Christmas bike for liitle uns
christeefur
Posts: 15
So I have been looking for a bike for my son this Christmas (3 year old who has learnt on a balance bike), searching around I came across isla bikes and frogs...I have bought into their ethos, and the budget is fortunately not a problem.
The 1 thing that struck me about both isla's and the frogs is that they are the kind of bike I would choose, understated, grown up paint jobs etc. Remembering through the dim and dark past when I was a kid, I wanted to drive a Ferrari or a lambo, but the adult me likes the understated looks of an audi. The young me wanted an electric guitar with pointy bits on it, not the acoustic guitar that sits in my lounge now. My point being that through a kids eyes or at least my child's eyes, they lack pzazz.
Anyway who has come the rescue... Halfords!
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=165607&productId=1132837&storeId=10001
It's more kid friendly, weighs less than an isla, has similar appointments, you get a free name badge, and you've got £120 towards taking him away for a biking holiday
so I thought I would share my joy with you all.
Thanks
C
The 1 thing that struck me about both isla's and the frogs is that they are the kind of bike I would choose, understated, grown up paint jobs etc. Remembering through the dim and dark past when I was a kid, I wanted to drive a Ferrari or a lambo, but the adult me likes the understated looks of an audi. The young me wanted an electric guitar with pointy bits on it, not the acoustic guitar that sits in my lounge now. My point being that through a kids eyes or at least my child's eyes, they lack pzazz.
Anyway who has come the rescue... Halfords!
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=165607&productId=1132837&storeId=10001
It's more kid friendly, weighs less than an isla, has similar appointments, you get a free name badge, and you've got £120 towards taking him away for a biking holiday
so I thought I would share my joy with you all.Thanks
C
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Comments
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Yeah its a no brainer really coming in at 4.6kg!! checking the bike out today its using the same tektro brakes as the frog, same tyres etc. It looks really good, and whilst I know that there is a certain stigma around halfords, it wouldn't be my choice of bike 'shop' , the customer (Sam) prefers it. I just asked him which bike he liked the most...the blue one with orange bits was the reply. One soon to be happy customer.
Isla bikes will certainly have their time...my good lady wife is interested in their full size one!0 -
Yeah its a no brainer really coming in at 4.6kg!! checking the bike out today its using the same tektro brakes as the frog, same tyres etc. It looks really good, and whilst I know that there is a certain stigma around halfords, it wouldn't be my choice of bike 'shop' , the customer (Sam) prefers it. I just asked him which bike he liked the most...the blue one with orange bits was the reply. One soon to be happy customer.
Isla bikes will certainly have their time...my good lady wife is interested in their full size one!
You have broken the cardinal rule of buying bikes for kids,( and for wives) which is dont ask them which one they like best,( just buy it and wrap it) as they will buy off colour/style and not on an engineering basis. As it is you have got away with it, with the kid picking the best one available, but you could have just as easily ended up with an unusable lemon
As my niece ( 7) said when I asked her why she had chosen a quite dreadful bike for xmas, ''well its pink with a basket and a picture of a princess''. ''but its rubbish'' '' yes but its pink with a basket''. You cant win that argument... never again
The next one I got her, was bought off gum tree and it was here waiting for her, it isn't pink, it doesn't have a basket, but it is an extremely able bike. She said she wasn't keen on the colour, and would I strip down and paint it pink, I told her she was an ingrate and if she didn't stop moaning I would find another little girl who wanted it. That put a stop to that0 -
Topical post. I've just bought my son his first pedal bike for Christmas. I love the idea of islabikes but price made me look elsewhere. He saw a spiderman bike in halfords and wants it. I think it has cheap components and he'll grow out of it too quick too (he is very big for 3.5 - already in 5 year old clothing and 110cm high).
So I've just bought a Ridgeback MX16 in Red for £114 and am looking for Spiderman stickers....!
That Cosmos looks pretty similar build to the Ridgeback actually, and would probably fit my son better now, but not by the summer. It is nice having 'proper' bike brakes, alloy rims and parts. The Tektro leavers on the Ridgeback have reach adjust so may have the same. Is it really 4.6kg though?0 -
On the weight front, its definitely light. I tried one and was surprised it felt lighter than the frog I had tried earlier in the day. Whether it was lighter than the isla I can't really say, as trying that one was a while before hand.
I have to say if it was a case of which is the best bike then I think the isla would be the one. But £120 difference in price didn't equate to the difference in my opinion.0 -
Does anyone know if the usual suspects will be offering any substantial discounts or promotions before Santa empties his bulging sack on the 25th?
Pretty much settled on the Bobbin Gingersnap but I've got two to buy so a discount would be most welcome.0 -
Does anyone know if the usual suspects will be offering any substantial discounts or promotions before Santa empties his bulging sack on the 25th?
Pretty much settled on the Bobbin Gingersnap but I've got two to buy so a discount would be most welcome.
Tell her Santa is snowed in and wait for the January sales0 -
Bike hunting myself for a soon to be 3 year old. Seen the Halfords cosmos bike and my head says go for it but my lad is only 100cm, tall for 35 months but still too small for a 14". IMHO what second Xmas bike to get depends a bit on where in the year the birthday is. Too near Xmas and they'll be too small for 14" from the balance bike. There's less quality in 12"with pedals.
So far we're stuck with £50 cheapo or expensive quality. A good deal we're looking at is a ridgeback bike in 12" on offer for IIRC £80 or£90. Down from £130ish.
What do people think about first pedal bikes and progression from balance through to adult bikes. Is it better to hold off until our son is big enough for 14"? What size is best after? Is skipping 16" from 14" feasible or is it best to go 12, 16 to 20"? Before we buy the good 12" we'd appreciate your opinions. If you can see this post among the Chinese.spam posts.0 -
Bike hunting myself for a soon to be 3 year old. Seen the Halfords cosmos bike and my head says go for it but my lad is only 100cm, tall for 35 months but still too small for a 14". IMHO what second Xmas bike to get depends a bit on where in the year the birthday is. Too near Xmas and they'll be too small for 14" from the balance bike. There's less quality in 12"with pedals.
So far we're stuck with £50 cheapo or expensive quality. A good deal we're looking at is a ridgeback bike in 12" on offer for IIRC £80 or£90. Down from £130ish.
What do people think about first pedal bikes and progression from balance through to adult bikes. Is it better to hold off until our son is big enough for 14"? What size is best after? Is skipping 16" from 14" feasible or is it best to go 12, 16 to 20"? Before we buy the good 12" we'd appreciate your opinions. If you can see this post among the Chinese.spam posts.
Gum tree has plenty of folk selling second hand kids bikes, most are rubbish, some are quite good, nearly all are cheap. I would say from experience you could easily go 12-16-200
