Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Slowroad
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Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by Slowroad »

I'm having to look again at getting a new bike as my old tourer looks like becoming a long-term project again... I really like the look of the Oxford Bike Works bikes, but can't really justify spending that much. I'm wondering about an Islabikes Bienn 29, which has good reviews. I've a couple of queries - I'm a bit of a titch and I'm right at the bottom of the sizing range for the smallest size. Also they state maximum load rider and luggage 80k. Me and my luggage do come in under that, but I'm wondering if it's really up to touring. It'd also be a potential relacement for my commuting/work bike - a Revolution Trailfinder - replacing two bikes!
Does anybody out there tour on one of these? Thoughts? Let me know!
Cheers!
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”
― Peter Golkin
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MrsHJ
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Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by MrsHJ »

I've toured my kids on their islabikes and they were fine with panniers etc. I'd go and see islabike if you possibly can. They're not very helpful by email IMO. Check the gearing will be up to what you want to do too.
pwa
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Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by pwa »

Several years ago my son and daughter got Islabikes Luaths (700c bikes in 2 sizes, the largest for kids up to about 14) for Christmas, and they were a great success. My son eventually outgrew the largest, and my daughter transferred to that from the smaller one. That left the smaller one unused. But my daughter had overtaken my wife in height, so with a change of stem and a different chainset (from Spa Cycles) I made the small bike into a really neat little tourer for my wife. Only two chainrings (40 and 28) and a largest sprocket of 32, so not the lowest gears in the world, but still a very useful little bike.
Slowroad
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Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by Slowroad »

When I posted I'd not noticed that the bike only has 8 gears - not really enough for touring unfortunately! My requirements of a flat-handlebar 26" wheel tourer seem more demanding than I'd expected...
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”
― Peter Golkin
iviehoff
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Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by iviehoff »

Slowroad wrote:When I posted I'd not noticed that the bike only has 8 gears - not really enough for touring unfortunately! My requirements of a flat-handlebar 26" wheel tourer seem more demanding than I'd expected...

It has a 10 speed - 32 teeth front, 11-36 at rear, so a gear range of 3.3, from 89% to 291%. The simplification of only one changer is useful, and increments are close enough. The gear range is perfectly wide enough for all the bike's purposes - when you are riding hilly tarmac lanes you feel you can ride up the side of a house. It isn't a racing bike so you don't need huge gears. Steep hills on rough tracks are more of a challenge, but it isn't a proper mountain bike so that is pushing it beyond its range. Nevertheless (even though it's my wife's bike not mine) I have done everything from fast day touring rides, to harder partly loaded touring, to moderate single-track mountain-biking, to shopping, and it is light and responsive enough to feel great across that range. It clearly isn't designed for heavy load touring, despite the front pannier boss, so you shouldn't be thinking about steep hills with a heavy load. So we are going on a camping tour shortly, and have decided not to take it for that reason. But for everything from partly loaded touring to riding roughish tracks, it's great, and a bargain. But of course it may still not match your requirements.
Slowroad
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Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by Slowroad »

Cheers - I don't know where I got the 8 gears from!
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”
― Peter Golkin
Bicycler
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Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by Bicycler »

The increase from 8 to 10 speed is recent as, I am sure, is the "Max weight: Combined rider and luggage 80kg". I think you're right to be concerned. What makes this bike only capable of 80 whereas its competitors are rated to 120+?

I was considering one of these for a general use bike a couple of years back. With 10 speed and a silly max weight I wouldn't have looked twice.
iviehoff
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Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by iviehoff »

It's a light alloy frame and I expect 80kg is an legalistic attempt to limit their liability if you break it by pushing it well beyond its capabilities. My wife and I both think the bike is great, accepting it isn't, like many other light tourers, a bike for heavily loaded touring. I weigh something like 73kg in my naked flesh, so I expect I technically "overloaded" whenever I ride it, expecially when I had a family's day-ride paraphernalia and food in 2 panniers, without noticing I was doing anything foolish. Most of us can't fill our garages with different bikes for different rides and thus make compromises to some degree, and the bike you like will have it's own particular compromise. We find this bike an excellent compromise for most of our purposes, but not when we want to go cycle camping. It may or may not meet your own compromises.
pwa
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Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by pwa »

My wife's Islabikes Luath is, apparently, rated for a max load of only 60kg. But when I service it I usually test my work by giving it a little ride around the street (not sitting down) and it feels fine. I weigh 90kg. The wheels it came with are a bit low quality with play in the hubs, so it may not be the frame that is the main concern. I don't think the frame is particularly thin walled and fragile, so I think Islabikes are being a bit cautious.
Edwards
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Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by Edwards »

If you want to come to Brum we have a 26" wheel Mercian Compact drop bared touring bike that if it fits we could sell you for about £200.
It is in nice condition and has touring gears with short cranks to match.
It is suitable for somebody just under 5ft. My old computer has died so unfortunately I do not have photos at the moment.
Keith Edwards
I do not care about spelling and grammar
Bicycler
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Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by Bicycler »

iviehoff wrote:It's a light alloy frame and I expect 80kg is an legalistic attempt to limit their liability if you break it by pushing it well beyond its capabilities.

Maybe, but it begs the question of why competing (bigger and presumably necessarily legalistic) companies are willing to sell their light alloy framed hybrid and road bikes with a maximum weight 50% higher. It's a big step as a general purpose bike manufacturer to discourage the average man (83.6kg) - or average woman (70.2kg) plus a small shopping load - from riding your adult bikes. I'd need convincing that it was purely one manufacturer being more cautious than their competitors rather than a prioritisation of low weight over strength which might lessen the fatigue resistance and longevity of the frame. Unfortunately individual experiences don't provide enough information to make a decision on something like fatigue life.
iviehoff
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Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by iviehoff »

See this thread.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=96933

Unfortunately it fails to answer the question of whether the frame failures that have clearly been reported to them are attributable only to usage extremely beyond design conditions, or whether some frame failures have come from more modest over-loading. There is no question but that for children Islabikes are exceedingly superior bikes. But apparently some people have broken them through misuse.

Bicycler's point is very valid and perhaps you should write to them and ask them. We have got replies to emails we have sent them, though not instantly.
Slowroad
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Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by Slowroad »

If you want to come to Brum we have a 26" wheel Mercian Compact drop bared touring bike that if it fits we could sell you for about £200.
It is in nice condition and has touring gears with short cranks to match.
It is suitable for somebody just under 5ft.

Tempting! Thanks. I'm somewhat taller than that though, about 5' 2-3" and haven't got on with drops particularly well in the past - are they quite small? I know manufacturers have adapted drops to cater for smaller hands.
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”
― Peter Golkin
Edwards
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Location: Birmingham

Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by Edwards »

Slowroad sorry for the delay. I am 5ft4" and it is just too small for me. The bars and brakes are smaller for the size of bike.

I you want I will pm my mobile number.
Keith Edwards
I do not care about spelling and grammar
Slowroad
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Location: Nottingham, UK

Re: Islabikes Bienn 29 - tourer for a titch?

Post by Slowroad »

Cheers Keith - that'd be great.
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”
― Peter Golkin
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