MTB size for a 12 year old

[francoisdkemp]

Good day

I want to upgrade my 12 year old son's MTB, but not sure about sizing for frame and wheels. I guess 26" is a no go due to availability of tyres and tubes? Looking forward to your replies, it will help a lot.

[Steady Spin]

How tall is he? Some 12 year olds are freakish these days. 

 

[Rolf Hansen]

26 minutes ago, francoisdkemp said:

Good day

I want to upgrade my 12 year old son's MTB, but not sure about sizing for frame and wheels. I guess 26" is a no go due to availability of tyres and tubes? Looking forward to your replies, it will help a lot.

I would want to suggest a 26er for an average sized 12 year old but many on here believe that I have lost my mind and that anything less than a 29er is sacrilege. 

With that said I bought my 12 year old son a decent spec 26er. Coincidently I also ride a 26er, tubeless with decent tyres...

 

[KB280DT]

My daughter is 1.57 at the age of 9 - she's currently on a ladies small frame 27.5 and it works very well for her.

As Steady Spin said - how tall is he and take it from there.

[Shebeen]

38 minutes ago, francoisdkemp said:

Good day

I want to upgrade my 12 year old son's MTB, but not sure about sizing for frame and wheels. I guess 26" is a no go due to availability of tyres and tubes? Looking forward to your replies, it will help a lot.

jislaaikit but the 29er kool-aid is strong!!!!

 

so kids can ride 12",16", 20" and 24" bikes no problem.

but then they need to jump to 650b or 29ers?

 

26 will be a round for a long time still. even the Big S still make them

[ChrisF]

5 hours ago, KB280DT said:

My daughter is 1.57 at the age of 9 - she's currently on a ladies small frame 27.5 and it works very well for her.

As Steady Spin said - how tall is he and take it from there.

Worth noting Maritz is almost 10 years old, and 1,42m tall.

 

He rides a Titan 26" bike, small frame.

 

His next bike is a 26" with a medium frame .... Maritz has ridden the 27,5" small that KB280 writes about.  This bike is smaller than the 26"medium????

 

Yes, wheel size is part of the discussion .... but frame size, ie height and reach determines if the kids fit properly on the bikes.

 

 

Francois step one is your son's size .... if he is short then 26" may well be a real option.  If he is an average height 12 year old then he may well fit better on a 27,5"..... some will suggest a 29" with a small frame

 

 

NOTE .... With two 26" bikes we have never had issues with spares.  Okay, the range of options are limited ....