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Best kids 24 inch MTB (excluding Islabikes)

tailwindhometailwindhome Posts: 18,733
edited September 2011 in Commuting chat
Ok

The default answer for any question on Kids bikes is Islabikes. They're generally accepted to be the best in the business, however a new Beinn 24 is £349 which puts it out of my price range.


My daughter is now ready to step up to the 24 inch bike - as I see it the shortlist is


Specialized Hotrock £269

Specialized Areva £260

Felt Q24 -SALE £219

http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/b ... 22%20Wheel

Giant Xtc Jr 1 - £295

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/giant-xt ... 64328.html

Giant Xtc Jr 2 -£260

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/giant-xt ... 60034.html


Carrera Luna

Has anyone any thoughts or advice....considering that I don't know anything about 'bouncy forks' and suchlike

To me the Felt Q24 seem to be the best value
“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!

Posts

  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,337
    A secondhand Islabike?

    My son has the 26" and it's just brilliant. TBH I wouldn't consider anything else now.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • tailwindhometailwindhome Posts: 18,733
    meanredspider wrote:
    A secondhand Islabike?

    My son has the 26" and it's just brilliant. TBH I wouldn't consider anything else now.


    The problem with secondhand Islabikes is that there all located on Mainland GB and are generally 'pickup only'. By the time I'd paid the secondhand price and c£30 for freight i wouldn't be too far off the new price anyway.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,337
    TailWindHome wrote:
    meanredspider wrote:
    A secondhand Islabike?

    My son has the 26" and it's just brilliant. TBH I wouldn't consider anything else now.


    The problem with secondhand Islabikes is that there all located on Mainland GB and are generally 'pickup only'. By the time I'd paid the secondhand price and c£30 for freight i wouldn't be too far off the new price anyway.

    Fair enough - didn't know your location but can empathise with that problem. The resale value isn't something to ignore but I know it doesn't matter how good a deal is, if you don't have the budget you don't have the budget.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • SmellTheGloveSmellTheGlove Posts: 697
    To my mind it's a shame the "big" mfrs don't seem to do rigid fork MTBs as these would have quite some weight benefit. While my daughter's 20" Trek is very good and she doesn't complain, I know it's a bit of a lump. All other equipment being equal (Carrera looks good BTW), I'd suggest go for the lightest. Also look for some adjustment e.g. stem fore-aft. A QR on the seatpost is handy too for experimenting as they grow.
    Good luck!
    "Consider the grebe..."
  • UndercoverElephantUndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    I'm always astounded how heavy kids' bikes are. My son had a 20" wheeled Apollo special I got cheap before I got back into cycling, it honestly weighed 19 kg. His next bike was a small, adult's 26" bike, which the sales guy was saying if you can get away with, you should, as they're markedly cheaper and lighter due to the economy of scales.

    Have you looked at the EBC Revolution kids bikes?

    http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 155c018344
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • richkrichk Posts: 564
    Bought my sons from Decathlon - similar to this offering

    http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/rr-5-junior-141401581/#

    It's OK for where we go cycling - light bit of forest trail rather than "proper" mountain biking
    There is no secret ingredient...
  • t4tomot4tomo Posts: 2,643
    My son has the Carerra Blast, boys version of the Luna, which is pretty good. Not too heavy and decentley put together.

    Cable disc brakes took a bit of setting up and adjusting but once sorted they are decent.
    Bianchi Infinito CV
    Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
    Brompton S Type
    Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
    Gary Fisher Aquila '98
    Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem
  • walkingbootweatherwalkingbootweather Posts: 2,443
    related discussions here

    I thought the Kids Cube looked pretty well put together. Our LBS is a specialised dealer and peddles Hotrocks to all the rich kids. Ridgeback MX series are better than usual supermarket / Halfords fare, but significantly cheaper than Islabikes.

    But everyone I know that has had an Islabike raves about them. If you can stretch to one that is the way to go. As you have seen you will get a big chunk of the cash back one the littleun grows out of it.
    Nobody told me we had a communication problem
  • tailwindhometailwindhome Posts: 18,733
    related discussions here

    Forgot that I had posted on that thread

    Since then we visited Decathlon where we tried out this. Seemed a decent bike but I wasn't happy with the standover height and it seemed a bit big for her. We also looked at this but it didn't seem too durable and would probably only be suitable for cycle paths.

    The buying decision was shelved. We then went to a Cycling Ulster off road day at Belssingbourne were she was able to borrow a 24inch Saracen. She had a ball taking it round the trail and messing about on the pump track so we decided to get her a new bike.

    Being the impatient sort and applying the principle that, as with road bikes, the bigger brands are all much of a muchness I went with the Felt Q24.


    On Islabikes I just can't get to a £349 price point for a kids bike.

    I also posted this thread on the MTB Buying forum (don't tell the thread police), they said to go with Halfords.......the trigger was already pulled on the Felt
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • tailwindhometailwindhome Posts: 18,733
    Just to close the thread out


    The Felt arrived on Wednesday and it had it's first spin out. Absolutely delighted with it.

    Would recommend
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • walkingbootweatherwalkingbootweather Posts: 2,443
    Excellent. I like a thread with a happy conclusion. 8)
    Nobody told me we had a communication problem
  • -spider--spider- Posts: 2,548
    For anyone else looking, Ridgeback also do good kids bikes.

    Buy British
    -Spider-
  • tailwindhometailwindhome Posts: 18,733
    -spider- wrote:
    For anyone else looking, Ridgeback also do good kids bikes.

    Buy British

    Yeah, Ridgebacks are pretty good too, we had the MX14 for the boy. But I have to say that the Felt at the reduced price £219 is a far better bike than the equivalent Ridgeback IMHO
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • -spider--spider- Posts: 2,548
    TailWindHome wrote:
    -spider- wrote:
    For anyone else looking, Ridgeback also do good kids bikes.

    Buy British

    Yeah, Ridgebacks are pretty good too, we had the MX14 for the boy. But I have to say that the Felt at the reduced price £219 is a far better bike than the equivalent Ridgeback IMHO

    You can get the Ridgeback at my local store for £219 (Squarewheels)
    -Spider-
  • tailwindhometailwindhome Posts: 18,733
    -spider- wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    -spider- wrote:
    For anyone else looking, Ridgeback also do good kids bikes.

    Buy British

    Yeah, Ridgebacks are pretty good too, we had the MX14 for the boy. But I have to say that the Felt at the reduced price £219 is a far better bike than the equivalent Ridgeback IMHO

    You can get the Ridgeback at my local store for £219 (Squarewheels)

    I'd still go with the Felt.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Wrath RobWrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    I got an Islabike, from the local tip. A guy just happened to be dumping it when I was dumping some other stuff. It was swiftly hoiked back out of the metal recycling container and put into my car. Needs a new twist shifter, chain and some cables but it will do the littlun when she's ready for it. Not bad for nowt.
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.
  • tailwindhometailwindhome Posts: 18,733
    Wrath Rob wrote:
    I got an Islabike, from the local tip.


    speechless
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • mattrixdesign2mattrixdesign2 Posts: 644
    t4tomo wrote:
    My son has the Carerra Blast, boys version of the Luna, which is pretty good. Not too heavy and decentley put together.

    Cable disc brakes took a bit of setting up and adjusting but once sorted they are decent.

    My lad has the smaller Blast, 20in

    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165602

    Good bike for the money, "proper gears" and brakes, and although it could do with out the suspension fork, its seems to work well enough and looks good.

    My only gripe is the Halfords service, I had to adjust the rear mech, no probs, but the Bottom Bracket went very stiff in a few weeks, having said that it was resolved easily once taken back. For the money/weight/frame/components I think you would be hard pushed.

    I looked at Isla bikes, new was out of my budget, but seriously considered one, looked 2nd hand, Ebay etc, and the prices people were asking/paying were bonkers, may as well buy new!
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