# proper kids XC/downhill mtn bike



## Crackle (19 Oct 2007)

I'm looking for a new bike for my 10 year old for Xmas. It needs to be a proper mtn bike, good quality, as living near Aonach Mor in Fort William means he's quite good already, did his first black trail today or at least a part of one.

So anyone know a good 24" wheel bike with proper suspension and disc brakes suitable for XC and downhill that isn't just built for looks? Not an Islabike, I know they're good my youngest has one but they don't cut the mustard in this case.


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## Steve Austin (19 Oct 2007)

this works fine for adults, so should be fine for your lad
http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=86450
lot of cash for a kids bike and it will need upgrading continually and need need bits replacing, so just like your bike then


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## Crackle (19 Oct 2007)

Yes I was looking at the Kona Stinky. It doesn't just cut the mustard it slices the bread and cooks the sausage! 

I looked at the Specialized, nice bikes but I'd have to talk him out of disc brakes which he's set upon due to dad's inability to get either of the V brakes on his mtn and trials to work well enough for him. I think he has a problem because he only has small hands so needs more pounds per squeeze.

Also I was thinking more around £500 mark. I see Kona do a few lower down the price range but without rear sus. He is into jumps so would he need rear suspension? I'm outside my experience here as I can only just keep him insight downhill now.


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## Steve Austin (20 Oct 2007)

I used to ride off road on a bmx, so anything is possible.

I'll ask on mlehworld for you, as i know some folk have got 'children' that ride


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## Crackle (20 Oct 2007)

Thanks for that, appreciate it. I have a Mtn bike but it's 10 years old and I'm not a mtn biker, so differences in geometry and suspension and different bikes for different purposes elude me.

I think he's more of a downhiller than a XC kid, probably age, he doesn't have the strength and endurance yet to ride steep or far but he does have very good bike handling skills and reactions, better than dad. So hopefully that should be more of a pointer to his needs.


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## Crackle (21 Oct 2007)

User76 said:


> On reflection, kids have to learn. Buy him a Raleigh shopper from a local tip, and if he really whinges, agree to take the basket off for him





Yeah we had that talk today. We did a 12 mile blue route in Aonach Moor and I told him he had to do more riding if he wanted a good bike. His brother did the same route on his Islabike with road tyres on. I dunno kids today 

What I can't decide is whether to go for a more downhill oriented bike or a XC type bike. I favour the latter cause it's more versatile. Need to look and try some


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## Crackle (21 Oct 2007)

User76 said:


> http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=22088
> 
> I'm too bloody soft I am. The link above is for a Hardrock, with hydraulic discs and seemingly quite good suspension. It is a hardtail mind, so downhill may still turn out to be quite character building for him



That's an adult bike ain't it? - D'you mean the Hotrock 

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?sid=07HotrockBoys

I like the look of that one. Are those braze-ons on the fork for disc mounted brakes?


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## Crackle (21 Oct 2007)

Taking a closer look at the geometry has ruled out the Kona's as the frame standover is too high. 

So may have to throttle back expectations slightly. Specialized looks OK, as does the Marin.

http://www.marin.co.uk/marin-2008/bikedetail.php?ModNo=3805

May try to find another one and check them out in the flesh. Don't want something too heavy or with too cheap suspension as it's always the first thing to go, especially as he jumps so much.


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## Kirstie (23 Oct 2007)

Kona Stinky Jr would be good.


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## MichaelM (27 Oct 2007)

A D.H. bike that's light enough for a 10 year old to use for XC too with decent suspension, disc brakes and for £500.

Let me know when you find one!

Comes close though a bit over budget...


http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b4s1p1356


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## Crackle (27 Oct 2007)

MichaelM said:


> A D.H. bike that's light enough for a 10 year old to use for XC too with decent suspension, disc brakes and for £500.
> 
> Let me know when you find one!
> 
> ...






Yeah! Like I said I've throttled his expectations back.

Most of the one's I've looked at, he's still too small for anyway and if they don't fit the bill I'm not going to spend megabucks on them. Giant looks nice but to spend that kinda of money I've decided he needs to be fairly high up in the junior worls rankings 

I also now appreciate DH and XC differences and if he has one bike it has to be a XC otherwise family rides will be a nightmare.


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## MichaelM (27 Oct 2007)

What bike is he on now?

assuming his frame fits how about putting on a decent set of forks and maybe a disc brake up front? Could be done cheap(ish) second hand and decent suspension makes a world of difference.

Get him hooked on upgradeitis while he's young and you'll never have money again


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## Crackle (27 Oct 2007)

MichaelM said:


> What bike is he on now?
> 
> assuming his frame fits how about putting on a decent set of forks and maybe a disc brake up front? Could be done cheap(ish) second hand and decent suspension makes a world of difference.
> 
> Get him hooked on upgradeitis while he's young and you'll never have money again




It's not worth upgrading. It's a Trek MT-60 kids bike, bought when he was 8. Size wise he's nearly out of it and since he started doing stuff like this [piccy] it's started to die.

The trouble is I'm not sure how long this phase will last. We've done some rides recently and like I said he's away downhill but he's dragging on longer routes, he'd rather scrat round little trails and technical bits and downhills and jumps. 

Starting this thread has kinda focused me a bit more about what he needs (as opposed to what he wants), so I'm thinking XC of reasonable quality which can be upgraded/fixed whereas this one can't but that's me wanting to drag him around longer routes but maybe I shouldn't.


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## Kirstie (29 Oct 2007)

From when he was about 11 my friend's son, who is a better rider than all of us (he's now 14) had a small Kona Stinky FS bike in a 15" frame (the Stinky Jr is a hardtail IIRC), - they do them as small as 13". While he was still growing, they used 24" wheels on it for a couple of years, and then went up to 26" wheels as he got bigger.

If you want something like that the best place to look is the www.Descent-World.co.uk classifieds. Lots of younger kids on there sell small DH bikes with good specs for decent money so you could do OK. Also ask on Descent World for advice.


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## Crackle (29 Oct 2007)

Kirstie said:


> From when he was about 11 my friend's son, who is a better rider than all of us (he's now 14) had a small Kona Stinky FS bike in a 15" frame (the Stinky Jr is a hardtail IIRC), - they do them as small as 13". While he was still growing, they used 24" wheels on it for a couple of years, and then went up to 26" wheels as he got bigger.
> 
> If you want something like that the best place to look is the www.Descent-World.co.uk classifieds. Lots of younger kids on there sell small DH bikes with good specs for decent money so you could do OK. Also ask on Descent World for advice.



Thanks for that. That's a solution I hadn't thought of, very neat idea, I'll look into it. I had noted the 13" frame in adult bikes but hadn't thought of swapping the wheels but of course with disc brakes it's possible.


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## SteppinRazor (11 Nov 2007)

Have a look as Isla Bikes. XC,not DH - two very different types of bike


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## MichaelM (14 Nov 2007)

Re Laggan:

There's an uplift service at weekends to the top of the blue route - a well laid course that goes downhill, without being a full on downhill course - unless you want it to be by jumping everything ! 



W A R N I N G ! ! !

There is some nice kit in the shop, and you will be under no pressure at all to buy. As a result of this, you will feel the urge to hand over your credit card and spend LOT'S of money on shiny bike bits....


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## Crackle (14 Nov 2007)

SteppinRazor said:


> Have a look as Isla Bikes. XC,not DH - two very different types of bike



I did at an event - full range. I like 'em but for off-road stuff the geometry is all wrong. Youngests Beinn 20 is one of the best kids bikes I've seen but anything other than rough forest tracks and it's really out of it's depth. I got my oldest to ride the 24 at the event and it's just not right for what he wants to do. Ideally I'd buy him two bikes but that's not a realisitic option.


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## Crackle (14 Nov 2007)

MichaelM said:


> Re Laggan:
> 
> There's an uplift service at weekends to the top of the blue route - a well laid course that goes downhill, without being a full on downhill course - unless you want it to be by jumping everything !
> 
> ...



I looked at the website and it looks good. I did have a leaflet about it but I hadn't taken a proper look and hadn't spotted the uplift option at all.

It's only a couple of hours from me so it looks like a good weekend day out. Weather's not too promising this weekend, see what next is like. Also have to decide what to do with the youngest (8) as I'm not sure his Isla is up to the route. Might ride it first and see.

Bike shop and a cafe: Better not take the wife then, she has a much weaker spending will than me! I know, unusual but there you go.


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## MichaelM (15 Nov 2007)

Crackle said:


> Also have to decide what to do with the youngest (8) as I'm not sure his Isla is up to the route. Might ride it first and see.



Take him as well. 

There was a guy doing the blue the other week with a kid's seat on the back -with kid in it. It's cleverly designed and keeps the "core" bikers happy but can be rolled by anyone who doesn't (can't-like me) jump.

Also, all the guys on big bikes take the uplift - they whizz off and the less aggressive riders follow on behind.


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## MichaelM (15 Nov 2007)

Crackle said:


> Also have to decide what to do with the youngest (8) as I'm not sure his Isla is up to the route. Might ride it first and see.



Take him as well. 

There was a guy doing the blue the other week with a kid's seat on the back -with kid in it. It's cleverly designed and keeps the "core" bikers happy but can be rolled by anyone who doesn't (can't-like me) jump.

Also, all the guys on big bikes take the uplift - they whizz off and the less aggressive riders follow on behind.


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## Crackle (18 Nov 2007)

Ah well! All ideas temporarily suspended. This weekend was the first chance I got to try him on a 24" wheel bike. Although he can ride it he can't do anything on it, which rather defeats the object. So for now it's make do for a couple more years 'till he grows more. I might even have to bite the bullet and buy him another 20" wheel bike as he's nearly killed this one.

MichaelM, went to Laggan Wolftrax, not riding though as the weather was bad and No.1 son had twisted his knee on a trampoline. The guy there might have a 20" ex-hire Kona to sell me. He's going to check and ring me but I might well go back before then on a nice day, with the bikes. So thanks for that.


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