Question on kids bikes - please help

[WaltzingTilda]

I want to get my dd (4.5) her first bike. I am considering the below two bikes. I am looking for a practical , lightweight bike so she can learn as quickly as possible ideally without stabilisers. I love the sound of the Isla bike but it's quite expensive. I could still get it if its the best option for her but feel that £400 is quite steep for a first bike and I don't know how long she'll get to use it before she grows out of it? She doesn't haven any siblings or younger cousins to pass on to either. Would like to know your thoughts lovely mumsnetters.

What do you reckon are the main differences between these two bikes apart from their price ? Tbh I can't see much of a difference apart from the price and obviously the brand and possibly a small difference in weight? am I missing something ?

www.islabikes.co.uk/products/kids-first-pedal-bike-cnoc-16-age-4?variant=35747932307614

www.halfords.com/bikes/kids-bikes/carrera-cosmos-kids-bike---16in-wheel---purple-456638.html?istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istFeedId=367c5610-f937-4c81-8609-f84582324cd6&istItemId=prratqmaa&istBid=t&_$ja=tsid:|cid:13230547405|agid:122306447683|tid:pla-331029889895|crid:523481362722|nw:u|rnd:2469770099480661355|dvc:m|adp:|mt:|loc:1007193&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhLKUBhDiARIsAMaTLnH8qU2LfLFc_6_yIPSQvw62k6bNh8daS57oI7TJTa4gwGuLKlO86mcaAsRsEALw_wcB

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MNHQ

Get a second hand islabike. You will sell it for pretty much what you pay for it. I sold my last one for more than I paid. The quality and design us not matched by anything else. We do have a frog too, but the proportions are not as good.

The difference in weight isn't small -- it's very significant in every way.

Also the Isla bikes are better designed for small hands, small dimensions, better quality components, AND they have good resale value

On that point, buying off of ebay 2nd hand (Islabike) is very good idea.

Frog bikes are supposed to be a budget version of Islabikes.

The Isla bike every time. Cannot recommend them highly enough. They are really lightweight and just generally really good quality bike.
Both of my children have had these since they learned to ride at around 3/4, both getting the hang of riding much faster than friends and family’s children due to them being so light and manoeuvrable.
And for the best part, we have bought all ours second hand on eBay in amazing condition and then sold them again when they’ve out grown them without losing much, if any, money on them, so although expensive have worked out loads cheaper than Halfords or other brands that don’t hold their value.

@CottonSock thank you for replying. I am concerned about what defects a second hand bike may have given that I am not very good at find out through inspection . My dh wouldn't be very good at it either 😕 . I suspect for us it would be pot luck to get a good second hand bike 🤔

My kids started riding on a 12” very heavy bike that we were given, then the elder got a new very light 16” one. They both rode the heavy one just fine, and learned quickly aged two; I don’t notice any difference when they ride the light one. I prefer the light one because it’s easier to carry and better to bang your shins on, but they don’t seem to care at all.

There is a massive difference between the more expensive and cheaper bikes but I could never bring myself to pay the Isla bike or Frog prices. However, they really hold their value, you get £100s back selling it second hand, check out eBay for an idea.

We compromised with Wild bikes from go outdoors which are excellent. The difference I found was that DD could actually use the brakes on a decent bike whereas she can't on a cheaper one.

If I were you I'd consider how much you would use it. If it's not that much the Halfords bike isn't cheap so may be fine. If you go out as a family tackling hills then the Isla bike would be lovely. I think they are made in UK too which is good....

Most sellers declare defects, but I guess its a bit of luck. Check for rust and general wear. Rust would put me off as you want one stored indoors. A few scratches wont put me off. Most things are fairly easy to fix as they are robust bikes with quality parts. Also, no gears on that size bike.

I wouldn't touch Halfords with aq barge pole

as others have said look on eBay and market place for second hand Isla bike or frog

its the gearing and weight that are different - making cycling easier, therefore easier to learn

Isla all the way. They are light weight so can be ridden easily, ergonomically designed for small children.
We've had them from the beginning as well as having a mid teens mountain bike which has been ridden hard.

I just got a second hand 16in Woom bike which is similar spec to Islabike I think. Honestly it looks brand new. Some people will really look after them with the intention of selling on. I plan to do the same.

We have 14 inch and 16 inch Woom bikes which are really brilliant little bikes. Light as a feather. My 2 learnt to ride in no time on them and don't struggle up hills, brake confidently etc. They have quite an upright position which is great for encouraging confidence in beginners.

I'm just wondering myself what to get for a 20 inch bike but we couldn't have been more pleased with the Wooms.

Islabike every time - super light and you’ll resell it no problem when the time comes.

I got a frog bike and a frog balance bike off ebay and they have both been fantastic. I spent just over £100 for the frog bike for by DD and £70 for the frog balance bike.

I believe Woom also offer an exchange programme where you can swap for the next size up if your child outgrows one size within a certain timeframe.. can't remember the details as we have 2 children so pass bikes down, but if they still offer that it would be great for an only child.

My dd has a Ridgeback Honey. Not sure how it compares to the Isla, but she got it for Christmas and ditched the stabilisers at Easter.

OP I’m a cyclist, live in a major cycling city where a bike is essential even for little ones and have DC ie. I’ve made my way through a lot of bikes. For a 4-5 yo there is no way I’d be buying a new bike irrespective of budget.

At that age they are hardly off-roading and getting any mileage up to create any damage to the bike so don’t worry about being an expert buyer for second hand. At a guess they get 100 +/- miles out of it (because they grow, don’t have stamina for long rides or many kids only cycle for an hour each weekend say) so second hand is like new. Worse case you take it for a device for £25. Still wayyyyy cheaper. Meant nicely but utterly ridiculous to think a second hand bike needs to be so finely tuned for a child to learn - this is not Bradley Wiggins territory. Get ‘em any lightweight bike to learn to ride and when they’re older give them the difference in money. They’ll thank you for it and so will the environment.

Enjoy cycling 🚴‍♀️

*service (not device!)

I was thinking about this for mine bikeclub.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhLKUBhDiARIsAMaTLnFGpqyVjsq75G82cxTNPoxeeXrh4dpZwRG_aI5DFh84ftgwumwx02YaAoFSEALw_wcB he seems to be growing so fast it feels like he will be too tall for whatever I buy him in a week

Vote for Frog Bike. Best Buy for my DS.

@WaltzingTilda have you seen bikeclub.com? I've only been using them a month but have nothing but good things to report so far!

Isla (of Frog) all the way, as all arguments above.
If you’re looking at the 16” Halfords bike (recommended height 112-127 cm), then you probably want the Beinn range in Iskabikes. The Cnocs only go
up to 110cm height.

”Isla” bikes we founded by Isla Rowntree, a highly decorated British cyclist. She’s out a lot of effort into proportioning the bikes and their components for kids, rather than just “shrink n pink”. Stuff like kids bodies tend to grow more in relation ti their legs until they are 8, then their legs get proportionally longer.

So who would you rather buy a bike off, a cycling champion or a car parts shop?

there is a “Prelived Isla Bikes For Sale and Wanted” FB page. It’s unlikely that there will be anything wrong with one that a decent service from a local bike shop can’t fix.

My first learned (age 4) on a second hand islabike - I later sold it for as much as I'd paid. Lovely bike. He's since moved on to frog as he's a bit pickier about his colour/condition now, so last couple I've bought new and still sold on for a decent price. Brand new isla is out of my price range.

My second learned (age 3) to ride a bike during the pandemic, when bike availability (even second hand) became a nightmare. She learned on - that Halfords one! As a specific model it's actually reasonably decent and often recommended by the same people who use isla, frog etc. It's not in the same league as the islabike (the distance to the frog is much less), but it's much nippier and lighter than the other bikes we see at nursery, and I'm less anxious about it being left out in the rain (at nursery) or getting scuffed a lot as her very first 'proper' bike with all that entails! I had no choice but it's served her well for sure.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads

So who would you rather buy a bike off, a cycling champion or a car parts shop?

Are you asking for a professional/keen amateur cyclist or a 4 year old learning to ride? 😆

Ridgeback was the best of the bikes ds had when young and resell well too. Avoid too cheap, the year my parents bought ds a cheapie he went from doing really well to barely cycling as it was just too hard. The next decent bike and he was off flying again.