My soon to be 4yo (~40") has outgrown his 12" Hotwalk and 12" Hotrock, so I’m looking for a 16" bike. But I’d like it to have (or be able to add) handbrake(s).
I think that a 20" bike would be too big for him (which seems to be the size that they add handbrakes). The only 16" bike I could find that really fit the bill was a Redline Pitboss, but that has a pretty high stand-over height, and may be over geared.
Any thoughts?
My son had a Marin 16" with a handbrake. He only started to use it toward the “end” when he was 6, but then we got a 20". The brake lever was too long (small hands) and the brake itself wasn’t powerfull enough. It deflected too much. The frame didnt’ have the posts for a better V-brake. You don’t need it.
X2, my daughter has a Louis Garneau 16" with a handbrake and she’s about to move up to a 20" - has used that brake maybe three times (all in the last month too). Most come with but you certainly don’t need it for a 4YO-6YO.
AP
I’ll assume that it had a coaster brake then? The 16" redline that I mentioned does not have a coaster brake.
ahhh, yes it had a coaster brake. I think most 16"s have both - and frankly there’s no way my daughter would have rode her bike the last two years she’s had it if it only had the hand brake. Get a bike with both.
AP
I’m pretty sure Trek makes a 16 with a rear had break as well
.
Thanks, they (along with a lot of others apparently) stopped last year or the year before. IIRC 2010 was the last year for the 16" Float.
Opus Scout. I just bought a 20" Thumper for my 9yr old goddaughter and it’s a freakin’ AWESOME bike!
My son is tall for his age but was riding the redline pitboss on his 4th birthday. He had a lightning mcqueen Disney 12" bike w/o training wheels right before that. I highly recommend the pitboss, it’s so well built and has great parts that it’s light weight and reach adjust brake levers help him adjust in no time.
My 7yo daughter was pissed he could pedal backwards (no foot brake).
Gearing wise it’s fine for him, we even take him on the local mtb trail which has a few steep hills…it’s the first time one of my kids bikes are lighter than mine, which help on the trails.
If you had no plans to go race bmx you may want to get a new seat. The included hard plastic shell of a seat is made to take abuse but my son complained when we were on some extended rides.
Good luck.
was he strong enough to work the handbrake? It really seems to be a different level of kids bike
Actually my son had some hand strength issues which required him to go to occupational therapy but the hand brake was very easy to use when the reach was adjusted. The v brakes are adult grade and are very smooth.
Even having some strength issues the brakes have a Real light touch.