Specialized "12er"

[Fatal Swan]

Not my usual kind of thing, but worth the 100-mile round trip to pick this one up! I've been looking for just this model for my daughter - just this colourway, just this year (don't think the current one or any of the other previous versions looks as cute as this one). Really pleased with it as it's cleaned up virtually immaculate, unlike a lot of second hand balance bikes. A1 Aluminium frame, 12" Flak Jacket tyres, lovely. Possibly just a new set of grips to fit.

I had my first Specialized at 17 and my first aluminium frame at 23 - my daughter gets hers before her second birthday...

Just hope its new owner is as chuffed with it next week

 

[velofrog]

Re:

that is super-cool!! sure she'll be delighted!

 

[slope]

So...what did she think of it??

 

[Fatal Swan]

Oh, she loves it. Unfortunately she's a bit shorter than average for her age and with the seatpost at the lowest position it will go (without cutting it) it's still a little too high, so we'll give it another go in month or so. But she loves getting it out to wheel it around the house and the good thing is that she always demands to wear her 'pink hat' at the same time (still a tenner in Halfords, very pleased with that):

 

[slope]

I have two granddaughters that will soon be getting big enough to ride. Can't wait!

 

[stevet1]

Re:

Unfortunately she's a bit shorter than average for her age and with the seatpost at the lowest position it will go (without cutting it) it's still a little too high, so we'll give it another go in month or so.

Mine was the same. I cut the seatpost down, they take longer to grow than you think...

 

[reanimation]

haha great, yeah looks in great condition. I saw these briefly in Evans IIRC, and a near miss on eBay. Ended up with a local used blue Strider. A clean and some new orange Mags and it looks great, She's just about getting on with it now at 28 months.

 

[Sketchyxup]

Re:

I got my boy the Haro Z10 because he wasn't tall enough for a 12" one and the Haro was the best I could find with 10" wheels, proper headset etc. It was a fantastic little bike and he loved it, only recently its been passed onto boy No 2 who is as keen as mustard to get it out whenever he can.

He's only 18months old and loves riding about on it, he copies everything his big bro does so picked it up really quickly, I bet by the grand old age of 2 he will be away with it.

My eldest progressed onto a Specalized hotrock 12 which he loved once I got rid of the stupid back pedal brake. What a daft idea that is, i'd never buy another kids bike with a back pedal brake. He struggled for ages to try and ride it but couldnt because you cant turn the pedals backwards to get them in the right place to set off. I replaced the wheels with a set of mags off ebay and he was away on it straight away.
Since then i'v bought him a raleigh performance 16 which really is a lovely bike.