WTB: Riv-ish Kids Bike (20")

[Bob K.]

Hey Folks,

It's been a while since I've posted here. I hope you all are doing well amidst all this chaos!

I am in search of a Riv-ish 20" bike for my daughter. She's five and a half, but she's tall for her age (~80th percentile, so think six-year old size), and she is very competent on a single speed bike with a stomp brake.

She currently rides a Strider 14x, which has been perfect, but she's maxed out on the seatpost. Ideally, I'd like to transition her to a larger steel bike with comfy tires and thoughtful geometry to accommodate a few years of growth. It may surprise no one on this list, but bikes like this are either hard to come by or pretty darn expensive if purchased new.

Please reply privately with any/all offers. I am wide open in terms of brands/colors/etc. Just want something practical and solid. I would happily consider a geared bike with handbrakes if the right one comes along, but single speed and stomp brake is great, too. I'm thinking 20" (rather than 16") because I'd like it to last a few years, and I think she could handle the jump. Budget is $200-ish, but flexible for the right steed.

Riv Content: See attached for a picture of my Sam as currently configured with 48mm Shikoros and Salsa Cowchipper bar (which I generally ride in the drops). Between my two bikes--the other is a nicely-appointed custom-built Surly Troll--my daughter prefers riding alongside this one, of course!

Thanks,

Bob K. in Baltimore

[Bob K.]

And here she is with her current bike (with aforementioned maxed-out seatpost) on a recent ride.

Bob K. in Baltimore

[Nathan Mattia]

Cleary bikes are only made for kids and have some real winners and thoughtful design, imho.  

The meerkat might be just the thing for her.  BUT the 5 speed is $594.   

My son rides a 24” Priority Start, which is decidedly NOT Rivish, but which had some features he needed for his CP.  It’s 399.  

If you’re sticking to $200, I don’t think there’s ANYTHING out there new that is quality.  You’ll have to hit some lucky garage sales or bike co-ops at just the right time.

[Nathan Mattia]

Sorry.  Looked again at her size.  The Cleary Owl can be had for $425 or so and they make a 3 speed but seem to be sold out a lot.

[Bob K.]

Thanks for the info on Cleary, Nathan! I'll look into it.

Yes, the $200 price range is perhaps a bit optimistic. I would really like to stick with well cared for used bikes if at all possible, though, and then I can pass it along to another lister in a few years.

Thanks again,

Bob K. in Baltimore

[Nathan Mattia]

We had good success in the 20” range w The  Specialized Hotrock and Jazzi

-Nathan Mattia

“I saw a tiger. Now I understand. I saw a tiger and the tiger saw a man.”

On May 21, 2020, at 11:16 AM, Bob K. <bob...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Edwin W]

I found a great used Trek steel MTB on craigslist that three of my kids have used and one is about to outgrow. I threw Wald steel fenders on it and it looks like a bike I would ride! They don't appreciate it of course and are always oggling the new bikes in the bike shop, while the hipster mechanics admire my handiwork.

I looked at Baltimore's CL and I would show here these bikes and see if she loves any of them:

Specialized Hard Rock. Good simple kids bike with no shocks or front derailer: two things some kids bikes have and you don't need or want. You can put better tires on (as I did with my kids bike) but I guarantee she won't care or notice (as none of my kids did). 

Classy classic Huffy. She will be admired by many who like vintage style. 

Your basic Trek. Who am I to judge? If she likes it, she will ride it.

Good luck and report back what you find!

Edwin

[Christopher Murray]

My daughter went from a balance bike to an Electra and it was a great bike for her because Electra’s geometry lets you put the saddle at the proper height but still be able to put her feet down while seated. She was very comfortable on the bike and had no problem transitioning. I don’t know what model she had nor how much we spent but can’t imagine it wasn’t in the $200-something price range.

And she thought it is just about the coolest thing in the world.

Cheers,
Chris

[Alex Wirth- Owner, Yellow Haus Bicycles]

Try and chase down a Woom bike, they are excellent and superbly designed. Very bob/Riv ish

[Bob Keal]

Thanks again for the suggestions, everyone. Still hoping someone will come through with a used bike offer...Woom and Cleary would be at the top of the list there, but I'm open, so let me know what you have!

I'm hoping to avoid the big bike companies if I buy new, although there are some tempting steeds out there (Specialized Rip Rock 20" coaster, for one). I'm also hoping to avoid bottom-of-the-barrel CL bikes because I don't want to spend time wrenching because I have too many other things to build/fix!

If nothing materializes here or on CL, I'm leaning toward a single speed Cleary Owl, and I found a shop in Philly/Haverford, PA that does a trade-up program for when she grows out of it. They're pricier than I'd like, but if only half-ish of it is "sunk cost," I'm game. Waiting to hear back from them about drop shipping directly to me, or else I'll buy straight from Cleary.

Bob K. in Baltimore

On Fri, May 22, 2020 at 10:18 AM Alex Wirth- Owner, Yellow Haus Bicycles <482...@gmail.com> wrote:

Try and chase down a Woom bike, they are excellent and superbly designed.  Very bob/Riv ish

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[Mike Packard]

I'll second the Woom recommendation. They have a nice range that grows with the kid. They are expensive-ish but great quality and have high resale value; around here they go on craigslist for around 75% of new.

mike

On Friday, May 22, 2020 at 9:30:09 AM UTC-5, Bob K. wrote:

Thanks again for the suggestions, everyone. Still hoping someone will come through with a used bike offer...Woom and Cleary would be at the top of the list there, but I'm open, so let me know what you have!

I'm hoping to avoid the big bike companies if I buy new, although there are some tempting steeds out there (Specialized Rip Rock 20" coaster, for one). I'm also hoping to avoid bottom-of-the-barrel CL bikes because I don't want to spend time wrenching because I have too many other things to build/fix!

If nothing materializes here or on CL, I'm leaning toward a single speed Cleary Owl, and I found a shop in Philly/Haverford, PA that does a trade-up program for when she grows out of it. They're pricier than I'd like, but if only half-ish of it is "sunk cost," I'm game. Waiting to hear back from them about drop shipping directly to me, or else I'll buy straight from Cleary.

Bob K. in Baltimore

On Fri, May 22, 2020 at 10:18 AM Alex Wirth- Owner, Yellow Haus Bicycles <482...@gmail.com> wrote:

Try and chase down a Woom bike, they are excellent and superbly designed.  Very bob/Riv ish

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[j glenn]

While not immediately relevant, I have a 70's 24" Fuji junior road bike, that looks like it will fit a 24" mountain bike wheel set and slicks.  I haven't got as far as confirming that Dia-compe 750 centerpulls will reach but there are longer reach BMX brakes available if they don't. I've probably got 3-4 years before it will fit.   He's 7 and too big for his 16" bike but chooses it over the 20" that's ready for him.

[j glenn]

I need to remember to proofread better with Groups... both the the 16 and 20" bikes are second hand Trek Hotrocks.  They are reasonably lightweight and my sons bike riding realy took off when I replaced his first heavy steel 16" bike  with the Trek.   Before the end of the world, I picked up a reasonably light 20" fork at the Co-op that I intended to put on the 16" frame with a set of  kid sized sweptback alt bars and a longer stem. The way things are going, I think he might just transition to the 20" Trek before I get back to that project.  

[Roberta]

On Thursday, May 21, 2020 at 10:09:34 AM UTC-4, Bob K. wrote:

> Hey Folks,
>
>
> It's been a while since I've posted here. I hope you all are doing well amidst all this chaos!
>
>
>
> I am in search of a Riv-ish 20" bike for my daughter. She's five and a half, but she's tall for her age (~80th percentile, so think six-year old size), and she is very competent on a single speed bike with a stomp brake.

>
>
>

> Thanks,
>
>
> Bob K. in Baltimore

Bob,

I sent you a PM on a lead. I know that half my Google group messages go to my spam folder, not to inbox, so please also check there.

Roberta

[Bob Keal]

Hi Folks,

Roberta, thanks for the lead! A CL bike is probably what I should've done, but I zeroed in on an orange Cleary Owl (20") based on Nathan's tips, and I found a shop in Haverford, PA (Mechanic Cycling) that does trade-ups for kids' bikes. Cleary also has a 3-speed conversion kit that I could grab next summer if it seems like gears are a good idea at that point. Plus, the orange will sort of match my Sam, and it'll look great with the pink grips she's been eyeing.

Ultimately, riding is something we do every day together, so I figured spending just north of $400 on her bike was pretty justifiable. Gob knows I spent many times more than that on my own bikes, and she'll ride the heck out of this thing.

Thanks again for the ideas, everyone!

Bob K. in Baltimore

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