~20 year old Magna 12" bike.
Very rusty drive line. Rusty rims. No training wheels.
This build is a conversion to a strider or balance bike. Many names for the same concept. Push and balance with your feet until you get the hang of steering and balance, then move on to a regular pedal bike. Skip the training wheels entirely.
I get dozens of bikes like this every year. The pattern is the same: Kid learns on training wheels, parents remove (and lose) the training wheels, kid out grows the bike, it sits for years, then I get it.
These sub 20" bikes used to sell for $39 so they are hardly worth spending any money on them. A pair of tires run $40, tubes $18, universal fit training wheels $20.
My preference is a conversion to a strider for $0. I've had some parents tell me their kids learn to ride far quicker on balance bikes vs training wheels. Other parents just don't get it so they keep buying bikes with training wheels. The Disney princess bikes come with white tires that a 3 year old girl can shred in 1 season. Again, not worth buying tires for. 10" or 12" bikes are the best for converting. 16" is a bit tall for young legs. Kids bikes have some highly variable frame designs. Lower to the ground is good. You can always raise the seat if needed.
BTW, the first ever bicycle was a strider. Baron Von Drais around 1805 or so. Long before tires, chains, bearings, etc. Made of wood and wrought iron by blacksmiths and wheelwrights.
I completely dismantled this bike including unspoking the wheels. The chrome rims were rather rusty but cleaned up about 95% with a good scrubbing. I sprayed the rims with some blue metallic semi clear to seal up the rust pits. A 12" radial spoke wheel only takes a few minutes to spoke up. They don't need to be perfectly straight for a balance bike. Crank & cups removed and filed in the metal recycle bin. Rear hub dismantled. The clutch, clutch drag spring and brake shoes are left out of the reassembly. No chance of the brakes slowing a kid down. Zoom. Cog, dust cap and retaining ring also in the recycle bin. This particular bike has a washer welded over the bottom of the steerer on the fork. ?? There was a small hole so it wasn't completely rusted. A rotary drill extender with emory cloth taped at the end was used to clean out the steerer and seat tube. Clean and lube the hubs and headset. Any 20 year old bike needs that. Slam the seat for tiny legs. This strider is fast and rugged. Could easily last another 20 years of abuse. A couple of safety tips. Chain guard support removed from the down tube as it's in the vicinity of the right shin. Rear axle swapped for one about 1" shorter so it doesn't stick out. Beats sawing one off and filing the cut end smooth. The longer axles are the norm for bikes with training wheels or pegs.
I've done about 30 of these now. Most have gone to day care centers or Toys 4 Tots. Hard to sell them to clueless parents. They would rather spend $300 on one from some catalog with a better sales pitch. "Your kid needs this to get ahead in life"
before and after photos.
Very rusty drive line. Rusty rims. No training wheels.
This build is a conversion to a strider or balance bike. Many names for the same concept. Push and balance with your feet until you get the hang of steering and balance, then move on to a regular pedal bike. Skip the training wheels entirely.
I get dozens of bikes like this every year. The pattern is the same: Kid learns on training wheels, parents remove (and lose) the training wheels, kid out grows the bike, it sits for years, then I get it.
These sub 20" bikes used to sell for $39 so they are hardly worth spending any money on them. A pair of tires run $40, tubes $18, universal fit training wheels $20.
My preference is a conversion to a strider for $0. I've had some parents tell me their kids learn to ride far quicker on balance bikes vs training wheels. Other parents just don't get it so they keep buying bikes with training wheels. The Disney princess bikes come with white tires that a 3 year old girl can shred in 1 season. Again, not worth buying tires for. 10" or 12" bikes are the best for converting. 16" is a bit tall for young legs. Kids bikes have some highly variable frame designs. Lower to the ground is good. You can always raise the seat if needed.
BTW, the first ever bicycle was a strider. Baron Von Drais around 1805 or so. Long before tires, chains, bearings, etc. Made of wood and wrought iron by blacksmiths and wheelwrights.
I completely dismantled this bike including unspoking the wheels. The chrome rims were rather rusty but cleaned up about 95% with a good scrubbing. I sprayed the rims with some blue metallic semi clear to seal up the rust pits. A 12" radial spoke wheel only takes a few minutes to spoke up. They don't need to be perfectly straight for a balance bike. Crank & cups removed and filed in the metal recycle bin. Rear hub dismantled. The clutch, clutch drag spring and brake shoes are left out of the reassembly. No chance of the brakes slowing a kid down. Zoom. Cog, dust cap and retaining ring also in the recycle bin. This particular bike has a washer welded over the bottom of the steerer on the fork. ?? There was a small hole so it wasn't completely rusted. A rotary drill extender with emory cloth taped at the end was used to clean out the steerer and seat tube. Clean and lube the hubs and headset. Any 20 year old bike needs that. Slam the seat for tiny legs. This strider is fast and rugged. Could easily last another 20 years of abuse. A couple of safety tips. Chain guard support removed from the down tube as it's in the vicinity of the right shin. Rear axle swapped for one about 1" shorter so it doesn't stick out. Beats sawing one off and filing the cut end smooth. The longer axles are the norm for bikes with training wheels or pegs.
I've done about 30 of these now. Most have gone to day care centers or Toys 4 Tots. Hard to sell them to clueless parents. They would rather spend $300 on one from some catalog with a better sales pitch. "Your kid needs this to get ahead in life"
before and after photos.
