eyemkeith

Here's my dilemma, wise folks of Bike Forums. I hope you can help.

My daughter is in desperate need of a new bike. She's long outgrown her 20-inch cruiser and needs to step up in size. My problem is, she's only about 4-foot 8-inches. She's 12, so she'll grow, clearly. But with her father standing at 5'7'' and her mother at 5'3'', she'll never make the basketball team, if you know what I'm saying.

She wants a 6, 7, or 8-speed dutch step-through. She rode her grandmother's 13-inch frame Trek Navigator while visiting over the summer and loved it. Trek, however, doesn't make the navigator anymore. And honestly, I'm not keen to give Trek my money anyway. Seems they already have plenty.

That aside, many of the dutch step-through bikes I can find have size recommendations starting at 4'10'' for the smallest bikes. I could go 24'', but I fear I'll just be buying her another bike in a year, which I'd like to avoid. I also want her to have a bike that fits her and she likes to ride.

I have my eye on this recently discounted (read: within my meager budget) bike from Public:
Shop PUBLIC C7 Step Through Bike from PUBLIC Bikes

Again, I fear buying her a bike too big, but for 2 inches am I fretting needlessly?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks,

Keith.

hermanchauw

Why not just buy a longer seatpost and a higher rise handlebar and/or stem?

Stadjer

Dutch girls are quite tall usually, but they often ride a full size 57 cm women's frame with 28 inch wheels when they're about 12 years old and they start going to high school. They don't like to be seen on a kid's bike there presumably, and the parents don't want to buy a new bike the next year either so they are likely to agree on the taller frame. The geometry of a Dutch bike in general allows for a lot of difference in body size, but the question is whether she needs to be able to touch the ground with her toe when on the saddle.

It's not necessary, I see them do it here (Netherlands, almost only Dutch style bikes for teenage girls here), but it's a bit of skill to get on and off a bike that's too tall. They have the bike on their right, put the right foot on the left pedal, push the bike forward with the left foot, sit down on the saddle sideways, twist the hips and put the right foot on the right pedal and the left foot on the left pedal, and start pedalling before the bike loses momentum. So she'll have to be good at balancing a bike at low speed and not very clumsy in general. Getting off the bike is a matter of turning on the saddle and put both legs on one side and jump off. Mind that the cycling here is very safe, as is getting on and off a bike in traffic.

I like the geometry of the bike in the link, and it seems that the saddle can be set very low. But with this angle in the stem, arm length might be an issue, most Dutch bikes have a straight stem. And if it's bought for growth, you want to be able to adjust a lot, so a long inner seat tube, long stem and maybe even an adjustable stem and handlebars so you can move the handle forward and backward and tilt them.

RifterAD

I am going through the same thing with my daughter right now. I have had her sit on quite a few bikes the past couple of weeks and have come to the conclusion that a 24" is the way to go. I was hoping that the extra 2 inches didn't matter because the selection of 26" bikes have a much larger selection. Unfortunately it did matter (to her). She just never felt comfortable or confident with such a large bike...even on the lowest adjustments.

Trakhak

I agree. I managed bike shops many years ago, and one of the unpleasant parts of the job was dealing with parents determined to put a kid on the next size long before the kid was ready for it.

If it were my daughter, I'd keep her on the 20" bike until she'd well and truly outgrown it, knowing that she'd be safer on a bike that fit her, if for no other reason.

But if you're determined to move her along to the next bike, please forget about 26" bikes. Make if a 24" bike. And take the time to ride with her in areas with no traffic and no hills until she feels confident that she can handle the bike, including using the brakes safely.

fietsbob

Consider A folding bike, another small wheel option, that is made to be adjustable, so can continue to be ridden while she grows...





....

Clarkrw3

26" My daughter made a huge increase in speed once moved to a 650c from a 24"

Shadowx

Check out your local bike shop. Look for a 26" in an extra small frame. My son had 1in of adjustment left in his 20in bike and going to the xs mountain bike he can stand over the bar and the seat is raised about 2in. If your expecting her to be shorter this should last her the rest of her life, it had lots of seat adjustment. They make some good road/city tires for 26" rims. the 24" tire selection is very limited in my research.

snapyjohn

Got my not to tall daughter a Linus dutch speed 24. Great bike she can make it work for years to come.