Preamble. This is the time, when you buying bikes for kids, or they will try for the first time their Christmas gifts outside. If you have bought new bike for your kid, and you need adjustment (read below), drop me an email, popin and I’ll do it for you free as you wait. As simple as that.
I decided to write this, as I’m seeing the same over and over again, with cheap kids bicycles (specially kids bikes, but not only). Why they so cheap? Because they have to. Kids growing fast, and in many cases, after a year, the bike is too small or too scratched, or left outside and rusted etc. So, the terrible circle, of buying cheap bikes using it couple of months and throwing away, continues. Not good for a planet. Not good for us. Surprisingly, not good for economy, but I’ll leave you to do the homework.
Above is the side story, maybe later about that. The question is – why cheap children bikes so crap and how to make them slightly better? Why they so crap? Because they’re cheap, there you go! We closed the circle. To make it cheap, the nastiest, heaviest materials are used. They’re machined poorly, and components are absolutely the lowest possible grade. (sometimes components are so obscure, that you can’t service them properly) Ok, these are the things you can’t change, but if you have already one, there’s couple of things you can do (or I can do for you) to improve the ride.
The other aspect why some bikes are so cheap is assembly process. I’m going to concentrate mostly on bearings here. In Chinese factory (almost all of the coming from China), all bearings (cone bearings) are assembled by machine, and as a result they not adjusted properly. If you remove front or rear wheel and try to spin axle by fingers, you will see what I’m talking about. The “grinding” feel of completely crushed bearing. This result in premature wear, but also more resistance while riding. search youtube fir diy instructions Same situation is probably inside crank bearing, again adding to overall resistance. search youtube Probably, out of the box, the biggest killer is chain tension (in single speed bikes). Nearly all of them are the same, almost like adjusted by some Neanderthal. search youtube for chain tension There you go. Three things to adjust, to make tiny legs spin free!
Now, talking about buying cheap kids bicycles vs. buying better quality used bicycles. In my humble opinion, buying used is the way to do it. First of all, you’re reusing something, instead adding to landfill. Secondly, if it’s decent bike there’s good chance that is still better quality, even after 5 generation of kids used it. Sometimes, the bike needs a bit of love – new brake pads, some truing wheel required, gear adjustment etc, but I can almost guarantee will be better choice.
Keep tiny legs spinning! All the best!
Adam's Cycle Repairs 