Children's bike manufacturer Islabikes to cease production after 18 years

Very sad news, but in line with what others have said, they're probably a victim of the quality of their product.

We had one 14" Islabike, bought 2nd hand, which out youngest lad got about probably close on a years use out of. It was absolutely top quality, brilliantly realised, and I sold it on for I think €30 less than I bought it. Other brands have caught up (e.g. Frog) and deliver maybe 90% of the quality at 75% of the price. We've had 2 Frogs which have gone through 3 kids and remain in great nick (though slightly regretting the Team Sky paintjob from about 2016), so there are a lot of potential high quality bikes circulating on the used market

Worth noting they also produce bikes for people with conditions like dwarfism. So not just a children's bike manufacturer

My 2 godchildren both had Isla bikes (one was handed down to the other when it was outgrown). Really well built and designed to scale up well as they grow. Agree that they are actually proper bikes,  just cleverly scaled down. People saying they are overpriced, but good components, materials. and labour costs money it doesn't make much diffence that the bikes are smaller. Having a good experience, riding a good quality bike is what will help keep kids cycling into adult life, rather than a bike which is more like a cheap toy that they discard.

My son has had two Islabikes from new, which cost us nothing by the time we sold them second hand (I even made a profit on the second one). Great bikes for kids, it's a shame to see them go.

just wondering why they are not selling the business rather than closing it....maybe they tried....

Good bikes but overpriced compared to competitors for what is often exactly the same bike. Proper kids bikes are also so solidly built and do so few miles that I've never seen a reason to buy a new one. I've owned 4 different models, all of them second hand and all sold on for what I paid.

I've literally just unpacked a Beinn 20 ready for junior CB's birthday.

The bikes are so well designed but they have been caught up by other brands in the last few years.

It's still a real shame to see them go but their legacy will be the thriving market for properly designed kids bikes. That probably wouldn't exist without Islabikes.

It has had the air of an operation winding down for the last couple of years. Their line of ebikes for the elderly looks, it retrospect, like a last roll of the dice, and that was a few years ago now. Still, at least they are not trying to squeeze every last penny out of it, then leaving their customers in the lurch, like many would do. Hopefully, they are being equally supportive of the staff.

Both my kids learnt to balance on two wheels on a fabulous Rothan bike and haven't looked back since.

We've had 4 islabikes in total but the last two have been other brands - the most suitable islabikes in the range were over £500 which was too much of a stretch.

Sad news. Proper bikes, my son loved his.

Sad news (not that my kids ever had Islabikes...).  Sad news anyway.

This is a shame. Islabikes have been the gold standard of what a child's bike should be. I've often felt sorry about the awful BSOs so many children are given to ride.