24" wheel hybrid for my soon to be 9yr old boy?

broona
broona Posts: 414
edited December 2016 in Family & kids cycling forum
He's currently riding a Team Sky Frog 55 but he's coming up 130cm now and it's going to be too small for him sooner rather than later so I'm looking to buy him the next size up and have found a few options.

Any opinions or alternatives are most welcome. :D

The obvious Frog 62 - https://www.frogbikes.com/lightweight-k ... rog62.aspx

Islabikes Beinn 24 - http://www.islabikes.co.uk/products/bikes/item/beinn-24

HOY Bonaly 24 - https://www.evanscycles.com/hoy-bonaly- ... e-EV203132

Wiggins Chartres Junior Hybrid Bike - 24" - http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/k ... id-bike-24

Comments

  • natrix
    natrix Posts: 1,111
    The Wiggins is 1kg heavier than the Islabike, but it's half the price. On the other hand the resale value of an Islabike is pretty good..............

    Having looked at these for my son I don't think that there is a stand-out best option amongst those 4.

    I also looked at a Raleigh, but didn't like it as much as the 4 that you've chosen http://www.raleigh.co.uk/ProductType/Pr ... 9&pg=12915
    ~~~~~~Sustrans - Join the Movement~~~~~~
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    natrix wrote:
    The Wiggins is 1kg heavier than the Islabike, but it's half the price. On the other hand the resale value of an Islabike is pretty good..............

    Having looked at these for my son I don't think that there is a stand-out best option amongst those 4.

    I also looked at a Raleigh, but didn't like it as much as the 4 that you've chosen http://www.raleigh.co.uk/ProductType/Pr ... 9&pg=12915

    I also get an extra 10% off the Wiggins through BC which makes it even more tempting, I can see that the Isla is probably the best but is it £200 better?

    Not a fan of the twist shift for him, would rather he got used to the trigger shift like he has on the Frog, otherwise that Raleigh looks decent.
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    oxoman wrote:
    Merida Matt's race j24 Is a half decent hybrid worth looking at but probably not as good weight wise as the other 4 you chose.

    Thanks for the reply, I'll have a look, the weight isn't critical, as long as it's not a £50 25kg steel full suspension he should cope OK, lol!
  • wasp707
    wasp707 Posts: 116
    My 9 year old son has the Hoy Bonaly 24 and it's a brilliant bike. It has probably got a better specification than the Islabike as well.
  • wmorgs
    wmorgs Posts: 113
    Just bought my 9yr old:
    http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _2016_Bike
    http://dawescycles.com/product/academy-24-mtb/
    Was going to buy:
    http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/k ... in-bike-24
    But thought wanted no front mech and no twist grip etc
    Thought by the time i buy bike and upgrade parts it would be better to buy the Dawes first as last.
    Way above what i wanted to spend but having seen my boy tackle steep roads and he can actually change gears with the trigger.
    Only upgrades needed was quick release.
    Dont think will hold price aswell as a Islabike but even the more pricey mainstream brands cant touch the Dawes for weight or spec.
  • natrix
    natrix Posts: 1,111
    The Dawes is nice but you're spending money for the air suspension front fork and a lot of 9 year olds are so light that the suspension doesn't really work for them. Definitly a mountain bike rather than some of the other bikes which are more like hybrids.
    ~~~~~~Sustrans - Join the Movement~~~~~~
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    Belated reply, but eventually ordered and received a bike in time for Christmas, lol!

    Went for the Genesis Core 24 - http://www.swinnertoncycles.co.uk/bikes ... eel-p53990

    Ticks most of the boxes apart from the grip shift and is 'relatively' light at just under 11kg, hopefully he'll be happy with it on Christmas morning. :)
  • Steve-XcT
    Steve-XcT Posts: 267
    broona wrote:
    Belated reply, but eventually ordered and received a bike in time for Christmas, lol!

    Went for the Genesis Core 24 - http://www.swinnertoncycles.co.uk/bikes ... eel-p53990

    Ticks most of the boxes apart from the grip shift and is 'relatively' light at just under 11kg, hopefully he'll be happy with it on Christmas morning. :)

    Just pull off the gripshift and stick a trigger shift on ....and change the rear mech at the same time
    I'm a bit confused as looking about some places it's 8sp and others 9sp

    You can get 9sp SLX/XT really cheap ... and if you buy new in time for XMAS....

    Either way it looks like a cassette ... not freewheel so you can easily change it to a SLX/XT 10 speed.

    Loads of people have spare 10sp set-ups being sold off as they upgrade to 11sp... so it can be really cheap and without the added cost of 11sp chain...

    My experience is the Tourney stuff breaks rather easily... like a small twig etc. bends it and a knock on the shifters the same whereas a SLX/XT would be completely undamaged. Before we upgraded I was spending more replacing the crappy Tourney .. I think I paid about £20 for his XT M780 rear mech slightly used off ebay... and the shifters are £34 new... (though if you took some time post XMAS you can probably get both either new other or slightly used together on ebay from someone who's upgraded) if you're bothered it will also shed a few grams... but mainly it's just stronger and shifts better

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