Bikes for Kids

no, but we did buy the 12 in Hot Wheels Bike from Walmart. It was cheaper and already put together at no charge. It's bright neon green. It has a Tachometer and makes an engine revving sound. oh boy does he love it! All the little boys in the neighborhood say it's the coolest.

J got a 12" for Christmas and it was almost immed. too small. Take him to a local store and have him sit on the bikes and see how they fit. I let the kids do this back in November just to see what size they would be. I thought J needed something between the 12" and the next up 14". I was right but the bike was a gift. Bikes can't be returned after they are purchased so we were stuck.

We just went bike shopping for my son today. We went to Toys R Us but also to a regular bike shop (Performance Bikes - not sure if they have it in TX). The guy who worked there said that, in the small bikes for really little kids, it makes no difference what kind you get. He said they are basically all the same - similar shape and style, no difference in how the chains and pedals are set up, etc. He said the only thing that mattered is to pick the right size.

After looking at a few brands, we are actually getting the exact bike you mentioned - Huffy Cars - in a 16." I'd really recommend taking your son to the store and letting him try the bikes on for size. If he can pedal comfortably and reach the handlebars without stretching, the bike is a good fit. Have him try a 12" and a 14" so you can see which is best - better to have one he can grow into than something he'll be too big for in a couple of months.

Good luck!

Take him in and have him try it out, depending on his height and weight you might want a 14". It's best to have him sit on one and see how it fits. As far as a small bike like that, quality isn't going to be much different nor is it really going to matter at this age.

My son has the Huffy 12" Toy Story bike. His friend has the Cars one. We haven't had a problem with ours (so far - we've had it since November), but the chain on our friend's bike keeps falling off. I'm not sure when it started or why. It doesn't seem like a big deal to fix on an as-needed basis, but I'd be a little annoyed after awhile. Otherwise, it seems ok.

I would look for a used bike. Kids grow soooo quickly at this stage and most small used bikes I've seen were in good condition at a quarter of the price.

I think when you read reviews for any product you're going to get about equal parts of good and bad. Rely on your own judgement and experience.