20" Kids Bike Advice

[daniemare]

Hi Hubbers

 

I need advice for my boy's next bike.

 

Size 20" Mountain Bike

 

Requirements":

 

Priority 1 - Rigid Fork (I see no sense in a 2kg+ cheap coil fork that actually has no movement when even my 85kg press down on it.)

 

Priority 2 - Disc Brakes (Mechanical is fine, but if I have to struggle with one more set of V-brakes I will loose it.  There is always one side that does not spring back)

 

Priority 3 - Plus sized tires (not fat bike)

 

The Scott attached tick all the boxes, except for a local distributor that does not bring it in.

 

Current Options

Momsen JSL20 - but has annoying V-brakes

Titan Racing Hades - but has heavy non-functioning suspension fork

Specliazed Hotrock - non functioning suspension fork, v-brakes and the typical Spez Premium Price

 

Any other I should look at?

Edited July 17, 2018 by daniemare

[MomsenBikes SA]

go BIG - we have the CARBON JSL20 on clearance -- link here -https://momsenbikes.com/shop/buy-juvenile-bikes/mtb-momsen-20-juvenile-jsl20-carbon-2016/

 

you will not find a better 20" Wheel Hardtail JUNIOR bike in the market! 

 

if out of your price bracket - the JSL20 with TEKTRO HIGH QUALITY V-Brakes is better than 99.99% of the cheap mechanical disc brakes on the market and also easier to pull for a youngster. 

[daniemare]

go BIG - we have the CARBON JSL20 on clearance -- link here -https://momsenbikes.com/shop/buy-juvenile-bikes/mtb-momsen-20-juvenile-jsl20-carbon-2016/

 

you will not find a better 20" Wheel Hardtail JUNIOR bike in the market!

 

if out of your price bracket - the JSL20 with TEKTRO HIGH QUALITY V-Brakes is better than 99.99% of the cheap mechanical disc brakes on the market and also easier to pull for a youngster.

Would have loved to get that Carbon Beast, but it’s a bit much.

 

There is a reason the JSL20 is on my list, I trust your products and love my SL729 (see you have a new one coming).

 

But I have to disagree with you on the V Brakes. One leg never spring back after a month or 2 of use. Even the 2 JSL20 I have seen on floor have that same issue, brand new. His current Frog Bike has “top quality” tektro V brakes and 5 shops cannot get it centrered. Springs are to weak

 

And another benefit of mechanical discs, it can inherent Dad’s hydrolic upgrade

[MomsenBikes SA]

fair enough ... TEKTRO do have a MASSIVE range of brakes .. some cheap, some expensive ... we use the EXPENSIVE stuff on our JSL20 

 

never had any issues on my son's JSL16 - also running same brakes as we specced on the JSL20 over the past few years.

[GrahamS2]

If you grew up in the era of XT parallelogram v-brakes, your kid's bike will always have centered brakes. Lube the cables, lube all the pivot points, learn to set them properly (pads angled slightly) and you'll never have issues. You also won't have to wind the return spring to max, which makes the pull very soft. My 5 year old manages to pull his easily.

Edited July 17, 2018 by GrahamS2

[daniemare]

If you grew up in the era of XT parallelogram v-brakes, your kid's bike will always have centered brakes. Lube the cables, lube all the pivot points, learn to set them properly (pads angled slightly) and you'll never have issues. You also won't have to wind the return spring to max, which makes the pull very soft. My 5 year old manages to pull his easily.

Thanks Graham.

 

Did all of this, and taken to 5 Shops. My take on this is that there is a reason why we do not use them widely anymore. And it is not just better stopping power

[MomsenBikes SA]

If you grew up in the era of XT parallelogram v-brakes, your kid's bike will always have centered brakes. Lube the cables, lube all the pivot points, learn to set them properly (pads angled slightly) and you'll never have issues. You also won't have to wind the return spring to max, which makes the pull very soft. My 5 year old manages to pull his easily.

 

agree 100%. cheap mechanical disc brakes are more for looks than function. 

[Oufy MTB (Roadie)]

both of my eldest sons have Titan Hades 20 inch, which I got second hand for cheap. the one has V-brakes and the other one disc brakes (cables). They solid bikes and frankly, I  don't see the point at this stage over investing into something they will be outgrowing soon. I have 2 Titans 16 inches in the garage that they did not ride long either

[CraigCCW]

I am also looking for a 20" Bike for my Son, came across this one:

 

https://bike-addict.co.za/collections/kids-bikes/products/avalanche-chompi-20-kids-2018

 

 

Although it looks like a fat bike.

Edited July 17, 2018 by CraigCCW

[CraigCCW]

I am quite keen on the Silverback Spyke, it is going for a very nice price.

 

https://bike-addict.co.za/collections/kids-bikes/products/silverback-spyke-20-2018

 

[Shebeen]

If you grew up in the era of XT parallelogram v-brakes, your kid's bike will always have centered brakes. Lube the cables, lube all the pivot points, learn to set them properly (pads angled slightly) and you'll never have issues. You also won't have to wind the return spring to max, which makes the pull very soft. My 5 year old manages to pull his easily.

THIS!

 

learn how to set V-brakes

learn how to true a wheel

 

not sure which 5 shops you went to, but v-brakes are not a mystery, and at this price point decent v-brakes will beat gawky discs every day of the week.

[Shebeen]

go BIG - we have the CARBON JSL20 on clearance -- link here -https://momsenbikes.com/shop/buy-juvenile-bikes/mtb-momsen-20-juvenile-jsl20-carbon-2016/

 

you will not find a better 20" Wheel Hardtail JUNIOR bike in the market! 

 

if out of your price bracket - the JSL20 with TEKTRO HIGH QUALITY V-Brakes is better than 99.99% of the cheap mechanical disc brakes on the market and also easier to pull for a youngster. 

luckily my kids are still a bit small, but that does look like the ultimate kids bike.

 

or an express launchpad for a lifetime of bikesnobbery!

[Andyroo]

The JSL 20 is a great little bike and light as hell. Also battle centering the v brakes every time i fix a puncture on the back wheel. Paid R 4000.00 late 2016 - well worth it!

[Rolling Stone]

The JSL 20 is a great little bike and light as hell. Also battle centering the v brakes every time i fix a puncture on the back wheel. Paid R 4000.00 late 2016 - well worth it!

Best bike ever

do not recall ever having issues with V-Brakes

a real little race winner

[daniemare]

THIS!

 

learn how to set V-brakes

learn how to true a wheel

 

not sure which 5 shops you went to, but v-brakes are not a mystery, and at this price point decent v-brakes will beat gawky discs every day of the week.

Maybe some advice on an actual bike....

 

I do not want to learn how to set V-brakes over and above normal operations. I can care less to troubleshoot something that just do not spring back. Scour the Internet and I am not the only one that struggles with it - hence why I decided to put it as one of my priorities of what I would like/not like on a bike.

 

But this is not the point of the thread. I was looking for options from others that also did some research to help me out.

 

Thanks for the others with your suggestions. Seems like the JSL20 ticks most of the boxes, and I will just have to learn to live with the brakes

Edited July 17, 2018 by daniemare

[SlowManiac]

Can you get Commencal bikes in SA? My very lucky boy just got a Meta HT 20 for his birthday.

 

it's an epic little bike (but yes it is expensive...)

 

They also make a Ramones 20 which is rigid.