Road bike for 8 year old (triathlon)

Road bike for 8 year old (triathlon)

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loudlashadjuster

Original Poster:

5,081 posts

183 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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My son likes his cycling and has recently taken up triathlon. He has an Islabike Beinn which he loves and which is great at all things, but I've noticed him shooting admiring glances at the other kids' tasty road bikes. He's not the only one, there is something about the relative geometry of proper kids road bikes that makes them look ace!

Naturally he's asked for a road bike for Christmas. The default option would be another Islabike - we've had four and the quality and sizing etc. is always spot-on - but for some reason the Luath doesn't appeal as much as, say, a Felt F95. There's also the delivery anxiety to work with; we've been left wondering in late December if Santa was going to turn up with an Islabike a few years ago and it is not a pleasant experience!

Only problem is, when looking about most shops only have one or two bikes suitable for that age and it seems that Felt and Moda are pretty much the default options. He's quite big for his age and is on a 26 Small Beinn at the moment, but I presume I'm still looking at a 24" road bike.

Are there any other brands I should be seeking out? Or shops that have a decent selection? I admit I've gotten bored looking after the usual suspects (Evans, Wiggle, CRC etc.) and a few of the bigger independents, but there doesn't seem to be a go-to place for junior bikes.

Before anyone suggests my LBS, he's an arse and won't be getting another penny out of me wink

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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do they have gear restrictions in triathlons? Islabike seems to be the obvious choice

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 23 October 14:05

loudlashadjuster

Original Poster:

5,081 posts

183 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
quotequote all
pablo said:
do they have gear restrictions in triathlons? Islabike seems to be the obvious choice
If they do, certainly not at that age.

He's OK to compete on his MTB - indeed some kids apparently drag nasty BSOs round - but for every one like that there seem to be ten with natty road bikes with carbon forks etc. "just like Dad's"

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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BC have rules for maximum gear ratios kids can use so they dont push gears bigger than is safe for young muscles but also as they all develop at different times it puts them all on an equal standing.

For under 10s its 5.4m eg 41x16

Birdthom

788 posts

224 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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My 8yo has done a couple on his mountain bike. I think the kids always do their bike legs on grass, so a proper road bike may not be the best option. I've seen quite a few on the Moda cross bikes which seem ideal for the job, but they aren't cheap. There were some very good discounts on them online a month or two ago though.

TBH I find there are a few too many kids with shiny kit and pushy parents at these events. Plenty are on their regular knockabout bikes though. I've never detected any kit snobbery, and the kids should just be there to enjoy it and learn to love the sport rather than to get a great result. Just my 2p.

loudlashadjuster

Original Poster:

5,081 posts

183 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
quotequote all
Birdthom said:
My 8yo has done a couple on his mountain bike. I think the kids always do their bike legs on grass, so a proper road bike may not be the best option. I've seen quite a few on the Moda cross bikes which seem ideal for the job, but they aren't cheap. There were some very good discounts on them online a month or two ago though.

TBH I find there are a few too many kids with shiny kit and pushy parents at these events. Plenty are on their regular knockabout bikes though. I've never detected any kit snobbery, and the kids should just be there to enjoy it and learn to love the sport rather than to get a great result. Just my 2p.
Oh, absolutely. Thing is, it's either a new bike or a console for Xmas and I know what I'd rather he get.

Plus, once he's got a shiny new road steed it'll be a lot easier to convince SWMBO that Daddy needs a road bike to be able to keep up with him... wink

p.s. His first proper event is the Hillingdon duathlon which is on tarmac, but apparently most are on grass as you say.

Magic919

14,126 posts

200 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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Have you looked at the Genesis col du glandon? Pretty small roadie.

richardxjr

7,561 posts

209 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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Dawes do littl'uns too.


Birdthom

788 posts

224 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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loudlashadjuster said:
Oh, absolutely. Thing is, it's either a new bike or a console for Xmas and I know what I'd rather he get.

Plus, once he's got a shiny new road steed it'll be a lot easier to convince SWMBO that Daddy needs a road bike to be able to keep up with him... wink
In that case, I think he really needs something a bit more premium ;-)

loudlashadjuster

Original Poster:

5,081 posts

183 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
quotequote all
Magic919 said:
Have you looked at the Genesis col du glandon? Pretty small roadie.
Thanks, exactly the kind of tip-off I was looking for. Cyclocross brakes and ability to run bigger tyres a definite plus I guess.

Janluke

2,552 posts

157 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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I coach the junior section of our tri club and the most popular bikes for your age range seem to be Moda Minor 24. They appear to stand up well to training and competition and there's a healthy second hand demand for when they outgrow them.

There are no gear restrictions this year but its coming in from 2015

http://www.triathlonscotland.org/files/Youth_gear_...

HTH

loudlashadjuster

Original Poster:

5,081 posts

183 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
quotequote all
richardxjr said:
Dawes do littl'uns too.
Thanks, I'll take a look.

Jayfish

6,795 posts

202 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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Frog bikes look ace, available in Team Sky colours too if that floats his boat, if no one local speak to Rob at Propel http://www.propelbikes.co.uk/

Bobley

697 posts

148 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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The Dawes is very heavy (at least our friends Giro 300 is). Last year most of our friends at Team MK used the Islabike. They bring them to training sessions and often sell them on to the younger families for very good money as they grow up and progress. One lad did have the Moda but I think thats unnecessarily heavy and I've not seen anyone do particlarly well on one. Hoys and Frogs are still thin on the ground as they're so new but I'm surprised that no one on the racing scene uses them. Other popular bikes for youth road and tri are often cyclocross bikes so you see Specialized Crux and Scott Addict CX quite often but they're for over 10s...

...but, the new big thing which has swept across Central region at least are Worx bikes. The owner is an ex racer and his lad is little Froomey in the making so they're really focussed on youth racing. I would say that the Worx bikes are starting to get a good rep and our friends son is probably the fastest 11 year old triathlete in the country on a Worx Crossworx and their 8 year old also has one. Last weekend at Central CXL rnd 3 at Culham there were a lot of Worx bike. The girls U12 winner was on one as was the 2nd boy in U14 to name a few. (Edit) My lad tells me the U10 boy also won on a Worx.

http://worxbikes.com/product/juniorworx-ja24/

Edited by Bobley on Friday 24th October 09:19

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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http://www.cyclesprog.co.uk/bikes/road-racing-bike...

found this good round up of kids bikes, has got me thinking if there is a market (or even a supplier!) for carbon kids bikes......

richardxjr

7,561 posts

209 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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Good thinking pablo wink

You'd have thought there's a big market for decent kids bikes, both road and mountain. But the sad truth is for 99.99% of parents the sales price ceiling is £400. (for non cyclists this is about £150). My lad attends the local clubs' pedal power sessions, usually about 30 kids and parents, all enthusiastic club cyclists themselves, I've heard many moaning about spending £350 on something not brilliant. Even with their good residuals, not many splash out on an Islabike.

It'll cost more to build a proper kids bike than an adults (availability of decent cranks and other parts for small people). And the main marketing problem is they'll grow out of it.

Silver940

3,961 posts

226 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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Kind of in the market as a competitor to Islabikes for kids is Frog bikes. Just got my 5 year old a Frog 52, can't really fault it at all. Big advantage I see over Islabikes is you can usually find a local bike shop with them so the kids can try. Unless you live near Islabikes it's a bit of a shot in the dark.

they do Road bikes too

http://www.frogbikes.com/lightweight-kids-bikes/ro...

Bobley

697 posts

148 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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There is a US brand whose name evades me who make a carbon youth bike. I've only seen one in Holland at the European Youth Tour. The lad had Dura Ace DI2 on it and all the trick bits and a fancy helmet but he got dropped by the peloton on the classic road stage and finished about 5 minutes down. This often happens at races where parents will pay through the nose. At my lads first race he signed in and noticed a Cervelo carbon road bike parked up and asked me how he was expected to compete with that on his ali CX bike. I said you'll just have to pedal a bit harder. He beat her comfortably. Since then we've progressed gradually buying nicer parts off the web when they come up cheap and his bike does look pretty trick but he trains hard and studies his cycling technique so he gets parts as and when he deserves them and the cost is written down on the kitchen blackboard which he pays back out of his pocket money and christmas presents etc.

I always say to him that its 95% rider and 5% bike. You cant buy yourself a win.

I should start a business leasing out Islabikes!! At £10/month I'd be quids in... maybe

Tiddy1

83 posts

116 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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I think between my two children we are on our 7th islabike (all bought new) and you almost rent them anyway. on average they have them for 12-18 months and I have sold all for within £60 of what I paid for them new. They are currently both on craig 26" MTBS and the price of those was eye watering

My son (11yrs) is now just big enough for a full sized road bike so I built one up from parts, total cost £200 and that is with an aluminium/ carbon frame and carbon fork (£50 of fleebay) and tiagra bits.

it certianly gets cheaper when you can use adult parts, and its always a good excuse for me to upgrade and move bits down the line

Celtic Dragon

3,160 posts

234 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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If you don't mind spending the cash, what about a Kona Jake? Its a CX bike so will handle grass and tarmac with a change of tyres.