# Buying A Kid's Bike
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-kids-bike/282450
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 31, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-kids-bike/282450 "2004-12-31T17:23:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-kids-bike/282450/1 "2004-12-31T17:23:18Z")
My son is turning six soon and I’m buying him a bike. I found a basic chart-- not online unfortunately-- relating inseam to frame size, but I still have a few questions.
[ul][li]What’s a good brand? A bad brand?[_]Is a store brand out of the question?[_]Should I buy something he can “grow into?”[_]I see no reason to get him something with shocks, heavy duty tire tread or handlebar extensions, but are there any worthwhile extras for kids?[_]Flames and cool stickers or no?[/ul][/li]Some info that might help: I am **not** rich. We took the training wheels off his old bike toward the beginning of fall and he’s wobbly, but he can ride. His best friend has a cool bike with flames and whatnot, but it still has training wheels. We probably won’t get a new bike until my financial investments (PowerBall, not scratch off) pay out. I’m buying this weekend.
Any insights?
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### Author:  [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-kids-bike/282450/2 "2005-01-02T16:14:03Z")
First of all,
How ya been **Six**?
We have bought a lot of bikes in the last 10 years. I never did any research on them. You are a way cool dad!
All but two of the bikes were bought with the children present. ( The last two were Christmas gifts two years ago. ) That way, the child for whom the bike was for could test it out in the store to see if it was a comfortable ride for them.
Do remember to get a helmet, elbow and knee pads for your son.
And FWIW, I think flames are way cool!
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### Author:  [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2005, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-kids-bike/282450/3 "2005-01-03T01:09:55Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#):
>
> [ul][li]What’s a good brand? [/li]Schwinn, Giant, Trek, GT/Dyno
>
> A bad brand?
> Huffy, Murray, Roadmaster
>
> [li]Is a store brand out of the question?[/li]I’d steer clear of store brands, unless the store is Performance. And even then…
>
> [li]Should I buy something he can “grow into?”[/li]You can raise the seat and maybe the handlebars to accommodate a little bit of growth. But that’s a short-term strategy. Couldn’t you just encourage him to stop growing?
>
> [li]I see no reason to get him something with shocks, heavy duty tire tread or handlebar extensions, but are there any worthwhile extras for kids?[/li]Shocks on a bike meant for a six-year old are going to be cheap and unserviceable. Knobby tires aren’t a bad idea. Fatter tires are maybe a little better for riding, plus you can assume that he and his friends will find unpaved places to ride. Then he’ll appreciate knobby tires. A pad that velcros around the top tube might be appreciated.
>
> [li]Flames and cool stickers or no?[/ul][/li]Flames and cool stickers yes! Plus maybe some letraset to put his name on the frame?
>
> Any insights?
>
> BMX style bikes are way sturdy. I’d recommend that as a first bike just knowing how kids are with their stuff.
🙂🙂