Training wheels for 20" bike?
 

My 5 year old daughter is tall for her age. She has been using a balance bike for the past 2 years, but after a winter growth spurt, we decided it might be time for a bigger bike.


After visiting a few different local bike specialty stores, it was determined that a 14" bike was too small and out of 3 different 16" bikes, 2 were too small and one was borderline. All of the sales reps at the bike shops suggested bypassing the 14" and 16" and moving directly to a 20" bike with training wheels and having her grow into it. Their thoughts were, we might get a few months out of the 16" bike but chances are it wouldn't last the summer.


My niece has a 20" Linus Lil Dutchie in near mint shape that she no longer uses, and this would be an option for us. However, with the seat post all the way down, my daughter can't get both feet flat on the ground.


I know there is a debate on whether to use training wheels or not but on the assumption that we want to go this way, does anyone have a suggestion for training wheels that would work with a 20" bike that has a rear coaster brake? Some of the ones I have looked at have a horizontal support bracket that attaches to the rear frame of the bike. However, the rear coaster brake would prevent the use of these horizontal support brackets on the one side.


Was hoping someone else has gone through this and might have some suggestions.


The benefit of this is, the Linus bike looks like something she could use for a few years until we had to upgrade her.


Thanks for any suggestions


James

All three of my boys used training wheels on 20" bikes with coaster brakes, and all of the training wheels had the horizontal brace. They're designed to clear the brake arm, so it shouldn't be an issue at all.

I'd have a hunt around for people who've just discarded the training wheels. They're really only there to upset purists and to give the kid a bit more confidence.

At this age, kids will go from training wheels to no training wheels almost instantly... you just don't know when that instant will be. My daughter just told me to take them off one day. I wouldn't go spending a lot of money on them.