Advice on LIGHT bike for 4.5 year old

[laansmith@gmail.com]

4 minutes ago, ACE Cycles said:

I'd definitely recommend it, bought an orange one for my laaitie. His balance is good, now it's just getting him to balance and pedal. Fitted training wheels for now

Great thank you!

[laansmith@gmail.com]

Thank you all once agin for all the great advice.

I love the look of the Early Riders, and this will for sure be an option for when he is a little bit older. I'm going to keep looking for the lightest second hand bike I can find (no gadgets, just an honest little bike for him to feel comfortable on), while keeping his current Muna there as an option for him to use when and how he wants. And if he feels the need to stay on his push bike a little longer, so be it. Rather that than putting him off cycling forever by pushing to hard!

[laansmith@gmail.com]

On 6/19/2022 at 8:33 PM, ChrisF said:

 

Sadly kids bikes are:

1. EXPENSIVE ...

2. Heavy ...

3. Assembled poorly ... (strip and rebuild recommended)

 

 

And if you get more than 18 months use out of it, before they outgrow it, then you are very lucky.

 

 

Maritz's 26" is way lighter than his 20" and 24" bikes .... 😏

 

 

Sadly you have three options...

1. Buy the typical kids bike ... not too expensive, and heavier than a boat anchor

2. Second bond to save 2 or 3kg .... (which is a lot for kid)

3. Shop around for a second hand light weight bike .... would be interesting to see if it is available, and the cost ...

I think the 3rd option is the one I'll be trying for now. There is a great little Frog44 on the for sale forum, but it has pink and purple spot, which is apparently A VERY BIG PROBLEM when you are 4. The i have my eye on a little Norco Samurai ACE Cycles recommended.

 

I really cannot understand the weight of these bikes. It's insane! Apparently it's for durability, but jeez, how much damage can a 4 year old cruising around the neighbourhood do?  

[ACE Cycles]

25 minutes ago, Gnarly said:

I would suggest not using training wheels. Take them off and take pedals off, let the kid ride it around like a balance bike for a few days/weeks until comfortable. Put pedals back on and let the kid pedal, you'll be amazed how fast they learn to pedal then. Training wheels do not teach kids to balance. 

Yeah, I think I might just do that. He is so comfortable on his balance bike that I might just put the pedal bike away a while longer

[Shebeen]

1 hour ago, laansmith@gmail.com said:

I think the 3rd option is the one I'll be trying for now. There is a great little Frog44 on the for sale forum, but it has pink and purple spot, which is apparently A VERY BIG PROBLEM when you are 4. The i have my eye on a little Norco Samurai ACE Cycles recommended.

 

I really cannot understand the weight of these bikes. It's insane! Apparently it's for durability, but jeez, how much damage can a 4 year old cruising around the neighbourhood do?  

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/kids-bikes/562233/frog-16-kids-bike

 

get it.

you can wrap/paint/sticker the pink really.

my son loves his sister's old fully pink spez  alu 20". got 8 gears, a shock and weighs less than his 16" ss muna did.

[DJuice]

1 hour ago, laansmith@gmail.com said:

I think the 3rd option is the one I'll be trying for now. There is a great little Frog44 on the for sale forum, but it has pink and purple spot, which is apparently A VERY BIG PROBLEM when you are 4. The i have my eye on a little Norco Samurai ACE Cycles recommended.

 

I really cannot understand the weight of these bikes. It's insane! Apparently it's for durability, but jeez, how much damage can a 4 year old cruising around the neighbourhood do?  

Bought my eldest son (turned 5 in June) the Norco Samurai.

He is very fond of his bike. Personally good value for money. I have nothing to compare with weight wise.

I was also against training wheels but my wife had other ideas. She put training wheels on whilst I`m at work. 

Three weeks ago I removed them, it took two practice sessions of no longer than 15 min for him to find is balance.

We have done 2x10km loops between vineyards and retaining walls, not smoove, he looks for every muddy puddle and rock.

Excuse the photos, was a video of our Sunday ride.

There is a carbon Momsen SL in the classifieds, tempted to buy. Even looked at china frame import last night.

[DIPSLICK]

you will have many many EXPENSIVE YEARS ahead of you upgrading,, supply heavy heavy bike now make the kid strong enough to enjoy those upgrades thats going to cost you

 

feLLow father in suffering,, I was told to get a motorbike its cheaper I laughed it off (that was from a cyclist/hubber) MAN WAS SPOT ON 

KIDS GROW FAAAST AND UPGRADES HURT

[The Ouzo]

I dont understand, we rode heavy single speed bikes and didnt die

[PhilipV]

2 hours ago, laansmith@gmail.com said:

Il

I really cannot understand the weight of these bikes. It's insane! Apparently it's for durability, but jeez, how much damage can a 4 year old cruising around the neighbourhood do?  

It's not about durability, it's built to a price point. 

They are built with the cheapest tubing, cheapest components, and with as low a labour cost as possible.