Kids' bikes

[boneshaker]

I'm looking for a new bike for my elder daughter - she's currently got an Islabikes Beinn 20 inch which I picked up at a car boot sale. In the not too distant future she'll need to go up to something bigger, and looking at the second hand islabikes offerings they are very expensive. Does anyone have suggestions for other decent makes - i guess I'll need to look for a 24 inch for her.

Any suggestions most welcome!

[[XAP]Bob]

Isla are the best recognised make.
Frog are also pretty good though.

Thing to look at is also how much you can sell the Isla for - you may well find that it is cheaper to buy a second hand Isla, and sell the previous size...
The larger Isla will also sell well when outgrown...

[hamster]

Islas are expensive new and secondhand. It's because they are worth it.

You will get your money back on resale. Of the 5 Islas we have got through as a family, two cost us precisely zero in terms of depreciation - one was sold at a profit a year later, the other one was sold for exaclty the same money, but consumed a chain and bottom bracket over the 3 years it was ridden.

Alternatively buy a bit of garbage for £50, discover the child hates it (typically it weighs more than an adult bike) and then take it to the tip.

Recently I was asked to fettle a friend's child's bike. It weighed 42lbs...for a 9 year old.

[NUKe]

Giant MTX225 unfortunately I don't think they do it without a suspension fork anymore, I bought one in 2008 for my Daughter fortunately she wanted Blue, so it has since being passed to her 2 brother and is now with my Nephew. nice and light, and takes it cues from the Isla's with short cranks, short reach brakes and light overall weight.

[pjclinch]

Wot thum sez ^^^

There's now a facebook group for selling on out-grown Islabikes. We had no problems shifting two Beinn 20s and their succeeding Beinn 26 and they worked very well when we had them. No regrets. One point is do see if she'll fit on a B26 rather than a B24. Ours went from 20 (L) to 26 (S) and the saddles were fairly well up on the 26s to start.

I've looked over some Frogs, and they're good too, and others are getting in on the act now (e.g., Hoy). Islas will command the biggest premium as the best known (both buying ans selling), but beyond that you'll generally get what you pay for. You can get Sensible bikes for less than the premium brands. Decathlon's B'Twin range have some excellent value utilitarian kids' bikes, for example. It's well worth remembering that you only want to pay for stuff you'll take advantage of, so on a general purpose kid's bike light weight and simple gears are worth having, and full suspension and cable disc brakes aren't.

As a Bikeability instructor it's quite noticeable that the ones that turn up on the likes of Islabikes have far fewer running issues. The worst are look-the-part full suspension "mountain bikes", which weigh a tonne, have stiff, indifferent braking and where the gears tend to either hardly work, or not work at all. The BMXs are pretty hopeless too, but fit them with a sensible length of seatpost and they're much better.

Pete.

[[XAP]Bob]

How much of that is the cycling awareness of parents who would buy their kids an Isla though?

[thirdcrank]

Speaking as a granddad who has bought a series of Islabikes with complete satisfaction, my advice would be if you are looking at anything else, check the gear ratios, especially the bottom gear.

[Si]

Have you considered the islabikes rental scheme? Should be ddtails on tbeir website.

[Elizabethsdad]

Or, you can always turn to the darkside...
http://www.kmxkarts.co.uk/Recumbent-Tri ... t--R-.aspx

[John Holiday]

As a National Standards Instructor working in schools, I am frequently asked about the most suitable bikes for children.
I always recommend spending a little more & buying Isla or Frog. They are not expensive. You are paying for quality.
They are easily sold on if outgrown for not much less than the purchase price. Too often people buy cheap,heavy bikes that children loose interest in.
All my grand-children have Isla & enjoy their lightness & responsiveness. The four year old recently cycled 12 miles & was eager for more.
You will not regret the larger initial outlay.

[[XAP]Bob]

Or, you can always turn to the darkside...
http://www.kmxkarts.co.uk/Recumbent-Tri ... t--R-.aspx

Hehe

Even Inresisted saying that. (MiniBob has an Isla and MicroBob has a K3)

[boneshaker]

Thanks for all of your replies: very useful indeed. I'll continue to scout for another Isla I think.

[jatindersangha]

Hi,

We have a Frog Road 70 for my youngest (12). He loves it and is always asking me to swap the tyres between the off-road ones and on-road tyres that came with the bike, so he can go riding wherever he wants to!

--Jatinder

[AaronR]

I found a tidy Specialized Hotrock in a very feminine blue flowery paint scheme for my youngest who is very tall for her age, and prone to flagging at the sight of a hill, so the 24" wheels, wider gear range and size were perfect

£25 off ebay, £10 in diesel to go and collect it, £3 for new gear cable, £2 for a brake cable, £1 for a seat quick release, and got a new pair of Landcruiser tyres with tubes for £12

I know Isla bikes hold their value, but IMHO unless its being used every day, or on longer rides where the reduced weight might be appreciated I think there is an element of elitism in paying the higher initial cost of an Isla - the Specialized bikes have shorter cranks and reach adjustable levers, but other wise use standard parts to make servicing easier

And..... (PC police wince now) girls bikes go for pennies! Ebay will be my witness for this, search for 24" mountain bike, narrow the search down to what you'll be prepared to travel for and watch. Girl specific bikes, whether that is frame shape or colour scheme are substantially cheaper than their male orientated equivalent, so much so that I am currently looking for a small framed 26" wheeled bike for my son, and the difference in price is more than enough to cover a full strip, powder coat and rebuild

[foxyrider]

Don't get too sucked in by the IB hype here even Raleigh and Dawes have realised the error of their ways and have ranges of lighter, real bikes for the kids at prices that are quite affordable. They are properly scaled with cranks etc.