We've had a lot of great feedback following the release of our Kids Road Bike range late last year. And now, the first official review of the bike has been published on the Bicycles Network Australia website. When BNA agreed to do a review of the 620R, we knew it was going to be put in the hands of a kid, and a parent, who knew Road Bikes inside out. And they provide a really honest and open review giving great insight into what parents and kids look for in a road bike - what matters to them in the purchasing decision process. This is great for shop floor staff who are the front-line at helping parents make the right decisions for their kids.
Some great selling tips you can read in the interview:
Components Designed for Kids
"The microSHIFT brifters are the exact right choice for a kid's bike. The 's' (short reach) version of their brifters is designed for small hands and these are a popular choice on serious kids racing bikes for those in the know. The cranks are shorter than adult cranks because kid's legs are shorter than adult legs (mostly), and the drop bars are shallow and attached to a short stem for short arms. The seat is sporty, but well padded, and the top tube is sloping, which gives the bike a longer life with a growing child. ...the smart money has been spent on the performance and kid friendly parts of the bike, and the parts that don't matter too much (and can be easily upgraded with dad's cast offs) are the ones that are 'budget'. It's sensible design"
Introducing your kids to a bike that they will enjoy
"Good bikes are expensive, and I'm always looking for options, because I don't want my kids to ride crap. ... I just want them to enjoy their riding, the same way I do. The more they enjoy their bike, the more they'll ride it and, ...introducing them to a lifetime mode of active transport and recreation is important to me."
The resale value of a good kids bike
"...you're not buying this bike, you're hiring it from the next owner. Good kids bikes have very good resale value. They keep their value better than adult bikes due to their rarity and, because kids probably aren't going to be riding their bikes in the same way that adults will (big rider, thousands of k's, all weather), they'll be better treated."
Is it heavy for a kids bike?
"... the money has been put into other areas rather than making the bike the lightest it could be. I'm not going to take points off for that because it's still significantly lighter than most other kids bikes out there, and certainly lighter than others at this price point." You can read the full review here:
http://www.bicycles.net.au/2015/02/review-the-byk-620r-an-aussie-designed-bike-for-kids/ In summary, author, David Halfpenny, says:
"THIS ISN'T A BIKE THAT SOME PURCHASING MANAGER CHOSE FROM A CATALOGUE AND PURCHASED A HUNDRED THOUSAND OF, THIS IS A SMALL PRODUCTION RUN BIKE WHERE EACH COMPONENT WAS TESTED AND CONSIDERED. WARREN'S YEARS OF BIKE SHOP EXPERIENCE AND FATHERHOOD ARE THE BEST ADVERTISEMENT FOR THIS BIKE."