What girls bike? (Yes, it's their birthday)

Indeed (and sort of, my point 🙂 )

Inverse snobbery about kids bikes on a cycling forum where people happily spend more than that on a single component of their own bike? Very odd. 😕

Ignoring the bickering, the OP’s kids are happy so main objective achieved.

Of course most of us suggested trying to get them onto a bike rather than buying blind due to your concerns.

Well there was a bit of feedback saying they needed 20” because they were six and they would outgrow anything else.

Inverse snobbery about kids bikes on a cycling forum where people happily spend more than that on a single component of their own bike? Very odd

But kids shouldn’t get expensive bikes just because their dad likes expensive bikes – they should get expensive bikes if they show a real interest in riding themselves.

Conversely I think kids are more likely to show “a real interest in riding themselves” if we get them decent well-engineered bikes that don’t weigh a ton, fit them well, and are easy for them to ride.

You obviously agree with that sentiment to some level, since you carefully researched this purchase instead of just buying some crappy pig iron BSO from a supermarket shelf.

And like I said earlier, it doesn’t need to be expensive. I paid less for the Cnoc than you paid for those Raleigh Stars. So I really don’t understand the “IslaBrats” chip that Dez and some other posters seem to have. But whatever.

Conversely I think kids are more likely to show “a real interest in riding themselves” if we get them decent well-engineered bikes that don’t weigh a ton, fit them well, and are easy for them to ride.

Nah – I think kids are either into a certain sport or they’re not. A nice bike makes no difference to their initial enthusiasm.

I built this (below) for my 12 yr old daughter – does she ride it? Nope! Only when pushed to go on a family ride! She has a passing interest in cycling. She is sporty though, but her interest is Tae Kwon Do and Gymnastics.

I’ll be honest this was more of a vanity project for myself, and the result of a bulging parts bin!

One day she may come to me and say ‘let’s go for a ride’ but I doubt it!