20" bikes with freewheels?
 

Hi all. My 5 year old has outgrown his 16" bike (free from a friend) and will be ready for a 20" in the spring. He's about 50" tall right now. I'm hoping to take advantage of deals after the holiday season if I buy a new bike, or spring yard sales if we go used. The 16" bike will see brief service in the spring as he learns to ride sans training wheels.

His 16" bike has the typical rear brake and coaster brake. He's very good at the hand brake and hates the coaster brake since he'll occasionally stop in a poor pedal position and need a push to get going, whereas with a freewheel he could just backpedal a bit and keep going.

So here's the question...are there any kid's 20" bikes out there that come with a rear handbrake and a freewheel? I haven't found any yet that aren't for bigger kids. He sat on a Giant GFR FW recently but was really stretched out. Should I keep an eye out for a cheap BMX bike or 20" wheel via Craig's List and just swap the rear wheel on whatever we get?

There are lots of 20" bikes with a freewheel. We sell Jamis bikes at the shop I work at. Here's one that's popular with boys.
http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebik...09_x20_rd.html

Most bike shops around here don't have after-Christmas sales. I guess things must be different up north. ;)

Let me clarify, at age 5 I just want a single-speed! :)

Gears
 

They handle the gears surprisingly well. At first we just set a gear based on watching our daughter pedal. By about age 7 she was shifting it on her own. I believe 7 gears is plenty, unless you have unusually large hills. The gears allow a faster cadence, and less stress on young knees.

Look for a good used quality bike on Craigslist, or the few bike shops the sell used bikes. We bought our daughters 20" used, and we just sold it for the same amount 5 years later ($100).

20" bikes with freewheels?
 

I have two for my daughters. Specialized Hotrocks. One single speed and one 7-speed.
You see them on Craig's List once in awhile. The single speed has both a coaster brake
and hand brake for transition to hand brakes. The older daughter loves the gears since we
have some hills where we live.

um...why arent you looking at BMX bikes if you dont want gears? I think virtually all 20" BMX are freewheel with rear brake or front/rear brakes

Can't you just disengage the coaster brake, disconnect the stabilizer arm thingy?

no, but you could easily replace the rear wheel. just get an inexpensive BMX. here is one random, inexpensive example out of many:

http://www.danscomp.com/101493.php?cat=BIKES

a similar bike in good(safe) ridable condition is currently sitting at my local salvation army store for $15.