# Ridgeback MX16 - which stabilisers fit?



## KneesUp (24 Apr 2014)

Having watched our daughter (4) almost burst a blood vessel trying to haul 11kg of 16" bike up even the slightest incline, we've bought her a hardly-used Ridgeback MX16 off a popular auction site - it's a lovely thing, streets ahead of the old bike.

It needs a bit of a fettle (it has a snake-bite flat, the brake cables needed some GT85 and the bearing cones in the wheels were done up way too tight, as they were on her other bike - is that a thing with kids bikes?) so I set too last night only to find that the 'universal' stabilisers off her old bike don't fit because the chain-stays are too thick. They have a metal 'bridge' piece that sort of hooks around the chainstay to stop them moving, but as the Ridgeback is aluminium it has thicker tubes, so they don't fit.

This is what the current ones look like - the bits bottom right don't fit.

So that was a waffly way of asking - what stabilisers have you found that fit on an MX16 please? Preferably as cheap as possible because she almost doesn't need them anymore


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## macbikes (25 Apr 2014)

I reckon you should give her a try without


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## I like Skol (25 Apr 2014)

macbikes said:


> I reckon you should give her a try without


x2 At the age of 4 she should be ready.
The MX kids bikes are great.....


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## summerdays (25 Apr 2014)

Instead of fitting stabilisers, remove the pedals.


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## KneesUp (25 Apr 2014)

Thanks all. I've found some that fit today - she's a nervous cyclist so although I don't think she'll need them long, I also don't think she'd be at all keen on riding the new bike if it didn't have any. Getting rid of them this summer is the aim: she only got the other bike last year and although she talks about loving riding her bike, she's never that keen to actually do it, preferring her scooter. Hopefully it will be new bike, new. If nothing else the saddle looks a lot more comfortable!

I've nicked an inner tube off the old one, so it's in the kitchen waiting for her in the morning - should be a nice surprise.

(For reference, the ones I got were these, from Halfords. They don't officially fit bikes that don't have horizontal drop-outs, but in reality they are fine. A bit pricey, but they didn't seem so bad because I'd come from Evans where they wanted £25 for some like on Skol Junior's MX14. At least I got 'suspension' for my £18, which may help keep the wheel in contact with the ground in our less than smooth park)


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## Canrider (25 Apr 2014)

Glad you found some that fit, but I'd second that:
- take pedals off
- lower saddle until she can get a foot flat on the ground
- Scoot until she gets the feel of the balance, then pedals on to learn that skill

Having said that, Master Canrider can balance-and-scoot Miss Canrider's old Cnoc 16, but (aged 3.5) he insists on looking at his feet when he tries to pedal. So I'm considering stabilisers until he gets used to keeping his feet on the pedals, then stabilisers off and teach him to ride properly.


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## summerdays (26 Apr 2014)

With stabilisers they learn to pedal rather than balance. I've taught a number using the balance method though currently my niece is a little slow at getting the hang of it (doesn't help that she is miles away and her Dad bought a bike that was borderline too big for her). If she enjoys using her scooter then it's a similar experience except she gets to sit down and use both legs to push with.


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## hatler (26 Apr 2014)

Our tactic was to use the balance bike to teach balance and a trailer-bike to teach pedalling. When we combined the two they both simply pedalled off into the distance.


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## KneesUp (26 Apr 2014)

Didn't go well today - see new thread!


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