Planning the birthday present

[flea]

We're trying to decide what to get Casper for her birthday next month. She has gone through long phases of asking for a bike, so that is a hot contender. Target has a good selection (online), mostly $60-70. Of course they are heavily gendered, and mostly branded besides. A few years ago I saw a bike belonging to a little boy at the park that was jellybean themed - that's the kind of neutral I want. But I may settle for "Cars." The other big question, if we go bikes, is 12 inch or 16 inch? Casper is right between the size ranges for the two, and obviously she's not getting any smaller, but a 16 inch would probably be pretty big at first. Maybe we should wait until Xmas.

I also am DYING for one of these to totoe the Dillo about (not that I have a bike myself): http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_3/602-3639453-3157455?ie=UTF8&asin=B000HVAVG0

The other hot contenders, based on a visit to the Ali Cat toy store in Carrboro, is Playmobil. They have a fold-up and carry dollhouse, and several princess/magic sets which, if we're gonna have to do princess stuff, are fairly tolerable (see http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-US-Site/en_US/Link-Category?catalog=STOREFRONT_US&name=Maerchenschloss)

But do I really want moe tiny plastic things in my house? I do not, reader.

Comments

[mearagrrl.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Sounds like maybe the bike should wait until she's just a tiny bit bigger....but OTOH, more fun to have a bike in the fall than in the middle of winter (even the middle of NC winter).

You DON"T want more little plastic things? Clearly instead you should get her some sort of musical instrument! :P

[dxmachina.livejournal.com]

Go to a bike shop. They may have some good deals, especially if it's a shop that takes consignments. They are also more likely to have non-branded bikes. I'd go 16". She'll grow, and you'll probably have training wheels on it at first anyway. And do go neutral, because it'll be Dillo's bike in a couple of years. (Although, my first two 26" bikes were hand-me-down girl's bikes with big ol' balloon tires which I rode constantly with no lingering deleterious effects. <twitch>)

[casperflea.livejournal.com]

mr. flea is still twitching from having his first bike be a hand-me-down purple one with a *banana* seat, of all the shames.

The bike shop that we walk by all the time has children's used bikes out from for $100-125, which is why I was looking at Target in the first place. A USED kid's bike for $125? What did it cost new??

[dxmachina.livejournal.com]

$140? Probably more. I am spoiled because my new bike shop is out in the sticks in a rundown strip mall, so low overhead, less expensive bikes, and great service to keep people coming back. Maybe check Craig's list? Another place to try might be a big box sports store like Dick's or Sports Authority. Even they tend to have better quality bikes than Target or Wal-Mart.

Banana seats chopper handlebars hit big right around my freshman year in high school. Both of my brothers had bikes like that, Their main attraction seemed to be that you could pop wheelies with them. I'd already bought my three-speed, so I didn't ride their bikes much.

[casperflea.livejournal.com]

I poked around some more and Schwinns are well-respected for the little kid set. Their 16 inchers seem to run $140, and they have them at our local Dick's, so maybe we'll casually head over there some weekend. I mean, if she can ride it from 4-6 or 7 and then Dillo takes over and rides for 3 years too, that's sort of reasonably priced. Assuming it doesn't get stolen.

I will be looking at Craigslist, too!