Islabikes Beinn 20

Bottom Line

The Islabike Beinn is a kids' mountain bike for the more advanced rider. With an aluminum frame, six gears and off-road capabilities, the Beinn will help your budding young riders hone their skills.

Performance

A biker's bike. The Islabike Beinn 20 has an aluminum frame, aluminum rims and steel spokes. This makes for a relatively lightweight, fast and responsive bike that can stand up to the abuse of off-road riding. Although the bike lacks any sort of proper suspension system, it makes up for it with its larger wheel size. BikeRadar.com explains, "Despite the Beinn's lack of suspension, the ride is smooth, as the 26-inch wheels cope with bumps better than the 24-inch wheels that bikes for this age group usually have."

Unlike some kids' bikes, which have only one speed, the Islabike has a six-speed Shimano transmission. This may be a bit complicated for kids who are not used to changing their gear ratio, parents say, but most kids learn how to use it. A review on CyclingActive.com writes, "The grip shift was simple to use, but she did have to struggle a bit to change down the sprockets as it needed a little more strength and a slightly different technique -- but this will come to her."

Durability

Good impressions. There are surprisingly few reviews on the Islabike Beinn regarding how well it stands up to wear and tear. Considering the design of the bike, quality of performance, durable materials and intended purpose for off-roading, it's likely that the Beinn 20 can stand the test of time. As one reviewer says on CyclingActive.com, "The attention to detail on the bike is verging on the obsessive."

Customer Service

With warm regards. While there are very few reviews of the Beinn 20's longevity, there are even fewer reviews of Islabike's customer service. We did find one review at LondonSkaters.com, however. "I was most impressed with the customer service, having my emails directly answered by [company owner] Isla Rowntree herself, with very quick responses," the owner says.