Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)
  • Isla bike Cnoc 14 or 16 in or around Doncaster/S-yorks?
  • johnski15
    Free Member

    Bit of a Dilemma…

    Am going to get an Isla Cnoc 14 or 16 for my 3 year old (4 in September) and am torn.

    I really need to see him on the bikes to decide, and he (and I for his sake) will not want to drive the 2-3 Hrs from Doncaster to Ludlow to sit on one for 10 minutes.

    Does anyone in or around South Yorkshire have one of (or both of) the above bikes the above bikes and won’t mind me and my boy popping round for a sit on it/them?

    I would really apreciate the help.

    Many thanks, John johnski15@yahoo.co.uk

    TiRed
    Full Member

    You want a 16″. The 14″ wheel size is a bit of a dead-end because children’s bike wheel sizes increase by 4″. 12-16-20-24 then 26. There are 18″ wheeled bikes, but not many outside of BMX.

    geoffj
    Full Member

    Unless they are very tall for their age, you should consider a 12″ wheel bike at that age.

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    johnski15
    Free Member

    Isla don’t produce a 12″ Wheel bike.

    And if a 14″ is the correct size it simply cannot be a dead end…He will grow out of it and I’ll get him the next size up!

    In addition Isla’s are the best bikes by far for kids, basically adult components scaled down.

    Have sat him on a 12″ and 14″ bike (not a 14″ Isla). 12″ he will grow out of super quick and 14″ was fine, was just curious about the 16″ due to the cost and Isla bike is apparently small by comparison to other manufactures.

    If anyone does have an Isla 14″ Cnoc close to Doncaster I would be grateful if I could pop over and have my boy sit on it for a couple of minutes to see if it is indeed the one!

    Cheers, John

    euain
    Full Member

    My wee boy’s been happily riding about on a Cnoc 16 since a few weeks after his 3rd Birthday…

    The sizing charts on the Isla site are pretty good and I found that they were pretty good at discussing what’d be the best for them.

    I’m in Aberdeen though – so a long trek to try it out.

    gnackered
    Free Member

    i’m in Sheffield and have just ordered a cnoc 16 for my daughter. It’ll be here on the 23rd of may

    johnski15
    Free Member

    Thanks,

    Have took the plunge after a lengthy conversation with Isla bikes. Measured him up and the fully recommend the 14″.

    So ordered it….Looking forward to seeing him on it now!

    jonathan
    Free Member

    Getting something that fits is always the best move 🙂

    My eldest is 7 and still rides his Cnoc 14 which he’s had since he was three – it’s his “stunt bike”. It really is getting a bit small for him now though – need to find a nice small BMX to take over “stunt duties” (he’s got a Beinn 20 too). But 16″ or 18″? Just moving on to new quandaries 😉

    He’s even bigger now and still loving that bike!

    igm
    Full Member

    Probably too late now but we have a Cnoc 14 and I work in Castleford (live in York). Email in profile if it helps.

    takisawa2
    Full Member

    Isla have a test track by the way, & you get a good 30mins if you pre book. And 14″ is spot on for your little un at that age. Unless they really spurt up in height, the 14′ has bags of growing room.

    aracer
    Free Member

    The 14″ wheel size is a bit of a dead-end because children’s bike wheel sizes increase by 4″. 12-16-20-24 then 26.

    So you said last time – though you failed to comment on the obvious corollary that in that case 26″ wheels are a bit of a dead end.

    Also kind of missing the point that when the bikes are smaller, 4″ is a much bigger jump. Oh, and your sample size is really pretty small to make such a sweeping assertion, given that 14″ kids bikes are far from uncommon.

    TiRed
    Full Member

    I didn’t say they were uncommon, I said they offer redundancy in the upgrade path. And the sample size is about 20 since you asked (not all mine, obviously)

    My children went directly from Raleigh 12″ to 16″ followed by a 20″ Trek and a 24″ Kona. We had access to a 18″ wheel bike but it wasn’t used and I gave it to a friend. 26″ is really a legacy wheel size from US manufacturers, made popular by mountain bikes 😉 .

    Our garage has or has had in the past: 12″, 16″, 20″, 24″, 26″, 650C, 700C and 29er sized wheels. Jumps from 18 to 20 and 14 to 16 aren’t significant. Unless there is another potential user or good resale value, I’d skip 14″ and 18″.

    My 11yo has just moved from 24″ to 26″ inch, but the increase in frame size is modest (1″). Top tube length has increase significantly, however. He commuted to school this morning on a 650C wheeled road bike which is better proportioned than small-framed 700C bikes.

    aracer
    Free Member

    So what you mean is that you haven’t had a 14 in your garage?

    Jumps from 18 to 20 and 14 to 16 aren’t significant.

    They’re more significant than the jump from 24 to 26, so why do we bother with 26 when we could all be riding around on 24s which fit your progression better, or maybe a 29er (which is really a 28.5er if you use the same measurement system) if you want something biggerer. I mean clearly the difference between 24 and 26 is totally insignificant. Let’s not even mention 650b, eh?

    Exactly what bike would you recommend for a child who is big enough to fit on a Cnoc 14, but not a Cnoc 16 and wants a bike of that quality? Or are you so sure of your theory that you’d recommend a 16 as it fits your progression, even if it doesn’t fit the kid?

    takisawa2
    Full Member

    My lad, of average height, had no problems going from a Cnoc 14 to his Beinn 20 small. I don’t think the 14 – 16 is a size step, its more to suit the height at the time of progressing from the balance bike type sizes.
    We visited Islabikes with a view to going from 14 to 16 & they told us to hang fire a few months & go for the Beinn 20 small. They said the top end of the 16 overlaps somewhat with the Beinn, & they can often go 16 to Beinn 20 large. Likewise the move to 24″.

    TiRed
    Full Member

    Exactly what bike would you recommend for a child who is big enough to fit on a Cnoc 14, but not a Cnoc 16 and wants a bike of that quality?

    Specialized Hotrock 16

    Other brands are available of course. And whilst I know STW’s are mad for Islabikes, people did ride quality bikes before they came on the scene.

    TeaBoyPaul
    Full Member

    Just to back up what other have said here. The 14″ is no way a dead end. My eldest daughter has been riding a 14″ Cnoc since being 3 1/2 and has now (at almost 6) reached the limit of its sizing. She has just been for a test session at Islabikes…. she is now at the bottom of the growth range for the Beinn 20 Small. The Islabike range is designed to allow skipping the ‘next size up’.

    igm
    Full Member

    TBP is correct. Rothan >> Cnoc14 >> Beinn 20 small in our house.

    jonathan
    Free Member

    “Rothan >> Cnoc14 >> Beinn 20 small” tick!

    If we’d “skipped” the 14″ then he’d have been waiting a year maybe before riding a bike with pedals. And he was itching for it at just over 3, and straight on it and riding within seconds. It fitted and he could enjoy it, rather than him trying to ride something a bit too big.

    And I’ve got to sing the praises of having a small and a bigger wheeled bike at the same time. He’s learnt lots of skills on a small bike that he would have struggled to pick up on the larger bike, and the larger bike has allowed him to ride further on rougher ground than he can easily on the smaller one.

    johnski15
    Free Member

    All this debate due to me not being able to decide on a 14 or 16….Love it….Many thanks to everyone for your posts and very kind offers of allowing me and my lad to have a ‘go’…..Thanks again, John!!

    johnski15
    Free Member

    Just Got the 14″ Cnoc from Isla bikes…….My son loves it…..Perfect fit!!

    Thanks, everyone.

    John

    thorpie
    Free Member

    Our daughter is also 4 in September and she’s got a cnoc 14, as recommended by Isla bikes. Fits nicely, only just seen this post, I am in Rotherham so your lad could have had a try out!

    Trevor.

    johnski15
    Free Member

    Thanks Trevor….

    John

Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)

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