UKC

My daughter is due for a bigger bike. Her current Islabike is a thing of beauty and my first instinct is to simply get the next size up. But then I saw Frog bikes - they look as good but quite a bit cheaper. Has anyone got any experience of them? Particularly the resale value. One of the great things about an Islabike is the TCO.

In reply to Hooo:

No direct experience, I've looked at a Frog in our local bike shop and they look fantastic - light, good geometry, quality components etc. Several other parents we know have them and say they are great.

I was considering buying one until I found a practically new Ridgeback for £40. Frogs might be cheaper than an Islabike, but I'm still not convinced I can justify £250 on a kids bike.

I think they are too new to the market to have much sense of resale value, I've looked but there don't seem to be any on ebay yet.

In reply to Hooo:
The crazy current resale value of Isabikes makes them a no brainer (new or second hand). That resale value could change though. I don't like the narrow bars on the Islabikes and have swapped them out for some wider ones (cut down spares I had).

I'm sure that Frog bikes are excellent (not had any direct experience of them or had any friends with them, which says something), but I doubt they have the current Islabike kudos and associated resale value.

One friend did try an Frog for his daughter - but he said the top tube was longer and the fit (for her) wasn't as good as the Isla.

Another mate (same dilemma to you) was also looking at the Hoy kids bikes and was impressed:

http://www.hoybikes.com/kids

We did stray from the Islabike fold for a short while (20" wheel Ridgeback SX? rigid). Was OK, but our lad wasn't happy on it and complained of back ache and couldn't keep up with his younger brother on a lighter Islabike. Ridgeback - bought £220, sold £85. Enough said. The older lad is now on a 2nd hand Bienn 24 and loving it (and beating his brother, so order restored).

In reply to ChrisJD:

The Hoy bikes look good too, and in between the Frog and Isla on price. The big thing about an Islabike is the resale value though - it means that in the long run it's not an expensive bike at all. I wonder if these newcomers Hoy and Frog will mean that Islabikes no longer keep their value? Are they so expensive secondhand simply because there was no other bike that came close, and now there are rivals this will change? Hmm...

In reply to Hooo:
A friend has frog's for they boys and they love them in theory they are slightly lighter as they have aluminium not steel forks.

We considered them but bought Isla because we wanted the rear rack for panniers which wasn't available on the frog.

The general cost of a bike should be considered in line with the amount of use it will get. The Beinn 20 we have does 3 miles a day school run plus other rides so in it's first year will have done roughly 540 miles school run and probably 150 other miles so heading towards a cost of 50p per mile so far plus or minus the odd clean and oil!

In reply to Hooo:

Have another child and then the Islabike is half-price (from a satisfied Cnoc 16 buyer).

In reply to Hooo:

This FB group is good as well:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/826309394088435/?fref=ts

In reply to Hooo:

Not strictly any use to you so I apologise - but I rode the Tissington Trail with my kids this weekend and I reckon well over half of the other kids riding it with their families that we passed were on Isla bikes. First I presumed that they must be hired by one of the rental places at either end but looking in I don't think so. I was quite amazed they were so popular, at least among the type of families that make their kids go for bike rides as days out at the weekend!

In reply to felt:

Not exactly a cheap option though!

In reply to ChrisJD:

That looks handy. Especially considering I have one to sell too.

In reply to Hooo:
I don't know what size and type of bike you want for the sprog but when my oldest needed a bigger one I looked at Isla and Frog but they were just too expensive and/or difficult to get hold of at the time. We ended up getting him an Orbea - it's more obviously a mountain bike than the Isla ones but he wanted to ride off road lots, but it has no silly suspension and everything is proportioned for kids. It is also 1 x 7 speed so there is no complicating and heavy double chainset and front mech etc. He really likes it. I think we paid about 240 for it so far from cheap but cheaper than Frog or Isla.
Edit - it also means he is now support Cofidis in the TdF because they have "bikes like mine".

In reply to Hooo:

Due to the outrageous second cost of an Isla bike I've just had the same dilemma, looked at Frog & Hoy bikes, but in the end have just bought my son a new Beinn 20 small. Mainly due to the fact I am hopeful that I will get a good price for it when i come to sell it on in 2 years time. I saw some second hand ones, one was I think 4 years old, going for £265 + £25 postage, against a new one at £329 plus free delivery.

I quite liked the look especially of the Hoy bikes but the possible resale issue was the decider. Mind everyone thinks I am mad spending over £300 on a kids bike. I remember being saddled with an overweight bike when I was a kid and hated cycling until I discovered light weight mountain bikes in my late 30s, I'd like him to enjoy cycling with me and if it costs me a bit more then than is fine.

In reply to BazVee:

Yes, I think it's going to be Islabikes again, just because the others are unknown as far as resale value goes. Shame you've just bought a Beinn 20, as I'll have one to sell soon

In reply to Hooo:
My kids have always destroyed any bike they've had so I tend to ignore resale value. I think the frog bikes look pretty good

It's good to have some choice in the not rubbish category

In reply to Hooo:
Another option is buying a 20 or 24 (wheel size) Commencal kids hard-tail frame for 99 Euros and build one yourself:

http://www.commencal-store.co.uk/PBSCCatalog.asp?ActionID=67174912&PBCATID=...

I think this is a rigid 24" fork as well:

http://www.commencal-store.co.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=12502503

But it weighs 4,52 lbs, so rubbish!

In reply to Hooo:

If only I'd known you were about to sell. but he's really too small for his Cnoc 14 so needed to do something pretty quick, hence I ordered a new one last night and it is arriving tomorrow.