3.5 yo riding bike with no training wheels...bike suggestions please?!

[mum2be]

Dd (3.5) just learned how to ride a bike with no training wheels yesterday! I swear those balance bikes are AMAZING! She had been riding her balance bike for a year, we finally decided she was ready to try a big girl bike, so we took her out and she learned in two minutes! Amazing!

But the bike she is riding now is an old one from a friend and it doesn't fit her properly. For her birthday I'd love to get her a nice bike...maybe one with brakes on the handle bars?

Can anyone recommend a good bike (not too flashy) that would fit an almost 4 y.o.?

Thank you!!

[AndrewsMother]

No brakes, but my son loves the boys version of this bicycle that he received for his 4th birthday.

[HappyMommy2]

There are 12 inch ones that fit my 3-4 y.o. (not the 16 inch one)

[Dandelionkid]

My son learned at age 3 also and did well on a 12 inch bike. I wouldn't get handlebar brakes- they are really tricky to coordinate with pedaling. My son did really well with pedal brakes (going backwards brakes the bike).

[mum2be]

thanks everyone! i was hoping for something that was similar to the balance bike in looks...i love the simplicity of them and am not so much of fan of flashy colors and plastic. I was thinking of going vintage? or vintage style?

[AndrewsMother]

Originally Posted by mum2be

thanks everyone! i was hoping for something that was similar to the balance bike in looks...i love the simplicity of them and am not so much of fan of flashy colors and plastic. I was thinking of going vintage? or vintage style?

I haven't seen any larger bikes made of plastic. I can't even imagine that being safe. Who makes them?

[mum2be]

no, not the bike made out of plastic, but there is often lots of plastic parts...the thing that covers the chain, etc.
I'm not trying to be super picky, I just had something in mind that I was wondering if actually existed!

[mum2be]

oh, and I liked the bike you linked to and bookmarked it. i also found this one...

[AndrewsMother]

Originally Posted by mum2be

no, not the bike made out of plastic, but there is often lots of plastic parts...the thing that covers the chain, etc.
I'm not trying to be super picky, I just had something in mind that I was wondering if actually existed!

Gotcha! I feel the exact same way! Have you looked at local bike shops? We saw quite a few "simple" styles, but ended up purchasing the bike from Target with birthday gift cards.

I am the pickiest person ever, I understand!

[AndrewsMother]

Originally Posted by mum2be

oh, and I liked the bike you linked to and bookmarked it. i also found this one...

ooooooo! I like the solid color! 18 inches might be a bit much for a 4 year old. My DS is in the 50th percentile for height, and the 16 inch is just almost perfect. 18 inches would not work for him. 12 inches allowed no room for growth.

[MJB]

My second son started riding a bike without training wheels at 2.5. He had a 12" bike which worked well for him that summer and the summer he was 3.5; we bought him a 16" for his 4th bday (in December, so he didn't ride it until spring when he was nearly 4.5). If I was buying a bike for a 3.5 yr. old who could already ride without training wheels (it's easiest to learn on a too-small bike) I'd look for a 14". There's a huge variation in frame sizes on bikes with the same size wheels though, and I would never buy a bike without trying it out in person. Check your local bike shops for nicer, non-character/cartoony bikes; but really, she'll need a new bike in a couple years anyway and I personally wouldn't spend a lot on a bike at this age.

[SparklingGemini]

I love the beach cruisers for kids that Electra makes. I think they come as small as 16".

[Cavy]

A That age DC would have been most comfortable on a 12" wheel bike, up until age 5yo, actually.

I suggest you go to local shops and buy the lightest weight bike you can find & afford. If you were in the UK I could recommend what brands to get, but USA market not the same. Specialised and Ridgeback probably good brands to start with.

Keep in mind... where do you want her to ride this, and do you care if it gets rusty/thrown on the ground/stolen? There's a lot to be said for basic kids' bikes which are too heavy and not brilliant to ride but are good enough as toys (which is basically all most people want their kids to have as bikes).

Whatever you get, make sure she has a comfortable reach to the brakes. Very important for control and all that. A foot brake like we all had on our bikes when we were young is great, too.

[crowcaw]

My girls got 12" Specialized bikes for their 3rd birthday. The Specialized bikes pretty straight forward and clean looking; Trek, Gary Fisher, Norco, probbaly a few others also make simple small bikes. We went to 16" for their 4th birthday (again Specialized) because they were beginning to look like circus bears on the 12". We did think the 12" would last a bit longer for them but they are tall for their age. Dh also installed a handbrake on the 16" because they wanted one (coaster break was still there) and they use it very well. I'd take her to a bike shop and have her sit on the different sizes to see what's right for her. My Dds' 5th b-day is coming up and they are ready for a 20" -- or at least one of them is -- though we might wait until Christmas time. (I know all these bikes sounds a bit excessive but we're a big biking family and dh is really into bike fit and we both think a well fitting bike helps them have more fun.)