log in
register

Kids Bikes.

  • Creator
    Topic
  • April 16, 2014 at 10:54 am #21184
    willythepimp

    My Boy has just started riding his bike and in typical pushy parent fashion (or bike obsessed), I’m looking for his next bike as a fifth birthday present in the summer.

    I want something that is good quality, light and with enough gearing to let him cruise with mum and dad without killing him on the hills. I want him to have the chance to really enjoy it, and know that having a nice machine makes all the difference. I feel that it is a bit unfair that adults get lighter bikes than children!

    He will be after a 16 incher I reckon, as it will give him enough growing room before he gets a proper junior bike.

    Any recommendations greatly received!

  • Creator
    Topic
Viewing 12 replies - 16 through 27 (of 27 total)
1 2
  • Author
    Replies
  • April 17, 2014 at 10:02 am #787075
    0
    Manchestercyclist

    In my experience stabalisers
    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.

    April 17, 2014 at 7:31 am #787073
    0
    Flying Scot

    If you find the initial
    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.

    April 16, 2014 at 10:42 pm #787071
    0
    willythepimp

    I wasn’t thinking along the
    I wasn’t thinking along the grow into lines, more the if the small frame fits then jump straight to gears lines, but I get your point. My niece and nephew were bought 20 inch bikes at three and five and are still not riding without stabilisers at five and seven. I will definitely measure him, as it is a completely pointless exercise if you don’t.

    I was just weighing up that he will probably be able to change gears with a little coaching, He rings his bell enough!

    April 16, 2014 at 10:26 pm #787069
    0
    giff77

    +1 with Simon. The gears will
    +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.

    April 16, 2014 at 10:05 pm #787067
    0
    Simon E

    willythepimp, you really
    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.

    April 16, 2014 at 8:49 pm #787065
    0
    willythepimp

    did you get the Beinn 20 in
    did you get the Beinn 20 in the small or large?

    It says that the Beinn 20 Small is for 5+ on their website, I’m trying to figure out if it is worth the extra step of gears now rather than later.

    April 16, 2014 at 8:40 pm #787063
    0
    Manchestercyclist

    I’d also recommend an isla
    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.

    April 16, 2014 at 8:38 pm #787061
    0
    willythepimp

    Thanks for the replies, quite
    Thanks for the replies, quite a resounding win for the Islabike!

    It will most likely be handed down twice, so the quality needs to be there from the start, and the Islabike seems to have that in spades.

    Shame my LBS cannot get hold of them.

    April 16, 2014 at 1:08 pm #787059
    0
    simDP

    +1 again for Islabikes.
    +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.

    April 16, 2014 at 12:11 pm #787057
    0
    joemmo

    we got a frog 52 for my 7yr
    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.

    April 16, 2014 at 12:04 pm #787055
    0
    therevokid

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

    April 16, 2014 at 11:17 am #787053
    0
    Simon E

    Islabikes Cnoc 14 or 16. Best
    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.

  • Author
    Replies
Viewing 12 replies - 16 through 27 (of 27 total)
1 2
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.