my daughter is starting to want to do tri’s, or at least run and bike as of now. how much should i invest in a bike for a 15 year old girl who may or may not stay with the sport. the bike size would be a 46-48. i really dont want to buy a 2500 dollar one but also dont want to spend 250 on a piece of junk, and find out 6 months from now she doesnt want to do this anymore
Options:
- Go with the $250 piece of junk until she really commits to it. She’s 15 – it’s ok if she has a crappy bike.
- Craig’s List / eBay. Demand is less high for such a small frame. Deals can be had.
- Also due to lower demand issue, you can find very small frames of that size at incredible discounts, like 70% off. Build it up with cheap/used parts and wheels and she’ll have a really nice bike. Throw a pink ribbon on it and score some “best-mom/dad-in-the-world” points too.
Personally, I like the idea of option 1 (making kids suffer a bit and learn to appreciate nice stuff), but if my range is $800-$1200, I’d go with option 3, knowing that it could grow into a very important part of her life and a great way to stay bonded with my kid.