I’m thinking a 16″ wheel might be a bit big for a 4 year old who can’t ride a bike yet. I would go for a 14″ (Ridgeback do them and they are cheaper than Frog, Isla etc) and, like others have said, take the pedals off and use it as a balance bike.

Just a little :D

Yes we went over there a couple of weeks ago (from the Aviemore area) They are great fun. I had kids age 4, 8 and 16 and they all had fun. Most fun I’ve had on a pumptrack ever :)

We combined it with a trip to the Pitfichie Downhill for the older 2 so everyone was very happy :D

polaris

I wish I had known that you could get them direct from Islabikes. 28t would have been good.

My almost 9 year old has the 150 Thorn cranks. My 4 year old is still using the 89mm Spawn cranks that I put on the bike when I built it when he was still 2. I have got the next size up (102mm) but I decided to keep him on the 89 for now.

Well done :D

I would love to see this range from Raleigh in the flesh

Talking about brakes my 4 year old has actually had front v-brake only since just before he was 3. He can go down steeps and stop suddenly with no problems – the key is to get them standing on their pedals.

The Hotrock is heavy – the 12 inch version is 7.5kg so 16 is heavier. Would be a great bike if it had v-brakes instead of the coaster.

The Hotrock make the best bikes for Custom build :D

Or the 16″ form the new Raleigh Performance range – £200 and 6.48kg

Love it, great photo :D

The Supurb compares very favourably to the Hotrock 12 which is the smallest bike I could find for my son’s 2nd birthday. I wish I had know about it 2 and a half years ago – was it even around then?

I would prefer it with a front brake, but even though the Hotrock has a front brake it is a sidepull brake and is useless.

Just realised I can’t join in as mine aren’t resprayed.

My 4 year old’s is raw though…

That, indeed, is AWESOME :D

Looking good :)

I might go and take some photos of my 2 creations later!

I’ll keep an eye out – I was lucky enough to have a 13″ Trek frame in the shed (now my 8 year old’s other bike :oops: )

You are right I suppose – my 4 year old is so light I doubt he could break a bike! I do know a kid (8 yr old) who has broken one though :D

Most of the kids locally who mtb are upgrading from Islabikes by the time they are about 8. My 8 year old rides a Norco B -Line with 140 travel :D

It’s great, isn’t Hatter?

Enjoy your day at Swinley – if it is anything like my day “riding” at trail centres with my 4 year old it will go like this:

One loop of the blue with a fair bit of pushing child up the hilly bits or a big push up the hill then a 5 minute blast down the Orange

Then the rest of the day spent hanging round the pump track/skills area because one loop is enough :D

I can’t wait until he has a bike with gears!

I actually have never had an Islabike for my kids – couldn’t afford the initial outlay.

However I am glad because Islabikes now say “This bike has been designed to be ridden by children on smooth paved, grassy or dirt surfaces with moderate gradients. It is not intended for any kind of jumping.” My youngest has been jumping since he was 3!

I’d say the avid more area too (aka the Aviemore area)

I know exactly where you are coming from – I was just having this conversation with the other half.

At the moment getting the kids out riding is more important than getting out riding for myself.

It is great fun doing up their bikes too. My 4 year old has been riding a custom built bike since he was 2 :D

You have a tool box in your living room – so envious! My husband would never let me get away with that! Though I do bring bikes in to work on all the time.

Commencal do really cool kids bikes – not as light as others but sicker 8)

If he is tiny the Specialized Hotrock 12 is a very small pedal bike, but a bit weighty.

That would be cool, BearBack :D

Not as cool as what your son rides, iirc. How is it going?

Raleigh and Dawes both do performance ranges now

My son could really do with that XS Alpine for his birthday. Please nobody buy it until I save up enough money*

*never :(

Mafiabikes do a 24″ jump bike I think

I haven’t had any crc money with my last few orders :(

Well done :D

That is a 20″ Islabike ^^^

If you are going for a BMX please do the kid a favour and get him a 16″ one (mafiabikes are good and inexpensive). My tall 8 year old still rides his 16″ one and it is still a good size for him. Too many of his friends have been bought full size BMXs because “they should be on 20″ wheels at this age” and they hate riding them.

The skills park at CYB looks amazing – I love the rock, I’d love somewhere where my 4 year old could practice drops and choose whether he wants to go small or bigger. He isn’t a big fan of long rides , but enjoys the fun bits.

If only Wales wasn’t as far away as the moon we would go there then BPW for a bit of Downhill with uplift – heaven!

deffo not the 24″ version – I know a kid with one of those too :)

I know an 8 year old who rides the Norco Fluid 6.3. Not a tall 8 year old either – less than 4’5″

That skills area looks great and your lad looks like he is having a blast!

There is a good Facebook page[/url] for buying/selling Islabikes

Just found this thread again. Saw a few yellow commencals and didn’t know which to say Hi to!

Did you enjoy your weekend? We were only there on the Saturday – enjoyed the kids racing but it was so cold and miserable!

On a random note – are you selling a very very nice kids bike on ebay? (same name!)

LBS?

Yikes! But I do know a few kids on 24″ Commencal hardtails that regularly do the drop at the end of the Fort Bill WC Downhill and have had no problems.

I once had a boyfriend who tried to explain to me how to use the gears when we went for a bike ride… I knew exactly what I was doing and my bike was my sole transport and we (me and the bike , not the bofriend) went everywhere together.

My kids that ride are 15, 8 and 4. You will be pleased to know that I can beat all of them up the hill. The 15 year old is riding a Kona Stinky compared to my lightweight hardtail but a win is still a win :D

Down – 15 year old is faster, I haven’t ridden down a proper hill with the 8 year old since he got his full suss so I have no idea, 4 year old – no contest yet..!

But skills wise – the 8 year old will happily do what I call huge drops – like the ones at the bottom of the WC Downhill at Fort Bill whereas I wouldn’t.

The 4 year old has been able to jump better than me since he was 3 and can do wee drops with more skill than me :oops:

You lot are awfully sexist but I’m sure you will be glad to know that they say even worse things about men over on Mumsnet…

A good tip for trigger shifting (RH) is “Use your thumb to hitch a lift up the hill” whilst miming a hitchhiker