Wednesday, July 13, 2011

In search of the perfect bike

Our daughter has become a master of balance on her balancing bike (like a bicycle but without the pedals, so she "runs" instead of pedaling; supposedly a better way of learning how to bike than the support wheels, as the child learns how to balance before pedaling). This means that we have decided to give her a real bicycle for her birthday in a couple of weeks. I am working hard to get hubby to understand that a used bike is just as good as a new bike. He is still very hesitant. The tricycle that she received when she turned two was new. I can almost count on my fingers how many times she used it. And I am 100% certain that she would never have noticed the difference between a slightly used or a new bike, especially not at the age of two. Also, G will inherit her old bike. In the name of fairness, isn't it better that both kids get used stuff, not only the younger one? (...who by the way already is drewling over the tricycle in the bike storage, he just needs a couple of centimeters more to take off).

Well, so hubby has agreed that if we find a bike that looks as good as new, he'll give his goahead on the used one. So here I am, surfing all huuto.net's offerings. I am struck by the complete lack of unisex bikes for this age. It is so crazy, bikes are designed so that parents have to go and buy a new bike for the younger child, if the child is of different sex than the first one. Talk about designed obsolence....The best option so far is a red "Tunturi Princess", with the text "princess" printed on the plastics protecting the chains (same style as the tricycle - which we by the way bought because it was neutral in color, and did not have any referrings to princess, two year olds are not in the princess stage yet - supposedly).  On the other hand, as we are going for second hand, I might as well let go of my principles and let the girl have the girliest of the girliest bikes. It would make her day, week, even month. We can always sell it after a year and get a macho-bike for G when it is his turn. There is a very PINK Hello Kitty bike in excellent condition out there. First one to appear on the list. Only thing I have to do is press "buy". But no, something inside of me says I can't. Having a Hello Kitty set of beach toys is still ok, but a bike... no, that is too much for this mother to cope with. I continue the search for the perfect bike!

Or what do you have to say about this? Buy or not buy?

3 comments:

Jonna said...

Köp!
Om du alltså tror att A sku tycka om den - hih, tror det :-)

Oroa dig inte för att den är så flickig. Jag tror att det viktigaste är att stöda och tillåta barnen vara just så flickiga eller pojkiga som de själva vill, och det är väl ganska viktigt för A just nu? Bara man inte själv styr in barnen i de "rätta" rollerna, så kan det inte gå så fel. Jag tänker så, att ifall barnet vill vara en liten prinsessa så är det viktigt att se det och leva med. Enjoy!

Jonna said...

Och vad gäller återanvändningen av cyckeln - det kan ju hända att G också kommer att tycka att den är superfin!

Mia said...

Det blev den röda. Hon får nog vara princessa på annat sätt ändå. Det rår jag inte på, och vill inte heller. Men cykeln blir röd och den kommer hon att gilla!