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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This thread is quite old now so some of the suggestions may be out of date, but if you’ve landed here looking for bike recommendations, we’ve recently updated our best kids' bikes page with lots of great options, as tried and tested by Mumsnet users and their kids. We hope you find it useful.

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bikeclub.com/

Another vote for the bike club. Great scheme, good selection of bikes. My eldest had a squish bike for her first. I’d never heard of them but I think they are a cheaper version of frog, it was very light and sturdy

Cor blimey - I have 2 old Isla bikes, a frog and a kid’s specialised sitting in our shed - I need to get them on eBay!! OP, if you’re in a western part of England pm me!😆

Going against the grain but I'd get the Halfords one. Yes, lighter is easier but it isn't too heavy. I've seen too many kids bikes mistreated, dropped and so on to be willing to spend >£200 on something second hand.

I've seen the difference a light bike makes to a kids cycling.

Reluctant cyclist (in a cycling family who really needed to ride to help the school run) was bought a frog bike and they became very very enthusiastic.

Little sibling then got an Isla as their first bike.

We got a second hand Hoy bike for my daughter at that age, it was very slight weight and she was fine on it. When she turned 6, we bought her a new Frog bike and that should do her a few years. If you are using them a lot, they are definitely worth investing in a good one. For Isla bike at that age, I would look for a second hand one.

Another vote for Frog. Pinnacles might be worth a look too, DCs had one and it was nice and light.

Don’t waste your money at Halfords. We did. It was awful. Regretted it and bought an Isla bike which she learnt on within a couple of days at 3 years old

I recommend Bobbin bikes, cheaper than the Isla but far better quality than Halford. My 4 year old loves hers.

Thank you so much everyone for replying. Its very helpful. I've been unwell the last couple of days so couldnt read all the responses until now. I can't understand how Frog are supposed to be for the medium budget range but are only about £50 cheaper than Isla 🤔 Bikeclub sounds good but I am a worrier , and i am worried about dd damaging the bike or us losing it somehow, which makes me feel that perhaps its not the best option for us as this would be a constant worry for me. I think I am going to look on ebay and Facebook for a used Isla bike or try some of the others suggested. @Blinkingbatshit unfortunately, I live in South East England 🙂

I’ve come to recommend the Bike Club too.

My son rides a Frog 48 that I paid £90 for second hand. I couldn’t find a second hand Frog 40 for my daughter so I went with the bike club. I pay £8.49 a month for it and it’s been great so far. You are allowed normal scratches etc, it’s only major damage which a small child would find hard to do that you need to worry about.

I would not spend nearly £400 for a bike for a 4 years old. Way to much money for a bike that will need to be changed in 2 years time. I will go to Decathlon. Will only buy an expensive bike whe they are grown up.

I understand this, but the thing is that they hold their value really well. If you sell it afterwards you make a chunky of that back. It's a big outlay though.

*chunk not chunky :/

We've always had Isla, Frog or the Wiggins range from Halfords (don't know if they still make them?) Bought the first two new, which have then been passed down and replacements bought second hand. All 3 kids learned to ride quickly at around 4 yrs with no problems, no stabilisers etc.

DS learnt to ride at three on a £5 10 inch bike with the pedals on the front wheel! He had a balance bike before that. I wouldn't spend £190 on a Halfords bike that will only last two years, if I was going to spend that much on a young child's bike then I would go for a better quality bike second hand instead.

Bloody love the Bike Club for fast-growing kids.