from LBS never a whole bike for ovious reasons

*yawn* especially when you can just go steal another one...


i need a good quality bike how about leaving yours unlocked for me to test drive, my parents didnt have money when i was growing up so i got stuck with the WM special the bike lasted 5 years i spent 2 saving up for a GT before i realized how easy it was to walk up to the arcade riding off in a unlocked spanking new 95 Dyno Compe, i still have the bike to this day but with alterations over the years

Edit: And I interpreted your second post I quoted wrong, try using punctuation.

Great, so this guy advocates bike theft, and throwing sand down in the corners on a MUP, to cause the "muppies" (I love that name, although I haven't actually encountered any - most of what I've seen on the MUP is straight-up recreational) to crash.

nothing pisses those guys off more than trowing sand on the path especially around corners

Great, so this guy advocates bike theft, and throwing sand down in the corners on a MUP, to cause the "muppies" (I love that name, although I haven't actually encountered any - most of what I've seen on the MUP is straight-up recreational) to crash.
so what, are you the newbie politeness police? puhleez....it's teh internets, lighten up!

so what, are you the newbie politeness police? puhleez....it's teh internets, lighten up!

What does having a problem with thieves and people who advocate hurting other people have to do with "politeness police"? Just because it is the "internets" does not mean that people earn an automatic pass from being civil.

Great, so this guy advocates bike theft, and throwing sand down in the corners on a MUP, to cause the "muppies" (I love that name, although I haven't actually encountered any - most of what I've seen on the MUP is straight-up recreational) to crash.
yeah i advocate theft considering half the kids in my neighborhood cant afford bikes and most people that get the stolen have it coming to them for not using locks. <edited by moderators> i never threw sand on a MUP corner ive seen people do it to get you lycra wearing <cyclists> to use the brakes once a while.

so what, are you the newbie politeness police? puhleez....it's teh internets, lighten up!
Why, yes, I am. :D

It is important to teach your child the social value of buying trash to save money. Once this is ingrained the child will grow up to keep landfill employees working. :D

There are always orginizations that will refurbish a quality childs bike and pass it on to those in true need. A better lesson is to support quality manufacturers and share with the underpriviliged. Perhaps that is the point. :eek:

I understand not buying a big box store bike as an adult, but why not for a child? Assuming you check out the assembly and make sure it is safe, the kid will outgrow the bike LONG before it needs to be overhauled. I really don't see the point in buying a 5 year old a $300 bike, unless you plan on having 16 kids and using it as a hand me down.

If I bought a big box bike I would take it to the LBS to make sure it was put together properly, and that the wheels were true and the brakes adjusted properly. Those things get put together by a guy who gets paid per bike, usually. I worked part time last Christmas at Sears, and those bikes were heinously put together, apparently by a chimp.

Personally, I agree with Raiyn. If the safety of my kid is at stake, why not spend $200 instead of $100? All this hyperbole about having to buy a $500 Colnago sized for kids is a sort of hamfisted strawman argument. If you can't afford $200, you probably shouldn't be having children to begin with.

yeah i advocate theft considering half the kids in my neighborhood cant afford bikes and most people that get the stolen have it coming to them for not using locks. you are a idiot i never threw sand on a MUP corner ive seen people do it to get you lycra wearing *******s to use the brakes once a while.
OK, so you should go into a house that has an unlocked door and steal everything in it? I love your "logic."

And, where did I say anything about you actually having thrown sand down in the corners of a MUP? I said you advocate it. Learn grammar. ;)

Oh, and FWIW, I have NEVER worn lycra, I slow down in the corners, I don't ride like I'm training for a race, and I'm a relative newbie myself. While the MUP I ride on has no actual rules, just recommendations (that the only copy of I can find is in an old 2003 version of the map - the current 2006 version of the map has no such recommendations,) I ride with the goal of being as safe as possible, while still having a fun ride.

Personally, I agree with Raiyn. If the safety of my kid is at stake, why not spend $200 instead of $100? All this hyperbole about having to buy a $500 Colnago sized for kids is a sort of hamfisted strawman argument. If you can't afford $200, you probably shouldn't be having children to begin with.

Most of my kids bikes were $50 or less. The only pricy one my father in law purchsed for my oldest son, it's a smaller Schwinn Stingray.

You know what? My oldest son actually doesn't care for the pricier stingray because you can't stand up on it... and in general it isn't as fun to ride. I'm going to be buying him a new bike later this year for his b'day.

For safety, don't buy your kid a $200 bike... buy em helmets, elbow pads, knee pads, and teach them how to ride... how to take turns... how to handle higher speeds safely... and how to deal with uneaven roads and odd road conditions. It doesn't matter how much the bike cost they are riding unless they are doing more than just... riding their bike. What matters is they get some education on riding and have the tools to protect themselves in the event of an accident.

If you aren't going to do that you shouldn't have kids. The price of the bike is not the deciding factor, it's your decision to be a parent that counts on if you should have kids or not.

I may have a tight budget, but I could work in more expensive bikes if I thought it was necessary. I don't think it is though. I don't believe in spending 4 times more money on something that I don't have to.

I have tools, I have basic mechanical know how, I don't need to hire someone to assemble a bicycle or tighten a few bolts or put air in my tires, mow my lawn, or anything else. Too many weaklings out there that don't do jack for themselves... I'm not one of them.

I know there are a lot of bicyclist out there that would balk at having to use an air pump (thus they buy compressed air)... and would be scared of changing a tube with hole in it.

These people need some clinical help probably.

If I'm willing to do basic things to my own bike and put my life in my abilities to turn a screwdriver, allan wrench, socket wrench or whatever... it's sure fine for me to do that with my kids bikes. Expecially since none of them will ever even reach the speeds I'm riding at and all are 10x simpler than what I ride.

I see no sane reason for buying an overpriced bike at an LBS for a young kid. I guess if you have so much money that you can just wildly blow it on whatever... or you have zero ability to turn a wrench and tighten a bolt... and a logo on a bike means more than anything... then maybe that is the best option for you. However you probably shouldn't be riding a bike yourself. And wow at the lesson you've taught your kids.

Of course our local lbs doesn't sell kids bikes. Infact they dont' sell any bikes under $500.

For those with old bikes that were higher quality that you've kept around, rebuilt many times and so on... did you take em to a LBS for the work or did you diy it? Those that DIY stuff could easily keep a walmart purchased bike in top condition as easily as a more expensive bike. Most are using good basic components and design that have been around for years.

My kids won't be afraid of fixing a flat tire, or anything as they grow up. Then again they'll also learn how to change a cars oil and do other basic mechanical things like changing a blade on a lawnmower. And hey, I'm a white collar worker. But I know the benefits of some real world mechanical know how and the value of doing stuff yourself. Hey I play guitar for fun as well.

I'm sure with the proper instructions and guidework I could do anything I put my mind to. And I have installed flooring, done electrical work, changed out parts on my cars engine, built a trampoline from a box, built countless pieces of furniture, designed and built computers/networks/websites/etc.... and .. .yeah... fixed bicycles.

It's funny how so many make bicycles out to be something only a trained engineer should handle. Give me a break. It's not like these things are being made from fiberglass for kids. They are all super sturdy bikes if you are buying bikes without shocks and stupid crap. And yeah there are bikes out there without all the gimmics... and hey they are inexpensive.

For safety, don't buy your kid a $200 bike... buy em helmets, elbow pads, knee pads, and teach them how to ride... how to take turns... how to handle higher speeds safely... and how to deal with uneaven roads and odd road conditions. It doesn't matter how much the bike cost they are riding unless they are doing more than just... riding their bike. What matters is they get some education on riding and have the tools to protect themselves in the event of an accident.



This is just so half right. There are two things that dominate safety. You have most of one, that is how someone rides. The other is having a bike that works. That does not mean light wheels or many gears. But bikes in the $50 range have a huge failure rate.

Going with cost alone is probably not a good way to judge safety. Far too many (especially kids) bikes have lots of bells and whistles that have to cost and impact the price. I sure would not trust a $200 fully suspended mountian bike for my kid. I'd be inclined to think too much of the $200 went into the frills. On the other hand I'd be pretty confident about a 3 speed coaster brake bike that was 'too heavy' (if shuch things still exist) at less than $200.

Of course our local lbs doesn't sell kids bikes. Infact they dont' sell any bikes under $500..

And there lies the problem.

Locally, we have some LBS like that. I won't darken their doors. We also have some that sell quality inexpensive bikes geared to riders not seeking high end racing machines. They also sell the high end racing stuff. I suppose if you have no access to a bike costing about 100 dollars (what I paid, give or take a buck or two, for a kid's bike at the local lbs) from a lbs that is built right, then 100 dollars at a big box store for a bike which may need a rebuild to be safe might make sense.

http://www.answers.com/sociopath&r=67

You are kinder than me....

OK, so you should go into a house that has an unlocked door and steal everything in it? I love your "logic."

And, where did I say anything about you actually having thrown sand down in the corners of a MUP? I said you advocate it. Learn grammar. ;)

Oh, and FWIW, I have NEVER worn lycra, I slow down in the corners, I don't ride like I'm training for a race, and I'm a relative newbie myself. While the MUP I ride on has no actual rules, just recommendations (that the only copy of I can find is in an old 2003 version of the map - the current 2006 version of the map has no such recommendations,) I ride with the goal of being as safe as possible, while still having a fun ride.
breakin and entry isnt my thang most of the bikes stolen in upper class neighborhoods are left unlocked by 10 and 15 year olds usually in front of a walgreens or a local pool, they got enough money let mommy and daddy buy them a newer one. youre making it look like i do it.

youre making it look like i do it.

No, that would be YOU STATING that you do it.

i spent 2 saving up for a GT before i realized how easy it was to walk up to the arcade riding off in a unlocked spanking new 95 Dyno Compe, i still have the bike to this day but with alterations over the years

breakin and entry isnt my thang most of the bikes stolen in upper class neighborhoods are left unlocked by 10 and 15 year olds usually in front of a walgreens or a local pool, they got enough money let mommy and daddy buy them a newer one. youre making it look like i do it.

We don't need to make you look like you do it, you said you did it.

Beat you to it a few minutes ago. ;)

Anyway, I checked the rules, and just reported the following post. Couldn't find a rule I REALLY liked, but harrassment is enough to warrant a post report.

yeah i advocate theft considering half the kids in my neighborhood cant afford bikes and most people that get the stolen have it coming to them for not using locks. you are a idiot i never threw sand on a MUP corner ive seen people do it to get you lycra wearing *******s to use the brakes once a while.

breakin and entry isnt my thang most of the bikes stolen in upper class neighborhoods are left unlocked by 10 and 15 year olds usually in front of a walgreens or a local pool, they got enough money let mommy and daddy buy them a newer one. youre making it look like i do it.

Just because someone can afford to replace something doesn't mean it's OK for you to take it from them just because you can't afford it. I've always found this kind of logic absurd. You probably have the skills and the means to rebuild one of your choppers, does that mean it's A-OK for somebody to take it who doesn't have a welder or the skill to build one? It's the same thing.

Who the heck is going to ride a bike designed for a 5 year old for 40 years?
Funny you should mention that. I still have (in storage) my 1967 (or was it '68) Columbia Playbike that I got as a hand-me-down back in 1980. The bike is still serviceable, though unrestored, and I wouldn't hesitate to to let any potential child of mine to ride it. My brother rode the hell out of that bike, as did I and all it would need to go again is a quick repack and some chain lube.

Beat you to it a few minutes ago. ;)

Anyway, I checked the rules, and just reported the following post. Couldn't find a rule I REALLY liked, but harrassment is enough to warrant a post report.
thats fine
http://photos9.flickr.com/15408264_7c5d6cfc41.jpg

I see no sane reason for buying an overpriced bike at an LBS for a young kid. I guess if you have so much money that you can just wildly blow it on whatever... or you have zero ability to turn a wrench and tighten a bolt... and a logo on a bike means more than anything... then maybe that is the best option for you. However you probably shouldn't be riding a bike yourself. And wow at the lesson you've taught your kids.


I am 15. I live on a little family farm. I worked my ass off and saved for 6 months so that I could buy a Trek 1000...a high quality entry level road bike...at my LBS. Why did I do this? Because I know that this bike will provide me with years of enjoyment. Since I got the bike about a month ago, I've ridden it almost every day for an average of 20-30 miles a day. It's never needed to be taken back in to the shop, and I do almost all the maintenance myself, because yes, I have a good knowledge of mechanics.
When you said: "teach them how to ride... how to take turns... how to handle higher speeds safely... and how to deal with uneaven roads and odd road conditions", did you ever think that you that maybe you can't really teach them what to do when their fork snaps when they're riding down the road in front of a car?

Oh, and please don't talk to me about hard work and mechanical know-how.

Well said. That is more or less what I did when I was your age. I still have, stored, the Marinoni bike I busted my ***** to get when I was that age. I only stopped riding it when the metal in the frame started flexing enough to be a nuisance. That beast took years of heavy use.

I am 15. I live on a little family farm. I worked my ass off and saved for 6 months so that I could buy a Trek 1000...a high quality entry level road bike...at my LBS. Why did I do this? Because I know that this bike will provide me with years of enjoyment. Since I got the bike about a month ago, I've ridden it almost every day for an average of 20-30 miles a day. It's never needed to be taken back in to the shop, and I do almost all the maintenance myself, because yes, I have a good knowledge of mechanics.

Nice to see someone who goes against the grain of todays youth.

I am 15. I live on a little family farm. I worked my ass off and saved for 6 months so that I could buy a Trek 1000...

Didn't you realize rich kids leave their nice bikes unlocked when they go to the pool? You don't have to EARN things, you can just take them from people who can afford to replace them.

Seriously, way to go. I bought all my bikes after age 12, I wanted more than the Huffy my parents were willing to buy me. They were always second hand, and they were always awesome! It's funny how sometimes a 12 year old has better sense than an pair of adults.

my nephew rode the same bike from age 5- 9 (a Schwinn from a bike shop), then inherited his sister's MTB, which was a Trek. When his parents realized he was really into it he went through a few mid-priced bikes as he grew. He's now 21, an expert mountain biker and custom frame builder.

He smokes me everytime we go for a MTB ride and hard as I work I can't drop him on a road bike. Is that what you mean by "smoking"?;)

The Litespeed Trike is a riot! And your point is well taken- there is such a thing as going too far and maybe, just maybe that's it!:DAt eight hundred and fifty dollars it needs to last through 17 children to bring it down to a reasonable price.

Most of my kids bikes were $50 or less. The only pricy one my father in law purchsed for my oldest son, it's a smaller Schwinn Stingray.

You know what? My oldest son actually doesn't care for the pricier stingray because you can't stand up on it... and in general it isn't as fun to ride. I'm going to be buying him a new bike later this year for his b'day.

For safety, don't buy your kid a $200 bike... buy em helmets, elbow pads, knee pads, and teach them how to ride... how to take turns... how to handle higher speeds safely... and how to deal with uneaven roads and odd road conditions. It doesn't matter how much the bike cost they are riding unless they are doing more than just... riding their bike. What matters is they get some education on riding and have the tools to protect themselves in the event of an accident.

If you aren't going to do that you shouldn't have kids. The price of the bike is not the deciding factor, it's your decision to be a parent that counts on if you should have kids or not.

I may have a tight budget, but I could work in more expensive bikes if I thought it was necessary. I don't think it is though. I don't believe in spending 4 times more money on something that I don't have to.

I have tools, I have basic mechanical know how, I don't need to hire someone to assemble a bicycle or tighten a few bolts or put air in my tires, mow my lawn, or anything else. Too many weaklings out there that don't do jack for themselves... I'm not one of them.

I know there are a lot of bicyclist out there that would balk at having to use an air pump (thus they buy compressed air)... and would be scared of changing a tube with hole in it.

These people need some clinical help probably.

If I'm willing to do basic things to my own bike and put my life in my abilities to turn a screwdriver, allan wrench, socket wrench or whatever... it's sure fine for me to do that with my kids bikes. Expecially since none of them will ever even reach the speeds I'm riding at and all are 10x simpler than what I ride.

I see no sane reason for buying an overpriced bike at an LBS for a young kid. I guess if you have so much money that you can just wildly blow it on whatever... or you have zero ability to turn a wrench and tighten a bolt... and a logo on a bike means more than anything... then maybe that is the best option for you. However you probably shouldn't be riding a bike yourself. And wow at the lesson you've taught your kids.

Of course our local lbs doesn't sell kids bikes. Infact they dont' sell any bikes under $500.

For those with old bikes that were higher quality that you've kept around, rebuilt many times and so on... did you take em to a LBS for the work or did you diy it? Those that DIY stuff could easily keep a walmart purchased bike in top condition as easily as a more expensive bike. Most are using good basic components and design that have been around for years.

My kids won't be afraid of fixing a flat tire, or anything as they grow up. Then again they'll also learn how to change a cars oil and do other basic mechanical things like changing a blade on a lawnmower. And hey, I'm a white collar worker. But I know the benefits of some real world mechanical know how and the value of doing stuff yourself. Hey I play guitar for fun as well.

I'm sure with the proper instructions and guidework I could do anything I put my mind to. And I have installed flooring, done electrical work, changed out parts on my cars engine, built a trampoline from a box, built countless pieces of furniture, designed and built computers/networks/websites/etc.... and .. .yeah... fixed bicycles.

It's funny how so many make bicycles out to be something only a trained engineer should handle. Give me a break. It's not like these things are being made from fiberglass for kids. They are all super sturdy bikes if you are buying bikes without shocks and stupid crap. And yeah there are bikes out there without all the gimmics... and hey they are inexpensive.You quoted me, but it appears you are responding to someone, (if not everyone,) else, real or imaginary. Chill out, bro.

At eight hundred and fifty dollars it needs to last through 17 children to bring it down to a reasonable price.


Only if by reasonable you find it reasonable to have access to cheap disposable goods that give you the ability to have "more" for "less", or as some would say, "nothing" for "a very short time". With most big box products these days it seems you're only renting it from the landfill for a year or two, they make it clear they aren't selling durable goods that they expect them to break or be discarded for lack of instilled value. They also seem fairly certain you'll come back for more when that happens. Give me an heirloom toy any day, and fewer toys of better quality for my children.

thats fine
Better then a bottom feeding looser like you. :rolleyes: