Islabikes price rises.
Daz555
Posts: 3,976
Huge increases across the range ~ 20%
I think for many, Islabikes will now be a bit too rich to consider. I know from my own perspective I will not be upgrading my son's £160 Cnoc 16 with the now £300 (plus shipping) Benin 20. I know that £160 is not cheap for a 16 incher, but 300 notes for a 20" bike! :shock:
Time to start looking round for alternatives nearer the £200 mark I feel.
I think for many, Islabikes will now be a bit too rich to consider. I know from my own perspective I will not be upgrading my son's £160 Cnoc 16 with the now £300 (plus shipping) Benin 20. I know that £160 is not cheap for a 16 incher, but 300 notes for a 20" bike! :shock:
Time to start looking round for alternatives nearer the £200 mark I feel.
You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
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Adult bike prices have been rising year on year too, and with Islabikes being relatively small, it is to be expected. Even at £300 you'll still get most of that back in aftersale.
Now, my daughter on the other hand - careful and very coordinated. Kerchiiing!
If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
I'm with you there - with 3 boys, there's no way that any bike is going to be in a saleable condition at the end of it! The good thing with Islabikes is that you can get the spare parts so I was able to get a new pair of brake levers for the Cnoc 14 before it was passed on to #2. However, we paused at £250 for the Bienn 20 - at £300, as it is now, the pause (and the internet research) would be longer... What are the alternatives, though?
_
I guess this is a marketing decision in reaction to the improved children's bikes from the major manufacturers to ensure that Islabikes maintain their niche as the best, rather than trying to compete at a level where specialized, ridgeback et al can bring economies of scale to bear.
If however you don't mind an additional kg or two there are some nice 20" bikes out there which I will be looking at for my lad next year.
Ridgeback MX20 ~ £220
Specialized Hotrock 20 ~ £230
Felt Q20R ~ £200
Cube Kid 200 ~ £250
Giant XTC 2 Junior Lite - ~£200
If my lad sees that Cube the discussion will be over! I like the Felt the best.
If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
That's what concerns me. We've had some great rides with son #1 on his Bienn 20 small but I wonder if the extra weight would have pushed them beyond what was enjoyable...
The Felt and Cube both look interesting. Unlike the others, they look like they might have frames similar in geometry to the Bienn 20 small rather than the large and, as son #1 is not likely to have outgrown the Bienn 20 before son #2 needs to move up, they may be an option.
Note that the Cube seems to be available for £200 from Winstanleys and there is an alternative (read: less leary) colour scheme:
Cheers,
_
If (1) ain't up to an Islabike, then game over but if (2) can be taken into account and (1) can be stretched then, as people have posted in Cake Stop, it's perfectly possible to get back as much as 90% back on resale. The other bikes listed may well meet (1) but not, as yet, meet (2). One thing is for sure, Isla Rowntree has shown that there is a market for good, well-designed bikes for kids and this will only be good in the medium- to long-term.
And they do give the younger kids a reasonable chance in youth races against those whose parents have deeper pockets and flashier, dearer bikes.
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Both my two children (7.5 and 6) have had Specialized Hotrock 20" bikes and they are really good, and I would put them as top of the 'best of the rest' under the Isla. They are not as light as the Isla, but are a different beast. Heavier tyres, front suspension (which actually works) will naturally add weight. I know there is the argument for rigid forks and less weight but it really comes down to the type of riding the child will do. Road, fire road, smooth trails then the Isla will do fine. Anything rougher and they don't perform as well. My two have ridden MTB trail centres (Swinley Forest, Whinlatter, Grizedale) on theirs without a problem. We've passed children on Isla's trying to tackle that level of trail and they are bounced around like pinballs.
So I rate the Hotrock, and both mine have moved up to the 24" version (an A1 spec and a FSR) which are also good, and we got great resale on the 20" even though they were 'well used'!
Don't get me wrong -- Islabikes are excellent. In fact we've just bought a Luath 24! But the type of riding the child will do can dictate what to go for, along with the amount of budget.
The 24" wheel makes the difference there (I would say).
I still find it odd that plenty of contributors on here spend a fair amount on bikes, kit and riding yet grudge doing the same for their kids (though there's often money for stuff like Xbox, PS3, smartphones, iPad, big TV etc). I don't earn much but I can manage a new Islabike every 2 or 3 years and each one has been worth every penny. My kids understand that the bikes are not cheap, that they are getting something special and not a BSO they can leave out in the rain. They have met Isla several times and know she is passionate about cycling.
Looking at the competing models above it seems that most have finally followed Isla's lead, eventually dropping the stupid triple chainsets & pointless front shifter, slimming the overly fat tubes and shortening pedal cranks. Prices aren't that much less than a Beinn 20 yet the MX20 weighs 11.1 kg, 3.3 kg more than the Beinn. The Hotrock 20 is 10.78 kg. When you're six years old 3kg is a LOT.
The white Cube? I'd flatly refuse to buy my kids anything that ugly.
Thinking now I might get my lad the sort of bike I rode as a lad.....maybe a Raleigh Grifter. 35lbs of pure pig iron! He'll have legs like Chris Hoy by Boxing Day.
Agreed. That's why I won't be showing my son that one. For a 6yr old boy I imagine it will be his dream bike!
If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
Islabikes are expensive, but in my experience do stand up to heavy use and abuse pretty well. Plus resale prices are good, although our two are now looking a bit tatty so not sure what they will be worth when we come to re-sell them. Not too worried as I am glad we have had our money's worth out of them.
For my son's next bike I am building him up a 24" wheel Kona frame, but even with lots of shopping around I am struggling to build with reasonable lightweight components and keep it to a similar price to the equivalent Islabike.
I have found my son has been fine on rigid forks around Swinley, he doesn't really go quick enough to benefit from suspension. His 24" wheeled bike will be on rigid forks too, although I have got a set of suspension to go on it at some stage.
I also note that the bike has been improved over the previous model so now that the shock has worn off a bit I will still be buying the Beinn 20 Large (but without any extras!).
I got him the Rothan balance bike when he was 2yrs 4 months, now he's mastered balancing thinking of moving up next stage with pedals. He's a about average height and Xmas comes he will be 3yrs 4 months so think cnoc 14 will be best bet, but £200 is steep I agree. However there's little option for a pedal bike small and light enough for the little lad
Good alternative and about 100 notes cheaper than then the Benin (depending on delivery etc). As long as your kid does not have too many mountains to climb I think it is worth a look.
The RX20 is now top of my list, err Santa's list, for my 6yr olds new bike later this year - unless a better option comes along in the 2014 ranges.
If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
Well worth looking at as recently reviewed in big cycling magazine. Only drawback is colours not as good as cube etc.
Amy is on her 3rd islabike, I've sold each one for a very small loss. They are expensive for a reason, and that shows second hand!
I wouldn't consider anything else.
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If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.