Might get one for the boy while we’re in France.- we’re on a campsite where all the kids have one but their rentals start at bikes for 8/9/10 year olds.

Seems we’re never more than half an hour from a decathlon so thought we might get him one of their 14″s.

They have a few for around €80-100. I’m guessing they’ll be fine and I can (just about) live with the middle class guilt of him not having an islabike or frog when we get home.

Are they ok?*

*We’re now at the stage where I’m saying “look, it’s just a 14″ bike – he’ll be done with it in a year or so”, but mrs DD says “Can you just ask the guys on Singletrack…they’ll know.” 😆

TBH the 14/16″ Isla bikes are not much different to any other brand. I noticed a big difference once you move on to 20/24″ and as you rightly say they will be grown out of it in a flash.

Mrs has just got a rockrider 540, was a wee bit dearer than that – 350 quid, but for the money I is bloody impressed.

IME Decathlon bikes are excellent VFM – we’ve had a couple of the kids bikes, as well as my first road bike, and no complaints.

If you keep in mind the whole thing costs less than a branded seatpost they’re ok, they’re better than the BSO’s everywhere else for the same money..

great vfm, we just bought an XS sized 26er (the horror) for my daughter (11)

She’s always had good bikes, then went off riding so rather than go full scale wanted something to see if she’d start again and for <£200 it’s fine. Yes, heavy, and have raided the parts bin for some upgrades to assist that but the basics are sound.

They’re great. We started our eldest daughter (now 14) on a Triban 3 road bike, and it was excellent. Lighter than the equivalent Islabike. Same issues with road shifters being slightly too awkward for wee hands to use efficiently.

Note that when it comes to reselling them, you’ll not get as many calls as you would for an Islabike. But hey ho.

Top VfM. Daughter is on her 4th.

But hey ho.

Yeah, good point. I’d already taken account of “just passing it on” to friends whose youngsters are ready – rather that than waste time trying to flog it for a tenner or something.

Both my kids had Decathlon bikes when kids. Bought in France before Decathlon came to the UK. that was over 16 yrs ago from memory. Bikes passed on several times since. Great value.

The Decathlon bikes are fantastic value for money and even more so for kids, who , lets face it throw them around, and grow out of them in 2-3 years.

All of junior’s bikes before his first proper 24″ mtb were from Decathlon, and second hand at that. They were used and abused and sold on in a state to serve another kid well. In fact as things wore out the up grades were rejects from my race mtbs, so they were ligher and worked better when I sold them on.

Cheers for replies everyone – trip to Decathlon made, bike purchased. I love Decathlon! 😀

What else did you come out with? I always suffer from The Ikea Effect in Decathlon, go in for a tent peg and come away having spent £200.

Well, I did come out with some other stuff, but seeing as you guys saw fit to move this to the other forum, I’m not telling. 🙂

Went for a walk on Saturday afternoon with someone who’s 5 year old was on a BTwin bike. The size was one up from balance bike and it weighed a ton! It had a chain but not gears.

So, check the weight would be my recommendation