Bike for an 8 year old?
Discussion
Can anyone recommend anything? My boy's birthday is coming up and had planned on getting him a new bike. Hes still at the learner stage, had him out on a smaller bike last year trying to get him off stabilisers, but he will probably still need to start off with them.
Seems like something with a 20" wheel would be best? Seen a Muddyfox Cyborg today for £125 and was tempted, but then I thought with disc brakes and full suspension at that price its got to be very poor quality and just looks good. Probably better with something a bit more basic, a few Raleighs in Halfords for £150-£200 that could be worth a look?
Seems like something with a 20" wheel would be best? Seen a Muddyfox Cyborg today for £125 and was tempted, but then I thought with disc brakes and full suspension at that price its got to be very poor quality and just looks good. Probably better with something a bit more basic, a few Raleighs in Halfords for £150-£200 that could be worth a look?
Islabike beinn. Designed and built for small people, not a 26" bike scaled down to appeal to parents wanting their kids to have something that looks cool or rugged.
Issues to consider are how often does an eight year old need full sus and how much will a heavy and unresponsive bike put them off cycling for years!....
Issues to consider are how often does an eight year old need full sus and how much will a heavy and unresponsive bike put them off cycling for years!....
In same position. I wanted to get him this http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/ho... but he wants this http://www.evanscycles.com/products/ridgeback/mx20...
I get the islabikes thing as an engineering principle, but there has to be a curve factor for the kids and frankly islabikes dont have it.
You are right that a poorly sized/weighted bike 'could' put a kid of riding for life, but riding a dork-mobile 'will' put them off for life. The laws of the playground apply here.
I get the islabikes thing as an engineering principle, but there has to be a curve factor for the kids and frankly islabikes dont have it.
You are right that a poorly sized/weighted bike 'could' put a kid of riding for life, but riding a dork-mobile 'will' put them off for life. The laws of the playground apply here.
I appreciate i have no kids but i do have a seven year old niece who cycles a lot and i do understand the rules of the playground and the need to have something that looks the business but that's all the ridgeback and the specialised are good for imho. the ridgeback is 3 kgs heavier than the beinn and weighs nearly as much as my 26" steel hard tail which has 150mm forks! What good is that to an eight year old who has just ditched stabilisers?!? Look at the scope for adjustment and growth on the beinn compared to the mx20. Yes it doesn't look as cool with its rigid forks but why would you make an eight year old suffer by dragging a 25lbs bike around on knobbly tyres?!...
I guess If all you want is a bike for them to ride up and down the street, to school and to look cool on then, either the ridgeback or the specialised are fine but don't assume because it looks like a mountain bike it's going to be much fun off road for an eight year old. I guess I'm looking at it from the perspective that you might want to ride more than a mile or two with him and introduce him to the hobby/sport etc etc. To me riding fifteen miles with dad on a dorkmobile is far cooler than half a mile on a wannabe dirt bike....
I guess If all you want is a bike for them to ride up and down the street, to school and to look cool on then, either the ridgeback or the specialised are fine but don't assume because it looks like a mountain bike it's going to be much fun off road for an eight year old. I guess I'm looking at it from the perspective that you might want to ride more than a mile or two with him and introduce him to the hobby/sport etc etc. To me riding fifteen miles with dad on a dorkmobile is far cooler than half a mile on a wannabe dirt bike....
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 14th May 23:35
pablo said:
I appreciate i have no kids but i do understand the rules of the playground and wanting something that looks the business but that's all the ridgeback and the specialised are good for imho. the ridgeback is 3 kgs heavier than the beinn and weighs nearly as much as my 26" steel hard tail which has 150mm forks! What good is that to an eight year old who has just ditched stabilisers?!? Look at the scope for adjustment and growth on the beinn compared to the mx20. Yes it doesn't look as cool with its rigid forks but why would you make an eight year old suffer by dragging a 25lbs bike around on knobbly tyres?!...
I guess If all you want is a bike for them to ride up and down the street, to school and to look cool on then, either the ridgeback or the specialised are fine but don't assume because it looks like a mountain bike it's going to be much fun off road for an eight year old. I guess I'm looking at it from the perspective that you might want to ride more than a mile or two with him and introduce him to the hobby/sport etc etc
As I say, I get it from an engineering point of view and you can get the mx20 with rigid forks (i think its called an mt20 or something) Son currently has 16" wheel bike, ally frame and he can do longendale trail on it without a problem. The only thing that slows him down is a lack of gears for the uphill bits.I guess If all you want is a bike for them to ride up and down the street, to school and to look cool on then, either the ridgeback or the specialised are fine but don't assume because it looks like a mountain bike it's going to be much fun off road for an eight year old. I guess I'm looking at it from the perspective that you might want to ride more than a mile or two with him and introduce him to the hobby/sport etc etc
At that age, the engagement level isnt about distance or the climbs, its about the quality time, its bonding. Part of that is about being like Dad. Dad rides a Sight2 or a 2001 Mount Vision as a backup, only something that looks like it counts.
I think what i'm trying to say is that you cant introduce an 8yo to a hobby/sport by giving him/her what is operationally the best option - kids have hearts, their heads don't work. Not like that anyway. My kids (I have a 6yo daughter too) love body boarding, boards and suits from Decathlon, hardly epic quality but immense fun trying stuff on, testing it, getting in to it. Got a 3 person Seyvlor kayak too, technically its a pita to paddle, inflate, clean etc but we have an awesome time in it.
I'm not going to give you some condescending crap about 'unless you have kids' blah blah blah, but its true that the things that switch them on (and off) of stuff is very different to adults and frankly, in many a situation, its the kids have it right (i'm think material value of goods is a poor choice (often adult view) rather than the fun to be derived from them (kids view) eg big empty cardboard box)
To be fair, the kids are on bikes and that's all that matters!
I'm taking my cycle coaching qualifications so stuff like this is quite a valuable insight into the how and why... I probably underestimate what kids can do, how far and fir how long on substandard kit just on the back of enthusiasm and haribo alone!....
I'm taking my cycle coaching qualifications so stuff like this is quite a valuable insight into the how and why... I probably underestimate what kids can do, how far and fir how long on substandard kit just on the back of enthusiasm and haribo alone!....
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 14th May 23:43
pablo said:
To be fair, the kids are on bikes and that's all that matters!
I'm taking my cycle coaching qualifications so stuff like this is quite a valuable insight into the how and why... I probably underestimate what kids can do, how far and fir how long on substandard kit just on the back of enthusiasm and haribo alone!....
indeed, my lad has just had a massive growth spurt and is emabrrasing just how small the 16" bike looks on him, but he can pedal for a good couple of hours. Its very much about the journey too with kids, stopping and looking in the ponds, brooks, fields, stopping for a drink, a chat. Its a very different experience to trail centre riding, but put a gun to my head, i'd choose 10ks in 4 hours with my son than a 15kph run round a red route any day!I'm taking my cycle coaching qualifications so stuff like this is quite a valuable insight into the how and why... I probably underestimate what kids can do, how far and fir how long on substandard kit just on the back of enthusiasm and haribo alone!....
Edited by pablo on Tuesday 14th May 23:43
My son's been on a small framed 26" since about 9, bought him a downhill style frame so the seat position is low comared to XC style frames, he was 4'7 ish from memory, he's now 5'2" at 11 and we're just running out of seat stem.
In retrospect it's possibly a little heavy and his next machine will be a standard framed hardtail but it's served really well, mostly on fire trails at places like Bedgebury.
Handy only having to carry one size of inner tube when out too.
In retrospect it's possibly a little heavy and his next machine will be a standard framed hardtail but it's served really well, mostly on fire trails at places like Bedgebury.
Handy only having to carry one size of inner tube when out too.
Looks like the 20" wheel models could be too small for him, they seem to say up to a height of 135cm. Alex is 141cm.
I appreciate the Islabikes quality, but think there a bit expensive for his needs as he will be coming off the stabilisers and falling off loads etc. Maybe as his next bike in a few years if he gets the use out of whatever I get this time.
I appreciate the Islabikes quality, but think there a bit expensive for his needs as he will be coming off the stabilisers and falling off loads etc. Maybe as his next bike in a few years if he gets the use out of whatever I get this time.
BMX - My daughter has a lightweight Ally framed GT race BMX - 20" wheels. Light (no sh**te forks), responsive - regularly does 5+ miles with her dad.
Not a Dork mobile either.
Less than an Islabike too... paid £200 for my daughters - children don't worry about last years model
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-power-series-pro-2013/
Best of both worlds?
PS - 8 y/o on stabilisers. WTF???
Not a Dork mobile either.
Less than an Islabike too... paid £200 for my daughters - children don't worry about last years model
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-power-series-pro-2013/
Best of both worlds?
PS - 8 y/o on stabilisers. WTF???
my son has the 14" ridgeback and it weighs a flipping ton. Hes just learning to sycle without stabilisers ( he got it when 3, he's now 4) and All I think of is how much easier and confidence inspiring it would be for him on the islabike which is considerably lighter. We will be selling the ridgeback and replacing it with the 16" Islabike at Xmas.
Do not buy a bike with stamped steel caliper brakes (see: linky)
stevethebikeguy said:
The more expensive kids bikes you will find at the bike shop won’t have any issues with the brakes, so specifically I’m going to talk about the bikes you find in department stores such as Toys-R-Us, Target, or Walmart.
Just remember GIANT put this type of useless brakes on their kids bikes as wellEdited by jesusbuiltmycar on Wednesday 15th May 16:13
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Islabikes I can't keep up with my son now! They are cracking, plus you are supporting a British company
Islabikes I can't keep up with my son now! They are cracking, plus you are supporting a British company
With all of mine (4)it was whatever one they liked within reason.
I have been into bikes for years and would have liked them to have had the best Specilizedmaringiantsanta that I could afford but... in the end I found that colour and one like their mates had was the most important thing until they really got into it.
I made the mistake once of not buying the right colour - it sat in the garage and did not move ever!!!
As someone has said earlier the best bike is the one they ride often!
I have been into bikes for years and would have liked them to have had the best Specilizedmaringiantsanta that I could afford but... in the end I found that colour and one like their mates had was the most important thing until they really got into it.
I made the mistake once of not buying the right colour - it sat in the garage and did not move ever!!!
As someone has said earlier the best bike is the one they ride often!
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