Normal for child's bike to steer poorly?

[Custom24]

Hi
I bought my daughter a new Frog 43 a while ago, so not a cheap bike at all. It was set up by my LBS in a normal pre-delivery setup.

I thought from the off that the steering was off, in that it doesn't want to point straight. I thought this might be due to the brake cables pulling on it - with such a small frame, I thought it's difficult to arrange the cables not to do this.

Today, I loosened the headset, but it didn't make much difference.

The bike doesn't self-balance at all if I fling it along our park grass, but I'm not sure if that's normal for a frame of this size?

My daughter's making slow progress with it - she'll probably have outgrown it before she learns to ride, and I'm just wondering if something's up with the bike.

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[MichaelW2]

Are the frame or forks misaligned. This is very common on BSOs but not expected on a Frog.

 

[Custom24]

Are the frame or forks misaligned. This is very common on BSOs but not expected on a Frog.

Not sure. How would I check?

 

[srw]

Not sure. How would I check?

Take it back to the LBS.

It's inevitable in any volume manufacturing and distribution process that some product will get damaged. Take it back, tell them why, and ask them to take a look at it. If it's duff they'll replace it.

 

[Custom24]

Take it back to the LBS.

It's inevitable in any volume manufacturing and distribution process that some product will get damaged. Take it back, tell them why, and ask them to take a look at it. If it's duff they'll replace it.

I was looking for opinions so I could go in there knowing what to expect

 

[Illaveago]

Do they have another bike in the shop so that you can compare the steering? Or do you know of another shop that has them.

 

[srw]

I was looking for opinions so I could go in there knowing what to expect

You can expect a bike that steers properly. It's the shop's job to diagnose a fault, not the customer's. If they're a decent shop they'll do a decent job of fault-finding. If they don't, get in touch with Frog.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Kiddies bikes are notoriously crap. I hate to say it but don't expect it to work well at all. The brakes won't contact the rims properly, they will always drag. The cables will be of the poorest quality to the point where some can't be activated by the children. I haven't come across a steering problem as you have, and you say it isn't the headset that's too tight? I don't know what that can be but check if the two drop-outs are parallel to the horizontal and the wheels line up when the bike is cycled towards you.
Unfortunately there is not much the retailer can do other than his best. They just won't work properly. If it isn't a complete health hazard, the child won't know any better nor care, so just let it be.

 

[srw]

Anyway. My best guess is that the frame or forks are damaged or not well made. Which a lay person won't be able to spot if it's not pointed out to them. But there are loads of other possibilities.

 

[I like Skol]

Kiddies bikes are notoriously crap. I hate to say it but don't expect it to work well at all. The brakes won't contact the rims properly, they will always drag. The cables will be of the poorest quality to the point where some can't be activated by the children. ...................Unfortunately there is not much the retailer can do other than his best. They just won't work properly. If it isn't a complete health hazard, the child won't know any better nor care, so just let it be.

Utter tosh and a shocking generalisation!

I agree that a cheap kids BSO (Bike Shaped Object) will fit the above description but a decent bike like the Frog should work well and be fit for purpose.

My kids learned to ride on a similar sized and priced bike and there were none of the issues described above. In fact it always amazed me how it was a well built mini MTB that worked and was maintainable just the same as a good full sized bike.

The above picture shows the Ridgeback MX14 when I was selling it after 2 boys had had full use of it and it was still in great condition. No handling issues or unsuitable components. A great bike at £120rrp

It sounds Like your Frog 43 is a bad one and I would be taking it back to be replaced or refunded if I were you. A £190 kids bike should have none of the issues described.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Utter tosh and a shocking generalisation!

I agree that a cheap kids BSO (Bike Shaped Object) will fit the above description but a decent bike like the Frog should work well and be fit for purpose.

My kids learned to ride on a similar sized and priced bike and there were none of the issues described above. In fact it always amazed me how it was a well built mini MTB that worked and was maintainable just the same as a good full sized bike.

The above picture shows the Ridgeback MX14 when I was selling it after 2 boys had had full use of it and it was still in great condition. No handling issues or unsuitable components. A great bike at £120rrp

It sounds Like your Frog 43 is a bad one and I would be taking it back to be replaced or refunded if I were you. A £190 kids bike should have none of the issues described.

Look, I have nothing against Frog and don't know the brand. From the picture, this model looks half decent. But I stick to my statement that kiddies bikes are notoriously crap. That doesn't mean they are all rubbish but for most situations you have to lower your expectations, especially if you are a cyclist. In general, they are extremely difficult to get them performing as one would expect them to. Most of them have cheap stamped steel caliper brakes running on slanted rims and slanted pads which never meet up. The tyres have a built-in run-out that makes parents think the wheels aren't straight and the cables are horrible. If you've bought such a bike, you've bought it on price and can't expect a mechanic to fix it. The converse is also true. I haven't seen the bike.

The OP's steering problem could be from the cable stiffness giving the steering a bias, which disappears when there are hands on the bars.

 

[oldfatfool]

Take it back, it should steer straight.

£190 is a lot for a kids bike but then on the otherhand #Yellow Saddle does have a point, how many will spend more than that on a single component when it comes to their bike?

 

[Ajax Bay]

how many will spend more than that (£190) on a single component when it comes to their bike?

Not many, I suggest.
@Custom24 - you are very generous (or rich, or both) father - good luck getting it sorted, before your daughter grows out of it. I think @Yellow Saddle is focusing his disappointment with the general quality of children's bikes at a rather low price point than the Frog 43.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Doesn't have a lot of fork trail. Wouldn't that tend to make it inherently 'twitchy' in combination with small wheels and a very very short wheelbase?

(All my book on frame geometry are in packing cases in a loknstor in Blighty.

 

[Custom24]

Thanks all. I should probably clarify that when I say "doesn't steer straight", I mean the wheel doesn't point straight when I pick the bike up off the ground. Also, the "fling it along the park" test fails, suggesting to me that the steering is not right.

It's a bit difficult to say any more since my daughter can't ride it yet.

I will ask the LBS to have a look at it. I expect shrugged shoulders, though. I will then follow it up with Frog.

Thanks
Mark