Help with purchasing Girls 16" - Roadmaster, Huffy or R

[Jos Bike]

Hi

Any advice, recommendations or comments are welcomed about which bike would be best.

I have purchased the Roadmaster Radicool from Aldi and my sister in law has purchased a Repco girls bike ($80 approx) from Big W, I also was looking at a Huffy from Kmart. So I would like advice on which of three would be best to go with.

Thanks very much

Jo

BTW My daughter is 4 and can ride a 12" quite competently.

[AUbicycles]

Hi

Repco have been around for a while. Huffy are more well known for BMX bikes and may possibly offer the best BMX. With all supermarket bikes, if there are problems and you need service, it will tend to be poorer than a normal bike shop.

I would be careful of supermarket bikes though, there is a lot that can go wrong.

[Jos Bike]

Thanks AUbicycles

What brand would you recommend?

[europa]

It's hard to recommend brands at this level. Basically, we usually only buy one or two of these things and never think about them again. Brands change over time too . For example, Repco buy from overseas and rebadge them, some of their products have been really high quality, recently I've only seen cheap stuff. It all depends on what their marketing department is up to.

I'd be wary about buying from K-mart and the like. Yes, they are cheap but they are usually nasty as well. You don't want your kids riding something that breaks. At least in bike shops you know its been assembled properly and you get to see the actual bike you're buying assembled and working before you buy it.

My lad had a good run with Gemini - and he rode all his hard. The lass has one from a second hand shop

Don't worry about brands too much at this level. Just look closely at each bike, fiddle with the bits and make up your own mind about quality.

Richard

[AUbicycles]

I agree with europa.

Repco and Huffy are however well known brands (maybe I am behind the times but don't know roadmaster). I would suggested comparing these two brands, and compare it with some other suitable bikes from a bike store, you may even find a suitably priced bike there.

[AUbicycles]

Hi,

I need to post a follow up as I was in Kmart the other day out of curiosity and say the Huffy bike. I didn't look at the price as the only thought in my head were "load of crap". I was a bit surprised as, if you read my other posts, I actually had a positive impression regarding this brand until I saw the Kmart bike.

You might have luck with the supermarket bike, but a (less call it) normal bike will typically ride better and last long not to mention more experience sales staff and decent service / support.