# Blood, sweat and tears are thicker than water



## Cyclist33 (11 Aug 2012)

Just spent three hours putting together my boy's First Bike!! A not expensive Ben 10 affair from Asda. I figured, don't get caught out spending £130 to buy a Ridgeback that will be out of date in six months time and probably beaten up by multiple falls.

Don't understand balance bikes either. I mean, surely a normal bike teaches balance too?!

Stu


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## smokeysmoo (11 Aug 2012)

Cyclist33 said:


> Don't understand balance bikes either. I mean, surely a normal bike teaches balance too?!


AFAIK they help instill confidence as their feet are planted at first, then the balance comes as their confidence grows.

You can make your own, just take his pedals off


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## Cyclist33 (11 Aug 2012)

that was exactly the same thought i had, whilst saving a bundle.

stu


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## I like Skol (13 Aug 2012)

Cyclist33 said:


> Just spent three hours putting together my boy's First Bike!! A not expensive Ben 10 affair from Asda. I figured, don't get caught out spending £130 to buy a Ridgeback that will be out of date in six months time and probably beaten up by multiple falls.
> 
> Don't understand balance bikes either. I mean, surely a normal bike teaches balance too?!
> 
> Stu


A bit harsh there with the 6 month lifespan (but maybe that IS how long the Ben10 [shudder] bike will last). In my experience the Ridgeback MX14 I bought for my kids was used for over 2 years by each of my 2 sons, stood up to the battering dished out by 2 boisterous boys without flinching and was sold on in good condition for £40 when we had finished with it. That means we spent about £35 on a bike for each son and they got to ride a 'proper' reliable bike with good brakes and suitable for riding some fair distances (10-15 miles were not unusual).

Don't get me wrong, I guess most of us probably started out on BSO beginner bikes and it didn't do us much harm in the long run. It's just that we know there are better bikes out there and I don't think it is being snobby to try and get our kids on better bikes. By the way, I am still not convinced of the absolute superiority of the Islabikes product, I just have a nagging suspicion that there is something of the Emperor's new clothes about them and some of the mainstream manufacturers products are just as good without the 'designer' price tag?


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## Cyclist33 (13 Aug 2012)

I hear you, Lager, er Skol. I was just being ultra-cynical, as is my habit. Besides, it was my mum and sister who decided to get the Boy a bike, and I couldn't get £120 for a Ridgeback past them.


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## sidevalve (14 Aug 2012)

Rather a cheap bike than no bike. Don't really understand this cheap bikes wont last long thing. I've seem cheapo kids BMX bikes HAMMERED by several kids, dumped in a shed, dug out re-hammered and then used for bits on another old bike. Asking around friends, kids in the street etc I don't see any broken frames just punctures and the odd buckled wheel, which you can get on your £1000 plus race bike. I have a cheap Trax from Halfords for playing on the local farm tracks, if I needed any bits they are dirt cheap on E bay but I've never needed any. The trouble is cheap bikes often get NO maintenance, even the very best wont last long like that.
If he like it then fine, let him get out there and ride it and the less people telling him how rubbish it is the better, he's a kid having fun and like everybody else when cycling stops being fun it's time to buy a car [or a bathchair].


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