Can anyone recommend a good kids bike. I need one as a present for my 9 year old daughter, but I want a good quality one that lasts and isn't heavier than mine.

Scott do a full on kids hardtail for about £600. It should meet your criteria.

RC Junior Team Issue

Is she tall enough to ride a 26" wheeled bike? My daugther wasn't, when aged 9, and she was/is tall for her age. Actually, she probably could have got away with it but a 24" wheeled bike would have been better for her at age 9.

I deliberately bought my daughter (now that she is 10) a rigid bike as I reckon suspension forks would have been heavy, crap, and she'd be too light for them to do anything useful.

The Trek 3500 comes in a 13" frame, fully rigid, at £200 RRP (don't buy the women's 13" version which has a step-through frame). There is a 13" fully rigid Specialized Hardrock at £260 RRP. I went for the Specialized in the end because I couldn't get the Trek in time. I'm quite impressed with it.

Haven't got any kids so I didn't consider that :-)

They do a 24" bike also.

Have just tried my 10 year old on an XS 26" wheeled giant and he fits that OK. They do a couple of sub-£200 bikes the Rock and Rock SE which are incredibly good value. They also do an XS in a Boulder (about £220 with better frame/gear) and Terrago, the latter of which is about £400 and features hydro discs.

I feel that the sub £200 bikes may not be of the weight and quality that's wanted.