Could somebody suggest a national retail chain which sells childrens bicycles.

We are visiting for two weeks and a local hire company has quoted a fee for two weeks hire which equates to the purchase cost in the UK.

We would like to buy the bike in the UK and then leave it for a child at the local school.

Sorry, that should have been buy the bike in the US and leave it for a child locally.

You can get bikes almost anywhere...WalMart, Target, Toys R Us.

Walmart www.walmart.com has a good selection of bikes & accessories (helmet for everybody!!). Bikes are preassembled and ready to ride out the door.

Target as well, but their sporting goods department isn't usually as good as Walmart.

Depending on your location you can also look at big sporting goods chains. Both of these have big bike departments in every store.

Dick's sporing goods www.dickssportinggoods.com/index.jsp
Sports Authority www.sportsauthority.com

I'd definitely start at www.walmart.com

There is also a huge secondary market for cheap used bikes - garage sales, craigslist, or even thrift stores like Goodwill, and free exchange sites like freecycle. Kids bikes don't wear out.

If there is a Goodwill thrift store very near where you are staying I'd actually look there first - they get a LOT of bikes donated and you'll pay 25-30% of retail cost, and you could donate it right back to them after your stay.

And probably best to drop it off at a Goodwill or Salvation Army donation center when you're done with it.

http://www.goodwill.org/

https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/

Yes, absolutely suggest Salvation Army, Goodwill, or a local charity shop for bikes (and children's and adult's clothing, books, toys, etc). Some of the better shops have new, unworn clothing with the tags and prices from the original seller still hanging from the merchandise.

Thanks all

Will be in SC.

Had totally slipped my mind about Walmart, in the UK we still think that supermarkets just sell food.

There is a good looking model for exactly the same price as the hire.

Had the same issues last time we visited Canada, Thrifty charged us more to hire a baby seat than the cost to buy one down the road in Toys R Us. They refused to let us have the car and drive it, unless we hired the seat.

J62

That is a great idea.

Make sure it's assembled!

Walmart isn't a supermarket - it's a major retailer - food is only a very small part of what they sell.

Sorry - curious about where you are going to ride bikes in the US. If it's an area you know - that's fine. If it's someplace you haven;t been - perhaps not.

NYT

Not NYC.

Edisto Island SC, with large tracts of undeveloped land and quiet back roads.

....and very very flat!!!!

Just not sure about this on Halloween Night

http://www.flickr.com/photos/werksmedia/5612653827/

Sf7307

Yes that is a very valid point.

We have just discovered Costco in the UK, they have been here for a few years.

I bought a canoe from them a month ago, very good deal.

Problem was : it wasn't assembled and then they closed and I had no tools. The damn thing continually slipped on the roof whilst on the motorway. Horrible journey.

We bought a beach cruiser for our daughter at Walmart. Great bike. Came fully assembled. We just wheeled it right out of the store - well after paying for it that is.

Well, that's good news. I've seen more than one poster thinking about having a kid ride a bike in Manhattan - where it's just not safe.

I recently bought a bike for my nine year old niece. We shopped at WalMart, Target and Performance Bike Shop. There are a number of relatively decent bikes at WalMart and Target that have Shimano components at an inexpensive price point for under $200 and bikes with no name brand components below $100. If you look at their websites prior to visiting the store, be prepared for a smaller selection in the stores.

I ended up buying her a higher quality bike at Performance because it was not much more expensive as it was onsale for $200 from $289. The bike I purchased at Performance was significantly lighter in weight than the best bikes available at Target or Walmart which was a deciding factor as she and her dad ride the foothills near Denver.
Ann Marie

We bought a bike for my son at Target two years ago. It was about $120 on sale and did have Shimano components. However, he had a flat almost immediately and it was also on vacation. When we got home, REI put in a new tube, only for the price of the parts, and it has been fine ever since.

We could have had bad luck--obviously this is anecdotal and not a survey of all customers. And I think your odds are far better than what passes as rentals at many vacation spots. Plus, your helmet will likely fit your child better and therefore be safer.

Still, you might also google the local bike shop addresses in case you have any troubles. Easier to have these things printed out ahead of time.

In addition to the national chain, most cities and towns have local bike shops. One benefit of the local places is that they will do the assembly for you.