My lad hasn't got much room to grow in his Islabike Beinn. Its been a superb bike but we've just got back from the alps and I think he'll need something other than the 26inch version – I'd like a sus fork and discs for him – the isla bikes are rigid and V brake.

I'm trying to avoid the usual budget bikes and thinking about putting together a bike based around a Merlin trials frame – then a mix of new and s/h bits to build up something pretty good.

Has anyone built up a bike for their kid(s) using one of the Merlin frames?

Isla now do a hardtail with front suspension. Seen it in the flash and it looks ace. http://www.islabikes.co.uk/bike_pages/creig26.html

14" on one inbred.
Built my son one when he was 9. He is now 11 and loves it.
link:
http://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/?page_id=940

top of page.

I happen to have this:

Which I was thinking of selling. Its "mint", hardly used.

Solo.

I bumped into a fella on Holmbury Hill a couple of years back that had built up one of those Merlin frames with 24 inch wheels, rebas (I never even knew you could get little rebas) and some other nice kit for his 11 year old. Looked really good. His theory was that the kid would ride it off road until he outgrows it and then could use it as a jump bike.

He was giving his son a quid each time he rode something scary.

I saw the Creig but I think I could build something up for a bit less

Solo,

What size frame is it and how much were you looking for?

I built a bike for my daughter (cough) using an Azonic jump frame, the problem is the seat angle is very steep, so it doesn't alter the TT length as much as you want as they grow.
HTH.

solo…would be interested in the fsr for my daughter.£?