Light kids bikes!

lacreme

I am looking to get my near 5 year old twins their first bikes. Micro scooters have been mastered and they get huge use out of them but more limited with them as need smooth ground.

So next step is a bike, want something light but will handle parks etc and means they will use more. Have heard of islabikes but big investment is there anything along the same lines available here?

Have two younger boys who bikes could be passed down too?

Haven't a clue so any advice greatly appreciated. Based in dublin

Thanks

Lacreme

Lumen

There are no light, cheap alternatives that I know of.

Ridgeback MX20 would be a good example:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/ridgeback/mx20-2012-kids-bike-20-inch-wheel--ec031023?currency=EUR&country=IRELAND

...but it's over 11kg.

BMXs start are usually 9-10kg ish, with some (expensive) exceptions.

http://www.bikestore.ie/ (Kilkenny) are the cheapest for Haro bikes in Ireland AFAIK and know their stuff.

Haro micro mini (<7kg) is probably on the small size, the size up would probably work.

lacreme

Thanks Lumen, all are pricey eh but suppose get what you pay for, just hard to know when buying without seeing or trying it.

Any other decent bikes you would recommend?

Thanks

Lacreme

smacl

It's also worth noting that many kids bikes come with very wide heavy knobbly tyres. I saved about a kg on both my kids bike moving to slightly narrower semi-slicks, at about €15 per tyre. On girls bikes, there's also often a fair amount of tat that you can remove.

depadz

Lumen wrote: »

There are no light, cheap alternatives that I know of.

Ridgeback MX20 would be a good example:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/ridgeback/mx20-2012-kids-bike-20-inch-wheel--ec031023?currency=EUR&country=IRELAND

...but it's over 11kg.

BMXs start are usually 9-10kg ish, with some (expensive) exceptions.

http://www.bikestore.ie/ (Kilkenny) are the cheapest for Haro bikes in Ireland AFAIK and know their stuff.

Haro micro mini (<7kg) is probably on the small size, the size up would probably work.

I got a 24" mx20 for a tall 7 year old (girl) recently and she loves it. It is heavy and they look huge initially. Her twin went for a Giant. I was weary of the weight and they both come with front suspension. But they are going down hills in the park, bumping up kerbs etc on them now so possibly no harm.

I got a 2011 one of these from CRC for a 5 year old boy earlier this year and no complaints either.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=76761

lacreme

Have to say it is all very confusing to a total novice! Seems they all around the 200/250 mark, need to do up a shortlist. The Ridgeback looks promising will try see one, do you think unreasonable to hope my dudes learn without stabilisers?

Thanks

Lacreme

Lumen

lacreme wrote: »

do you think unreasonable to hope my dudes learn without stabilisers?

Don't ever use stabilisers! They're evil.

Seat down and take the pedals off until they have balance, then add pedals, up the saddle and...boom!

Ryath

Think the two of these look pretty decent
http://www.dawescycles.com/p-375-blowfish-18.aspx 9.5kg apparently
http://www.dawescycles.com/p-243-blowfish-16.aspx and 7.5kg

Haven't seen them in the flesh but got this one for my daughter over a year ago when she was 3
http://www.dawescycles.com/p-240-lottie-14.aspx

Got local bike shop to order it in. Not as light as an Ilsa bike of course but certainly 2kg lighter than most of the steel framed kids bikes in the shop and brakes don't look like they were stamped from a tin can. Can't remember exactly what I paid but it was actually cheaper than the kids bikes the shop had in stock.

Know now I should have really got her a balance bike first, going to get one for her two year old sister. Anyone any opinions on this one

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002UXQM34/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

Lumen

Those Daweseses look great.

My 5 y/o still wistfully asks after her blue balance bike which went to a new home last year. Balance bikes are ace.

lacreme

Thanks for the advice Lumen, specially regarding the stabilisers, never thought of taking off the pedals. Their little brother has a balance bike and he flies on it, he probably jump on theirs ha.

Looked at the Dawes blowfish, it looks great, thanks Ryath, have sent them an email

We have a strider balance bike, 2 year old flies on it. Sturdy but light

Lacreme

Derry247

Hi there,

I went through all this last year with my 4yo. He had been cycling a bike without stabilisers since he was 3 but the bike came from Smyths toys and I'm sure it was made out of discarded lead pipe, it was heavier than my road bike. After a good bit of looking I bought him a Ridgeback MX16 in the LBS. €150 and all in I think it was a great deal. The difference is amazing, at 5 years old he can cover 15 to 20km without bother. I dont think the MX20 would have been suitable as the gears are a bit much for a 5 yo. and in my opinion suspension on a kids bike should be avoided untill they are involved in mountain biking properly, otherwise it's just extra weight to push around.

check_six

Whatever you get make sure your kids can reach the controls. I spotted a big name brand kids bike in a popular large bike shop in Dublin that looked great at first glance. The bike seemed to tick all the boxes, but the brake levers were too big for my kid to reach. They looked more like the brakes on the adult bikes and didn't look like the levers on the similar sized bikes nearby.

I couldn't say whether this was a design flaw, or just a problem setting up the wrong equipment on the bike in the shop (pretty unlikely, I would have thought), but it's worth keeping an eye out for stuff like this.

Lumen

check_six wrote: »

Whatever you get make sure your kids can reach the controls.

Indeed. I really want one of these, but I fear the controls would be inoperable.

lacreme

Hey Derry247, where did you get the MX16 for that price. I would def have to see it first and check they could reach everything, daughter is few inches smaller than her bro. Don't want them put off on first go, know what kids like if it too hard first go.

justo

I got this for my son:

http://www.islabikes.co.uk/bike_pages/cnoc16.html

It's a super bike and really superior to the Dawes Princess that his sister has - even though the price between the two was not that much.

Derry247

Hi Lacreme,

I bought mine in Douglas Cycles in Douglas in Cork. Really good mechanics there too. I expect to get at least 3 years out of it before he outgrows it. Can't fault any items on it. Brake levers are well sized and can be reached easily from the bars.

Derry

lacreme

Thanks Derry, living in Dublin so will have to find stockist nearer to home.

Still leaning towards the Islabike.

Justo did you just order it online or had you seen one before? Any chance living north Dublin

Lacreme

boomdocker

Hey,

Just buy the Islabike!

I've been around this block a few times, the Islabikes are FAR superior and lighter than any other kids bikes.

In my view you get what you pay for. And with kids bikes, if you get them a big heavy heap of $****e with bad geometry, too high handlebars etc.. they can't enjoy it.

So if your motivation is to see your kids enjoy cycling, then spend the $$ and buy the islabike.

AFAIK they only do web orders

lacreme

Hey Boomdocker, have to say that is normally my mindset, investing in good quality pays off, I just like to enquire a little which usually helps in firming decision.

Suppose spending 500 euro without seeing product is making me a little more indecisive than usual specially when it's for kids.

Anyway islabikes I think it is, thanks all for your input.

Lacreme