Time Waster
Veteran
Just been on a 2 hour wild goose chase to check out a secondhand bike shop in Morecambe that has a good rep forused bikes. Turns out it has shut and is empty. Rather than not waste the trip we went into halfords thinking we would at least size him up. No matter what the shop rep is the sizing up will at least help for buying ew elsewhere or secondhand.
So we tried the largest kids MTB, too small. Smallest adult MTB, hes standing flat footed over the seat which is as low as it can go with a fair bit of clearance. Medium adult MTB he's standing on toes when sat on seat, but the seat is slightly high. Apparently that Carrera bike has bottle cage bolt holes which stop the seatpost being lowered fully. If you cut off the post it could be lower. IMHO it was at a bit too much of a stretch but he's due a growth spurt so probably the right size. The Hlafords guy got out a large adults MTB bike in another carrera model. He got on it with the seatpost fully down. It was the same seat height as the other medium. The shop guy said that would be his recommendation. He said that with the medium he'd only have up to 2 years use but the large he could be using it for ever or at least up to 6'2"
Now I know that my first half decent bike was bought for me at 9yo, my first drop barred sports bike (now called road bike but back then it was a sports bike in the bike shops). It was a little too big and first ride on it I was nervous so rode on the pavement and due to it being a 2 foot wide with a low wall I fell over and scratched it on the low wall on the forks. Devastated! It feels to me like this Halfords bike guy was recommending that level of oversize for my son. Incidentally that bike at 9yo lasted me until I bought my own bike at 16yo which I can ride even now.
So my question is what size would you think he's currently about 5'3" or a bit more tall and likely to be another inch or so by the end of summer! The bikes we tried were 16", 18" and 20". He really could ride any of them but I am figuring too big and he might get put off or not able to ride everything. I mean you need clearance for falling off an MTB surely?
The other point would you consider a £375 reduced from £475 carrera? He loved the big one especially. It is all image, colour, coolness with him I think. BTW I know the road riding hybrid might be better argument but the thing is kids round here do have a lot of offroad places to play in. There is a bit of an MTB scene going on and you will see kids in some woods nearby doing daft downhill type of things getting big air, with crashing too. I think MTB where we live is possibly better for him. Plus he wants to go more to Whinlatter and Grizedale. There is also Gisburn forest bike trails within travelling distance too. I also looked at an XL carrera for me as an occasionaly MTB bike.
Our budget was intially £200 for a used bike from this S/H bike shop we heard so much about. Now it is looking like about £400 for a new bike. I did see a £440 trek in Wheelbase. Any suggestions?
So we tried the largest kids MTB, too small. Smallest adult MTB, hes standing flat footed over the seat which is as low as it can go with a fair bit of clearance. Medium adult MTB he's standing on toes when sat on seat, but the seat is slightly high. Apparently that Carrera bike has bottle cage bolt holes which stop the seatpost being lowered fully. If you cut off the post it could be lower. IMHO it was at a bit too much of a stretch but he's due a growth spurt so probably the right size. The Hlafords guy got out a large adults MTB bike in another carrera model. He got on it with the seatpost fully down. It was the same seat height as the other medium. The shop guy said that would be his recommendation. He said that with the medium he'd only have up to 2 years use but the large he could be using it for ever or at least up to 6'2"
Now I know that my first half decent bike was bought for me at 9yo, my first drop barred sports bike (now called road bike but back then it was a sports bike in the bike shops). It was a little too big and first ride on it I was nervous so rode on the pavement and due to it being a 2 foot wide with a low wall I fell over and scratched it on the low wall on the forks. Devastated! It feels to me like this Halfords bike guy was recommending that level of oversize for my son. Incidentally that bike at 9yo lasted me until I bought my own bike at 16yo which I can ride even now.
So my question is what size would you think he's currently about 5'3" or a bit more tall and likely to be another inch or so by the end of summer! The bikes we tried were 16", 18" and 20". He really could ride any of them but I am figuring too big and he might get put off or not able to ride everything. I mean you need clearance for falling off an MTB surely?
The other point would you consider a £375 reduced from £475 carrera? He loved the big one especially. It is all image, colour, coolness with him I think. BTW I know the road riding hybrid might be better argument but the thing is kids round here do have a lot of offroad places to play in. There is a bit of an MTB scene going on and you will see kids in some woods nearby doing daft downhill type of things getting big air, with crashing too. I think MTB where we live is possibly better for him. Plus he wants to go more to Whinlatter and Grizedale. There is also Gisburn forest bike trails within travelling distance too. I also looked at an XL carrera for me as an occasionaly MTB bike.
Our budget was intially £200 for a used bike from this S/H bike shop we heard so much about. Now it is looking like about £400 for a new bike. I did see a £440 trek in Wheelbase. Any suggestions?
