bvfrompc

I have just recently started looking at the threads here and have come across a few posts about saving money instead of buying a $200-$300 bike for a kid that will outgrow it after one season. It got me to thinking:

Cell Phone for a year 30x12 = $360
High Speed Internet 40x12 = $480
Dish Network 55x12 = $660
Water for my lawn this past summer = $400

hmmmmm, kid gets a nice bike instead of a boat anchor from wallymart.

masiman

Great perspective. Additionally, if you buy a better quality bike, chances are better that siblings can inherit it.

Phantoj

...because every poster here can afford what you can afford?

RonH

Talk to the folks at your LBS. Perhaps they can fit your child to a "slightly" oversized bike that s/he could use for a few seasons with slight adjustments to the bike as his/her body grows and changes.

Fibber

I understand the concern of many about the high cost of decent bikes today. But consider the used alternative. Yes, your selection is more limited, and your timing has to be good, but the rewards are great. I would much rather put my kid on a slightly scratched HQ bike, then something new but of questionable design. My problem right now is that I have two near identical bikes on my hands because I found two nice deals within three months. See my thread "Another high quality....".

Pssst... Hey mister, want to buy a used bike?

Steve

bvfrompc

If you are online at the library and don't have a cell phone, cable/dish or a lawn to water or any other frivilous luxury, then get the bike you can afford.

My point was most people have 2 or more on the list of what I looked at personally as less important than a good bike.

If on the other hand you have any one of the four things I listed and consider them more important than a quality bike for your kid, well, there you have it, you have named your priorities.

My 3 year old rides a Trek, I paid, hmmm, $0, it was the kid down the streets bike and he outgrew it, and another kid on the block will get it next year, and so the cycle continues.

tacomee

I've volunteered at free/low cost community used bike shops and I've seen parents complain about paying $25 for a good used bike for Jr. while talking on their cell phone and their $40,000 SUV is double parked outside.

Lots of people in this country, (it's the USA I live in) are more than willing to part with $$$ for stuff like video games or clothes for their kids but think bikes should be darn near free. And they drive their kids EVERYWHERE in the SUV.

I say get your kids the best bikes you can afford, move to a neighborhood where you all can safely ride and let them ride to school, soccer games, ect.... (when they have reached a level of skilled bike riding as well as the mental maturity to do so)

This plan pays for that $250 bike over and over!

EricDJ

Excellent plan, I had to pass on a tag along this way.

chipcom 

It gets even better once you get to the point that instead of buying the kid a new bike every year, you buy one for yourself every year and pass your old one down. "But honey, it's for the kids!"

DiRt DeViL

Agree completely, can't wait for mine to grow up so he could ride my bikes. He has his eye on this one:



I hardly use it and he asks frequently, are you going to sell it? Because if you don't it will be mine

Phantoj

I'm not sure I'm following your reasoning. Are you saying that someone who spends on the "frivolous" items you mentioned should stop spending on those items and use the money saved to purchase a quality bike for his kids?

Or is your reasoning based on maintaining a consistency in your degree of extravagance - "because I spend X dollars on frivolous item Y, it is consistent and reasonable to spend the same amount on a less frivolous item Z?" If you follow the latter line of reasoning, you should inquire about a position at the Congressional Budget Office... you can justify any expenditure with that logic.

bvfrompc

"someone who spends on the "frivolous" items you mentioned should stop spending on those items and use the money saved to purchase a quality bike for his kids?"

Exactly, sorry I didn't come right out and say it.

Over half the homes in US have cable/sat tv
Over half the homes in the US have cell phones
And the fact that people are posting here means they have internet access

Yet, some are worried about paying $200-$300 for a bike, if one uses any of the above, cut that out before buying a child a boat anchor was my point. If you don't have those expenses and are living hand to mouth, don't, but I would also suggest getting off this chat board and improving your financial position.

speedlever

Being that I originated one of the threads that likely prompted this thread, I will respond. Frankly, I don't get why you denigrate someone's choice to put biking further down the priority list than such petty things as cell phones, internet access, etc. As much as I enjoy biking, it is NOT my life. Nor my children's either. Those frivolous things you mentioned are essential to my livelihood, perhaps not yours.

Now perhaps I misread your meaning on the priority statement. But it certainly gave the impression (over this medium) of putting down one's personal choice to have things you apparently consider frivolous over spending money on a limited useful life bike.

I find this perspective somewhat elitist. But it's your opinion and you are certainly entitled to express it. However, given the fact that you paid $0 for a Trek for your 3 year old hardly supports your position of giving up cell phones or internet access in order to put a kid on a quality ride. But it's nice to have neighbors that pass around bikes like that.

Whether or not one can afford it is not really the issue to me. I consider myself a biking enthusiast, not a biking fanatic. There are other things of more import to me than biking. So be it. Yes, we all make choices in life. I respect your right to spend lots of money so your kid can ride a quality bike for a short time. I might think it foolish, but I won't tell you that. Probably.

Meanwhile, I continue to search out a used quality bike and am willing to pay for it, but not a $300 investment in something that my last child can only use for a year at best. Is that a lot of money? No. But neither does it represent value to me given that he rides occasionally. If he rode daily and expressed major interest in it, then my perspective on value might be different. IAC, his SS bike serves him well for neighborhood rides while I look for something better.

I have discussed getting a 24" bike with my LBS, but they are recommending against that choice at this point.

crazedbiker

if you have two or more kids you might want to get a quality bike because when one of your kids will be able to ''inherit'' that bike.

jimhens714

I personally like the used option. I've purchased new good quality bikes for both of my kids when they outgrow them (about every two years). I went the used route though the last time for my son. He is 10 years old and I found a used Specialized Hard Rock w/24" wheels for $40. Nice quality but needed some work. He was able to help dad clean it up and tune it and then enjoy it after doing so. He gets a decent quality bike and also a good lesson on bike maintenance and servicing.

Brian

We all have choices to make, and I don't see why anyone should be critical of how others choose to spend their money. Our quarterly electric bill arrived this week - almost $500, again. And cable TV is $100/month. ADSL is $40/month. But my kids get hot showers, they all have access to the internet for school stuff, and my wife gets her Discovery Channel and Crime/Investigation shows. We don't have an expensive car or a big screen TV though. Instead, we have 8 bikes, and none of them are cheap.

You spend what you feel comfortable spending, and teach your kid a lesson about values along the way.

Bing

I spent $575 at Chuck's, but my kid's on his second year on the thing, and he's got 2 younger brothers that it will pass down to. Daddy has a custom Don Walker on the way, why shouldn't the boys have something nice too?

tryinorganic

Used are great if you can find them in good working condition. If you have time to wait for the purchase all the better. But I do get tired of seeing mom and dad pull up in a Hummer, unload their own high end bikes which look like they've got all of 2 miles on them in the last 5 years and then unload junior's hunk of lead. And if they look into getting junior a new bike, they complain even at the price of a nice used bike. If you have money, don't complain about prices on stuff. If you need a more economical version for junior, that's okay, but realize that you won't likely find it at your LBS and don't complain about it not being there. Just realize that stuff costs money people and you can't have your cake and eat it too.