worst little bike...

[Arch]

I know I'm in love with Islabikes, so I'm biased but...

Walking down by the riverside yesterday, saw a family, mum and dad walking, and the two little ones on bikes. The older kid was 4/5, and the younger one was 3ish. His bike not only looked a bit heavy but I noticed it had one V-brake. On the front wheel. Ideal for jamming on in a hurry. But then, as a safety feature perhaps, the lever looked too far from the bars for his fingers to reach. And maybe some of the force would be dissipated by the front suspension fork...

It's possible it had a coaster brake, I couldn't see. As I watched while I walked he pedalled across my path (nearly over my toes), and nearly into the back of a parked car - his Dad grabbed him just in time.

Still, I suppose he was enjoying himself. It did look like a dreadful bike though.

But then later on I saw a whole family on bikes, mum and dad on ridgeback and trek, and all kids on some sort of Islabike, including the littlest on one of Isla's original trailer bikes....

 

[Joe24]

Bike Snob!

 

[Canrider]

But could a 3-year-old really be both going fast enough, and jam on the front brake hard enough, to launch themselves over the bars?

 

[Noodley]

But could a 3-year-old really be both going fast enough, and jam on the front brake hard enough, to launch themselves over the bars?

Joe was right, it's got nothing to do with the brakes.

 

[Joe24]

Joe was right, it's got nothing to do with the brakes.

Hang on

 

[Black Sheep]

But could a 3-year-old really be both going fast enough, and jam on the front brake hard enough, to launch themselves over the bars?

and if no one is around to see it happen does the 3 year old still scream?

 

[Bigtwin]

It didn't have a coaster brake. I know that for a fact even though I don't.

Are your kids retards then? You've seen the advert - first ride off the stabilisers, stoppies and trix for the camera. Simple.

 

[craigwend]

I didn't get where I am today by having nice easy bikes as a child!

Big heavy steel monsters in my day; with brakes that were rubbish and wheels the weight of jupiter, and that was just my purple chopper (fnarrr).

Ollie (though check out the bikes name ) has the first one and the girls the other.

They'l have legs like Chris Hoy I tell you, legs like Chris Hoy!

 

[Globalti]

I don't understand your post Arch - presumably the first kids you saw were not on Islabikes? Then in your final paragraph, presumably you mean that the family with kids on Islabikes were sell set up and looking secure?

If the first bike you saw had only a front brake I'd imagine the sheer weight of the bike plus rider and the low CG would make an endo almost impossible, especially as the gearing wouldn't allow the rider to achieve much speed and the wheel rim is probably chromed steel and poor for braking.

My son has an Islabike Beinn and it's a smashing bike, I wish I'd had one like that at his age. He's 10 and is now getting used to SPDs on their lowest tension, which are forcing him to position his feet on the pedals correctly.

 

[Joe24]

Arch is just being a bike snob because she loves Isla bikes is how i saw it.
She saw a kid on a bike, that probably hadnt done much riding. He was abit wobbly, nearly crashed into a car, but his dad was on hand to stop him.
Because this bike wasnt as good as the Isla bike, Arch has deemed it to be rubbish and dangerous, because it only had a front brake. Even though she says she doesnt know if it has a coaster.

I bet Arch comes in and says she isnt a bike snob because of her bike or some crap like that.

Not everyone can afford an expensive bike for their kids

 

[Globalti]

Oops. She did preface her post with an admission of bias!

 

[Landslide]

...the younger one was 3ish. His bike not only looked a bit heavy but I noticed it had one V-brake. On the front wheel. Ideal for jamming on in a hurry. But then, as a safety feature perhaps, the lever looked too far from the bars for his fingers to reach. And maybe some of the force would be dissipated by the front suspension fork...

Snobbery or not, it does sound to be a case of fashion over function.
Why produce a bike with levers that can't be reached by little hands?
What on earth will a 3 year old do with suspension? (Or is it the case that today's kids are all so obese that the bikes need saving from their riders?)

 

[Arch]

I don't understand your post Arch - presumably the first kids you saw were not on Islabikes? Then in your final paragraph, presumably you mean that the family with kids on Islabikes were sell set up and looking secure?

Yes, that's right, sorry if it wasn't clear...

Snob? Maybe. I think we all are, about something or other. But as Landslide says, the whole bike seemed to be a triumph of looks over functionality - that was my point. I can see that at a later age a kid might demand a certain style, but such a little boy is surely going to be thrilled with a bike, whether it has s'penshun or not. Ok, maybe the v-brake wouldn't have been able to induce an endo, but I just thought it would have been better to have it a) on the rear and actually reachable by the rider.

TBH, I'm impressed how well the little lad was riding it, and no stabilisers. Good on him and let's hope he keeps up the habit. As long as he learns to look where he's going...