Re: Kid's 24" hybrid, non-mountain bikes, where to buy in the U.S.?

[landotter]

On May 22, 5:18 pm, SMS > wrote:
> landotter wrote:
> > Add $25 for duty charges as well. So about $300 when all is said and
> > done, pretty expensive for a kid's 7 speed bike.
>
> When you go to the total, there is no duty (or it's included).

Or it's a surprise like the charge I got whacked when buying a Brodie
from Canada. It'll be around 10%

[Jim Flom]

"landotter" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> On May 22, 5:18 pm, SMS > wrote:
>> landotter wrote:
>> > Add $25 for duty charges as well. So about $300 when all is said and
>> > done, pretty expensive for a kid's 7 speed bike.
>>
>> When you go to the total, there is no duty (or it's included).
>
> Or it's a surprise like the charge I got whacked when buying a Brodie
> from Canada. It'll be around 10%

Brodie's are nice little bikes. I drool at my friend's urban commuter. You
can buy them in the States, too.
http://www.brodiebikes.com/2007/dealers/index.php?id=10

[landotter]

On May 22, 9:51 pm, "Jim Flom" > wrote:

> Brodie's are nice little bikes. I drool at my friend's urban commuter. You
> can buy them in the States, too.http://www.brodiebikes.com/2007/dealers/index.php?id=10

Yeah, I had an "Energy" which is basically their cxcross frame with
fenders, flat bars, Deore discs, and road style cranks and
derailleurs. Brilliant riding bike, but nasty build. Warped rotors on
the disc brakes which really are unnecessary for a city bike except
for a selling point. Some sort of screwed up BB length/chain brand/
crank thing that it was impossible to adjust the bike so you didn't
get noisy rub in 4 or five of the gears. Pretty sad for a 8spd rear. I
really liked it except for the drivetrain issues and the fact that the
one affordable disc brake compatible rack I got for it sucked, so I
sold it for the same price I got it for and replaced it with a Redline
925 fixie. A downgrade perhaps, but unlike the Brodie, this thing
doesn't need service every other day. Heck, it just needs the chain to
be lubed every few months. I think I might need to replace the brake
pads next year or something. :-P

[beatupoldvet]

The French Decathlon sports store group do a 24" road bike with 5
gears and downtube shifters. The standard UK price is £115, th'
they're selling them off at £61 at present. We've bought some of them
for our kids club and some half-dozen kids (parents) have also bought
them

They have some branches in, I think, Massachusetts and might stock
them there.

If you're prepared to import, then Islabikes (uk) produces an
excellent 24" 'cross bike which several members of my kids bikeclub
have bought - try www.islabikes.co.uk

[SMS]

beatupoldvet wrote:
> The French Decathlon sports store group do a 24" road bike with 5
> gears and downtube shifters. The standard UK price is £115, th'
> they're selling them off at £61 at present. We've bought some of them
> for our kids club and some half-dozen kids (parents) have also bought
> them
>
> They have some branches in, I think, Massachusetts and might stock
> them there.

They closed the U.S. branch last year.

In any case, I think the solution is actually the 26" wheel, 13.5"
frame, cro-mo hybrids from Marin. These are small enough for 9-12 year
olds or so. It might be necessary to go to a non-suspension seat post so
the seat can go lower, and perhaps cut the seat post shorter so it
doesn't hit the water bottle braze-ons or rivet nuts inside the down
tube. For the models with threadless headsets, the stem could always be
reversed, or an adjustable 0 degree stem installed.

At REI, the salesguy said that he sells the small sizes of the Marin
Muirwoods a lot to the 10-16 y.o. or so group because it's a very rugged
bike (steel frame, no suspension, strong wheels.