Bike recommendation for a 5-year-old girl?

[crimsonowl]

We're looking for a bike for my daughter's fifth birthday. She is tall for her age (90th percentile) but not very coordinated. She never even really mastered her tricycle, and I missed the boat by not getting her a balance bike. So, now it's time for a big-girl bike, and I presume she'll need to start with training wheels. She'll want something that's pink; I want high-quality with no Disney-type characters or cartoons on it. Price isn't really an object, as with three little girls, this bike should have some longevity in our family.

Recs, please? Thanks!

[elbert]

We got our not-very-coordinated-can't-ride-a-trike DD (4yo) a Trek Mystic in purple, but I think there's a pink version. It had a basket and ribbons (to make it seem quite girly), and feels very "solid". She had a good deal of success with it in the Fall. We purchased it at a local bike shop...

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/kids/ages_4_6/mystic16/

[WatchingThemGrow]

Our DD has a 16" specialized Hotroc (http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?spid=52928&scid=1005&scname=Kids)k. She would be giddy about having that pink one, but ended up with last year's yellow one that can be passed down to the brothers. We have done the balance bike thing, and I may suggest that it isn't too late to try one, if you can get one for cheap, then resell it. We had a good one, then needed a 2nd one because 2 kids wanted to be riding them. We got a free bike on CL, then had the pedals, etc. removed for $25 at the bike shop.

Being able to put her feet totally flat on the ground will help to stabilize her so she can balance and ride on her own more quickly. Oh, and actually getting outside regularly to do it. I just saw a shimmering girly 16" Hotrock on our CL that said it was never touched, asking price of $125. Made me think that the family just didn't actually plan time to bike. They say that learning to ride on a bike that is on the smaller side is way easier than one that is too big.

[squimp]

We have a Trek Mystic too and LOVE it. DD used the training wheels until she was 6, and honestly I think she's pretty coordinated. It just took her a while, and I know she was one of the first of her friends to ride a bike without training wheels.

[94bruin]

Another vote for the Trek Mystic. We got ours for about $60 in great condition off CL. DD *loves* the basket and is always taking her stuffed animals for rides.

[WatchingThemGrow]

oh, not sure how strong she is, but the Treks are a touch heavier than the Specialized bikes. The Walmart/Target bikes of the world are usually heavier than both, and therefore harder to pedal.

[KrisM]

oh, not sure how strong she is, but the Treks are a touch heavier than the Specialized bikes. The Walmart/Target bikes of the world are usually heavier than both, and therefore harder to pedal.

Yes to that.

DD does have a Trek Mystic (my $15 garage sale find) and DS1 had the Trek Jet. Both are heavy bikes. DS1 now has the Specialized and it's so much lighter!

[junebaby07]

Just curious what height your daughters were when they started on these bikes? My dd is probably about 41" and I was thinking of one of of these for her 4 th birthday in May. We got her a balance bike last year but she didn't really take to it - she is great on a trike and a scooter though. Most of her friends are getting training wheel bikes and I think she is outgrowing her kettler trike (ready to pass it on to dd2) - so just curious if she is tall enough for one of these?

[WatchingThemGrow]

Just curious what height your daughters were when they started on these bikes? My dd is probably about 41" and I was thinking of one of of these for her 4 th birthday in May. We got her a balance bike last year but she didn't really take to it - she is great on a trike and a scooter though. Most of her friends are getting training wheel bikes and I think she is outgrowing her kettler trike (ready to pass it on to dd2) - so just curious if she is tall enough for one of these?

My DD was probably about that tall - she's in the 50th-70th %ile for height - and she was touching the ground on her tiptoes while sitting on the Specialized bike. They cut the seatpost down 3/4" so her feet would be flat because that's what the important thing is when learning to ride a 2-wheeler. Being flat-footed is key.

When you say that she didn't really take to it, did you try letting her watch some youtube videos of kids on balance bikes, take her around the block and let her walk it, then run it, etc? We do a lap outside a few times a week, so you do have to put some time into letting them "practice" riding the balance bike. They go through stages and end up picking their feet up to coast on it. After that stage is when we stuck DS1 on a 2 wheel pedal bike. He mastered it in no time. Just because friends have training wheels doesn't mean your DD has to. We never used them. Of course, my DC think they look cool and want them, but they can hold their own on the road now!

[Tondi G]

My DS has a Diamondback bike that we bought at Sport Chalet and have been very happy with. This is the girl version of his bike basically

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00421EWQG/?tag=diamonbicycl-20

this is a more beach cruiser style... the handlebars might be awkward since they are wider

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00421DPE6/?tag=diamonbicycl-20

[crimsonowl]

These are all excellent thoughts and recommendations --- thank you. I will take her to some local bike shops and have her try out the models you suggested. She is approx. 45" tall (at 4.75 years), so I'm assuming that the 16" models should be appropriate?

And you are right about giving her time to practice. We're outside all of the time, all-year, thanks to our climate, but we live on top of a steep hill, in a neighborhood full of steep hills, and even our driveway is a hill --- all of which makes learning to trike and bike a bit precarious. We are just going to have to find a flat place to take her and practice, practice.

Thanks again.