[old cheese]

Looking to upgrade the boys bike. He has learned to ride on a ridgeback 12 inch wheeled thingy. I have been looking at the specialized hot rock 16 inch as I want him to have a quality bike And also want it to last. He will be 6 in may. Are there any realistic alternatives to the specialized hot rock?

[fatkid2000]

Look up isla bikes on the net - my 3 year old has one.

They make balance bikes up to bikes for teenagers. Get great reviews and have basically scaled down version of adult components.

I tried to get a 2nd hand one , but they were selling for £20-40 less than retail on ebay. They seem popular in cycling families round here.

Think its internet order only.

[ianv]

 Stick with spesh (hotrock 20) or Scott (voltage 20).

Personally, I wouldn't touch Isla bikes with a barge pole. My son managed to snap one in two!

[SamT]

Dawes rocket.  Much cheaper than isla bikes as they are less well known thus easier to get hold of. Ali frame so nice and light. We picked up an absolutely flaweless one on ebay for 70 notes. They normally go a bit cheaper. Ask yourself if your 6 year old really needs suspension forks or whether they just add unnecessary extra weight.

[Ti_pin_man]

The honest answer is get one you lad likes.  its simples really, even if you love the mini me aspect of getting him a 'proper' bike, if its the wrong colour or doesnt have what he and his mates is cool then he wont be so inclined to ride it.  take him down to the bike shop or show him options online and see which one lights up his face.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

We have a cheap Decathlon one but it weighs a ton so thinking of getting an Islabike Beinn 20. Most other known brands seem to be around 11kg, Islabikes are around 8kg. Expensive but they hold their value.

[Jim]

in the same boat as Obi, thinking of getting an Isla bike but contemplating a cheaper alternative

[SamT]

 

Just re-read this - and realised your after a 16" one,  again, Dawes Blowfish 16 which with have for a younger one...cheaper than the isla bikes and much easier to get hold of (2nd hand).  Ours cost 11 quid on ebay - rather well used so I bought a new seat for it and a new brake lever, but still, bargain! and T loves it.

It has to be said though, that the isla bikes do hold their value very well, so you what you fork out upfront, you'll get back in a year or two when they've out grown it.

[Jaspersharpe]

Yeah the sprog had the Isla balance bike and when we upgraded to the one with pedals I sold the balance bike on ebay for about £15 less than it cost new.

Never known anything hold it's value so well and it'd had some right hammer too.

[dave]

We just got one for Will from Decathlon, shorties dad was researching reasonably priced ones and rated the build quality of it, in comparison he said the Halford's equivalent was total shit.

The decathlon one comes fully pimped out with a horn, lights and mudguards and a dope paintjob. In other words its a pussy magnet. I know nothing about bikes but assume these things are important.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/16-pirabike-childrens-bike-black-id_8173586.html

[Jaspersharpe]

I know nothing about bikes either but the fact that it has pirates on it is surely a massive selling point. Probably more important than brakes or suchlike.

[lagerstarfish]

I'm not sure that the eyepatch accessory is a great idea

[dave]

To be fair they missed off a cutlass holder, but you can't have everything or it would cost too many doubloons.

[SA Chris]

great arrrrrrtwork.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Avast amount of kids bikes are heavy, me hearties.

[Jaspersharpe]

Yes shopping for kids bikes can be a rum deal. I hope you manage to hook a bargain.

[lagerstarfish]

it's good, but I wonder if they have anything a little more piratey?

Margret will know

[erm, sam]

My 6yr old has got one of the Decathlon pirate ones above and it is fine but the brakes are a bit shit. I upgraded one of the levers to a kids bmx one which works better but he didn't like at first (fine with it now).

[ianv]

16" Isla bike, which did not retain its second hand value       :


fin 2010 - mai2011 162 by ianvincent, on Flickr

A normal height 5-6 yr old is going to grow out of a 16" pretty quickly IME. My son (not very tall) was riding a 20" at 6 and I would at least consider going for the bigger size at that age.

My general sense is that budget bikes are something Decathlon do well.

 

[old cheese]

Thanks for the replies, especially ianv, I kinda had the same idea about him growing out of a 16 inch bike at the back of my mind. I don't want to spend a bunch of dough for a bike that only lasts a few months. Will look for summat bigger

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

16" Isla bike, which did not retain its second hand value       :


fin 2010 - mai2011 162 by ianvincent, on Flickr

What's the story here? Would be surprised/disappointed if they didn't have a decent frame warranty

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

5 year on frame and forks, unless it's just been under that  car.

[ianv]

5 year on frame and forks, unless it's just been under that  car.

I did get offered a new frame but chose to give it a miss considering how obviously inappropriate the bike was. Apparently getting the wheels off the ground is a big no no

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

5 year on frame and forks, unless it's just been under that  car.

I did get offered a new frame but chose to give it a miss considering how obviously inappropriate the bike was. Apparently getting the wheels off the ground is a big no no

So he bust it by taking it over a sweet jump?

[ianv]

So he bust it by taking it over a sweet jump?

He broke it at the BMX track and they gave me grief for letting him use it it an inappropriate way. Kids ride Argos bikes on our local bmx track and they don't break so for an Isla bike to snap says something about the build quality.

FWIW @ old cheese, as long as a 20" is not too big, something like this would be a good buy.:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Boys-Bike-Scott-Voltage-JR20-Front-Suspension-10-inch-Frame-20-Inch-Wheel-/161137359010?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item258488f8a2



Tough, decent geometry and looks pretty cool.