Kids bike comparison...thoughts?

[ChrisF]

2 hours ago, bleedToWin said:

I'm looking at this bike. Expensive, but it's ballpark what I spent in September on new tyres + drivetrain components on my own bike so... Any other bikes I should consider?

https://earlyrider.co.za/product/belter-16/

 

What does the supplies say about bits of rock and pebbles getting into the drive train ?

 

In the 90's BMW had the 650GS with a chain for off road use, and the belt drive only for on road use.  They warned against using the belt drive model for long off road trips, noting the potential damage to the belt.

 

 

I saw a youngster at Bloemendal during the holidays on this bike, with the belt drive.  It certainly looks GOOD.

[OVERDRIVE]

4 hours ago, The Ouzo said:

A note from this weekend.

 

Saturday afternoon I was standing in the street watching my daughter riding her bike with the neighbours.

The older of the neighbours kids (about 10) has a Mongoose bmx/trick bike thing. His younger sister was given a new raliegh BMX thing for christmas.

It has side wheels and even still has pieces of bubble wrap in places.

I noticed her standing on the pedals and the bike not moving, and then she would push the bike around instead of riding it.

So I asked her to bring it to me to take a look. Some investigation revealed the back brake is binding on the tyre. For personal reasons I dont want to be known to these kids as being able to fix bikes, so I didnt go get tool, I just released the brake, made sure the front brake has some stopping power and asked her to ride it.

Not even 1 pedal stroke later and the chain comes off the sprocket. Put it back, spin the pedals by hand and it seems fine, but the moment she pedals the chain pops off.

Closer inspection and the rear wheel is out of alignment, even closer inspection and I see why. The rear drop outs are made of paper thin metal and are bent.

How who ever manufactures raliegh in SA thinks that is remotely a good idea I dont know. The lightest of bumps is going to bend those drop outs, like its done in this case.

 

Not all kids bikes are created equal.

I advise against Raliegh. Just not worth it in the long run

[ChrisF]

20 minutes ago, OVERDRIVE said:

I advise against Raliegh. Just not worth it in the long run

 

The junk now sold with a Raleigh sticker bears NO resemblance to what we knew back then as the real thing.

 

Steer well clear !!

[Jbr]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

 

What does the supplies say about bits of rock and pebbles getting into the drive train ?

I saw a youngster at Bloemendal during the holidays on this bike, with the belt drive.  It certainly looks GOOD.

Absolutely nothing to worry about especially not on a bike for a 3yo

 

was it a girl with a pink dinosaur head helmet ? 😜

[ChrisF]

7 minutes ago, Jbr said:

Absolutely nothing to worry about especially not on a bike for a 3yo

 

was it a girl with a pink dinosaur head helmet ? 😜

Bikes were on the grass ... kids playing somewhere ... 🤣

[Theunissa]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

 

The junk now sold with a Raleigh sticker bears NO resemblance to what we knew back then as the real thing.

 

Steer well clear !!

I was talking about his with my one worker today. I remember the steel framed bikes you got. You rode it that the pedals were just the rod bit the bike still was fine amd gears changed to fixie

[Theunissa]

6 hours ago, The Ouzo said:

A note from this weekend.

 

Saturday afternoon I was standing in the street watching my daughter riding her bike with the neighbours.

The older of the neighbours kids (about 10) has a Mongoose bmx/trick bike thing. His younger sister was given a new raliegh BMX thing for christmas.

It has side wheels and even still has pieces of bubble wrap in places.

I noticed her standing on the pedals and the bike not moving, and then she would push the bike around instead of riding it.

So I asked her to bring it to me to take a look. Some investigation revealed the back brake is binding on the tyre. For personal reasons I dont want to be known to these kids as being able to fix bikes, so I didnt go get tool, I just released the brake, made sure the front brake has some stopping power and asked her to ride it.

Not even 1 pedal stroke later and the chain comes off the sprocket. Put it back, spin the pedals by hand and it seems fine, but the moment she pedals the chain pops off.

Closer inspection and the rear wheel is out of alignment, even closer inspection and I see why. The rear drop outs are made of paper thin metal and are bent.

How who ever manufactures raliegh in SA thinks that is remotely a good idea I dont know. The lightest of bumps is going to bend those drop outs, like its done in this case.

 

Not all kids bikes are created equal.

When my kids got to the time to ride. I decided to rather buy a secondhand proper bike than a rubbish new one. My son is extantic with his Titan racing nine and its a dream except for the common sekelbos punctures everything else works. I got a 24" avalanche in fixing up for my daughter now. I wi give her calypso to my one worker. It's seen good milage. And his daughter needs a bike. 

[Akon]

15 hours ago, bleedToWin said:

I'm looking at this bike. Expensive, but it's ballpark what I spent in September on new tyres + drivetrain components on my own bike so... Any other bikes I should consider?

https://earlyrider.co.za/product/belter-16/

But it is not pink?

[MORNE]

So when is the crossover to 16”?

my kid is 2y3m now but is the size of most peoples 4y olds. He’s just shy of 1m tall and 17kg’s and already wares a kid size 12 shoe😝 (Superior genes 🤷🏻‍♂️)

he’s been riding his 12” balance bike since he was 16months old. he still ‘fits’ this balance bike and the bike still has some room to adjust bigger with a longer seat post etc, and also takes normal bike components so i can change stems and bars if needed.

 

[bleedToWin]

46 minutes ago, MORNE said:

So when is the crossover to 16”?

my kid is 2y3m now but is the size of most peoples 4y olds. He’s just shy of 1m tall and 17kg’s and already wares a kid size 12 shoe😝 (Superior genes 🤷🏻‍♂️)

he’s been riding his 12” balance bike since he was 16months old. he still ‘fits’ this balance bike and the bike still has some room to adjust bigger with a longer seat post etc, and also takes normal bike components so i can change stems and bars if needed.

 

earlyrider also has 14" bikes. If you scroll down each one has a photo of saddle height taken from the ground with the seatpost at max insertion. At 47.5cm I think the 16" is quite high, too high for a not yet 1m tall bloke.

FYI the average 4yo is 103cm, and an almost 100cm 2y3m is 99th percentile! 😱

[bleedToWin]

1 hour ago, Akon said:

But it is not pink?

Yeah, might have to do something about that... 😆

[Jbr]

13 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

Yeah, might have to do something about that... 😆

You might, although my girls bike was a super expensive birthday present that I expected her to be super excited about, at first she still only wanted to ride her pink balance bike. The pink Helmet just wasn't enough. These bikes are great but almost too adulty in design for the little ones 😅

Edited February 8, 2023 by Jbr

[MORNE]

17 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

earlyrider also has 14" bikes. If you scroll down each one has a photo of saddle height taken from the ground with the seatpost at max insertion. At 47.5cm I think the 16" is quite high, too high for a not yet 1m tall bloke.

FYI the average 4yo is 103cm, and an almost 100cm 2y3m is 99th percentile! 😱

I ride big bikes too👀

[Jewbacca]

1 hour ago, bleedToWin said:

earlyrider also has 14" bikes. If you scroll down each one has a photo of saddle height taken from the ground with the seatpost at max insertion. At 47.5cm I think the 16" is quite high, too high for a not yet 1m tall bloke.

FYI the average 4yo is 103cm, and an almost 100cm 2y3m is 99th percentile! 😱

My 3 year old is on a 16" pink Spez with back pedal brake. I got him on it at the tail end of last year when he was about 1.05cm

He is currently 3yrs 5 months at 110cm tall and weighs 23kg.... 

[Jbr]

1 hour ago, Jewbacca said:

My 3 year old is on a 16" pink Spez with back pedal brake. I got him on it at the tail end of last year when he was about 1.05cm

He is currently 3yrs 5 months at 110cm tall and weighs 23kg.... 

yass what do you guys feed your kids 😅

[Jewbacca]

7 minutes ago, Jbr said:

yass what do you guys feed your kids 😅

It's just good old fashioned Afrikaans genes... (not mine. My wife. My son is almost as tall as I am)