Hi there,
My 10 year old daughter has just outgrown my wife. She’s 5 foot 6 or so! It’s time to move her up to a bigger bike. She’s been on islabikes up until now and I had a look at the adult islabike (beinn 29) but it looks pretty expensive for what it is at £550. I do value the lightness of the islabikes. Anyone got suggestions for a good lightweight 26 inch bike as a first ‘proper adult bike’ please? We mainly cycle on towpaths and trails…

Thanks

My 2 are both on standard 26″ bikes – and XS(13″) Hardrock Disc and a 12″ Kona
RS air forks, female saddles and thats it.

Whyte T403.

the whyte is £650. Islabike would be cheaper…

Why limit yourself to 26? An appropriately sized 27.5 will be fine and many more options.

It’s not like she’s too short to cope I wouldn’t have thought. Especially if it’s just tow path duties and the like.

The Beinn 29 is very poorly specced for the price, so unless the frame is truly exceptional I wouldn’t even consider it. And at 12kg for a small, not exactly groundbreakinglly light for a rigid /hybrid bike either.

I’d get the Whyte too.

Eldest on a 16″ Inbred, with all my old bling 3×9 and XT wheels

Youngest (aged 10 and 5 feet tall) is on this:

Any excuse to show it again

@MoreCashThanDash that’s an absolute beaut.

@MattyFez good point. Will check out 650b

been thinking… really inspired by @morecashthandash… now trying to choose the right lightweight frame to bring back to life.

I built this
for my 9 year old, but he is nowhere near 5″6 so you would probably want a 16″ frame and 650b. Not crazy money and much nicer than some of the heavy stuff his mates ride.