Kids Bikes.

We have 2 Isla bikes a small Beinn 20 and a Beinn 24. They have both been great and turned both of my girls into cyclists after they struggled with "superstore" bikes. The one mistake we made was to buy the larger bike as one "to grow into" and my older daughter struggled a bit with a frame that was too large, especially with the reach to the handle bars (she has long legs and a short body).

My brother bought a Frog for his son and he loves it and it means that he can cope with longer rides. Frog delivered the bike to his LBS who did the final assembly - the LBS were impressed with the bike.

We've had both makes - Islabikes are brilliant and now Frog have hopped into the pond and are similarly much lighter weight than mainstream rivals - and quite keenly priced - and you can get them from proper bike shops -
Whichever, just do it - A child on a properly designed 10kg Islabike or Frog is much more likely to love cycling than on one weighing half as much again ....
And, no, they don't need any suspension and no they don't need dozens of gears and no they don't need different models for boys and girls ....

I would go straight to the Beinn 20 iI your position. At 5, he'll want gears in no time as he'll soon out spin the Cnoc 16 gears on faster surfaces but wish they had lower gears up hills. It was about at 5 that we jumped from the Cnoc 16.

similar experience to Greg but other way round. Despite starting early, my daughter refused to ride without stabilisers and took until 7 to be convinced that 2 wheels were best, even though she could ride a scooter well before. As a contrast my 2.5 year old boy has had a balance bike since 2nd birthday - he can already coast along and balance with both feet up and has the reflexes to dab a foot when he needs to.

I have twins, so baulked at the double whammy that 2x Islabikes would have been.

2x Frog bikes has been a resounding success for both kids and Dad's wallet. We live on a slope with a sharp climb from pavement to house and although the kids (aged 7) can't manage it yet, my wife can carry both bikes up at the same time.

Personally I went to wiggle for my children's' bikes. If you know what size you need then you're fine and I rate the felt mountain bikes highly.

My son's five in a couple of weeks, he's been on his sister's old Beinn 20 Small since as soon as he could fit on it (he's not unusually tall, she's on a 24 now). He finds it a lot easier off-road than his old Cnoc 14. Gears don't seem confusing, he just leaves it in the same one most of the time

Oh and give Isla bikes a call. They really helped pick the right one

+1 for Isla bikes. Also have a look at how much they go for on ebay. If you look after it in effect you are renting the bike as , the last time I looked, you get at least 70% of the new price back.

In my experience stabalisers are pointless, if anything they delay children learning to ride a bike. Either get a balance bike and then use the 'proper bike', or just get a proper bike and take off the peals so they can use it as a balance bike.

My daughter of three used a balance bike for an afternoon, then by the next afternoon was riding with pedals n' all.

My son on the other hand took much longer simply because he insisted on keeping the stabilizers (which ultimately I had to bend) to demonstrate they they were no good anymore.

If you find the initial outlay for Isla bikes a bit of a leap, have a look in store at Decathlon, the kids can ride round the store on the bikes, just pick one off the shelf and off you go.

They are good enough, and better than the junk in most of the 'big retail' places.

+1 with Simon. The gears will only complicate things for the wee fellah. He'll not care if there's only one gear now he has a new found freedom.

willythepimp, you really should use the size chart.

Most younger kids struggle with gears of any kind so the single gear is best until they're bigger. It's counterproductive getting one 'for them to grow into'.

They sell direct to keep the cost down. Visiting their modest HQ near Ludlow is the best way to buy. Isla is passionate, she has been in the industry and has been riding and racing bikes for many years.

We inherited a s/h Ridgeback MX20. In isolation it's OK but next to a Beinn it does not compare well at all.

I'd also recommend an isla bike. My boy of five has the Cnoc 16 and loves it. Well made, decent components and a sensible geometry too.

Incidentally my daughter of three also has an isla bike (the Cnoc 14) and loves it too. Both are great bikes.

They're both used extensively by mine on the local BMX track too.

+1 again for Islabikes. Wouldnt even bother looking at anything else. My 5 year old loves his CNOC 16, and his older brother (7) has moved onto the Beinn 20 as his first bike with gears. Having seen how good they are for little cyclists a number of their mates have now changed theirs for the Islabikes. They are very light and all the components are good quality, designed and sized for little hands and legs. Yes, pricey up front but worth every penny to see them come on and actually enjoy hills. Its no myth about the re-sales either. We sold the eldest's CNOC for only £30 less than we paid 2 years previously. Overall a bargain but more importantly the best option for getting them into riding and riding properly.

we got a frog 52 for my 7yr old daughter, who has been a slow learner cyclist and she likes it. Plenty of room to grow so it should last her a good couple of years or more and be suitable to be passed down to her younger brother - being a gender neutral purple colour.
It has a decent alloy frame and wheels, effective tektro brakes with kid sized levers and shimano 7 speed gears with a twist shifter. Comes with some mudguards as well. It's quite long in the frame so there is plenty of space to grow and the seatpost is long too.

Isla bikes are undeniably nice machines and they are higher spec for the higher price but as everyone says, the resale value is good on the whole. We went with the frog because i was having a hard time justifying the price of that alone to the Mrs - let alone the cost of an Islabike - and we weren't planning to re-sell in a hurry.

Others we looked at were the Ridgebacks and Evans own brand childrens bikes, both look good options.

+1 Islabikes ... Mine youngest has had 2 now. +1 on the resale values too

Islabikes Cnoc 14 or 16. Best kids bikes in the world. Measure him up and use their size chart to choose.

If you are really strapped for cash a secondhand Ridgeback MX16 from ebay would be OK. They're not much cheaper new and the Islabike is far better (and you will get a lot more for it when it's time to sell it). No-one ever regrets buying an Islabike.