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Bike for a 5 year old

  • 10-10-2011 2:12pm
    #1
    Khannie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,485 ✭✭✭✭


    I'll be buying my daughter a new bike for Christmas. She'll be 5 in January. Currently we go on reasonable length cycles (5-10K) but she struggles with some hills. Should I consider something with a hub gear maybe? Do such bikes exist? I'm prepared to spend a reasonable amount on it if necessary because we cycle a lot at the weekends.

    Any advice welcome.


Comments

  • #2
    Vélo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,920 ✭✭✭Vélo


    Try Islabikes

    I got my kid (8 years old) the Luath 24 and it's great. They do other bikes for younger kids.

    Maybe the Beinn20 small would suit but I'd check with Islabikes for the correct size.


  • #3
    Lumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,166 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Khannie wrote: »
    Should I consider something with a hub gear maybe? Do such bikes exist?

    They do if you build them.

    I'll post some more thoughts later but in the meantime...

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=72979256


  • #4
    Khannie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,485 ✭✭✭✭Khannie


    Damn, that's expensive Lumen, though basically exactly what I'd like. Islabikes have a derailleur based one for "5+" year olds at £250 which is roughly €290. Anyway, I await your later post....


  • #5
    kuro_man
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,037 ✭✭✭kuro_man


    I bought a Islabikes Beinn 20 (small) and its a great bike with good gearing.

    Its quiet expensive when you include delivery + mudguards but I have three kids so should get further use for it. If its well kept you will have no trouble selling on an islabike, used ones are snapped up very quickly.


  • #6
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,833 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    kuro_man wrote: »
    If its well kept you will have no trouble selling on an islabike, used ones are snapped up very quickly.

    Islabikes do a buy back scheme towards a new bike from them.


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  • #7
    Lumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,166 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Khannie wrote: »
    Damn, that's expensive Lumen, though basically exactly what I'd like. Islabikes have a derailleur based one for "5+" year olds at £250 which is roughly €290. Anyway, I await your later post....

    More random thoughts...

    We currently have:

    - Islabikes CNOC 14, singlespeed
    - Islabikes CNOC 16, converted to hub gear with thumb shifter
    - Islabikes Beinn 20 small.
    - 16" Peugeot single speed drop bar racer.

    The Beinn 20 is the smallest bike they do with gears, and it's fantastic, but my son was only barely big enough for it at 5 1/2, so your 5 year old might struggle to fit. He's just turned six and is now 110cm, and is comfortable on the Beinn 20 at that height.

    The hub gear is a nice idea but expensive. The only thing I messed up was getting a super narrow rim so now the rear brake doesn't work properly. That is a big problem for off-road and for skids, and now that he has the Beinn 20 he wants to ride that all the time (or the Peugeot, but the brakes on that are a bit suicidal). His younger sister (4) will fit the CNOC 16, but she prefers her little purple CNOC 14. In any case she's so bloody slow that we tend to leave her at home so it doesn't matter what she rides.

    There is a huge difference in size between the CNOC 16 and Beinn 20.

    The Beinn 20 has a grip shift, and he's only just strong enough to do the downshift two handed, which requires stopping.

    Overall I'd say that whilst gears seem necessary when you don't have them, kids are happy enough pushing bikes up hills and the gears actually get less use than you'd think. Mostly he just rides around in gear 3 or 4.

    The best thing about the Islabikes is the brakes and the light weight. They're fantastic and unmatched by any other kids bike I've handled.

    One day I'm going to reverse engineer the Peugeot with titanium and electronic shifting but I don't have the time for that at moment so it'll have to wait for the grandkids. :)


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