Frog and IslaBike

hmouline

We are looking at these 2 bikes for our 6 year old son:

https://www.frogbikes.com/lightweight-k ... rog55.aspx

http://www.islabikes.co.uk/products/bik ... n-20-large

Does anyone have either of these? Did anyone have a isla and frog bike who can comment on the difference and whether the price difference is justified?

Mainly inner-city road and park, playground cycling.

Thanks,

natrix

My son has the Islabike Beinn 20 small and loves it, but he did struggle to change gear with the twist grip so I changed it for a lever shifter. The Islabikes used to be the best around which is why I got it. If you buy one secondhand you hardly lose any money when you come to sell it as they hold their value so well.

The Frogs are new to the market and not many being sold second hand so hard to judge if they will hold their value as well as the Islabikes. The spare set of tyres could be useful but only if you are likely to keep changing them (winter and summer). The gear shifter looks as if it could be better than the gripshift on the Islabike. The islabike is a bit lighter but not massively so.

Either would be loads better than a steel supermarket childs bike................

graeme_s-2

A colleague of mine has twin sons who have always had IslaBike's. They're just about big enough for a 24" wheel bike now, so he was staring down the barrel of an £800 purchase from Isla. He's just bought them a pair of frog bikes. Don't think he's collected them yet, but he was pleased with the look and feel of them in the shop. The other bike he considered this time round was a Hoy which he said was pretty much half way between Frog and Isla on both weight and price. Might be worth looking at those as well?

bompington

Islabikes rule... but they don't have it all their own way these days: there are quite a few brands now competing. Bompetta's Islabike (20 small) is superb, but her best pal's Frog is nearly as good - I would say the Isla is definitely better, but by how much? Couldn't really say. Certainly resale value still seems sky high, will that change as other brands start to compete? Maybe.

964cup

My boy went from a Beinn 20 Small to a Frog 63 cross bike. Can't fault the quality of the Frog for the money, but he struggles with braking from the hoods, and the bike came up small given their sizing guide, so I'll have to replace it before the summer. Also worth noting that as supplied Frog seem to go for a fairly high gearing, so I had to swap out his cassette for something with a wider (larger) range. Standard Shimano HG 9-speed, so cost peanuts.

oxoman

For how long the bike is going to be used I would be looking at the frogbike. I had to make the 20" up to 24" or 26" decision last year which is the next big decision you will have after this one, I looked at loads of different ones, Islabike,Hoy,Frogbike,Merida and plumped for a 24" Merida as it gave mini oxo pretty much everything he needed and gave me time to watch out for his next bike and build it up. I found at 6yrs old mini oxo' s biggest problem was gear changing both the physical side of grip shift and remembering which gear Is required when. Best thing I did was changer the grip shift to a trigger shift and get as much weight off the bike as possible, like removing side stands etc. At least now most decent bike manufacturers are starting to build lighter and more suitable bikes, mini oxo' s old 20" giant weighed in at more than my hardtail to start with his mates 20" Raleigh was even heavier. Have fun choosing. Loads of stuff on here on modifying bikes for kids from the likes of POAH amongst others.

Steve-XcT

We went 20" to 24" at 6 1/2....(average height kid - 122cm at the time) that meant he only got less than 9 months on his 20"

What I can say is the 9 months on the 20" determined his next bike. (and mine but that's another story)

When we bought the 20" we had no idea what we'd be riding, I had a hybrid that hadn't been used much .. he came off a horrible halfords firemans bike (I struggle to describe as a bike)

We started off trying to do cycle paths (loads where we live) but these turned out to be really useless. They end right where the dangerous bits start and were obviously planned by someone who can't even spell joined up thinking.

Canal towpath was good for a couple of runs... then we tried an offroad circuit... (more tracks, you could get a car down type) then a friend suggested I try the local trail centre (which is Swinley Forest for us)... We haven't looked back ... I ended up getting back into cycling... (and a new bike) he went from firetrails to trails to serious trails so I had to follow.

I can't say enough just how much difference a place with no traffic is! Even of you only rode fire-trials ...

So at 6 I'd say just get a half decent bike off e-Bay.... give it 6mo or even a year and you'll be looking as Oxoman says at the next bike...

I'm now being told he wants a road bike and to join a club for racing....He's being told he needs to learn how to wash cars or start his own business!

Nixtoo

We cancelled our Isla beinn 20l as it's currently a long wait (mid June), we've paid over £100 less for the frog 55, we pick it up on Saturday. When we went to look at it last weekend it looked just as good. Proper test run on Saturday, we'll see if he can cope with thumb shifters!

oxoman

He should be ok with the thumb shifters. Met a dad with his two sons today both on islabikes bienns one a 20" the other a 24" he was having to change up because they hadn't got the strength to twist the gears up, they could go down ok. He is now going to look at fitting trigger shifters after seeing my lads merida.

Daz555

Frog bikes - seeing more of them around recently. Recently ordered a Frog 62 for my 8yr old lad after seeing the quality of the build on a friend's kid's bike. Only 200g heavier but 130 beans cheaper than the equivalent Isla - and you get 2 sets of tyres, 2 sets of tubes and mudguards thrown in. Looked at Hoy bikes as well but the one we potentially wanted (Bonaly 24) is out of stock til July at least.

Picked up the Frog 62 today from Strada cycles in Bristol. Seems to be put together superbly. Some nice touches as well like frame protectors on the cables around the head tube and a small pot of paint to touch up scratches. My son is chomping at the bit for the rain to stop so we can get out there. Daughter the same - desperate to get out on her 'new' Isla Beinn 20 as well (hand me down from said son) - she has chosen a new bell and lights for it tho to put her stamp on it.

Mattcee

Nixtoo wrote:

We cancelled our Isla beinn 20l as it's currently a long wait (mid June), we've paid over £100 less for the frog 55, we pick it up on Saturday. When we went to look at it last weekend it looked just as good. Proper test run on Saturday, we'll see if he can cope with thumb shifters!

How did he get on with the frog?
I'm considering the Frog 55 over the Beinn as its cheaper new than a second hand Beinn, thats if I can even find a Beinn thats local-ish to me.

Chalky2001

https://www.evanscycles.com/ridgeback-d ... e-EV220966

How about the Ridgeback dimensions 20inch?
It's specs say it's actually a tiny bit lighter than the islabike equivalent. Last years model is also on sale at £200 ATM (not at Evans, but the link has the specs) ! Almost half that of the Isla.

Can someone please have a look at the specs and let me know if I'd be wasting my money. I can't really justify £360 on a bike unless there really is no comparison between them.

oxoman

The weight given for the ridgeback actually works out slightly lighter than islabikes and frogbikes, the gearing isn't as good though. Frogbike comes out on top with better ratio and trigger shift as opposed to gripshift. At the end of the day your child probably won't be doing epic miles or on it all the time so why spend so much. Islabikes always get top dollar on resale though. At the end of the day will your average child be fussed if it's an Islabike or Frogbike or a Ridgeback or even dare I say it an Apollo I suspect not.

natrix

oxoman wrote:

At the end of the day will your average child be fussed if it's an Islabike or Frogbike or a Ridgeback or even dare I say it an Apollo I suspect not.

If you want them to enjoy cycling any distance, then they'll be happier on a lighter bike than an Apollo or similar....

Nixtoo

Mattcee wrote:

Nixtoo wrote:

We cancelled our Isla beinn 20l as it's currently a long wait (mid June), we've paid over £100 less for the frog 55, we pick it up on Saturday. When we went to look at it last weekend it looked just as good. Proper test run on Saturday, we'll see if he can cope with thumb shifters!

How did he get on with the frog?
I'm considering the Frog 55 over the Beinn as its cheaper new than a second hand Beinn, thats if I can even find a Beinn thats local-ish to me.

Really well, jumped on and cycled off. Gears still too much, thumb isn't big enough. Bike seems well made, pleased with our choice.

nyanza

Sorry for the necromancy, but what's the verdict here?

Will a 6 year old do better on the Isla's gripshift or the Frog's thumbshifters? Or, being 6, they'll never use the gears so it's a moot point.

Any update on this?

oxoman

Every child is different but most kids manage better on thumb shifters.

lettingthedaysgoby

My about to turn 6 years old daughter has a Frog 55 and loves it. The thumb shifters are way easier for small hands to operate than a twist grip. It seems very well put together and getting a spare set of tyres included was a nice touch.

The only problem we've found with it is that although it comes with bottle cage mounting bolts a standard bottle and cage simply won't fit. I'm guessing Frog do a smaller one that will...

ovi

we have had both Isla and frog and my daughter found the Frog gears loads better and would buy another, just a shame she has now outgrown her Frog 62 and will be getting a small Mountain bike to replace it.

Thigh_burn

What about a 9yr old? Would they have issues with the grip shift?

Currently looking between Isla's Benin 26 Small and Frog 62, which has 24" wheels.

Tempted by the Isla just because it should last longer, but given the Frog's cheaper and she might find it easier to shift gears, maybe I should save the £ and pony up for a new bike within the next couple of yrs.

bompington

Bompetta managed the grip shift at 5. It still gives her grief occasionally at 7 if it's needing a service and a bit stiff. Apart from that it's always been fine for her, but then I'm not sure that Bompetta's a normal child, more a hurricane in human form

Steve-XcT

Thigh_burn wrote:

What about a 9yr old? Would they have issues with the grip shift?

Currently looking between Isla's Benin 26 Small and Frog 62, which has 24" wheels.

Tempted by the Isla just because it should last longer, but given the Frog's cheaper and she might find it easier to shift gears, maybe I should save the £ and pony up for a new bike within the next couple of yrs.

I wouldn't decide based on shifter ... price is pretty trivial to change...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/sram ... 7C141635UK

Also check the comments

The Isla Beign is a fantastic bike and I have nothing but praise for it, with the obvious exception of the grip shift. If you buy an Isla bike with gears, to be used by a young child with small hands, get one of these shifters.

nyanza

I wouldn't decide based on shifter ... price is pretty trivial to change...

Call me picky, but if I'm shelling out nearly 400 quid on a bike for a 6 year old, the last thing I want to be doing, or should expect to be doing, is fitting more suitable components to it on day one.

Thanks for the replies - thumbies seem the clear winner in this case.

Thigh_burn

I just spoke to Isla about the whole grip shift issue. They say they've changed the setup so that it is much easier to grip shift for kids, and these problems have gone away. I'm not sure when people in this thread bought their bikes - before or after the supposed tweak - but would be interesting to know if those with problems have older/2nd hand bikes?

Having spent more time looking for a kids bike than I did for my own (maybe) I can't justify the cost of an Isla, 35% more than the equivalent Frog. Frog it is for me.

Steve-XcT

nyanza wrote:

I wouldn't decide based on shifter ... price is pretty trivial to change...

Call me picky, but if I'm shelling out nearly 400 quid on a bike for a 6 year old, the last thing I want to be doing, or should expect to be doing, is fitting more suitable components to it on day one.

Gripshift works for some kids and not for others...
Personally I'm in the trigger camp but ideal kids bikes just don't exist certainly in the bottom <£2000+ end of the scale.
If they fitted triggers then I'm sure another lot would be pulling them off and fitting grip-shifts...

You can buy plenty of bikes for £300 where you would need to spend over £400 to even get a rideable bike.
Plenty of £300 bikes come with cranks that are WAY too long (and cost way more than a tenner to replace) and the bike is not even ride-able as sold ... and plenty in the £300 bracket don't even have a cassette so your talking new wheel money to even change from the heavy and limiting freewheel.

I've never bought a bike based on what tyres it has on (a £100 expense)... or what chainring(s) or cassette are fitted...but view these as stuff that was added to be ripped off and replaced with something that works for you before you even ride. It's just much cheaper buying a bike with mostly the right stuff than trying to buy a frame, forks and then getting what you actually want.

The standard Isla range is pretty good for what it is... which is a general purpose bike. I'd personally replace the shifters but I hardly see that as a disaster.

DStent

We have been in the Isla camp since day one (Balance) and it's only when our eldest moved to gears that we came across the grip-shift issue (We/they have loved the Isla bikes). This caused us/him (8) problems on his recent/first triathlon whereby I had to assess the course and pick a best fit gear before the start as he is unable to change the gears. The bike is just starting to be on the small size and normally we would have kept it for this year. But, seeing as he enjoyed the triathlon so much we have changed brand last week and gone for a Frog. Our daughter was also due the next size up (also on an Isla) AND it's her birthday (6) so she also got a new Frog. Both of them can use the thumb triggers and all is good. It was only the issue we had with the grip-shift that meant we changed brands. We had no other issue with Isla and we'll now see how the Frog's perform.

Thigh_burn

A couple of months in with Frog and we love it. I'm really pleased we didn't spend the extra cash on Isla, I just can't see what benefit it has, bar a marginal weight saving.

hopkinb

Thigh_burn wrote:

A couple of months in with Frog and we love it. I'm really pleased we didn't spend the extra cash on Isla, I just can't see what benefit it has, bar a marginal weight saving.

Ditto, we bought little one a frog 55 a couple of months ago. She can crank out 25 flat km on it no bother. Loves the thumbshift gears.

DStent

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

My about to turn 6 years old daughter has a Frog 55 and loves it. The thumb shifters are way easier for small hands to operate than a twist grip. It seems very well put together and getting a spare set of tyres included was a nice touch.

The only problem we've found with it is that although it comes with bottle cage mounting bolts a standard bottle and cage simply won't fit. I'm guessing Frog do a smaller one that will...

We had the same issue and fitted a side entry cage to get round the problem. Works a treat.

Steve-XcT

I just spoke to Isla about the whole grip shift issue. They say they've changed the setup so that it is much easier to grip shift for kids, and these problems have gone away.

I doubt it... the main problem is gripshift IMHO

However, I wouldn't choose a car because I don't like the foot-mats.

It's a £6 component... about 1/5th of the price of a proper tyre....
It's hardly much more than an inner tube... ?

Thigh_burn

DStent wrote:

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

My about to turn 6 years old daughter has a Frog 55 and loves it. The thumb shifters are way easier for small hands to operate than a twist grip. It seems very well put together and getting a spare set of tyres included was a nice touch.

The only problem we've found with it is that although it comes with bottle cage mounting bolts a standard bottle and cage simply won't fit. I'm guessing Frog do a smaller one that will...

We had the same issue and fitted a side entry cage to get round the problem. Works a treat.

Ditto. The one that Frog sells are side entry.