Every day I cycle to school with three children. Two on their own bike and one on the back. The ride takes just under ten minutes and ensures a fresh start to the day. Lately I noticed that the children's bicycles of the eldest two have become too small. Time for two new bicycles, since Daughter (7) really does not get on the bicycle of Eldest Son (9). The birthday is the perfect time to look for a new children's bicycle. So I am now in the land of bicycle shops and want to buy the right children's bicycle, a new or second-hand children's bicycle. Will you help me on my way?
I run into the questions below that I don't really know how to handle myself. I do have my preferences, but I'm curious how you feel about this.
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There are many websites where you can order bicycles. Some are delivered roadworthy, others you have to screw together yourself. Both hubby and I have never put a bike together. Although it is quite handy, I personally think that the profession of a bicycle repairman does not exist for nothing. It makes me feel safer when it's put together by a professional. groggy? Maybe…but it is my children that I put on that bike. Then as a mother I want it to be safe. So I myself will look for the cheapest 'offline' bicycle shop in the area to buy a children's bicycle. But I hear from others that they can buy a bicycle online without any problems.
Gazelle, Batavus, Sparta, Alpina, Cortina, Popal, Bike Fun… just a selection of some bicycle brands that I see passing by. To be fair:because the first five are the most familiar to me, I also attach a quality level to them. However, the price tag attached to it is on a different level (read:more expensive). And even after some research via Google and at the bicycle repair shop, there certainly appears to be a difference in quality. “Think about how regularly you use the bicycle and if not, take a look at a second-hand children's bicycle,” someone gave as a tip. Ok, on these children's bicycles they cycle to school every day and therefore they have to be of good quality. Is a second-hand children's bicycle an option?
I will never forget that a friend bought a second-hand children's bicycle from a good brand. The bike looked fine, but after a few weeks the tire had a flat tire. Can happen. After checking at the bicycle repair shop, it turned out that the bicycle needed new inner and outer tires and there was something that was not quite right. In short, she lost 140 euros and if she added that to what she paid for the bike, she might as well have bought a new one. Bad luck? Perhaps, but it still haunts my mind.
Another reason for a new bicycle is that you can often sell the bicycle second-hand. For example, I once sold an Alpina bicycle and calculated that I have enjoyed it for two years for 150 euros. Anyway, I have to put down at least 350 euros first for a new one from a good brand. And that times two is a hefty amount!
I am looking for a 24 inch girls bike and a 26 inch boys bike. I think there should be some gears on that. Hand brakes are allowed as an extra brake, but a coaster brake is a requirement for the new bikes. Otherwise I can see them crashing into a car, wall or sidewalk, because they forget that they can no longer brake backwards. I'd rather wait a few years with that.
There are many different models of bicycles:transport bicycles, granny bicycles, regular city bicycles or mountain bikes. Buying a children's bicycle is not a complicated matter, as it turns out. Daughter would like a blue transport bike. I can't help but agree with her, because that looks nice! She currently has a red Alpina Cargo with a white box on the front. I'm still in love with it, but blue is nice too;) .
So daughter is not really the problem, but son has a different idea of what his bike must meet than we do. He now also rides a transport bike, which I personally find very useful if he wants to take his football with him or if he has gym at school that day. He doesn't see it that way himself. He wants a mountain bike or cross bike, because they are 'cool'. If I explain to him that he can't take anything extra with him, it doesn't matter to him. I did tell him that I demand that the bike has a rear mudguard. I can already see him coming home with his back covered in mud. No thanks, the washing machine is already working overtime enough.
And what do you think? Mister went Googling and actually found a kind of mountain bike with mudguard. Bummer… very clever that he succeeded of course and the bike is not that expensive (the brand, on the other hand, really doesn't tell me anything), but something in me tells me that it won't last long. Am I going to reward him for his quest and buy that kid's bike? Or do I follow my own feeling and try to send it to another bike?
I think I will soon take the children to a bicycle shop in the Utrecht region where you can buy a new or second-hand children's bicycle. See if I can pass two good children's bicycles there. Bargaining is not my strongest quality, but my hubby is again very good at it;) . If any of you know of a good store, I'd love to hear about it.
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