20" kids bike recommendations please

[Adam]

Hi all,
Title pretty much says it all, but for a little extra information, my brother is wanting to get my nephew a new bike for Christmas.

Just wondering if any one on here is aware of any great bargain mini bikes on here.

For a comparison, this is what I think he's been looking at so far and is probably looking to spend around that range.

Giant ARX 20 Red

Cheers for any replies.

 

[R120]

Whyte 203 is a quality bit of kit, but I think closer to 500 quid

Whyte 203 - a new 20" wheel MTB for little rippers - Cycle Sprog

 

[R120]

actually that website has quite a good list of 20" bikes

The best kids 20" wheel mountain bikes - Christmas 2019

 

[R120]

Vitus looks good, same price as Giant but better spec

Vitus 20Plus Kids Bike | Chain Reaction Cycles

 

[steve_sordy]

Hoy Bonaly 20" MTb from Evans Cycles. Great second hand prices for when you come to sell.

The Kenda tyres are more for pavement warriors, so change them to something a bit more knobbly for a tenner each. Keep the Kendas for when you come to sell, for that new bike look!

 

[Adam]

Awesome, cheers guys, I'll have a proper read of these responses later when I'm not at work.

I had actually already considered the 2020 Vitus with 15% off code at the moment.
And using that as a way for me to help get to the £500 loyalty discount target and then buy the vitus e sommet vrs after with hopefully the 15% off code too.

?

 

[Adam]

Oops, forgot to add the link to the 2020 Vitus and the fact that I meant from Wiggle when I replied at work.
Wiggle | Vitus 20+ Kids Bike (2020) | Junior Bikes

 

[cat1]

Isla bike are pretty much the best kids bike for the money and they hold their value when they grow out of them.

 

[cat1]

Isla bike are pretty much the best kids bike for the money and they hold their value when they grow out of them.View attachment 22200

They do a 20 small and large as well.

 

[steve_sordy]

A a couple of years ago I had to make a buying decision on an Islabike or a Hoy bike, for my grandson. I was coming from a position of a long term Islabike buyer, but I still chose the Hoy.
It weighed the same, had the same quality feel, which was important, but it was better set up for mtb in my opinion. The Hoy gears were lever shift not twist grip like the Islabike, and the cassette range was bigger.
My only nagging doubt was the second hand value. I knew that used values for Islabikes were very good, but it turned out that so are those for the Hoy bike.

And the Hoy bike was cheaper than the Islabike!

PS: Whatever bike you get cover all the usual places in bike tape (down tube, stays, forks). Your efforts will be rewarded come sale time.

 

[Adam]

Cheers again guys, plenty of info here to pass onto my brother.

I did just think of something I'd forgotten to ask though, although my nephew has had a smaller bike he never got around to learning to ride it properly yet, so he'll still need stabilisers at least for a brief while.
I've seen a couple options online that may work with geared bikes, but wondered if there are any that any of you guys have experience with that you'd recommend?

Thanks all

 

[steve_sordy]

Do not bother with stabilisers! You will probably find that there is nowhere to bolt them on anyway. If he is big enough for a 20" wheeled bike then he is big enough to have enough co-ordination and commonsense to learn rapidly. Start him off on a gently sloping field. Give him a push and away he goes!

If he really struggles, you could always try removing the pedals for a while.

The issue is with cornering. The whole bike should lean in and the rider leans with it. Stabilisers get in the way of this and kids learn wrong stuff that they have to unlearn when the stabilisers are removed.