Kids CX Bike (9yrs+) usual suspects, but what else...

mattrixdesign2

It seems my lad wants a CX(Road) bike for Xmas. I like the idea of CX for it versatility and strength, plus having recently picked up a CX for myself we can do some weekend races and rides together.

Currently weighing up the options:

Isla - obvious one, expensive but holds value
Moda Major - I can get these at a good price, looks the part
Dawes Espoir - Well rated, various prices on offer

...any thing else I am missing, seen some by Cube/Felt etc, Frog bikes don't seem to do drop bars?

gllewellyn

I can't offer any other options, but I got an Islabike Luath 24 for my 9 yr old daughter two weeks ago and it's awesome - she's already completed a 30 mile charity ride on it and absolutely loves it. I can't recommend it enough.

As with all Islabikes, I think they actually work out cheap when you consider the overall cost of ownership. Plus they have a limited edition lime green version coming soon...

mattrixdesign2

I know, I know! It just the initial outlay, is higher than say the Moda that I can get for £300 (new).

Isla is not ruled out, but at the same time its not a dead cert.

othello

Have you looked at Formeula http://www.formeulabikes.co.uk? They look to be a direct Isla competitor, even down to almost identical spec. We don't have one (my son and daughter both currently have Luath's) but I saw one in the LBS at the weekend. Looked well made and finished.

Personally I would steer clear of the Dawes. Its pretty heavy compared to all the others and has nothing to make it stand out IMHO.

simon_e

othello wrote:

Personally I would steer clear of the Dawes. Its pretty heavy compared to all the others and has nothing to make it stand out IMHO.

I concur. Someone I know picked a Dawes up for £250 from local dealer (old stock? I forget now) but it wasn't a patch on Islabike Luath. CTC magazine tested them side-by-side, PDF at http://www.ctc.org.uk/file/member/201109056.pdf‎