We got a new bike for my daughter this weekend. The local bike shop (Cooper's Bike in Stillwater) cut us a good deal on a Giant MTX 225. The two key points for me were gears (21 speed) and wheels (24-inch). She is about 4'2" tall and it fits her well. Hopefully she'll get at least two or three years out of it.

Other features:
- Aluminum frame, although it's a funky shape that doesn't lend itself to clamping on stuff
- Water bottle holder, on the bottom side of the down tube, so that the water bottle gets covered in junk
- Dérailleur cage - a loop of steel for a crash bar to protect the dérailleur.
- Typical mountain bike tires - these will work but I'd like to eventually get something thinner and less knobby for the riding she will do.
- Adjustable-angle stem, but it's nearly all the way up now so that won't do a lot. I wonder if she'd miss that?

Her first ride she learned why you have to brace yourself when you have a good front brake. She's put several miles on it now and really likes it.

She can shift the rear well, and she's about to figure out how to shift the front to keep the chain straight.

Link: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/kids/2302/32236/