Btwin Triban junior
http://www.btwincycle.com/EN/triban-junior-154069679/
The Btwin is produced by Decathlon and for the money (£199) looks great value. I have not seen any reviews to know how it rides though.
Weight looks to be 10.7kg
7 gears with handlebar stem shifters.
40 tooth single chainring, crank length length 152mm.
rear cassette 14 - 16 - 18 - 20 - 22 - 24 (I’ve heard this is actually a freehub and not a cassette)
24” wheel
Initial thoughts on the spec are:
* Handlebar stem shifters are not a great option
* Gear range is not ideal, as it feels a bit high. It also needs to have a lower gear than a 24.
* Weight is good
* Great value for the money
If anyone has one of these and can give a review please do so in the comments!
Review of Islabikes Luath 24 and Dawes Espoir 3000
The CTC did a review of the Islabike and Dawes in September 2011. The article gives both bikes a favourable review, but the Isla comes out on top.
Interesting point for me was about the frame size. Looking at the bikes you would think the Espoir would suit a smaller rider, as the frame is dropped more than the Luath. However CTC reckon that because of the length and the bottom bracket height you need to be taller to ride the Dawes.
http://deaves47.users.btopenworld.com/bikes/junior.htm
From 2008, but still interesting overview of bikes on the market. Some of the models are no longer available, which is a shame.
Run through of various junior road bikes
This site has a great recap of some of the main bikes out there, including weights. It focuses on 24” wheel and 700c with small frames, and well worth a read.
