Long Shot, but has anyone got an Islabike Cnoc 16 or 14 near Manchester we could look at ?

[maxybrown]

please? I did put this in chat but niot really sure wher to put it!

I think he wll need the 16 but we wondered if anyone would be so kind as to check?! We are SK6 postcode if anyone is willing pretty please

Hopefully this doesn't make us sound like some mad lunatics!

I am too far away to be of any use for actual viewing but we are on our 4th Isla Bike and cant recommend them enough. If you ring them or visit them in Ludlow they are absolutely fab and will give you very good advice. Bonus with Isla bikes is that they hold their value and so reselling is quite easy on eBay.

thanks mrspink. We are in no doubt as to getting from islabikes, but want to be sure as to size. Just read an old thread on here wher she ordered the cnoc and said her daughters inside leg was the min for the 14 but that it was way too big when it arrived, so panicking a bit!

I have been trying to persuade DH to drive us all down there for the open day and spend a day in Ludlow - but no such luck It is a 200 mile round trip for us

Which old thread is that? I am surprised, because most people find the Islabike sizing charts to be very reliable. It seems more likely to me the poster didn't measure the inside leg very well, anyway, just make sure the inside leg has a few cm to spare, no?

On the Cnoc, The handlebars can be upright (bmx style) or down flat (MTB style), which allows them to be used for a decent age range.

I'm in Norfolk so my Cnoc no good to you :).

Thanks ragged - it was from dec 2010 in AIBU and I have to say I have always read that isla's charts are spot on, so suspect some mis measuring must have gone on somewhere

DS is 4 and a half and spot on height for the 16 and inside leg is 1 cm over minimum.

Can I ask you to measure the actual iike for me please - if you had time and didn't mind?

We went to the Open Day 2 years ago and it was great fun. We are near Brighton so it was a VERY long way - but DD2 learnt to ride that weekend unaided thanks to the lovely folks there and it was well worth the night away!

I'd love to go but don't think it will happen! Unfortunately think DH will just see it as extra cost for the bike and he is already needing fanning at the cost as it is

Hopefully DS will be away riding easily, he is very excited about having pedals and adamant he wants the purple one! He is brilliant on his balance bike, not only at speed but also going very slowly with his feet well off the ground and weaving in and out. Am so glad we got him that as his control is excellent. Have pre warned him that his bike with pedals will be heavier though!

The Isla bikes people suggest that you take the pedals off to start with anyway so the child can get used to the different feel of the bike. I am sure it wont be long for your DS. Give them a call with his measurements and see what they say. Let us know what you decide!

We've got a 14 but probably not close enough to you? Just off m1 junction 24.... If you're passing up or down the m1 though you'd be welcome to have. Look.

Dd2(3.11) currently uses it and has done since she turned 3. Her sister (5.11) has a 16inch Dawes bike and dd2 can just about manage that too (not sure I that helps?!)

Sure, I can measure, no problem, but what exactly do you want measurement of? From top of seat at lowest point to top of pedal at lowest point, maybe?

the Cnoc 16 fit my children from age 5/5.5yo to 7/7.5yo. my kids have short legs for their ages, though.

lol, mine is purple, but need it for DC4 still :).

lol - thanks everyone, all so helpful DS is 4yrs 6 months and 1 day and I am expecting a growth spurt

ok ragged- can you measure from floor to top of seat at it's lowest please? Is the purple nice? I knew he would choose that colour! I think my friend was quite shocked he would be going from balance bike to a bike with NO stabilisers

will do
purple is fine, don't really see the big deal with stabilisers or not (mine all used them a bit or a lot).

We have purple and it is a lovely colour.

No promises, I couldn't get it out from behind a load of other stuff in garage, so this is a bit approximate:

Top of Fat part of seat to middle of bottom bracket: 26cm min.
Cranks = 110mm.
So I'm guessing that means 37cm total length, and a simple +15% rule suggests a minimum 42 cm inside leg to make it comfortable to use. hth.

Thanks ragged - sorry only just getting back on. Have ordered him one today so excited for it to come now