Normal for child's bike to steer poorly?

[Custom24]

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.

I was planning to have my son inherit the bike from his sister and then sell it on eBay. Being a "proper" cyclist myself means I can't in good conscience buy my kids any old thing.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I thought from the off that the steering was off, in that it doesn't want to point straight.
The bike doesn't self-balance at all if I fling it along our park grass

Doesn't have a lot of fork trail.

I wasn't sure, whether the 'not enough trail' route was worth going down (so didn't) because you'd think that many others before would have reported this design weakness if it had a detrimental effect.
Measuring off an image of a Frog43 suggests to me the trail is 32mm (OP could measure it), which is rather low to allow 'self-steering', according to Tony Oliver's book, iirc. I don't know whether there's a relationship (ie a graph of twitchiness: racer, tourer, tandem) between trail and wheelbase - TO's graph was for full size bikes.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I wasn't sure, whether the 'not enough trail' route was worth going down (so didn't) because you'd think that many others before would have reported this design weakness if it had a detrimental effect.
Measuring off an image of a Frog43 suggests to me the trail is 32mm (OP could measure it), which is rather low to allow 'self-steering', according to Tony Oliver's book, iirc. I don't know whether there's a relationship (ie a graph of twitchiness: racer, tourer, tandem) between trail and wheelbase - TO's graph was for full size bikes.

One might well think that, and I am happy for my musings to be shot down in flames. But until this thread I'd never heard of Frog or a Frog43.... and just wanted to make the point

 

[Yellow Saddle]

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

The first issue is to see if the wheel is lined up properly in the fork viz a vie the frame. Picking it up or flinging it along isn't a good guide, as the brake cables could be the source of the steering bias. Larger bikes have longer cables and cross neatly at the headtube and thus don't display this problem. The small bike hasn't got that luxury. The best way to see if the wheels line up is to have someone ride it towards you. Occasionally as the wheels criss-cross in their path towards you, you will see them line up or not. It is something performed at MOT tests for motorcycles and easy to do and perfectly accurate. You can't really do this when the bike is stationary.
Once you are happy with the alignment, see if the wheel sits in the centre of the fork. Take a measurement from the left and right rim position next to the fork at the same height. If the wheel is wobbly this won't work but again, this is a good indicator. Don't use the tyre as a gauge as they are seldom round, especially at this price point.
These are little preliminary things you can confirm for yourself and which are difficult to get across by phone. A support centre will just send you to your nearest Frog dealer. If you do, make sure they do these little tests for you just to put your mind at ease.

 

[Custom24]

The best way to see if the wheels line up is to have someone ride it towards you. Occasionally as the wheels criss-cross in their path towards you, you will see them line up or not. It is something performed at MOT tests for motorcycles and easy to do and perfectly accurate. You can't really do this when the bike is stationary.

I'm lacking a test rider, unfortunately. Will this still show up if someone (i.e. an adult, or maybe even my daughter) just pushes the bike towards me?

To be clear, when the bike is moving towards me, I am looking for the front wheel, rear wheel and frame to be occasionally all in a straight line? If so, could I not just put the bike into my workstand, or even just upside down on the floor, and measure/judge this with a metre rule?

Thanks

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I'm lacking a test rider, unfortunately. Will this still show up if someone (i.e. an adult, or maybe even my daughter) just pushes the bike towards me?

To be clear, when the bike is moving towards me, I am looking for the front wheel, rear wheel and frame to be occasionally all in a straight line? If so, could I not just put the bike into my workstand, or even just upside down on the floor, and measure/judge this with a metre rule?

Thanks

Your adult is your test rider unless the bike is really small. It needs to ride, pushing it along won't help because the steering movement will be unnatural. Have another adult on another bike ride towards you a few times until you get the hang of it. You can even fit one of the wheels in skew if you want to see what to look for. Your description is correct.

The rule story doesn't work on a bike and fork. If it is only a frame you are suspect of, it helps to strip it as far as possible and then wind string in a symmetrical way all around it and then compare gaps left and right. I've described this extensively before. Search for me as author and "string" and "gaps". This method unfortunately doesn't work for the frame and fork because you cannot hold the fork absolutely dead straight-on and keep it rigid.

You could however, do this with the fork alone. Remove the front wheel and front brake. Now thread the string around the brake pivots and over the drop-outs in such a way that you have the same lines left and right, Now compare gaps. Your eye does not lie. It is extremely easy to see. It is really easy and the geometry doesn't lie.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Your adult is your test rider unless the bike is really small.

@Custom24 - I do think that this trial should be video'd and posted so we can all enjoy the adult balancing on a 3 year old's bike (Frog43) approaching the observer (assume the observer needs to be you ) and what happens next. Perhaps some practice before the final 'take'.

 

[I like Skol]

@Custom24 - I do think that this trial should be video'd and posted so we can all enjoy the adult balancing on a 3 year old's bike (Frog43) approaching the observer (assume the observer needs to be you ) and what happens next. Perhaps some practice before the final 'take'.

I used to ride the MX14 with no problems (apart from the kids running along behind me shouting "Dad, give me my bike back!" )

 

[DCLane]

It should steer straight; my youngest grew up with Ridgeback MX14 and MX20. He's now onto an MX24 and they're all fine; i.e. they steer straight.

Road-bike wise he's had a basic Decathlon roadie plus his Felt F95 Jr. All have been fine.

I would suggest back to the LBS for a proper check.