Advice - kids bikes, specifically Isla 20

Hi all,

So - my lad (now 9 but, like me, a bit on the short side) has finally outgrown his Isla CONC 16 and I'm looking to upgrade for his birthday (mid November).

I'm thinking about an Isla Beinn 20 large (which from the Isla site should fit nicely) as I can't rate the quality of his current Isla highly enough... however... they aren't cheap and if I don't fall lucky on eBay (he's also got his heart set on a red one to make life easier (facepalm)) then I'm wondering about possible alternatives. Atm he is 124cm high and has a 54cm standover.

Any suggestions for sourcing a nice Isla (outside of eBay) or good quality alternatives would be gratefully recieved!

Cheerio,
Paul.

Personal experience would be a frog 55. I asked a similar question last month will dig out the link.

But try this list
Frog
Raleigh secret kids line that nobody knows about. (See link)
Orbea
Specialized
Wiggins halfords range.


viewtopic.php?f=41&t=353880

If you can find one get a Raleigh Hotrod 20. The frame was made from Airlite 6061.

There are in fact usually a few Airlite ones on fleabay even though the sellers often claim they are steel: They are red, without front suspension and have silver stickers (saying Airlite) on both seat stays by the brakes. They also have black seat collars rather than clamps.

They are also lighter than a light thing.

Oooh nice ideas, thank you I'll spend some time working through that link secret_squirrel, ta. I may end up heading back to Isla (local company to me and bloody lovely bikes) but always worth digging through alternatives.

Re:

Pm Fluffychicken, he has a red one that may well be surplus to requirements.

I like the look of Hoy bikes. similar Isla bike geometry and nice finishing kits.
I have a Ridgeback MX20 for my eldest (hes not big enough for it yet) found it dumped on the road side, frame and suntour sus forks are in great condition, but wheels are rusty as fook....still, i reckon it'd be a cheap doer upper and i'm looking to put a 3spd hub wheel on the rear instead of the 5speed gripshit horridness it has which is buggered anyway

Re:

For new stuff the last time I checked half of Islavikes stuff was out of stock.

For used I've been watching Frogs on EBay and they seem to hold their value well if not at islabike levels. The 52 and 55 seem to go for about 170-200 used.

Re:

If they're local, I'd bet tempt to try the 24" version - if it fits OK now you'll get more use out of it before upgrade time, and the larger wheels will make longer distances easier as he gets older.


also the Dawes academy range look very similar to islabikes, but if you can afford the initial outlay then an Islabike is probably the cheapest way to own a kids bike - we've had a cnoc16 and a beinn 20 so far and only lost £50-70 each come resale time

Re:

There's an Islabike group on FB, worth a try. As the residuals are so high I'd still go Isla, you will prolly sell it off for what you paid so it's free cycling.

Lots of interesting thoughts here, thank you. The thing that really sways me towards Isla is just how nicely spec'd and designed they are. His little CONC 16 is like a high end adult bike but with 16" wheels - beautiful. Frame is lovely, handling is good and it stops on a button - as opposed to a lot of kids bike that tend to stop when you hit something (unless I just grew up on too many hard, red 1980's brake blocks! ). He's a bit short in the leg (like me) so I think 24" might still be a bit big for him - although I'll probably regret saying that in a year or two's time when I'm replacing it! Really it's the price of Isla that's making me wonder about the list of other's that everyone's so kindly supplied - even second hand you're looking in the £250 region and that's quite a lot of cash for me atm! Definitely head scratching time I reckon!