Son’s 8th birthday is on the horizon and he wants a new bike (with gears) so he can ride with me.

I’ve narrowed it down to the Isla and the Scott but which one have people got experience of good or bad?

I guess both will hold their value well but what are each like to ride/reliability etc.

The Scott has a child specific suspension fork as opposed to rigid but is 600g heavier.

There’s also the Specialized Hotrock A1 FS 24 Boys but it seems to be at least 2lbs heavier than the Scott and more still than the Beinn.

Help!!

We have the Scott, second hand. Really light and zippy compared with Kona Hula 24 we have as well. Geometry more suited to taller/older kids – the kids all ride the Kona as it is a low/short frame compared to the taller/longer Scott – but when they are ‘right’ size it is better shape IMO.

My boy rides a Gary fisher pre caliber, light and quite a long top tube, plenty of room to grow into, not sure you can get them new anymore, maybe eBay? I think Isla are a bit too pricey, not great looking, which can be a drawback for an 8 year old boy.

I’m not sure there is any such thing as a child-specific suspension fork. Not in a meaningful way, anyhow.

If he’s a bigger lad he’ll might be getting some movement out of it, but unless it’s very soft indeed I doubt it makes much difference, except making the front end heavy and unwieldy.

My lad is nine now, and although he’s pretty small for his age, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that weight is a really important factor – hauling a heavy bike up even trivial climbs seems to suck the fun right out of it for him.

Of course, aesthetics are another, and a lot of lads seem to see front suspension as a must, especially if they want to be like Dad.

The Islabikes don’t seem to lose much value at all 2nd hand, especially if looked after well.

FWIW I think this is a pretty good looking bike:

http://www.islabikes.co.uk/bike_pages/beinn24.html

The other things to take a lot of time over is the spec – making sure the gripshifts, levers and cranks are the right size for him. Another lesson I learned way too late.

My son went from an Isla 20″ to a Trek MT220. Loves it. I really like the ‘Dialled’ cranks so that as he grows the cranks can grow with him!
Better to let your son have a sit on one if you’re not sure as he’ll be the one wanting to ride it (or not!)
(If we’d had the money we’d have got another Isla though!)

We have the Beinn 26 for my 11 year old daughter. Had it a year. Not having the fork is a good thing as it keeps the bike light. We’ve ridden lots of singletrack on it (mainly in the FoD) and it’s wide gearing and light weight make it perfect for that.

Next time we’ll probably get the proper Islabike MTB with a fork but right now I don’t think it’s holding her back! Huge difference coming off a 24in Hotrock that was quite a lot heavier.

My daughter has a beinn 24, really nice bikes. I know someone who is selling a scott scale jr 24 though – bumped into him at Golspie Wildcat trails – PM me if you are interested and I’ll pass his details on….

Can thoroughly recommend Cuda bikes. Same concept as Isla bikes but far better VFM.

Ewww. Far too many bouncy forks on that Cuda website. That and no weights published…. 🙄

Guess they arent interested in competing with the stw parent’s favourite.

Same concept as Isla bikes but far better VFM.

Would that be “same concept as” in the sense of “total antithesis of”? 🙂

Thanks for all the advice.

The Islabike seems to be the leader especially given their rock solid residuals.

pm on the way about that Scott Jr though

my boys are both on Islabikes, a Beinn 26 small and a Beinn 20 Small (aged 9 and 5). We dithered buying the Beinn 26 as he was an average sized 8yr and 4 months, and we wondered about a 24. The 26 was the right call, and he already has the seat up a good 5cm. The big benefit of the Islabikes is the weight – for a kid, a pound or 2 heavier bike is a huge difference.

Daughter has a very nice Cube 24.

For a kids bike it is actually pretty light, as well as being properly put together.

Two Beinn 24s here, and probably about to buy a third (eldest daughter has failed to grow out of hers in time for youngest son…grrr!). Looked at the competition and still bought more Islabikes. They’re lightweight, have good components and everything is designed for smaller people. The price isn’t cheap, but unlike most bikes, they do hold onto their value quite well.

Thanks I’d seen the Cube too. He’d probably go for that purely for the pimp paint scheme.

Going to go round a few local shops that stock Cube, Trek, Scott etc and get him to check out the sizing.

Ianc, that one’ll grow up to be a 29er rider! The 26 small does have similar proportions to a fully grown clown bike.
fwiw, I like it.

We have the Trek MT220, Spesh Hotrock(steel) and Scott VoltageJr, all 24″ wheels. Of the three the Scott is the best by a mile, lighter than the other two, better standover and lovely fast red colour. Rides like a big BMX with gears. As they are outgrowing them now, the Scott is the one we’ll keep longest until our youngest has done with it.

Ianc, that one’ll grow up to be a 29er rider! The 26 small does have similar proportions to a fully grown clown bike.
fwiw, I like it.

😆

Sounds like you’ve already ruled out the Spesh A1 FS, but FWIW my lad’s had one of these since he was 8 & has managed fine with it.

We were buying used so had to go with whatever was around at the time.
Don’t see an awful lot of decent 24″ bikes on the used market, other than loads of Hotrocks.

It’s worth pointing out that kids care far less about the weight than the parents who are cyclists. Most would probably pick the Halfords full bouncer that looks the most like a MX bike, and almost certainly ride it just as much and as far as anything else. They’ve got limitless energy when Haribo are dangled in front of them 🙂
My eldest was far more interested in having ‘proper’ forks & gears on his 20″ Hotrock than anything else, and I ride rigid ss a fair bit.

The mayhem bike we bought our 7 year old is lightweight, no suss forks and exactly what a child needs. Good vfm!!

Have just scanned the posts above so apologies if it has already been said. In my experience typically the beinn 26 is the size equivalent if other manufacturers 24. We’ve had Beinn 24 and now 26. Iwan has had his 26 well over two years ago. He’s now 10 and has ragged it around everywhere including alpine dh tracks. Funny looks from the chairlift guys once they spot the lack of suspension. The light weight is great, the bigger wheels roll well and you can use any of your favourite tyres. Also the are bombproof in spite of the weight.

The Trek MT220 is very good, not sure how it compares to the Isla as they weren’t around when we bought ours.

Triple chain set and plenty of adjustment (cranks, stem, seat, bars etc). Brakes easy on small hands.

In fact we still have it, 5 years on – all works and there just in case a bike is needed.

I built a SS Pompetamine using new frame/forks & 26″ wheels and other stuff I had around. Weighs the same as the Islabike 24 that my daughter had before and is frankly very very cool.
Frames are not on offer now though I think.

My 10 year old is quite small and the Beinn 26 just looking like it was too big, 24 too small tried the following bikes:

Kona 24 – too wee
Cube 24 – team colours horrific and spec poor for cash
Scott voltage 24 – not enough gears and felt heavy
Giant xtc 24 – not bad
Hot rock 24 – 2nd place but poor spec for £260

Ended up with a genesis core 24, full shimano 3×9 speed group set inc disc brakes, cool lime green colour! The wee man loves it and the difference in his climbing is superb. Expensive though at £480. Cannot recommend it enough.

Alan

£480! On a bike for a 10 year old ! 😯

Just bought a second hand Hotrock 24 for mine, off here £90. He loves it. And will grow out of it in less than 2 years probably…

I know but it was his christmas and birthday pressie rolled into one. He spanked his hot rock 20 hard with two separate bottom brackets and went through a screw on cassette. Plus gets handed down to his wee brother next, so easily five years of use, taped up and hopefully a good resale value!

Comparable to Isla bike prices

£480! On a bike for a 10 year old !

Just bought a second hand Hotrock 24 for mine, off here £90. He loves it. And will grow out of it in less than 2 years probably…
On one hand I agree, on the other hand I am about to spend that kind of money on my eldest’s bike – it is the sport he is really getting into, and it is a small price to pay for him to be engaged in sport – I would rather spend this than new xBox, laptop or similar that many of his peers have….

£480 for a new bike is pretty cheap considering what most on here spend (on their bikes), and most don’t grow out of them as quick as you’d imagine.

Plus I’d rather maintain quality, than crap.

Thanks everyone.

I know the owner of my LBS pretty well and he’d suggested a Genesis Core JR. It’s very well kitted and is a ‘proper’ mountain bike but more than we were budgeting on.

Max had a go on Scott Scale Contessa (a friends daughters bike) today at Hamsterley. I need to check the geometry is the same for the boys one but he took to it straight away.

Narrowed down to –
Scott Scale JR 24
Islabikes Beinn 24
Hotrock 24
Giant XTC 24

Now I know he was happy on the Scott that’s probably favourite as I know he wants suspension fork regardless of whether it just adds weight. If that means he’ll get out and ride more often then it’s worth it.

Does anyone have any first hand experience of the Orbea MX 24″ XC or Team bikes?

The Team is £399 and gets some Deore kit and a rigid fork – it only weighs 21lbs which is awesome.

http://www.orbea.com/gb-en/bicis/modelos/mx_24_team/#especificaciones

The XC is £285 and has a suspension fork and weighs 25lbs

http://www.orbea.com/gb-en/bicis/modelos/mx_24_xc/#presentacion

The Team sounds like a great bike with quality kit on it and lighter than an Isla bike. The XC is lighter than the Scott Scale JR.

Get the Scott, you won’t regret it.

Orbea looks good but why spec a stupid long cage rear mech on a 1×7 geared 24″ wheel kids bike?

DezB – Member
£480! On a bike for a 10 year old !

Look after it and it’ll have lost little value in 2/3 years time when it’s time to move it on.

+3 for Islabikes. We first bought a Beinn 20, and were so impressed have stayed with the philosophy that we went on to buy a Beinn 24 and then a Beinn 26.

Front suspension at kiddy speeds/weights is a waste of money IMO. And weight does matter when they’re pedalling up that hill.

Front suspension at kiddy speeds/weights is a waste of money IMO

how do you work that one out? when did you last ride 20 or 24″ wheels over rough ground?

I think Isla are a bit too pricey, not great looking, which can be a drawback for an 8 year old boy.

It’s worth pointing out that kids care far less about the weight than the parents who are cyclists. Most would probably pick the Halfords full bouncer that looks the most like a MX bike,

That’s not my experience. If you showed them both in a catalogue they might pick the ‘pretty’ one but if you let them ride both, then even at 8, they will go for the Isla bike. We’ve the only Isla bikes in the street (about 8 or 9 kids who are old enough to ride) and they all borrow our 2’s whenever they can despite their all looking “cooler”.

My son, without any real influence from us, is very keen to upgrade within Isla bike range because he’s had such a good experience of riding it (compared to an old heavy bike before, and compared to his mates in the street). I do think Isla bikes are a little overhyped, and there is a slight brand snobbery thing goes on with the parents of Isla riders. Of course that is just building up the child to be good future members of STWorld.

and almost certainly ride it just as much and as far as anything else.

and yet of the dozens of children I know only those on the “real bikes” (whether that is Isla, Specialised, Scott etc – but not halfords or tesco specials) are the only ones who actually ever do any real distance.

in the same position, interesting thread. want to buy used though.

I really do think the weight advantage of the Islabikes helps them massively. Youngest when he was 5 and a few months pedalled GT from Hub to Buzzards nest and I very much doubt he would have done it on a heavier bike

Trust me, they will benefit from sus forks if they ride properly…

What light evenings are for… by matt_outandabout, on Flickr
Meanwhile, borther worked out that the sus forks did move on bumps and so was ramming into same bump to check them out…A wee oil helps a lot to make them move.

What light evenings are for… by matt_outandabout, on Flickr