Hi all I need to get my 3&1/2 year old son a new bike as hes out grown his 10″ wheeled one after only a year question is cheap one agen out of Halfords £50 to £80 or brand name from my lbs for £120. I know the lbs one will be lighter and have better brakes ect but …

We have so far had;
Specialised hot rock 12″ and a Saracen Bolt 16″ both much nicer than the Halfords options.

I still feel we should have gone Isla Bikes for the current one as he is really into his riding (he has even managed a short ‘off road’ night ride).

Second hand from classifieds.

So far the pedals and rear brake on the Bolt have dissolved. It now has a parallel push xt v brake on the rear so it has more effective brakes too than when we bought it.

In short buy cheaper get more hassle and bills.

Thats what Im thinking ^ he has a Halfords one now and the bike weight a tone and the brakes are useless juat need to convince my wife he’d be better of wirh the lbs this one. We’ll see what happens in the morning heed to go to my lbs anyway to pick up some parts for mine so might sit him on it and see

The first bikes for both my kids were ridgebacks (honey and melody, 12 and 16″)

Since then have sold them on and replaced with second hand and the cost of each upgrade was made reasonable by the amount I got back for having a decent quality bike to sell on. Now on a 20″ ridgeback, and have just sold a 20″ kona and picking up a second hand spesh 24″ for the elder.

If you get a bso first up, as well as being a less pleasant bike to try to learn on, you won’t enjoy the resale value so you’ll end up spending as much if not more over the long term. If you can’t stretch to the initial outlay, go second hand quality rather than brand new bso, would be my advice.

Islabike best value
Holds value really well, if you pick up second hand it will sell for pretty much the same when outgrown
Much lighter than alternatives

Isla bike if you want that sort of outlay but as noted you wont loose anything much
The same is true with other quality bikes they just cost less to buy.

Will get my kids them at 24 ” wheels I reckon as they dont get serious use
Have a Kona and Ridgeback and both bought for £70 second hand
FWIW i dont rate suspension front or rear as it is heavy and largely ineffective. Both now have rigid forks.
IME 16″ is used for a short time as you want the gears that 20″ gives.

My daughter had a Halfords mtb which was about 120. it was a pile of sh*t the brakes and gears seized and it weighed a ton. Ended up taking it to the tip less than a year later. So i bought her a specialized hotrock which are much better quality and much lighter also you can pick a good second hand one up alot cheaper.

Whenever we have been together with family & friends, & the kids have their bikes, it’s the Islabikes that the kids prefer.
Lighter, kid friendly componentry, no ineffective suspension or OTT knobbly tyres, room for proper mudguards etc.

Ben 10
You may be in luck as I have a very nice ridgeback mx16 now going spare if you are interested ?
Very good cond and could pass as 6weeks old at most ! Was after £80 posted £70 picked up

I am in derby but work in Hinckley if any help
Regards James

if outgrown a 10 maybe not ready for a 16?
good wee bikes the ridgebacks tho

Aye i like the ridgeback

Saying kids prefer an Isla bike is like saying we prefer a 3k bike to a 1 k bike but you still have to consider the outlay – its certainly not 4 x better than the bikes my kids have currently [£75] though it is 3x better than a cheapo halfords/supermarket bike.

Thanks all we’ve been out today and got him a 16″ bmx and and he loves it. Have to run after him to keep up. His old one was a 12″ not a 10 my bad

Thanks all we’ve been out today and got him a 16″ bmx and and he loves it. Have to run after him to keep up. His old one was a 12″ not a 10 my bad

Saracen bolts are ok, I got a second hand one for £70, quite heavy but work well and is robust. Would have got an Isla bike if I had the cash, the second have values are ridiculous.