The holiday season is here and flying by quickly. For some, it’s time (or perhaps overdue) to start thinking about gifts for the cyclist in your life. Don't stress though. We're continuing our 2017 gift ideas to help make sure it is a Merry Crossmas for one and all.
For most cyclists, the holidays are a time to feel like kids again as Santa delivers bike-related goodies. However, for cyclists with families, giving gifts to their children that will help foster a life-long love of riding bikes is infinitely more rewarding.
For today's gift guide, we have some children's bikes and accessories that we, and young recruits, have looked at recently. Our list includes:
- Islabikes Beinn 20
- Prevelo Zulu Three and Alpha Three
- Frog Bikes Hybrid
- Aerotech Designs clothing
- Islabikes jersey and shorts
- Tail Wags helmet covers
Learn more about each item and why they might be the perfect fit for your little ripper using the slider below.
Of course, it needs to be said, Cyclocross Magazine receives no compensation from companies for inclusion in our Holiday Gift Guides. We only consider products we’ve had experience with. No advertorial here.
(Click the next arrow to view each gift idea.)
Frog Bikes 55 Hybrid Bike
The Frog Bikes 55 20″ wheel kids’ bike brings lightweight, affordable joy. © Cyclocross Magazine
Why is it a good gift?
Frog Bikes is a British kids’ bike company that specializes in lightweight, aluminum bikes for future cycling stars. They make several types of kids’ rides, including strider, mountain, road and track! bikes. Earlier this year, we looked at Frog’s “hybrid” line, which features bikes in line with other intro bikes we have seen.
Frog’s hybrid line comes in a range of sizes based on the inseam height of the rider. The options go from the Frog 52 (52cm inseam) to the Frog 73. The 52 and the 55 (which we reviewed) come with 20″ wheels, while the larger models come with either 24″ or 26″ wheels.
Similar to the Islabikes Beinn, young riders get to feel grown up with thumb shifters for a 12-32t rear cassette and Tektro v-brakes for stopping on a dime. Tires are the Kenda K1154 knobby tires, which help make the Frog’s hybrid bike off-road ready.
One noticeable aspect of the Frog design is the long chainstays that push the rear wheel out. The pushed-back rear wheel allows for a narrow Q-factor specifically designed for young riders, and creates a stable ride on the downhills, perhaps at the expense of railing hairpin-filled kid ’cross grass crits.
The other eye-catcher, and perhaps the one most important for your child, is the impressive paint scheme choices. Frog’s hybrid model comes in six colors, including two Team Sky-inspired choices. (The company is British, after all).
Who is it a good gift for?
Frog’s choices of colorful paint schemes make its bikes a good choice for children who might need a bit of coaxing to give cycling a try. We were all that age once; looking cool is important.
However, the cool look does not come at the expense of bike quality. Frog’s hybrids still provide quality components and wheels to go with a frame that is thoughtfully designed for the bodies of children. At $430, the Frog hybrid will provide a significant step up from a department store bike without breaking the bank for most cyclist’s parents.
If the 55 isn’t the right size, Frog offers other models and configurations for growing racers of all ages, including this Frog Road 58 that we spotted at Interbike that looks perfect as a first drop bar bike (but haven’t tested).
The Frog Bikes Road 58 looks like a perfect first drop bar cylcocross bike for a little ripper, with lots of clearance for mud and knobbies. © Cyclocross Magazine
The Frog Bikes Road 58 looks like a perfect first drop bar cylcocross bike for a little ripper, with lots of clearance for mud and knobbies, without the weight penalty of disc brakes.
Your recipient’s possible reaction?
“Daddy and Mommy, this bike looks so cool! Can we go ride to the park?”
Price: $430
More info: frogbikes.com
(Click the next arrow to view each gift idea.)
