Islabikes gone bust-Lightweight bike for child?
Discussion
Hi all,
A few years ago I recommended Islabikes to friend whose child is very small for her age. He ended up going for it (a model without pedals, sorry not sure of the name, but the type where the child propels themselves with their feet). He was very happy with the purchase and has only recently started looking for bigger bike (daughter is now nearing 7 years of age, but still diminutive).
However, he also tells me Islabikes has gone bust?!? Looking at the website that does seem to be the case, sadly.
Seeing as I learned of Islabikes from this helpful forum, I'd like your views on any equivalent to Islabikes. He is especially concerned about the weight, apparently he's checked out he usual suspects (Halfords etc) and most bikes seem monstrously heavy.
Any recommendations gratefully received, thanks!
A few years ago I recommended Islabikes to friend whose child is very small for her age. He ended up going for it (a model without pedals, sorry not sure of the name, but the type where the child propels themselves with their feet). He was very happy with the purchase and has only recently started looking for bigger bike (daughter is now nearing 7 years of age, but still diminutive).
However, he also tells me Islabikes has gone bust?!? Looking at the website that does seem to be the case, sadly.
Seeing as I learned of Islabikes from this helpful forum, I'd like your views on any equivalent to Islabikes. He is especially concerned about the weight, apparently he's checked out he usual suspects (Halfords etc) and most bikes seem monstrously heavy.
Any recommendations gratefully received, thanks!
Woom are great. Expensive but you tend to get most of your money back when you sell them again so actual cost of ownership is low. Eg bought Woom 3 new for €340 and sold it for €300 after 2 years. Woom 4 bought for €470 and sold it for €420 also after two years. It helps that they periodically raise prices of new bikes so the old bikes hold their value.
Just got my youngest daughter a Woom 4 OFF. She’s 5. It weighs 11kg and is therefore substantially lighter than most if not all other mountain bikes with 20in wheel. She likes the flow trails at the local bike park.
There are always offers around too. That bike is supposed to be €850 and I paid €575.
After the Woom 4 size if I’m honest the value for money goes down in comparison to other bikes and as the kids are bigger weight is less of an issue. My eldest had a Woom 4 and then a Woom 5 which I didn’t really rate (cheap components and just not generally very robust), but she liked. Now she has a Woom 6 NOW which I bought from Woom less than half price at €479.
The weight and geometry is the main advantage of a Woom and I personally think that makes the experience of riding with the kids more enjoyable as they actually like riding the bikes.
Just got my youngest daughter a Woom 4 OFF. She’s 5. It weighs 11kg and is therefore substantially lighter than most if not all other mountain bikes with 20in wheel. She likes the flow trails at the local bike park.
There are always offers around too. That bike is supposed to be €850 and I paid €575.
After the Woom 4 size if I’m honest the value for money goes down in comparison to other bikes and as the kids are bigger weight is less of an issue. My eldest had a Woom 4 and then a Woom 5 which I didn’t really rate (cheap components and just not generally very robust), but she liked. Now she has a Woom 6 NOW which I bought from Woom less than half price at €479.
The weight and geometry is the main advantage of a Woom and I personally think that makes the experience of riding with the kids more enjoyable as they actually like riding the bikes.
If you like Isla Bikes then look for a second hand one close enough to inspect in person. I would imagine there’s a fair few out there barely touched. They hold their price but there’s a good reason for that and you’ll get most of your money back when you sell. We’ve got a couple of Isla Bikes and I can’t fault them,
Simon_GH said:
If you like Isla Bikes then look for a second hand one close enough to inspect in person. I would imagine there’s a fair few out there barely touched. They hold their price but there’s a good reason for that and you’ll get most of your money back when you sell. We’ve got a couple of Isla Bikes and I can’t fault them,
This. They are uniquely depreciation-proof IME.There's a fairly active facebook group for pre-owned islabikes:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/826309394088435/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/826309394088435/
osterbo said:
There's a fairly active facebook group for pre-owned islabikes:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/826309394088435/
Thanks, I've passed on the link. https://www.facebook.com/groups/826309394088435/
Bonefish Blues said:
Simon_GH said:
If you like Isla Bikes then look for a second hand one close enough to inspect in person. I would imagine there’s a fair few out there barely touched. They hold their price but there’s a good reason for that and you’ll get most of your money back when you sell. We’ve got a couple of Isla Bikes and I can’t fault them,
This. They are uniquely depreciation-proof IME.snobetter said:
I have a Frog 55 spotty going in S. Devon after moved youngest to a Frog 62...
I'm after a 55 as my daughter has outgrown her 48. Shame I'm in kent!The nice thing with these "premium" kids bikes is that once you've bought one (and are happy with 2nd hand) you can pretty much get free upgrades as they grow as they hold their value so well.
Frog bikes are great, had a few and sold them on for not much less than we paid. I've recently repurposed a Wiggins which we had for years, been through 3 of our boys and still going strong, being light and easy to ride. Rather than selling it for not much, I stripped it down and painted it pink for our 4 year old girl, who has been hammering about on it, still with no problems. Wiggins another brand you can't get anymore.
You get what you pay for, broadly, so long as you shop at proper bike shops that aren't Halfords.
The best deals tend to be over winter, but less so on kids bikes as often a container arrives from Taiwan in the spring and that's the stock for the whole year, once it's gone it's gone, and often it is.
All these companies that trade on the idea that they make only kids bikes so they're making better bikes for kids, lack the scale of the larger bike companies so are inherently more expensive, they have a load of frames made up in Taiwan and then buy off the shelf parts for them. If you compare similar weight and components, they're more expensive than Trek, Giant, Specialised etc, without offering anything extra.
When I've bought bikes for the kids I've looked at all the options and bought from Cube, Vitus, Giant, Orbea and I think Specialised will be next.
The best deals tend to be over winter, but less so on kids bikes as often a container arrives from Taiwan in the spring and that's the stock for the whole year, once it's gone it's gone, and often it is.
All these companies that trade on the idea that they make only kids bikes so they're making better bikes for kids, lack the scale of the larger bike companies so are inherently more expensive, they have a load of frames made up in Taiwan and then buy off the shelf parts for them. If you compare similar weight and components, they're more expensive than Trek, Giant, Specialised etc, without offering anything extra.
When I've bought bikes for the kids I've looked at all the options and bought from Cube, Vitus, Giant, Orbea and I think Specialised will be next.
zedx19 said:
Frog bikes are great, had a few and sold them on for not much less than we paid. I've recently repurposed a Wiggins which we had for years, been through 3 of our boys and still going strong, being light and easy to ride. Rather than selling it for not much, I stripped it down and painted it pink for our 4 year old girl, who has been hammering about on it, still with no problems. Wiggins another brand you can't get anymore.
No, but I bet you can get the bikes under different branding.paulrockliffe said:
You get what you pay for, broadly, so long as you shop at proper bike shops that aren't Halfords.
The best deals tend to be over winter, but less so on kids bikes as often a container arrives from Taiwan in the spring and that's the stock for the whole year, once it's gone it's gone, and often it is.
All these companies that trade on the idea that they make only kids bikes so they're making better bikes for kids, lack the scale of the larger bike companies so are inherently more expensive, they have a load of frames made up in Taiwan and then buy off the shelf parts for them. If you compare similar weight and components, they're more expensive than Trek, Giant, Specialised etc, without offering anything extra.
When I've bought bikes for the kids I've looked at all the options and bought from Cube, Vitus, Giant, Orbea and I think Specialised will be next.
To be fair, all the big brands kit their bikes out with "off the shelf" parts too. Drivetrain is going to be Shimano or SRAM, brakes will be Tektro etc. The best deals tend to be over winter, but less so on kids bikes as often a container arrives from Taiwan in the spring and that's the stock for the whole year, once it's gone it's gone, and often it is.
All these companies that trade on the idea that they make only kids bikes so they're making better bikes for kids, lack the scale of the larger bike companies so are inherently more expensive, they have a load of frames made up in Taiwan and then buy off the shelf parts for them. If you compare similar weight and components, they're more expensive than Trek, Giant, Specialised etc, without offering anything extra.
When I've bought bikes for the kids I've looked at all the options and bought from Cube, Vitus, Giant, Orbea and I think Specialised will be next.
An Islabike will hold its value far far better than a Specialized or Trek too, making the overall ownership experience cheaper
Mine have moved into teenager territory now, so are riding an Orange and a Specialized, bought because they were cheap secondhand. I don't expect to see much money back when i come to sell them.
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