# Bike with gears for a 6 year old????



## Donna (2 Oct 2009)

Hi all,

My 6 year old son wants a bike for xmas, he insists on wanting gears like the rest of the family.

Is there such a thing???

He is very small for his age probably needs a 16" wheel possible get onto an 18" wheel bike lol

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks 

Donna

ps ive ony been out on my subway a couple of times, but did 16 mile rides each time, I lurrrrve it


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## Jonathan M (2 Oct 2009)

There are some "mini" bikes with gears, and your son is at the sort of age where he may or may not use them, but should start to get the hang of them in the near future. 

There seems to be two ways to go with kids bikes, invest a decent sum of money for a well made, well specced bike in the knowledge that the youngster may grow out of it in two years or less, or keep it simple & cheaper. I've followed the second option with my son, it'll be a few years yet before i do invest more heavily in a bike for him.

I'm not sure if there is one in your area, but Decathlon usually has a good range of reasonably priced kids bikes in.


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## fossyant (2 Oct 2009)

He may just get one - my son got a 20" wheel MTB (6 speed) when he was just 7, and he's a shorty.....


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## Dilbert (2 Oct 2009)

Our little girl has got 6 speed on her new one but it is 20 inch wheels. Googling a bit there doesn't seem to be any below that, although looking at the clearance of the rear deraileur on the 20s I suspect that may be why there are no 18s etc. You may be able to get a 20" with a small frame that would fit him. Something else to check - if its got twist style gear change can he hold it comfortably and reach the brakes - my little lad got a nasty blister on his thumb the other week caused by this.
Hope you get sorted
Alasdair


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## petenats (2 Oct 2009)

I've not got kids myself but a very good mate has been found a company called Islabikes. The woman who runs it is apparently an ex olympic cyclist who got cheesed off with poor quality kids bikes.

My mate is a motorcycle mechanic and is blown away with the build quality off the bike he got his son.

Also they do some kind of deal where you can part ex the bike you buy for the bigger version as the kids grow up.

Might be worth a google!

Pete


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## summerdays (3 Oct 2009)

If you go down the Islabike route (expensive) then beware that the sizing isn't quite the same as the standard bikes. This is good because it works in your favour in that they move up to the next size wheel quicker than on the standard bikes. My smallish 8 yo is on a 24 inch and there is no way that he would fix an industry standard 24. They are supposed to have a good resale value but we have only just bought ours so I couldn't comment on that. 

However I do like the bikes, light and well designed with good company service.

Actually although I said expensive - when you factor in how much other bikes had increased in price they weren't that much more than some other brands.


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## BentMikey (3 Oct 2009)

I don't think islabikes are expensive - they are just good quality bikes that are designed and made properly, unlike most of the kids bikes you see around.


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## Dilbert (3 Oct 2009)

Little girl; has one of these. They are labled as a Girls bike in a lot of sites but the Silver and blue one would pass as a boys bike without a problem, especially with a few boys accessories. Another thing to be aware of is making sure it fits him saddle to pedal as well as saddle to floor. Sorry if this sounds obvious but it didn't occur to me when we fist started looking.

I'm sure that Isla bikes are the Rolls Royce of kids bikes but they are quite a bit more than other quality brands - 24" is £249, we paid £175 from LBS for the lads Claud Butler which is very well spec'd, so thats a 42% uplift. Its 83% for the 20" (£209) against what the Coyote is available for and that is a lovely bike IMHO. I'm sure the resale / trade in argument is valid - but only if you can be sure they are not going to damage it while you've got it. I guess it comes down to what you can afford and how much you are going to use it.

Best way is to visit every bike shop in a reasonable area and try out what they have got.

Its a bit awkward as its for a present but you could see if there are any "as new" Isla bikes available?

Alasdair
PS also make sure you can bring the brake levers in so he can reach them!!


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## Arch (3 Oct 2009)

Dilbert said:


> PS also make sure you can bring the brake levers in so he can reach them!!



Islabikes have special levers for little hands.

The Beinn comes in sizes for 5 and 6 years plus:

http://www.islabikes.co.uk/bike_pages/beinn20.html

I'm just about to give my 2 year old nephew a Rothan (Islabike's scooter bike) and I think it's a beautiful little bike. I got it on Ebay, for about three quarters of full price. I'll almost miss it when it's not sitting in my flat anymore.


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## Donna (8 Oct 2009)

thanks for all your replies  the Islabike is fantastic, exactly what im looking for, Im sure he would love it, but I dont know if i could bring myself to pay £210 for a bike for a 6 year old! ouch!

Have kept the website link though, something to think about


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## ChrisKH (8 Oct 2009)

Donna said:


> thanks for all your replies  the Islabike is fantastic, exactly what im looking for, Im sure he would love it, but I dont know if i could bring myself to pay £210 for a bike for a 6 year old! ouch!
> 
> Have kept the website link though, something to think about



Worth every penny IMO. They keep their value very well. These are the Rolls Royce of kids bikes and are very light. Consider getting a second hand one.


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## threebikesmcginty (8 Oct 2009)

I've just bought my 2 year old lad a Islabikes Rothan - it's lovely.
I intend to Islabike him all the way!!
They do a trade-in too for the next model up although TBH I don't know what sort of offer they make..


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## summerdays (8 Oct 2009)

threebikesmcginty said:


> They do a trade-in too for the next model up although TBH I don't know what sort of offer they make..



I've heard that you generally do better by selling it yourself.


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## johnr (8 Oct 2009)

I'm getting one for my 7yo granddaughter - seem to remember seeing something about them giving good part exchange terms, which should mean they have some second hand bikes themselves. Must be worth asking.


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## ChrisKH (8 Oct 2009)

I will have a hardly used Islabike on the market very soon. It's a Beinn 20 (small). Used twice, still got the factory grease on the gears. Immaculate condition. No dinks or scratches to speak of. 

I didn't know they traded them in, so I will check that aspect out.


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## threebikesmcginty (8 Oct 2009)

ChrisKH said:


> I will have a hardly used Islabike on the market very soon. It's a Beinn 20 (small). Used twice, still got the factory grease on the gears. Immaculate condition.



You finding it hard work on the FNRttC then?


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## JoanneH (6 Nov 2009)

*Bike with Gears for 6 year*

I have an Isla bike a BEINN 20 for sale, which is for a 6 year old.

Its 2 years old, in excellent condition, and comes with mud guards, which are additional and not standard when you buy an Isla bike.

I haven't yet taken any photos, but if you were interested, I can do this.

We are looking for somewhere around £100-£120. They retail new at £200.


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## Arch (6 Nov 2009)

summerdays said:


> I've heard that you generally do better by selling it yourself.



The lady who sold me the Rothan said that Islabike had advised them to go via EBay, as they'd get a better price - they got about three quarters of the full price back from me...


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## summerdays (6 Nov 2009)

I'm still trying to persuade a colleague who I have discovered has bought from Islabikes in the past that her child is growing out of her Beinn 26 bike and that she wants to sell it on to me. Then I would have the next size up too - my middle child could probably ride that for a short while as she is currently out growing her 24" non-Islabike before passing it down to the youngest who is currently very happy with his Beinn 24.


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## Globalti (7 Nov 2009)

My son aged 10 has an Islabikes Bheinn and it's a fantastic bike. The quality is excellent, I have managed to ride it up the road and it goes and handles like a dream, fast, incredibly stable and smoooth rolling. When eventually he outgrows it I'm sure we will be able to Ebay it for almost the same money as we paid for it. 

We actually drove to their shop near Wolverhampton and tried a couple of sizes before getting the Bheinn 26", it was on the large size for him then but is perfect now. 

I woudn't dream of subjecting any child to the overweight garbage that's fobbed off on them by many "bike shops".


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## Dave5N (7 Nov 2009)

Islabikes sell secondhand amazingly quickly. One went in 3 minutes the other week.


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## johnr (7 Nov 2009)

This is turning into something of an Islabike love-fest, so to add... I rang them to order granddaugher one's bike and asked if they could delay delivery to fit in with a day off. Discussion ensued and they said they'd set it up and send it the same day. At 9.30 the next day, it arrived. Faster than wiggle!


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## NorfolkNewbie (7 Nov 2009)

Hiya

I have a 6 yr old daughter and whereas before it would be just her cycling to the park and back so it didn't matter toooooo much (she just had a beaten up old mountain bike we brought from someone for £15) I have now taken up cycling myself and the weight of the bike has really come into play when she's cycling with me... So I want to get her something lighter and with good brakes.. I think I am fancying buying her an Islabike now. Shame they are pricy tho.. I am going to have to keep an eye out second hand!


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## Linky (9 Nov 2009)

Hi, I am very interested in your BEINN 20, is it still for sale? (I would be happy to pay £100). Quick question: Is it the small or the larger one? Also, what colour is it (it's for my daughter) and where do you live (for collection)?

Many Thanks


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