Got my 7 yr old grand daughter a new bicycle

[yellowperil]

How'd I do? She likes it so I guess it must be OK. Still have my old beater from the '70's, I'll never get rid of it. (Read.... no one else would want it including the junk yards)

[masraum]

As long as she likes it, you did perfect! It's a cute bike. You guys have fun!

[flatbutt]

I even like the color!

[matthewb0051]

Perfect! The basket is the business. My daughter was always trying to attach one and always carrying things.

[yellowperil]

yeah, the basket was a deal closer with my grand daughter too.

[oldE]

Well done, Dennis.
Grampy comes through.

Best
Les

[billybek]

Be careful! She is going to want a Yeti in that colour!
That ain't cheap....
Looks like an awesome little bike.

I started my son on a coaster brake bike as most people do. The next bike I got for him was a Norco with both coaster brakes and hand brakes. Was ideal for the transition between the two types.

[craigster59]

Great job G-Pa! My Granddaughter would approve, but would tell me it's missing the "handlebar streamers" and the bell.....

[Superman]

Originally Posted by yellowperil

Ha! Gulf livery!

Sort of.

[Bill Douglas]

VERY stylish.

[stevej37]

Great color for a young girl!

Early in the covid...our Walmart had almost zero bikes in stock and it stayed that way until lately.
Now..there is a good inventory and some great looking bikes for kids.

[A930Rocket]

I was going to ask which one was yours, and then I saw the basket.😂

[Scott Douglas]

GREAT bike!
Can she ride without training wheels?
My 3 going on 4 yr old granddaughter is just now getting into the glide bike routine, you know the one without pedals.


Now, not to take away the coolness of this bike, but I have a question for anyone reading this thread. Notice how the handle bar grips on the new bike are, for lack of a better description, wheel barrow handle style, while the old bike is straight across?
Seems to me it is more 'natural' for a rider to have the bars straight across as it's easier to make turns etc.
Wouldn't this help a young rider more?
Your thoughts appreciated...

[stevej37]

^^^ My guess is that it doesn't make much difference at all.
Turning is all done by weight shifting and pressure on the bars. A rider doesn't actually turn the bars. JMO

[Scott Douglas]

New riders don't 'know' that yet, Steve. I see your point but have you ever watched a new rider try to turn while holding bars like those?

[stevej37]

Trying to remember back to my first bike ride....it was more instinctive balance than steering.
Of course my older brother was pushing me as fast as he could run!

[Scott Douglas]

Having 'pushed' my daughter when she was learning how to ride without training wheels, all to keep up with her older brother who'd just had his taken off, I could see how her thought process went from pedal pedal pedal, don't forget to steer! To pedal, steer, pedal, steer, pedal-steer, pedal-steer. It was fascinating to watch that happen for my then 2-1/2 yr old kid. All because she wanted to ride like her big brother (19 months senior to her).

[stevej37]

It's amazing how the 'balance instinct' happens so fast with kids.
I don't think I ever fell while learning. Then my parents bought me a unicycle a few years later.
That was a different story....lots of falls while learning.

[Ayles]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

GREAT bike!
Can she ride without training wheels?
My 3 going on 4 yr old granddaughter is just now getting into the glide bike routine, you know the one without pedals.


Now, not to take away the coolness of this bike, but I have a question for anyone reading this thread. Notice how the handle bar grips on the new bike are, for lack of a better description, wheel barrow handle style, while the old bike is straight across?
Seems to me it is more 'natural' for a rider to have the bars straight across as it's easier to make turns etc.
Wouldn't this help a young rider more?
Your thoughts appreciated...

Having gone through this in the last couple years... A few thoughts, buy the lightest bike you can afford. Modern kids bikes are incredibly well designed and a lighter bike is far easier to ride. Secondly, on training wheels. Skip them all together. Just find a nice flat grassy field. They will be riding in no time without the risk of road rash. I'd also go right to a free wheel bike with standard brake levers. Makes transitioning to a shifter bike a no brainer.


See Woom bikes as a great example of a lightweight well designed kids bike: https://us.woombikes.com/pages/bikes?gclid=Cj0KCQjwmPSSBhCNARIsAH3cYgbTiV7o3g6sA4 NUk5SG1mYH6nHZMVn_6MAMN8F0DtRlJLQ0Tav4QwcaAgDcEALw _wcB

[yellowperil]

Originally Posted by craigster59

Great job G-Pa! My Granddaughter would approve, but would tell me it's missing the "handlebar streamers" and the bell.....

I'm saving up for that