5 year old boy - Isla bike or a micro BMX?

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5 year old boy - Isla bike or a micro BMX?

18 posts & 13 voices | Started 2 years ago by alotronic | Latest reply from rumbledethumps

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alotronic - Member

It's that proud time in a father's life, my boys first 'real' bike. He started on a balance bike and is fearless on a 12" Raleigh piece of crap. Took him into Evans he looks perfect on a 16". Don't really want to bother him with gears just yet so was thinking of a pinnacle or isla bikes 16" (£130-150).

But as I was looking through the online selection I started to think about a micro bmx (ie 20" wheels but scaled right down like this very cute kuwahara), Aside from the fact the Mini BMX is much cooler and more expensive is there any benefit to these bikes over a 'normal' 16"? Or am I just being a dad who just wants another cool bike in the house!!!!

Being a MTB and ex Roadie I have no preference to which cycle sport he wins his first olympic gold in, at this stage I just want him to have fun. Next year the training begins in earnest.

Opinions and other options please...

Allen

Posted 2 years ago #
Ed2001 - Member

Get the Isla bike you will not be dissapointed they are quality child friendly bikes and when he has grown out of it and you want to sell it on you will be amazed at its resale value.

Posted 2 years ago #
andrewy - Member

+1 for the Islabike. Father Christmas brought my boy (4 1/2) a Cnoc16 yesterday. It really is fantastic quality; as my wife said, you just want to get on and have a pedal. It's no surprise Islabikes have a sky high reputation...

Posted 2 years ago #
Big M - Member

The Kuwahara will be way lighter than the Isla, my lad races one of these with Answer carbon forks
Intense

Although they're not ideal for covering distances. Remember they are race bikes so not much of a sit up and beg riding position, quite a tight head angle so steering is twitchy. The Isla will be a much better all rounder and easier to ride.
Ideally you'd need both

BMX for skills on the track Isla for MTB rides.

Posted 2 years ago #
millsonwheels - Member

Got my boy an Islabike Cnoc16 too for xmas and its fab! He started on a balance bike and got lots of confidence, but is now ready for pedals, he is 3 1/2 (but just tall enough for the Cnoc16.)

Think he takes after me though, as he loves the brakes on the new bike

Posted 2 years ago #
alotronic - Member

Big M I love the look of that Intense! Take the point about covering distance - think I will 'settle' for the Isla bike and then maybe when he's about 7 think about BMX or road - the new tracks at the Olympic site are just down the round and should be done by then. What age does competitive BMX start?!

I think it's just me that loves the mini BMX bikes - I would love a 24in to huck around the neighbourhood on but other parents will laugh and my wife might not see the need for a 4th bike! Must be the mid life crisis.

A

Posted 2 years ago #
teamfinners - Member

Competeive BMX starts at 4. You should see them at our track buzzing round still on stabalisers totally fearless.

Get the BMX and get him to a track he'll love it.

Posted 2 years ago #
GW - Member

BMX - got my daughter a Redine 16" pitbike at 4.. way better than any islageek mtb

Posted 2 years ago #
Big M - Member

Yep my youngest started racing at 4 on a Redline micro mini 18 inch wheeled bike. If the Olympic site is near you then you can't be far from the Dagenham track, get down there and watch the kids race! I own a 24" cruiser and race 40 plus on it, don't be fooled though it's one of the toughest age groups out. Great fun though! Do it people will laugh at you on a kids bike, ignore them, you're a rad dude on a BMX!

Posted 2 years ago #
charlie the bikemonger - Member

Isla are a lovely niche British company. Support you local niche monger.

Posted 2 years ago #
geoffj - Member

A bit outof leftfield, but Tesco (yes I know) are doing a 16" wheel bmx for £50 at the moment. I've looked at them a couple of times. Nice and light, and seem well enough put together. At that price it could be worth a gamble.

Posted 2 years ago #
MoreCashThanDash - Member

Isla bikes are great, but if Santa is feeling the squeeze, we got a Ridgeback MX16 which has been great - MrsSwadey went and got an MX24 on the back of it.

Got a really decent one for £75 off ebay, seems to be plenty about at the moment

Posted 2 years ago #
Crell - Member

Depends what type of terrain your kids ride (BMX vs MTB). If it was a toss up between a good kids MTB (Islabike) and a micro / mini / junior race BMX like that Kuwa; I'd go MTB every time.

A 5 yr old can get away with a 20" wheeled MTB - have a look at the Isla Beinn small (cheaper than the Kuwa), but go off the size chart.
The BMX's are great little machines and ultra lightweight (~13.5 to 18 lbs off the shelf) whereas my Daughter's Isla 20" is about 20 lbs. An MTB will stand up better to the "abuse" only a small child can dispense. My son's redline flite junior is for the track. The MTB with its gears is just better suited to where we live and lets your kid spend more time riding than pushing.

BIG M - there's loads of us on here with cruisers recapturing our youth

Posted 2 years ago #
GW - Member

An MTB will stand up better to the "abuse" only a small child can dispense

how do you work that one out? BMXs are smaller so stronger, generally specced with stronger simpler parts and far less prone to damage IME.

I agree 16" wheels are far harder work than 20s over rough ground tho

Posted 2 years ago #
Crell - Member

Because the BMX the OP is looking at is a race BMX - not your usual pig iron lump

Race BMX's are designed for a purpose. A street BMX would be a different ball game, but that's not what he's looking at.

Posted 2 years ago #
teamfinners - Member

Well I've seen plenty of fairly hard tumbles over the season at the BMX tracks and every bike has suvived intact. IMO there as tough as you'd need. Race machines that is.

Posted 2 years ago #
chopperT - Member

I got my boy (4) this for Xmas... 16in BMX, street not race

I have since been educated as to the availability and desirability of race BMXs, and am just waiting for the slightest provocation to carry on my bike habit by proxy! We've been to the local track twice now, and he is riding full laps, getting the front wheel up and loving it.

Posted 2 years ago #
rumbledethumps - Member

I bought my son a 20" wheel 2009 Trek MT60 early this year. Great bike for the money, pedals adjust to suit leg length on crank arms.

Posted 2 years ago #

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