B'Twin Sport / Triban bikes - anyone know about them?

[DCLane]

I've got the chance of a B'Twin Sport 1 for my youngest. It's a 48cm frame and I'm trying to see what they're like.

The gears are a Shimano 2200 triple.

There are two things I'm trying to find out:
1. What height they start from. He's probably better with a 45 or a Triban Junior since he's nearly 8 - but it's likely to be good value.
2. What they're like as a bike.

 

[Fab Foodie]

They're well thought out bikes that are excellent value for money, waaaay above anything else at the lower price points. Decathlon are one of, if not THE largest single sellers of bikes in Europe and I think their reputation for good honest product is excellent. We have a few B'Twin riders in our club and the bikes are faultless. Buy for the youngster with confidence.

 

[Monkspeed]

My wife is very petite so I convinced her to try out the Triban Junior, it looks really cool in the flesh, and it seemed to ride nicely but my wife was a bit scared as it was so light. Something I noticed which I didn't like, it only has one chainring with a 7spd cassette (maybe), so I wonder how it would fare going up a hill, or in straighine speed. Then again if it is for an 8 year old then it should be fine.

But I'm wondering if an 8 year old really wants a racer or do you want him to have the racer?

When I was eight wild horses couldn't drag me away from my Raleigh Burner BMX.

 

[subaqua]

stunning bikes I have one and it rides lovely no problems with the mechanicals and its easy to adjust anyway. depending on how quick the youngster is growing the 48 might be a good buy. was looking at a junior for my 190 yr old girl and we ummed and aaahed and decided not to get her a new bike till late spring 2012. she tried the junior again last week while we were in decathlon and she will have outgrown it by the time she can use it properly.

 

[DCLane]

But I'm wondering if an 8 year old really wants a racer or do you want him to have the racer?

Oh, he definately wants one. It's his mum who doesn't want him to have it!

His older brother doesn't so I've passed up on the opportunity since it'd be a bit big for my youngest having re-measured their heights yesterday.

I'm going to look at a Triban Junior and an Islabikes Luath 24 early next year.

 

[PpPete]

Single chainring for an 8 year old?

For - simplicity, get them to start understanding what gears are (ie not just two sets of apparently random numbers on dials on MTB handlars
Against - may not have a low enough gear for any significant incline, apparently much better for youngsters to spin than grind.

My 11 y.o. has an MTB with triple 8 speed that rather baffles him - so his "new" road bike (£36 ebay bargain steel frame, re-equipped out of bits & bobs I already had) has just a single chainring and a six speed freewheel at the back - and a DT friction shifter. The therory being he will value STIs more when he gets them on his next bike.

 

[Cubist]

stunning bikes I have one and it rides lovely no problems with the mechanicals and its easy to adjust anyway. depending on how quick the youngster is growing the 48 might be a good buy. was looking at a junior for my 190 yr old girl and we ummed and aaahed and decided not to get her a new bike till late spring 2012. she tried the junior again last week while we were in decathlon and she will have outgrown it by the time she can use it properly.

How old does that make you?

 

[Monkspeed]

I dunno, I'm still not convinced. When I was around that age all I wanted to do was:

Jump Stairs/Kerbs/Random stuff
Wheelies/Endos
Give my mates lifts on my tricknuts
Play Chicken
Crash in to stuff

All of which he won't really be able to do on a road bike, well he could but it will last all of two minutes.

Tenner says he will be bored of it by February


EDIT:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/bmx-x-up-blue-id_8197600.html

Raleigh Burner
Wow that brings some memories!

 

[DCLane]

At that age I wanted a red road bike. And bought one - can't remember the make but do remember it was metallic red and was ridden all over West Bridgford for 4 years.

My youngest appears to want exactly the same! What's more worrying is he a) looks identical to me at that age and b) he's doing exactly the same silly things, even without prompting

 

[Monkspeed]

Chip off the ole' block eh!