Looking for a bike to ride with my kids as they get into the bike riding phase (currently 5 and 2).
Recommendations? Looking for something quality but not to overboard…
Good Quality Dad-Bike
gwong on 26/11/2023 - 12:29
Comments
I have found the Huffy Kmart bikes do the job well and very cheap!
But check facebook marketplace
Plenty of used bikes going cheap and even FREEThe bike will probably end up sitting around and going rusty anyway
Huffy is rubbish, as is 99% of the stuff from Kmart et-al. Sure, it’ll probably be OK to ride initially but they generally have terrible build quality, horrible brakes and often very little grass in the bearings. They also get surface rust on the very quickly and will be worth nothing to sell later. Unless you can do your own bike repairs you’ll likely have a hard time getting a bike shop to do any work on them too.
Sorry i beg to differ
As I said
They are just fine for the money and do the job.
And they have good reviews too.Yes you might need to adjust the brakes etc
But this is normal maintenance with any bike.OP is not looking for a first class premium racing bike to take on 100km rides with other bike riders.
Just one to ride the local area around with the kids.Thats what I did with my Huffy bike at it was Grand!
So I stand by my recommendation
@HeWhoKnows: OP asked for quality. Huffy is not quality. Huffy is budget at best and rubbish at worst. It might do the job, but it’s NOT quality. It light ride OK, but the difference is night and day once you get a decent bike.
No, OP doesn’t need a bike with carbon parts or the best groupset but upgrading a step above will make a world of difference
I stand by my recommendation of a second hand bike shop brand bike over ANYTHING that comes out of Kmart.
I’ve ridden, serviced and built dozens of different bikes over the years. I used to collect the cheaper bikes for pets but quickly found out they aren’t worth the trouble to pick up, even for free. The part any Kmart bike are just terrible. The only people who pick up these bikes from council cleanup are the recyclers.
When you can pick up a QUALITY second hand bike for the price of a Kmart bike you are getting double the value second hand. It’ll last a lifetime and not become landfill unlike Huffys.
Maybe just get something secondhand, mountain bike or similar. Any known brand with common running gear. Don’t go for a zillion gears. There are plenty around hardly used.
If cycling becomes a thing, then you’ll have a better idea of what you want.
If you see something that looks reasonable at Kmart, Woolies etc - walk carefully away…..👍
I second secondhand
.
I second second secondhand
Ditto
Secondhand Brand Name Hybrid is a no brainer.
Do a bit of research to ensure you're targeting the right size frame.
I got a Merida Big Nine 20 last Christmas after a bit of research. I was looking for something quality to last, but not overboard since I wasn't going to be hammering it - mainly flat trails, but enough to go off the side of the trail for a mound or two, or a slightly rougher informal trail along a creek, to give the kids a giggle.
https://www.99bikes.com.au/merida-22-big-nine-20-matt-dark-s…
The 29 inch wheels sit you a little bit dad higher, and it's rated to 135 dad kilos. I've been enjoying the disc brakes as a step up from the traditional style that I've been used to.
I've been very happy with it and can recommend.
Good Quality Dad-Bike
I read this as…
Good Dad Quad-Bike
Check out gumtree as you do not need an expensive bike to rid with the kids and get the kids bike from gumtree as well.
Honest answer- buy an older step-through ladies 3 speed bike.
The upright seating allows you to turn and look around for your kids. You're also not beding over as much - sitting more upright. You're also not racing with the kids so you dont need 21 gears with double suspension and disk brakes. Also any maintenance on them is super simple. Also they usually have a basket on the front for storing drink bottles. Also they are relatively inexpensive on marketplace or gumtree.
I have an old japanese step through bike as my casual rider and it is brilliant (had the same model in japan for 2 years). Internal 3 speed. Light weight. It just goes.
A mamachari?
Second hand $200 bike shop brand bike. Either hybrid or mountain bike will do. Avoid anything from Kmart etc they are just rubbish and not worth your time.
When buying second hand size is most important, followed by condition. If it looks in good condition and works when you buy it, it will work essentially forever. If it needs work it could cost up to $200 for a full service at a bike shop. Bicycle maintenance isn’t difficult if you’re handy with tools and can look up stuff on YouTube. Parts can be had cheap online.
Just had a look at Facebook marketplace. Seems prices have gone up. Might need to up the price to $300 to get a decent bike.
Dad bike? Dads I know ride carbon-fibre road bikes.
Yeah I mean one to ride alongside young kids
I think you are looking for a white van..
You want a flat bar hybrid or 'city' bike. Perhaps front shocks, disc brakes. You dont need those to ride with the kids but it will make your life more comfortable and perhaps you will use the bike more often.
Giant, Avanti, Trek and Merida all make good bikes, there are other big brands that are reliable. Obviously if you can find one second hand then that is ideal, just make sure they are recent enough to have disk brakes. Dont get too concerned about group sets or derailleurs, they wont make much difference to your usage.
Rim brakes are better than cable disc brakes. Cable disc brakes tend to be harder to adjust and not as powerful as rim brakes. If you can get hydraulic disc brakes they are a lot better but not essential.
Cheap nasty suspension does nothing to a bike but add marketing cred and weight. It really does very little for comfort on a hybrid bike.
I bought an 18 speed second hand ladies bike because I like to be able to put both feet on the ground when I stop and I can mount easily by stepping through.
It's works very well considering it's an old Kmart bike.
Stay away from Kmart! I've had two bikes from there and they are hopeless. I've even seen the frustrated buyers bring them back at the return desk and feel so embarrassed for them. They need endless adjustments and just eventually jam up and fall apart.
It might be overkill for your needs, but I have a Progear KX80. I can't seem to find any info on it these now but I'm a fairly big guy and ride it almost daily with the kids for school, my own errands and longer 10+ km family rides. I've had it for many years now. I don't do any real maintenance or care for it, just the real basic stuff - and it goes and goes and goes.
It's a very tall bike and so maybe it has extra-duty stuff on it, I don't really know, but it feels ridiculous riding anything shorter these days. I got it from someone else who couldn't use it anymore due to an injury. Something to look into if you're gonna invest in a bike in case you might start wanting to ride on your own for better exercise. There should be a later model equivalent or something.
If you’re looking at a bike to ride alongside learning kids an e bike is a waste. Kids will be slow and steady while the e-bike will want you to go faster.
That's true, I was just researching bikes for my own purposes (general riding) and found this thread, thought I'd see what OP found in their research.
Seems reasonable value for money.
Haven't gotten sorted yet. Still not sure what to get but this thread helped a lot getting started.
Here's a few stores you could check out
Reid
99 Bikes