a bike for my 11 year old son?
philipslittlebrother
Posts: 3
We are looking for a new bike for my son. He was a real stoker on the trailer bike when he was smaller, but since then he has had cheap, heavy-ish MTB-ish items. I am trying to persuade him to look for a road bike (on the grounds that it would be easier to pedal on the road), or at least a hybrid. Does anyone have any special advice? Is it social suicide for an 11 year old not to have disc brakes? someone has said that 700c wheels might be too big, even with a small adult frame? Is there any point in buying a relatively expensive piece of equipment when he hasn't shown any inclination to cycle every day or join a club (I cycle to work, but as a family we don't go out all that often)? He might spend more time cycling to his friends house than doingsuperhuman feats on two wheels.. Any idea would be gratefully received!
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Comments
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Does he want it for posing on, riding up and down kerbs or is he likely to do any serious road riding. I bought my son a small 700c road bike when he was 10, but he was quite tall for his age. He also had a mountain bike with 26" wheels. The road bike lasted him a couple of years before he grew out of it. the MTB a bit longer.
My lad was always mad keen and was already in a club by the age of 10 and racing.0 -
The standard for children's bikes is Islabikes
However, fashion is fashion, and it depends whether your son wants quality or a status symbol.
I can advise on bikes, but not how to persuade your son which one to have!
<b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
He that buys flesh buys many bones.
He that buys eggs buys many shells,
But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
(Unattributed Trad.)<b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
He that buys flesh buys many bones.
He that buys eggs buys many shells,
But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
(Unattributed Trad.)0 -
Just bought an Isla bike for my seven year old ,very very good.
Build quality is execellent .They are more expensive than the bikes in Halfords etc but ,they are very serviceable and will last as long as your kid fits it .
The service from Isla is very good too0 -
The Islabikes may be more expensive than the scaffolding cartoon character cheapies, but if you compare them with the named kids' bikes, or the Halfords ones with decent components, they are very comparable. And still far better IMO.
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<font size="1">What we need is a new, national <b>White Bicycle Plan</b></font id="size1">__________________________________________________________
<font>What we need is a new, national <b>White Bicycle Plan</b></font>0 -
thank you all for your comments, which are most helpful. Since Islabikes are soooo far from Somerset, I may opt for a Dawes Giro 300 with a small frame - I don't think he's really that serious about posing :-)
andrew0 -
Decathlon also do a kids road bike, might be worth consideration.
<font size="1">It isn't growing up that stops us playing, it is stopping playing that makes us grow up.
Go and see my bikes</font id="size1">0
