Author Topic: Transition from childs bike to adult bike  (Read 2978 times)

Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« on: 25 January, 2023, 03:53:44 pm »
My daughter is now a teenager, and has outgrown her Islabike (Luath 24). She's barely ridden it the last couple of years, but has been expressing an interest in using a bike as transport (her best friend rides to school, though from the opposite direction). She's 5ft.

It seems like she's right on the edge of being suitable for adult bikes rather than kids ones, and seems to be thinking that she'd like something that's more like a Pashley than a 'cross bike (  :'( ). Obviously that would come as a huge shock, because it would probably weigh about twice what her Islabike weighs, but it also makes it far more common/cheap to buy, and far less stealable. I keep getting drawn to cool looking 531 Mixte style bikes on eBay, but I don't think that's her thing! :)

Any suggestions from those here who have helped make this leap?

Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #1 on: 25 January, 2023, 04:06:25 pm »
Has she finished growing? What does her friend ride?

I have one of these...
https://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/giant-liv-beliv-1-hybrid-bike-2017

They do a flat bar version.

My daughter rode a lovely teeny Trek I bought from eck OTP and passed on to one of Oaky's Acorns.

Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #2 on: 25 January, 2023, 04:15:32 pm »
She's not finished growing yet. Her friend rides a generic flat bar hybrid (the sort of thing students ride here (Oxford)).
That Liv looks very nice, I'll see if I can find a flat bar version that I can show her...

Kim

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Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #3 on: 25 January, 2023, 06:14:45 pm »
Folding bike?  They're a bit of a compromise, admittedly, but probably fits with the Pashley aesthetic, while easily accommodating a short, growing rider.

Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #4 on: 26 January, 2023, 08:54:43 am »
If I still had my Raleigh Twenty, she'd just ride that, but I gave it to one of those bikes for nurses things during covid. We'll see - I showed her a couple and she wasn't super enthusiastic, but she didn't turn her nose up completely either (like she does with drop bars!).

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #5 on: 26 January, 2023, 01:50:02 pm »
I gave my Brompton to my then 12 year old nephew, when I could no longer use it.

He had a choice of several bikes but chose the Brom...

arabella

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Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #6 on: 26 January, 2023, 02:01:17 pm »
islabike Beinn is now available with 29" wheels?
I'm still (not very often as I'm mainly on the fixed or geared/audax bike) riding my children's outgrown luath 26" (my age: over 21, but I haven't changed height much since I was in my mid-teens)
Any fool can admire a mountain.  It takes real discernment to appreciate the fens.

Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #7 on: 26 January, 2023, 02:31:48 pm »
It sounds like at the least you have the opportunity for a father daughter visit to a local friendly bike shop to look at the different styles of lady's bikes and talk about what she wants and why and what is on offer and what you perceive as the benefits of the different styles. At the least this narrows the field.

Unless of course the risk of a personal n+1 is too great to visit such emporia.  ;)

Kim

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Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #8 on: 26 January, 2023, 11:12:30 pm »
I gave my Brompton to my then 12 year old nephew, when I could no longer use it.

He had a choice of several bikes but chose the Brom...

That's a lucky 12 year old!

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #9 on: 26 January, 2023, 11:20:52 pm »
I gave my Brompton to my then 12 year old nephew, when I could no longer use it.
He had a choice of several bikes but chose the Brom...
That's a lucky 12 year old!
I never asked what happened to it!
He's 33 now but a Brom would be great for a teen that's not too leggy IMHO.

Pricy thobut...

Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #10 on: 27 January, 2023, 01:03:07 pm »
I don't mind spending a bit more than her Islabike is worth, but she's not getting a Brompton! I think it I offered her anything at all she'd have a Pashley (basket essential!), but maybe not after she's tried to pick one up!
We're busy tomorrow, and very few (good) local bike shops are open Sundays, so I guess we'll have to wait until next Saturday to visit a proper shop...

Based on vibes, she really rather likes this! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175467933725

Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #11 on: 06 February, 2023, 07:54:13 pm »
Have you looked at the next size up Islas? The Beinns with flat bars could accommodate a basket?

I'm 5'2" and very happy to ride my kids' Islas! The 26" one is a tad too small (but not by very much, only notice it further than about 10 miles) and the 700 C large one is definitely too big for me. (Both Luaths). I guess you might be able to get away with the small 700 C, and then it'll last a while!

Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #12 on: 07 February, 2023, 06:54:51 am »
Another thought: dynamo lighting is well worth considering at this stage. We put a hub dynamo on the 26" bike for the reasons your daughter says - it was just at the age where they wanted a bit of independence. We got lucky with the 700C - an eBay bargain where someone had already added the hub dynamo. Watching offspring cycle off in December with the hub dynamo..., it's worth its weight in gold!

Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #13 on: 07 February, 2023, 08:55:53 am »
I like Islabikes and I think they are well worth the money, but it's overkill for something that's going to do commuter type journeys if that. She's barely used her Luath. So if she's not bothered about weight and performance, a sensible secondhand small adult bike might be the best fit.

A hub dynamo is definitely worth thinking about - thanks for that idea. It's half term next week, so I should get a chance to go see some bikes with her then.  I'm hoping I can persuade her to get a Raleigh 20 style bike I saw in Broken Spoke Workshop and fix it up with me. A dynamo hub with alloy rims would be a great upgrade on that.

Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #14 on: 17 February, 2023, 09:36:38 am »
We went to Broken Spoke Bike Workshop yesterday, and she selected a 3 bike shortlist from their giant pile of bikes to be returned to the road:
1. Dawes Kingpin classic
2. Kona Cinder Cone (late 90s I guess - still V brakes)
3. Dutchie city bike

She looked at a whole bunch of mixte and ladies roadster style bikes, but decided against each of them. The bike she really loved was a wicked roadster style bike with dynamo hubs and the old looking lights. Sadly, she's about 18 inches too short to ride that one! In the end, it came down to the Kona or the Dawes, and the Kona was just a little too big for her, so the Dawes it was. It's black, has a rack (and now a basket), it looks cool, and has Sturmey Archer hub gears, so no messing around needed there. We took it inside, went through the entire checklist that the mechanics do (together, which was fun), and it was pretty good except for the back tyre. Which turned out to be 37-440, which is the strangest size in the world, so obviously they didn't have any that would replace it. It's sitting in the garage right now, waiting for tyres to arrive from SJS before it can be ridden properly.
My only qualm is that the rims are steel with those little mouldings on designed to help you actually stop in the wet. We'll have to wait and see if they actually work. I mentioned the idea of building some wheels for it using some 406 BMX style alloy rims, and she made noises like she might actually be up for building wheels with me! That would be so cool I might try and sort that sort of thing out anyway! :) A hub dynamo on the front would be a nice upgrade to go with the stopping power (and the massive choice of quality tyres).
I'll add some pictures when we have the tyres and it can actually be set up for her and ridden...

Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #15 on: 17 February, 2023, 09:56:39 am »
Sounds like a lovely experience for you both  :)

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #16 on: 17 February, 2023, 01:52:12 pm »
My only qualm is that the rims are steel with those little mouldings on designed to help you actually stop in the wet. We'll have to wait and see if they actually work.
They don't. I had those on my first "adult" bike, a Dawes "road" bike back in ~1985, and they were totally ineffective on 27" rims so I can't imagine they'll be any better on 440. Though I suppose brake pads might have improved over the last ~35 years. Anyway, given the rims are an obscure size and she sounds enthusiastic about wheelbuilding, that sounds like a sensible upgrade. Hope you both enjoy it!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #17 on: 17 February, 2023, 06:11:36 pm »
It may still be possible to obtain leather brake  pads for steel rim's. Maybe sjsc cycles would have them? :)
the slower you go the more you see

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Transition from childs bike to adult bike
« Reply #18 on: 17 February, 2023, 06:22:09 pm »
According to Richard's Bicycle Book, they were only good in the wet and useless in the dry. Far better just to get alloy rims. But they are still available, albeit from an untested source: https://www.towsure.com/fibrax-raincheater-leather-face-caliper-brake-blocks-cybr131
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.