Comparison of 700c Child Road Bikes

The choice of road bikes customised for children is quite limited. We were looking no bigger than a 48-50cm frame, and the smallest adult bikes come in at 50cm. We are comparing these to the IslaBikes Luath 700 Large (the largest option from the specialist maker of child road bikes). The Luath 700 small is a 45 cm/18" frame, by the way.

Name Price Weight Forks Groupset Braze-ons Frame Wheels Tyres More Info
Luath 700 Large £500 10.6kg Cro-moly Shimano Altus / Suntour 2x bottle, mudguards, carrier 7005 T6 alloy 32 hole alloy 700x23c Link
Trek 1.1 £550 10.2kg Alloy Shimano 2300 2x bottle, mudguards Alpha white alloy Bontrager Bontrager T1 700x23c Link
Specialized Allez 16 £560 9.9kg Specialized Fact Carbon legs, alloy crown/steerer Shimano 2300 2x bottle A1 Premium alloy Mavic CXP22 Specialized all-condition sport 700x23c Link
Dawes Giro 400 £650 10.5kg Carbon blades Shimano 2300 2x bottle 6061 Alloy Dynamism Alex AT450 double wall alloy Vittoria Rubino 700x23c Link
Raleigh RX Elite £800 10.4kg Raleigh RX alloy Shimano Sora 2x bottle RX butted hydroformed aluminium alloy RSP CX2.0 Schwalbe Rapid Rob Link
Team Sky Frog Road 70 £450 9.3kg 26" Aluminium Alloy 6061 Frog Fork Microshift FD-R32S 1x bottle Aluminium Alloy 6061 Frog Frame DA-30 Kenda K196 Link


3 Comments

by J Fisher on 12 October 2012
The IslaBikes one uses a MTB groupset which may be more suitable for kids, especially if your local area is lumpy, the altus cassette is 11-30, the shimano 2300 is 12-25, the gears are much close together on the shimano which makes for smoother transfer but even on a compact front ring it may be a struggle. (I ride a 60" Trek 1.1 and I'd not wish it's gearing on my 10yr old)
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by Charlie on 02 October 2011
This is anmazing website
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by STephen Penney on 08 August 2011
Have a look at bikes taking 650c wheels. Not so freely available, but they are out there.

I ride a XS sized time trial bike (I am 5'4").

Giant OCR / TCR frames come in small sizes and 700c wheels. Plenty on the 2nd hand market.

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My name is John Swindells and I'm a keen recreational cyclist with a preference for long one-day rides. I've also previously dabbled in time trialling and cyclo-cross. See more of what I get up to on Strava!

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