Saving Money On A Kids Bike
Welcome to Saving Money with Andrew!
A few years ago, it was time to buy our oldest son his first bike. And so, I did what I usually do. I went to Amazon, found the first bike with decent reviews and a low price, and bought it without a second thought.
The bike didn’t live up to expectations. It looked great, but the quality was poor and within several months it was starting to fall apart. We then found an older used bike for $5 at a rummage sale, which served him well for a couple years. If anything, the quality was slightly better than the Amazon bike. But we eventually realized he’d need a new bike, something that would last him longer and could take the wear and tear of an older kid riding frequently.
We were disappointed with our options—the big-box store had a wide selection of low quality $100-150 bikes that reminded us of the Amazon bike. Then, our local bike shop’s options were well above what we felt comfortable paying, with prices approaching $500 or more.
And so, we asked the owner of the local bike shop if he had any high quality lightly-used bikes, and then paid for a full tune-up. A few days later we had a like-new bike that our son loves for $250 all-in. It has already gotten as much use as the original Amazon bike, and rides much better.
And two additional bonuses—unlike the big-box store bikes which require assembly, the bike shop took care of everything for us. And in a few years after our son outgrows this bike, the bike shop will likely buy it back.
And now…Andrew’s pick(s) of the week:
If you enjoy historical dramas, run (don’t walk!) to watch Cranford (on BritBox on Amazon, free 7-day trial). It is a fantastic BBC miniseries featuring one of the greatest casts ever, including Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Michael Gambon, Jim Carter, and Lesley Manville and, because it came out in 2007 and pre-dates the rise of most streaming services, it never got the attention it deserved in the US.
Also:
He Got Bored. Built an Empire. Then Cracked the Formula for the World’s Fastest Sport.
I Spent a Week Rescuing Food From the Trash. Here’s What I Ate.
One Month With Apple Vision Pro: In the Air, on a Train and…in a Drawer
I hope this has been helpful. If you liked it, please share it on social media! Also, please send me your feedback, requests, and success stories.