Wiggins bikes in Halfords

diarmaidol

I'm looking for a new bike for the little lad who just turned 7. Islabikes and Frog seem to be recommended here. But this is a new range Halfords are doing and with out actually having inspected either an Islabike or a Frog them seem to be up there with quality spec. Defiantly a lighter bike.

Anyone here any experience with them ?

http://www.halfords.ie/kids-zone/kids-bikes/junior-bikes/wiggins-chartres-junior-bike-20

check_six

diarmaidol wrote: »

Definitely a lighter bike.

http://www.halfords.ie/kids-zone/kids-bikes/junior-bikes/wiggins-chartres-junior-bike-20

Bear in mind that the 8.8kg quoted in the website is for the frame and fork only. The bike will be heavier when you add all the wheels, saddles, handlebars, drivetrain, etc.

This bike looks pretty good in any event. My eldest lad got a Carrera badged bike from halfords which was like a single speed version of this bike. He got good use out of it (from when he was 4) and it's still going strong with his younger brother. The wheels on that bike were 16".

If you go to have a look at the bikes in the shop, make sure you try out the 24" wheel version. When we went to upgrade the 16" wheel bike I assumed that we would be looking at a 20" wheel, but there was no problem skipping straight to 24" wheels. As you can imagine this saved another upgrade along the way.

Alek

Bear in mind that the 8.8kg quoted in the website is for the frame and fork only.

You sure? What are they made of, leadonium?


8.8kg looks legit for a whole 20" bike to me.

diarmaidol

Seemed like 9KG to me I have to say ...

But I very much take the point on skipping to 24 inch ... he's just a bit small for the last on he was on. (He is however a larger 7 year old) Will be sticking him on them anyway to see.

fat bloke

check_six wrote: »

Bear in mind that the 8.8kg quoted in the website is for the frame and fork only.

LOL. That's not true.

I've been doing a lot of research into Junior road bikes particularly the last month or so for my own kids and I think Halfords / Wiggins deserve a huge clap on the back for trying to cater for kids cycling all the way up from starter balance bike to 16 year old roadie. The choice and quality of road bikes available to kids is depressing. Heavy, dowdy, clunky, low spec bso's for the most part. I ended up looking at the small ladies bikes that most manufacturers are selling now. But they want 900 quid+ for heavy bikes with 8 speed Claris group sets. That's crazy. The wiggins 2nd from top road bike is a much more reasonable 495 euro (20% off at the minute so it's 395), and the top spec one is 595 & it has shimano sora and a carbon fork.
Smashing looking bikes. I got the boardman junior sports for my two over the weekend to get them started and those wiggins bikes are top of the list when they grow a bit more and it's time to upgrade.

check_six

diarmaidol wrote: »

Seemed like 9KG to me I have to say ...

But I very much take the point on skipping to 24 inch ... he's just a bit small for the last on he was on. (He is however a larger 7 year old) Will be sticking him on them anyway to see.

Just make sure he can reach the brake levers. I've seen some weird configurations over the years where they put outsize brake levers on kids bikes. I didn't think my lad was big enough at six and a half for the 24" wheels, but the guy in the shop had him bring one for a spin on the path outside the shop and, sure enough, he got the hang of it pretty fast.

As regards the weight, I'm just working off what the website says. If the whole bike is 9kg then that's great, although the bikes my lads have are both significantly heavier than my road bike and more like the weight of my MTBs. The small bikes are surprisingly heavy because they still need all the same equipment as a bigger one, and there is not much room for skinny tubes in between the butted ends. This is why the likes of Islabikes are so highly sought after because they have managed to reduce the weight for young bikers.

check_six

fat bloke wrote: »

LOL. That's not true.

I've been doing a lot of research into Junior road bikes particularly the last month or so for my own kids and I think Halfords / Wiggins deserve a huge clap on the back for trying to cater for kids cycling all the way up from starter balance bike to 16 year old roadie.

Wow, fair play Halfords so. That's quite an impressive leap forward in kids bikes.

fat bloke

check_six wrote: »

Wow, fair play Halfords so. That's quite an impressive leap forward in kids bikes.

Honestly yeah, it's fantastic. Iirc they have five drop bar road bikes alone, as well as mtb's and straight bar hybrids. They've a 24 inch wheel road bike, a 26 wheeled one, then their next bike available in two sizes has full 700c wheels, and then above that is their sora bike as I mentioned.
I know the isla bikes are the Holy grail but having researched them, they're not any lighter and they're far far more expensive. Their luath equivalent is 595 sterling, and is not carbon forked. A bit of a pain in the hole to buy as well if you're across the water here.

Eamonnator

I got an email today from Halfords, telling me, that there is an extra 20% off all Wiggins bikes.

diarmaidol

I assume that's the default 20% that off all bikes in there at the moment until Aug 17th.

Taxuser1

Eamonnator wrote: »

I got an email today from Halfords, telling me, that there is an extra 20% off all Wiggins bikes.

I got 3 grand off his Pinarello !

Rogue-Trooper

Sorry in advance for resurrecting a slightly old thread but didn't feel it warranted a new one.

Picked up a Wiggins Chartres 26 for No2 son last week and I have to say it's an excellent bike for the money. Incredibly light, full alu frame and fork. He's got small hands and the reach on the brake and gear levers is perfect. It's got Shimano Altus mechs with a 9-speed triple set up. The mechanical disk brakes are very effective - he needs to get used to how effective they are and stop leaving black rubber lines on my driveway! :rolleyes:

The all-important colour scheme I think is really nice and it has a sort of 'brushed aluminium' finish on the silver bits. The front fork is a bit mad (and backwards) looking but you get used to it.



If you can get past Halfords poor 'bike-ability' it's highly recommended and well worth a look.

Am already eyeing up the drop-bar Wiggins Rouen junior road bike with carbon fork as his next purchase!

That reason for edit gave me a chuckle

Think they have 20% off some bikes in Halfords at the minute. Saw as I was passing the other day.

fat bloke

Nice one. I've two rouen sora road bikes bought for my two and they're knocking great use outta them. I've upgraded the brakes recently and the wheels just during the week. Aksiums and fulcrum racing 5's. Some nice cannondale bottle cages too and next up is matching bar tape. The oem white is gone grubby. I'll throw up some pics.

fat bloke

Mother of God, if I'd had a bike like that when I was 12,what're would i be now!?? :rolleyes::pac:

fat bloke

fat bloke wrote: »

Mother of God, if I'd had a bike like that when I was 12,what're would i be now!?? :rolleyes::pac:

Not Fat Bloke?

I've got a Trek decal on my 3 year olds mini mouse argos effort, she's already a bike snob .

I'll post it later if I think to.

fat bloke

Maybe not even bloke!