Buying a bike for my son - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

marsupial · 11-08-2007, 05:29 PM

My son turns 6 this weekend. He is 47 inches tall. According to the chart at Target, 16-inch bikes fit kids up to 48 inches tall and 20-inch bikes fit kids 48 to 56 inches tall. So, what size do I buy? I want him to be able to ride his bike right away, but I also don't want to buy something he'll be too big for in a couple of months. Advice?

TripletDaddy · 11-08-2007, 05:37 PM

My first dirt bike was a Diamond Back Silver Streak. It came with Oakley F-1 grips--black and silver.

Basically, it was the greatest thing to happen in my life up until that point and all the chicks dug it.

I strongly recommend buying your son one.

PS I would have been happy with a Kuwahara, as well, but after ET, there was a serious run on Kuwahara inventory in my neighborhood.

marsupial · 11-08-2007, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

My first dirt bike was a Diamond Back Silver Streak. It came with Oakley F-1 grips--black and silver.

Basically, it was the greatest thing to happen in my life up until that point and all the chicks dug it.

I strongly recommend buying your son one.

PS I would have been happy with a Kuwahara, as well, but after ET, there was a serious run on Kuwahara inventory in my neighborhood.

Thanks. That information was almost as useful as your museum advice.

TripletDaddy · 11-08-2007, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marsupial

Thanks. That information was almost as useful as your museum advice.

Buy the Silver Streak. Your son will thank you.

Go to the Museum. Danimal will thank me.

The museum is on 5th Avenue, FYI.

creekster · 11-08-2007, 05:50 PM

You may not like to hear this, but I would suggest you go to a bike shop and get their input. IF you go to a larger bike shop, they will also sell kids bikes and will fit it properly. Moreover, the bike will have been built by somone who knows what they are doing instead of by someone whose last task was breaking down boxes and whose next task will be clean up in the pharmacy department. It will cost more. But it iwill be better and if maintained wil last longer. .

marsupial · 11-08-2007, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creekster

It will cost more. But it iwill be better and if maintained wil last longer. .

How much more, would you guess?

bluegoose · 11-08-2007, 05:59 PM

We were in the same situtation last year with our then 6 year old. We went with the larger frame. He was a bit uncomfortable for quite a while, especially trying to start and stop because he couldn't quite touch the ground while on the seat. 6 months later, it fits great and he loves it.

I guess it depends on how long you want him to ride it before you have to get a new one. The smaller one may last for a year or so before he begins to look like a circus bear peddaling around the neighborhood on his mini bike. The larger one could cause the occasional crash or frustration with starting and stopping. He doesn't know any cuss words yet, does he?

marsupial · 11-08-2007, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluegoose

He doesn't know any cuss words yet, does he?

No, but now that he's turning 6, I think it's about time we teach him some.

bigpiney · 11-08-2007, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marsupial

My son turns 6 this weekend. He is 47 inches tall. According to the chart at Target, 16-inch bikes fit kids up to 48 inches tall and 20-inch bikes fit kids 48 to 56 inches tall. So, what size do I buy? I want him to be able to ride his bike right away, but I also don't want to buy something he'll be too big for in a couple of months. Advice?

Go with the bigger bike that is what we did with my now 7 year old. and buy it at target or walmart where it assembled and cheap. I remember what I did to my bikes at that age. it will get thrashed, so why spend a bunch of cash on it.

creekster · 11-08-2007, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marsupial

How much more, would you guess?

How much more do you want to spend? I know, that's obnoxious. PRObably about a 50% premium, I would guess.

ANother factr is how many kids you have or will have. I bought a very good small bike for my first son and it lasted for all three kids, as did the intermediate size bike (which kid three is almost finsihed with). For each kid I got some unique accessories and maybe a little paint detailing so that it became their bike, and I maintained the bikes so they worked well, but in the long run, I am pretty sure I saved money over the Target type bike which will, I guarantee, fall apart even if it was buuilt properly, which it probably wasn't.

THere was an articel in a bike magazine a number of years ago just before Christmas where they had gone out and purchased bikes from places like Sears, Target, etc and then inspected them and found that they all had serious build problems with a few even haveing unsafe consiftions with their brakes, etc. Soimethign to think about.

11-08-2007, 05:29 PM	#1
marsupial Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I... Isn't it so fun to spell? Posts: 1,701	Buying a bike for my son My son turns 6 this weekend. He is 47 inches tall. According to the chart at Target, 16-inch bikes fit kids up to 48 inches tall and 20-inch bikes fit kids 48 to 56 inches tall. So, what size do I buy? I want him to be able to ride his bike right away, but I also don't want to buy something he'll be too big for in a couple of months. Advice?

11-08-2007, 05:37 PM	#2
TripletDaddy Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 9,483	My first dirt bike was a Diamond Back Silver Streak. It came with Oakley F-1 grips--black and silver. Basically, it was the greatest thing to happen in my life up until that point and all the chicks dug it. I strongly recommend buying your son one. PS I would have been happy with a Kuwahara, as well, but after ET, there was a serious run on Kuwahara inventory in my neighborhood. __________________ Fitter. Happier. More Productive. "Everyone is against me. Everyone is fawning for 3D's attention and defending him." -- SeattleUte

11-08-2007, 05:50 PM	#5
creekster Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: the far corner of my mind Posts: 8,711	You may not like to hear this, but I would suggest you go to a bike shop and get their input. IF you go to a larger bike shop, they will also sell kids bikes and will fit it properly. Moreover, the bike will have been built by somone who knows what they are doing instead of by someone whose last task was breaking down boxes and whose next task will be clean up in the pharmacy department. It will cost more. But it iwill be better and if maintained wil last longer. . __________________ Sorry for th e tpyos.

11-08-2007, 05:59 PM	#7
bluegoose Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 2,919	We were in the same situtation last year with our then 6 year old. We went with the larger frame. He was a bit uncomfortable for quite a while, especially trying to start and stop because he couldn't quite touch the ground while on the seat. 6 months later, it fits great and he loves it. I guess it depends on how long you want him to ride it before you have to get a new one. The smaller one may last for a year or so before he begins to look like a circus bear peddaling around the neighborhood on his mini bike. The larger one could cause the occasional crash or frustration with starting and stopping. He doesn't know any cuss words yet, does he?