We bought this bike for our daughter's 4th birthday next month. I wanted two things out of a bike:
1. No corporate marketing of Disney Princesses, Dora-the-(dead-eyed)-Explorer, or Barbie. *shudder* This is more difficult to find than you might think.
2. A bike that was high enough quality as to encourage riding, and make it a pleasure, rather than rendering it a tedious task soon to be given up.
I think this bike fits the bill on both counts, though as my child has yet to ride it, I don't know much about how well it functions. I will update post-gifting with my impressions that way.
Here are my initial impressions of the pros and cons:
Pros:
- This bike is gorgeous. The style is very retro circa 1950's, with the full, generous, shock-absorbing seat, the 50's aqua (it's definitely more aqua than the baby blue it appears to be in the photo) and salmon-pink accents on the wheels and flowers. The other accent colors are black, white - and in the center flourish there is a champagne-tan color as a backdrop to the pink and white flowers. All the designs on the bike have a glittery appearance that sort of shines in the light. The seat, too is embellished with a scant floral design in pink and white, as are the fenders - these things I found difficult to discern in the photos.
- I love that the tires are primarily black, so that when they make contact with the dirty ground they won't instantly be rendered used and filthy looking.
- The bike, from all appearances looks as if it would be very comfortable and easy to ride.
Cons:
- There really are no instructions. Zero. There's a really bad photo of the training wheel assembly that you won't be able to glean any information from, and a 'users manual' with lots of tips about not riding at night, and how dangerous that is, and always wearing a helmet, and even a thorough layout of a brake system that this bike doesn't have, but there's not a single detail about how you're supposed to assemble this thing.
I've never assembled a bike before, so I found this especially daunting, and it took me an hour and a half... which isn't terrible, all things considered.
Thankfully, the bike does come partially assembled. It is the buyers job to assemble the training wheels, which after a few mishaps I discovered needed to lock into an existing piece on the rear wheel. The front fender (that's what that strange u-shaped metal bar is for) and wheel, seat, handlebars (which also must be adjusted to the correct angle), pedals, and a couple reflectors that you have to guess on the intended location of. There are tools that come with the bike - 4 Allen wrenches and a double-sided wrench that fits the majority of the bolts, but I still needed a Phillips head and ratchet for miscellaneous other bolts and to occasionally hold something in place while tightening the other side.
I think I managed to get it put together correctly. It seems study, but I would have loved some validation on this point, as I am a complete novice at assembling bikes.
- The bike, as other reviewers mentioned, arrived with a few minor scratches. Seems to me, had it been protected a little better in shipping, this wouldn't have happened.
-The flower stickers were not applied as well as I would have hoped. There are a few areas where there were small bubbles under the stickers around the edges, and they couldn't be smoothed. I think this will effect the longevity of the appearance of the stickers, as dirt will get under them and cause them to peal.
- I wish the bike wasn't made in China. Not a totally unexpected detail, but I personally prefer things to be made anywhere but China.
One more tidbit of note is that the colors of the bike are unusual and would be difficult to match, and that's worth considering if you're ordering accessories. If you order baby blue or something in the standard pink range, it'll probably clash.
I knew I wanted a Giro helmet, and so we bought the Lucille the Bike Giro Rodeo helmet alongside it, and thankfully, the range of color in that helmet allowed for it to match - perfectly - though the styles are a little different, but there aren't really any helmets with a 50's look anyway. A plain black or white helmet would look nice alongside it too.
We bought white streamers and I'd recommend that anyone else buying streamers do the same. The bike has just enough white that the white streamers look like they 'belong'. Our other accessories are chrome and black, and look like they were made for this bike. I'm so glad I decided to stay way from the pink and blue spectrum!
I know, probably overkill in the information department, but when you're spending this much money, it makes sense to have a better idea of what you'll be getting.
All in all, I'm pretty pleased with this bike. If you want something different, there really aren't any other options, especially in this price range - I spent a lot of time researching.
I can't wait to see my daughter's reaction come her birthday. I think she'll love it. I mean, who wouldn't? This really is a hip little ride for youngsters :)
Click Here to see more reviews about:
Diamondback Mini Della Cruz Girls' Cruiser (16 Inch Wheels)Product Description: It's your choice: you can get your kids off to a healthy start by buying them a trouble-free quality bike that gives them their first taste of freedom, or you can buy one with a price closer to free and make riding a source of frustration. Enter the Diamondback Mini Della Cruz 16-inch girl's bike, a high-quality beginner's bike that's a TV's worst nightmare. The Mini Della Cruz is equipped with a number of quality replaceable parts, such as a heavy-duty steel frame and fork, aluminum rims, and quality bearings and hardware, all of which combine to make riding bicycles the liberating and healthy activity it should be. The Mini Della Cruz also offers such features as a coaster brake, custom fenders, a Diamondback kids' springer cruiser saddle, and a set of training wheels to get your daughter up to speed.
Specifications:
Size: 16-inch girl's cruiser
Frame: DB Hi-Ten Remington steel cruiser
Fork: Hi-Ten Remington steel
Cranks: 140mm 1-piece, 36t
Bottom bracket: Looseball
Brakes: Coaster
Gear: 18t cog
Rims: 28H R-1000 alloy
Tires: Cruiser whitewall 16 x 2.125
Pedals: Resin platform
Handlebar: Cruiser, 22.75 inches wide by 3-inch rise
Stem: Alloy quill
Seatpost: Steel pillar 25.4mm
Seat: Della Cruz double spring
Headset: 1-inch threaded
Colors: Pale aqua/peach
Chain: 1-inch threaded
Hubset: 28H nutted (front); 28H nutted with coaster (rear)
Coaster spokes: 14g
Grips: Jr. cruiser
Extras: Custom fenders, chainstay protectors, training wheels, clear coat
Manufacturer's Warranty Lifetime on the frame, 5 years on the fork, 1 year on components, 1 year on labor for the frame, 30 days on labor for parts
Get 17% OFF
Want to buy
Diamondback Mini Della Cruz Girls' Cruiser (16 Inch Wheels) at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:
We paid extra for the Kettler name because we wanted to avoid poorly made, potentially dangerous merchandise from big box stores. We had previously purchased a Kettler tricycle for our child and were very pleased with the German made quality. Knowing that more and more manufacturers are moving production to China, I investigated this pretty thoroughly. I did not attempt to contact Kettler and I wish I had. 
