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Original poster

Bike for a 4 year old

29 replies

Trooperslane · 04/06/2017 12:23

DD will be 4 this Summer and she's been flying on her balance bike for quite a while.

DH is a cycle nut so is ripping up trees trying to research, but I wondered if any of you had any recommendations. She's a wee thing so I want it to be light for when I carry it home from the feckin park

Islabikes seem eye-wateringly expensive as do Frogs... Any idea on resale? Very little online.

OP posts:

CinderellasBroom · 04/06/2017 12:27

I used an Cnoc 14 for two kids, and sold it on eBay for £5 less than I had bought it six years before (also on eBay). They really hold their value, but I agree the initial investment is high.

PippaFawcett · 04/06/2017 12:28

Isla bikes all the way here, my kids can go for miles on them and they hold their value well so can be resold.

CinderellasBroom · 04/06/2017 12:30

Sorry, should have said, the Cnoc 14 is the smallest Islabike.

PippaFawcett · 04/06/2017 12:31

Then it is unanimous! If you can afford it, go for an Isla bike!

PippaFawcett · 04/06/2017 12:32

Ps. I also love their gender neutral colours which mean mine have always been passed down from boy to girl without complaint.

BurntBum · 04/06/2017 12:35

Another Isla bike fan here. You won't regret it and they really hold their value.

Scotlass · 04/06/2017 12:40

We bought brand new islabike (can't remember if it was the 14 or 16) for DS and it was a brilliant bike for getting him goong. Sold it 2yrs later on ebay for £50 less than we bought it, collected by buyer from our home.
We then got him a hoy bonaly 20 which again was a good bike and got him ised to gears.
He's now outgrown that and we've gone back to Islabike, bought for really reasonable price secondhand off someone who had also bought it second hand and DS loves it. We replaced cables, gear bits etc (sorry it's my DH who does the technical bits) and it looks good as new.
They are eye wateringly expensive but honestly having looked at all the others we don't regret it one bit. The lightness and proportions for wee ones makes cycling far more fun IMHO. Plus the resale means you get the use of a quality bike sure there's a booming second hand market when it's been outgrown

Original poster

Trooperslane · 04/06/2017 12:41

Cheers all!

Didn't expect so many replies so thank you.

Isla Cnoc 14 OOS so I've emailed them - and checking Evans etc.

OP posts:

CaptainCatFace · 04/06/2017 12:46

OP the 14 large is in stock and should be fine, we got that one for 4yo birthday and put saddle at lowest, she could get both feet flat on ground at once.

Scotlass · 04/06/2017 12:50

They recommend measuring her height and inside leg (get her to stand against the wall, put a book where the top of her leg is and get that measurement)
There's a chart on the site which tells you what size to get. Personally I would go 2nd hand at that age, they grow so quickly!

CinderellasBroom · 04/06/2017 13:38

Both my kids learnt on an old-style Cnoc 14 (equivalent to the large now) and were fine on it from 4yo. In fact, tiny dd1 could ride it at 3, but just couldn't start or stop (legs too short, I had to run next to her and assist!).

SirNiallDementia · 04/06/2017 13:47

My 2 have had second hand Isla bikes and they've actually been a great investment given they have been used so much by both my kids and sold on again for only £20 less than I paid for them!

43percentburnt · 04/06/2017 13:52

Bought ds a frog aged 3.5 after his balance bike. Took him 15 minutes to learn to ride it. Fab bike with 2 sets of tyres.

1981trouble · 04/06/2017 14:36

Isla and frog bikes are great and resale is good too.

Consider the bike club (can tremember the webpage) - you can rent a frog bike for about £7-10 a month and then exchange for the next size, if you keep it for 2 years you pay a small admin fee and keep it as yours (ideal if a younger sibling is coming up needing one). It's a genuine company we use currently and had no isssues at all.

3boys3dogshelp · 04/06/2017 14:43

We have frog bikes. They are brilliant too. If Isla is out of stock why not try a frog? Added bonus of actually being able to sit her on one in a local shop too.
Be warned I measured my ds as needing a 43 (14") but in the shop he was fine on a 48 (16"). The man said this is quite common and he often tries kids on the next size up. We first bought Frogs a few years ago when they were cheaper to buy but with unknown resale - looking on eBay I think we should pretty much get our money back. 😀 Ours have been hammered and still look great too.

Original poster

Trooperslane · 05/06/2017 21:01

This is all GOOD news, people!

Birthday not til August but I will update.

OP posts:

Nix32 · 10/06/2017 13:43

Another vote for Frog here. We use The Bike Club too and it's fab.

junglebookisthebest · 10/06/2017 13:53

I wondered about buying a fancy isla or frog and started researching. In the meantime other half has picked up 2 cheap ones at the car boot and you know what - she is flying on them! Unless your kid has particular physical issues then I don't think it's necessary.
So hers might be a bit heavier and so she has to expend a bit more energy but she's 4 - she needs to expend energy!
It's really easy as a parent to get caught up in the 'brands' and stuff that is pushed out there - but sometimes it's worth stepping back and thinking about it.
So our girl has both a pink bike and a paw patrol one for less than 10 - that we don't care if it falls, gets scratched, can be left in garden or outside a shop and I'm sure are providing as much fun as the isla and frog ones I was originally looking at!

BurntBum · 10/06/2017 14:32

I think if she's just doing short rides then I agree a heavier bike will probably not be a problem. However the Islabijkes really come into their own when you are doing longer rides. At age 4 DS would happily do 5 or 6 miles which I think he would have struggled with on a heavier, less well designed bike.

junglebookisthebest · 10/06/2017 15:19

you've made me think and just checked - our usual after nursery ride is just short of 5 miles - maybe we are lucky with our 4 year old but she easily does 5 miles on her 'normal' bike!
anyway if you want the top of the range bike then fair enough and I'm sure isla's and frog's will always hold value - but just wanted to add in a voice that our 3 year old (4 next week) doesn't struggle and loves riding her 'normal' bike.

IWantACheeseburger · 10/06/2017 15:26

We've just bought our 4 year old DS a Frog bike, it's lovely, much nicer than my bike! He can't pedal it yet but hopefully it will be worth the money, he loves his balance bike.

LowMaintenance101 · 25/07/2017 18:48

Sorry to crash in so late, but was just about to post the same question as the OP when I saw this thread. I have been to a local bike shop today to buy a new helmet for 4yo DD. She had a sit on a bike and the guy in the shop recommended a 16" wheel.
Would you go with this if ordering something online?
Do any ships stock the Islabikes or Frog ones?
Does anyone know whether it is possible to remove the pedals from these bikes?
DD currently has a Strider bike but she is doing a cycling course over the summer and they recommend using a pedal bike without the pedals initially and then putting the pedals back on.
The shop today was very much girls bikes and boys bikes. Nothing practical or lightweight. Think glitter, a basket on the front, seat for dolly on the back.

Mumski45 · 25/07/2017 19:28

Another vote for Islabikes. My 2 DS's were both able to do a challenging 20m ride on them at age 5-6. They would not have done that in a heavier bike.

If you buy second hand and then sell on then you can get back almost as much as you have paid.

Unfortunately you won't find Islabikes in any shops but some do stock frogs which are good but not as good as Islabikes.
If you go for an Islabikes you just need to measure your child's height and inside leg and then look at the chart on their website to see which is the best fit.

LowMaintenance101 · 25/07/2017 20:24

Thank you Mumski. Measuring Tape out in the morning.

Owletterocks · 26/07/2017 16:24

lowmaintenace the frog website has a list of stockists. There were about 3 shops near me that stock them. They are lovely bikes, I got bike envy when ds got his and ended up getting myself a new bike as well! The pedals do come off frog bikes easily and the crank arms are quite flat so don't get in the way. Is the course your daughter is doing the Sustrans one? My ds did it and he was riding within 20 minutes, it was fab

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