My daughters islabikes gripshift shifter was getting harder to change down gears so I took it apart and found it to be really purely designed – it’s just plastic rubbing on plastic.

I have a spare Xt 9 speed shifter and rear mech and I’m thinking of upgrading the Islabike.

Has anybody done the same?

I’m also thinking of upgrading the V brakes but I’m not sure that full size ones will fit, any help with this too?

Ian

Haven’t upgraded to 9 speed but have changed the gripshift to a better shifter and upgraded the cables etc. IMHO the worst thing about Islabikes are the gripshifters…..

I upgraded to trigger shifters. My lad much preferred them.

However, he’s most happy with the grip shifts on his new Whyte 403 but that may be as it’s higher quality than the Islas.

Thanks for comments, I’ll give a go the weekend.

Yes, done the same to a beinn 24. 9sp xt shifter, deore mech and a superstar chain device.

Much better shifting, chain retention and a bigger gear range. Daughter is much happier with it than the old set up.

Brakes as originals, but with bigger pads – triple compound clarkes jobbies and new noodles. That was enough to get them sharp again. Old noodles were shot.

Just brought some trigger shifters to replace the gripshift on my daughters islabike but forgot to get a replacement grip. Are the grips on kids bikes the regular size or are they thinner then normal?

Check out Spank Grom grips for nice kids grips.

Thinking if swapping the lads grip shift on his hotrock as he struggles with the front mech my just go 1×9 or even 10 as I have a cassette and chain already. I’ve bought some new cables to try that but as you say I think it’s just the fact it’s a cheap set up

akira – Member
Check out Spank Grom grips for nice kids grips.

They look like a good shout. Cheers

I put 9 speed on my daughter’s hotrock 20, it was originally 7speed, with a screw-on, 130mm spaced hub so I had to rebuild the wheel with Claris hub… Check you don’t have a screw-on hub to start with, lots of kids bikes do.

Initially I set her up with an old LX shifter, but she didn’t get on with the triggers, so I got a 9 speed ‘rocket’ halfpipe shifter off ebay which she can definitely operate now… The Mech is a tiagra short cage, cassette is HG50: 11-30t.

V brakes should fit, but think carefully about the levers you choose and the reach adjustment they provide. My daughter is using avid FR5’s which allowed me to bring the levers well in for her small hands, they’re powerful brakes combined with the basic tektro Vs that came stock…

Are the grips on kids bikes the regular size or are they thinner then normal?

You can’t really get kid specific ones easily (at least any quality lock-on ones)… but you want the thinnest grips for hand size… it’s worth remembering that they will be longer as well… so you might need to cut them down 2-3 cm lengthwise… (i.e. consider when buying a model easier to cut length off)

I don’t know what year your Beinn is or what group it originally came with, but ours (which looks like the one in this page) is 7 speed. Assuming the hub is a 7 speed one and not an 8/9 spaced down, this may mean you won’t get a 9 speed cassette on there.

If it’s an 8/9 speed hub you should be fine. I replaced the Gripshift on mine as well; it’s got a Shimano shifter and a Tiagra rear mech on there as I recall. Brake levers are adult ones with reach adjustment, the Vs are the originals.

Raleigh make some decent kids’ grips, which seem easy to find in independent local bike shops. They’re slide-on rather than lock-on, though. But they have a slim profile and are also shorter, meaning the controls don’t end up too far inboard.

9 speed?!
My daughters frog has a 1:1 ratio as her top gear.
She has an 11sp set up coming.
32×32 to 32×42 – her wee legs will be loving the extra mileage she will be able to do.

My daughters frog has a 1:1 ratio as her top gear.

Bottom gear, surely?

I just swapped out the 7 speed grip shifter on ours to a SRAM 7 speed trigger shifter.

Far easier for them to shift with a bit of practice. Only took half an hour to swap over although the handlebar grip has never stuck back on properly.

Any idea how to make it stay on?!

Bez – Member

My daughters frog has a 1:1 ratio as her top gear.

Bottom gear, surely?[/quote]

Maybe – But its top of the block, and 8 is a higher number than 1 soooooo…. 😆

I always just lightly spray WD-40 onto the inner surface o the grip and make sure it dries fully (ie overnight) before touching it. Works especially well if the inner surface of your grips is high-density rubber.

Any idea how to make it stay on?!

Hair spray…