Looking for easier gearing for IslaB Beinn 7 Speed

springtide9

Just come back from taking my 5 yr old (easy) Trail Riding, and he's struggling on the steeper hills.

He's riding a Islabike Beinn 20 (Small) which has a single ring up front and a 12-32T 7 speed rear cassette. Just wondering if there are options for something like a 12-36T? I guess the other option is to swap out the front ring.

Anyone done this? Or should I just give Islabike a call?

supersonic

7 speed cassettes only go to 34 teeth unless you modify an 8 speed somehow. I'd try a smaller chainring.

chez_m356

springtide9 wrote:

Just come back from taking my 5 yr old (easy) Trail Riding, and he's struggling on the steeper hills.

more likely to do with the fact that he's 5, rather than the gearing, kids bikes aren't that light regardless of who makes them, you can't expect miracles from the little ones

springtide9

supersonic wrote:

7 speed cassettes only go to 34 teeth unless you modify an 8 speed somehow. I'd try a smaller chainring.

Thanks. Will talk to Islabike to work out what smaller front Chain Ring I can fit. Looks like it's a 32T up front, so probably a 28T would be perfect.

chez_m356 wrote:

more likely to do with the fact that he's 5, rather than the gearing, kids bikes aren't that light regardless of who makes them, you can't expect miracles from the little ones

I know what you mean... but in some cases, you are right, he's never going to push up some hills at 5yrs. But he is spending 99% of the time in gear 1, and I think he just needs a little bit more in terms of gearing on occasion. I appreciate that until he's older, he'll struggle with the bigger hills. He's currently riding 32:32 for the easiest, which isn't that easy for some adults!

chez_m356

thats exactly the same as my 7 year old daughter, but you have to take into account the weight of the bike too compared to the size of the young ones, it would be like us riding a 30 to 40kg bike up the hills, i doubt if we'd be that good either