Islabikes - any experience?

[looksfast]

Bought one! It was pretty cut and dried once I read the replies from you lot, so thank you.

I suspect my son will grow out of it in about six months, so will be able to test the residual values then.

Thanks for the replies.:

[louiebaby]

I realise opinions are divided on Islabikes, but normally only by people who haven't bought them. (We have two in the garage.)

However, even I would think twice about their "Pro" range:

http://www.islabikes.co.uk/islabikes-pro-series

The bikes look lovely and are undoubtedly well designed, but for the first pedal bike a kid gets, will they really appreciate a £800 bike?

http://www.islabikes.co.uk/islabikes-pro-series/cn...

[Magic919]

I just got the email promoting those. I don't sit here thinking 'if only I could buy something more expensive than the standard Islabikes'.

We'll see how it goes. There might be a market for the larger ones, for kids that compete.

[Kermit power]

I just took a look at the 26" Pro mountain bike...

£1,500 for a not particularly well specced hardtail without a dropper post???

I would be very surprised if these keep their value as well as standard Islabikes, so maybe by this time next year, the choice will be a new standard bike or a used Pro bike for the same price?

[anonymous-user]

Juniors are only restricted by gearing so the ones I see racing have the same bikes as us, albeit in extra small (650c) sizes though the bigger ones are on 700c. They all have high end components and carbon frames, I can't see any juniors buying a islabike pro series to race imho

[Deerfoot]

Even as an Islabike fan these appear to be massively overpriced.

[louiebaby]

Deerfoot said:

Even as an Islabike fan these appear to be massively overpriced.

Pretty much this, couldn't agree more.

However, as I explained to a friend last night, if I had an after tax income of 4x what I do now, they'd not seem quite so overpriced, it's all relative.

[loudlashadjuster]

louiebaby said:

Pretty much this, couldn't agree more.

However, as I explained to a friend last night, if I had an after tax income of 4x what I do now, they'd not seem quite so overpriced, it's all relative.

Quite. I suspect Islabikes know that a fair chunk of their existing customers have one or more expensive (£2k+) bikes themselves and with enough disposable income would undoubtedly spend a lot more than the £4-800 that most of the existing range costs for their precious little ones.

They're only trying to cream off some of that fat profit which currently goes unspent or elsewhere and for that I don't blame them.

Would I buy one? Not a chance!

[louiebaby]

loudlashadjuster said:

They're only trying to cream off some of that fat profit which currently goes unspent or elsewhere and for that I don't blame them.

They're a business, and if it keeps them away from price rises in the mainstream range, then that will help me too.

[Mr Will]

It's also a good move (from a branding point of view) to reaffirm their position at the top of the market. These can function as 'halo' models to set islabikes ahead of the upcoming competition from the likes of Frog, Hoy, etc.

[velocgee]

I really think it was Isla cornering the chattering class market, who - IMO - tend to be like sheep, why they are the 'must-have' bike with great resale values. so Wandsworth Nappy-Valley.

I never bought an Isla for my boy. I do not doubt the quality but couldn't justify the premium these bikes charge. further, i have never bought a bike for resale value as a consideration.

so far we've had: 14" Ridgeback - not very good;
16" Pinnacle Koto - Great little bike;
Hoy Bonaly - again, very nice bike (not keen on Evans at all, though.)

if resale is a big consideration then by all means get an Isla (though Frog is now making inroads on it's share of the market). but do consider an NS Clash JR or even a Whyte 405 (what i'm thinking of getting my boy next)

[Kermit power]

velocgee said:

I really think it was Isla cornering the chattering class market, who - IMO - tend to be like sheep, why they are the 'must-have' bike with great resale values. so Wandsworth Nappy-Valley.

I never bought an Isla for my boy. I do not doubt the quality but couldn't justify the premium these bikes charge. further, i have never bought a bike for resale value as a consideration.

so far we've had: 14" Ridgeback - not very good;
16" Pinnacle Koto - Great little bike;
Hoy Bonaly - again, very nice bike (not keen on Evans at all, though.)

if resale is a big consideration then by all means get an Isla (though Frog is now making inroads on it's share of the market). but do consider an NS Clash JR or even a Whyte 405 (what i'm thinking of getting my boy next)

I wouldn't consider resale value in an adult bike, as I ride them into the ground before replacing them anyway, but on kids' bikes it's very different.

My daughter's last Islabike - a Beinn 26" - cost me £329. I sold it 2 years later - with Islabikes having upped the price to £399 in the meantime - for £320 on eBay!

OK, I had to pay eBay fees, but £9 for a superb bike for 2 years strikes me as a fairly unbeatable bargain!

[Maracus]

Kermit power said:

My daughter's last Islabike - a Beinn 26" - cost me £329. I sold it 2 years later - with Islabikes having upped the price to £399 in the meantime - for £320 on eBay!

OK, I had to pay eBay fees, but £9 for a superb bike for 2 years strikes me as a fairly unbeatable bargain!

I had a similar experience with a Islabike CNOC 14.

Bought from eBay for £128, sold two 2 years later for £166 (minus fees). I guess we got lucky buying at the right time.

[Deerfoot]

Kermit power said:

...but £9 for a superb bike for 2 years strikes me as a fairly unbeatable bargain!

Yes, the overall ownership cost of an Islabike make them a bargain in real terms. I`d just struggle to pay the initial cost of these pro series bikes.

I lost about £20 on a Cnoc 14 and my daughter`s Beinn will hopefully retain a good deal of it`s cost when we up-grade.

[velocgee]

Kermit power said:

My daughter's last Islabike - a Beinn 26" - cost me £329. I sold it 2 years later - with Islabikes having upped the price to £399 in the meantime - for £320 on eBay!

That's crazy! Fair play to you!

[Mr Will]

Maracus said:

Kermit power said:

My daughter's last Islabike - a Beinn 26" - cost me £329. I sold it 2 years later - with Islabikes having upped the price to £399 in the meantime - for £320 on eBay!

OK, I had to pay eBay fees, but £9 for a superb bike for 2 years strikes me as a fairly unbeatable bargain!

I had a similar experience with a Islabike CNOC 14.

Bought from eBay for £128, sold two 2 years later for £166 (minus fees). I guess we got lucky buying at the right time.

Similar story here. Bought a brand new CNOC14 for £200. Sold after two years hard use for £179.

[silentbrown]

Mr Will said:

Similar story here. Bought a brand new CNOC14 for £200. Sold after two years hard use for £179.

And again, here: Little SB's Beinn 20L just flipped on ebay after 3 years use. Depreciation of £10 per year, and she's on a Beinn 26L now.

Treated myself to one of their new adult bikes. Just one gentle ride, but enjoying it