one of my girlfriends work-mates daughters does triathalons. she's only 10. at the moment she's using a bulky MTB but wants to get a proper road bike without spending a fortune. do childrens road bikes actually exist? or is it simply a case of buying a really small frame?
cheers
childrens bikes.
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The smallest 'racing' bike I've seen on sale in this country is a machine with 24-inch wheels, which is probably OK for a ten-year-old. But you don't come across them all that often in mainstream shops, so it's probably best to go to someone like Isla Rowntree, who specialises in kids' bikes: see http://www.islabikes.co.uk/. You can also get them from http://www.pro-lite.net/ (select 'Special products' from the menu on the left). Both of those suppliers are offering new bikes, of course. They are reasonably priced for what they are, but the prices might nevertheless be a bit off-putting to a mum looking to set up a kid for something s/he might get bored with in six months. Then the only options I'm aware of are eBay and the For Sale ads in CW, etc.
http://www.islabikes.co.uk/ founded by Isla Rowntree of Stourbridge CC (2nd woman in this years LMTT) are the specialists.
Some taller girls might get away with 650C ladies bikes but islabikes will offer stuff like appropriate length cranks, brake reach etc.
Some taller girls might get away with 650C ladies bikes but islabikes will offer stuff like appropriate length cranks, brake reach etc.
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