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After much debate, I bought a Prevelo Zulu One for my son's first pedal bike. I appreciate greatly all the good advice I received on this forum. As a way to give back, I'm creating this thread for my review/experiences with the bike as there isn't nearly as much info out there as there is on alternatives like the Spawn bikes.
The bike arrived yesterday and I'll be building this weekend, so I have no special info yet, but to preface everything, these are the advantages/disadvantages I saw of the Zulu One vs. the Yoji, which was what I nearly bought.
Perceived advantages of the Zulu One:
1. Sizing - this is obviously personal, but my son was between the 14 and 16 in Yoji. The Zulu One is a bit more spread out seeming of a bike than the Yoji 14, so I hope he will be able to ride it a bit longer than the Yoji 14. He wasn't quite big enough for the 16 without modifications. When I get him on it, I'll get some photos to show fit/size. Obviously this is based on the individual, so it could be a downside for others.
2. Hydraulic disk brakes vs. rim brakes - this is the most non-subjective comparison. I would basically always rather have disk brakes than rim brakes and I hope that they will be easier for him to learn how to modulate. At 30lbs, I can't imagine that the rim brakes wouldn't have had the power to lock the wheels, so power is less an issue, but the hydraulic disk brakes should let him brake with two fingers even given his not so strong little hands.
3. More forgiving mountain bike geometry - The HTA is 66 degrees on the Zulu One vs. 72 degrees on the Yoji 14. That means that he's less likely to find himself flying over the bars, especially as he progresses from parking lot to trail with little imperfections. For a first bike, I like this geo more.
4. Classier colors. They finish looks classier and more premium than the Spawn paints appear (at least online)
Perceived advantages of the Spawn Yoji 14/16
1. More BMX geometry - few things are more fun than messing around on a BMX bike. It's not nearly as forgiving, but it would likely be really good for skill building once he passes the very beginner phase.
2. Price - the Yoji is cheaper, but it's not as much cheaper as the $370 vs. $460 list prices suggest. The more expensive Zulu One is shipped for free, while the Spawn charges $40 for shipping, so it's a $50 difference rather than close to $100.
3. Colors - for a kids bike, I like the loud colors of the Spawn bikes better.
4. Cassette hub vs. freewheel on the back. It's easier to change the gearing on the Spawn, esp. if you want to change it more than can be accomplished via chainring (which they both are ok for).
The bike arrived yesterday and I'll be building this weekend, so I have no special info yet, but to preface everything, these are the advantages/disadvantages I saw of the Zulu One vs. the Yoji, which was what I nearly bought.
Perceived advantages of the Zulu One:
1. Sizing - this is obviously personal, but my son was between the 14 and 16 in Yoji. The Zulu One is a bit more spread out seeming of a bike than the Yoji 14, so I hope he will be able to ride it a bit longer than the Yoji 14. He wasn't quite big enough for the 16 without modifications. When I get him on it, I'll get some photos to show fit/size. Obviously this is based on the individual, so it could be a downside for others.
2. Hydraulic disk brakes vs. rim brakes - this is the most non-subjective comparison. I would basically always rather have disk brakes than rim brakes and I hope that they will be easier for him to learn how to modulate. At 30lbs, I can't imagine that the rim brakes wouldn't have had the power to lock the wheels, so power is less an issue, but the hydraulic disk brakes should let him brake with two fingers even given his not so strong little hands.
3. More forgiving mountain bike geometry - The HTA is 66 degrees on the Zulu One vs. 72 degrees on the Yoji 14. That means that he's less likely to find himself flying over the bars, especially as he progresses from parking lot to trail with little imperfections. For a first bike, I like this geo more.
4. Classier colors. They finish looks classier and more premium than the Spawn paints appear (at least online)
Perceived advantages of the Spawn Yoji 14/16
1. More BMX geometry - few things are more fun than messing around on a BMX bike. It's not nearly as forgiving, but it would likely be really good for skill building once he passes the very beginner phase.
2. Price - the Yoji is cheaper, but it's not as much cheaper as the $370 vs. $460 list prices suggest. The more expensive Zulu One is shipped for free, while the Spawn charges $40 for shipping, so it's a $50 difference rather than close to $100.
3. Colors - for a kids bike, I like the loud colors of the Spawn bikes better.
4. Cassette hub vs. freewheel on the back. It's easier to change the gearing on the Spawn, esp. if you want to change it more than can be accomplished via chainring (which they both are ok for).
