The official Riding with Kids thread

[AgentFlash]

2 hours ago, Pieter1 said:

FFS! I'm so indecisive with this bike purchase. How bad are coaster brakes? He is used to braking with his levers. I don't want to ruin his riding and also he likes to practice to fakey at the skatepark.

I would say avoid coaster brakes. Haven't seen anything positive come out of them.

[Pieter1]

Thanks guys. 
My lbs here has given me so sweet discount on this Marin and it ticks all my boxes. Just want to get some better tires and possibly a tubeless setup.
 

[ChrisF]

https://www.facebook.com/reel/517413967600944/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

[Jewbacca]

Coaster brakes are rad... 

My son does skiddies for days, although I didn't invent skiddies......

I actually want a big boy klunker with a coaster brake for skidding around the greenbelt and tokai

IMHO kids are way more adaptable and easy going than we give them credit for. It's OUR dinosaur brains that think all that stuff is necessary

[Pieter1]

Have you guys seen this? That Trek is pretty sweet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B09_VhsZPH8

[Pieter1]

9 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Coaster brakes are rad... 

My son does skiddies for days, although I didn't invent skiddies......

I actually want a big boy klunker with a coaster brake for skidding around the greenbelt and tokai

IMHO kids are way more adaptable and easy going than we give them credit for. It's OUR dinosaur brains that think all that stuff is necessary

That is 100% true and I get so mad at myself because I know this but refuse to listen to myself...

[Shebeen]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DALKvX5uZs7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

meanwhile in heidi land.

[Shebeen]

Weird question (or maybe not).

Any reason why you wouldn't you put a 24" wheel in a 26" shock?

Thinking is to get some squishy front end on a 24" bike, when it comes to upgrade time in a few years the 24" rigid shock goes back on and the nice 26" shock moves with you.

I would be doing disc brakes, so the Vbrake issue shouldn't be a problem but am guessing the geometry would be slacker unless there are spacer/sag options to drop it.

https://www.mtbr.com/threads/anyone-try-26-fork-running-24-wheel-with-brake-post-extenders.1052402/

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/26-fork-on-24-wheeled-bike-advice-please/

[ChrisF]

52 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

Weird question (or maybe not).

Any reason why you wouldn't you put a 24" wheel in a 26" shock?

Thinking is to get some squishy front end on a 24" bike, when it comes to upgrade time in a few years the 24" rigid shock goes back on and the nice 26" shock moves with you.

I would be doing disc brakes, so the Vbrake issue shouldn't be a problem but am guessing the geometry would be slacker unless there are spacer/sag options to drop it.

https://www.mtbr.com/threads/anyone-try-26-fork-running-24-wheel-with-brake-post-extenders.1052402/

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/26-fork-on-24-wheeled-bike-advice-please/

 

Just check the rider weight needed to make that shock work properly.

 

Maybe the specialists can change out a few bits to make it work for a lighter rider.

 

 

EDIT - snip ..... thanks @Jewbacca

 

 

Certainly may be a fun experiment.  Please keep us posted.

Edited September 25 by ChrisF

[Jewbacca]

7 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

Just check the rider weight needed to make that shock work properly.

 

Maybe the specialists can change out a few bits to make it work for a lighter rider.

 

 

One other thing to consider - reach.  Jumping a size often works for the legs, but the rider is stretched out like Superman and cant turn the bars.

 

 

Certainly may be a fun experiment.  Please keep us posted.

Replacing rigid 24" forks with 26" front suspension will normally shorten the reach

When you raise the front end, you will generally create a shorter, more upright seated position.

An old 'dual air' fork can be tuned pretty well to accommodate lower rider weights by changing the balance in the negative and positive air chambers. Modern forks tend to have an automated balance system which makes it less fiddly but also less tuneable

I'll assist with Shebeens project as I think I have everything he needs at home and his lightie knows where I live

[DJuice]

20 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Replacing rigid 24" forks with 26" front suspension will normally shorten the reach

When you raise the front end, you will generally create a shorter, more upright seated position.

An old 'dual air' fork can be tuned pretty well to accommodate lower rider weights by changing the balance in the negative and positive air chambers. Modern forks tend to have an automated balance system which makes it less fiddly but also less tuneable

I'll assist with Shebeens project as I think I have everything he needs at home and his lightie knows where I live

Keep us updated.

Considering the same mod.

[Shebeen]

2 hours ago, DJuice said:

Keep us updated.

Considering the same mod.

We will! 

[dave303e]

On 9/25/2024 at 8:57 AM, Shebeen said:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DALKvX5uZs7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

meanwhile in heidi land.

So if you go look at the top enduro motorbike riders, the real skilled hard enduro ones. The best riders come from a trials background. The skills to ride slow transfer to riding fast. Go spend a day riding trials, you will realise how bad your balance, break and clutch control actually is.

I am lucky enough to have one to mess around with and my daughter will be on trials bikes when she is ready. The beauty is that training these slow skills and skills shown in the video don't require lots of space, they are slow and relatively safe so there are no concerns about high speed crashes or over use injuries. But the benefits are massive in terms of bike control, handling and other benefits.

The Oset electric trials bikes for kids are raising the next generation of great motorbike riders, I love that these kids are doing it on normal mtb, they will go far in their riding careers.

[Rhodent]

Havent posted here before.... but having a proud dad moment....

Two different journeys with my two girls, two great results....

1. Eldest (5) started on the Thule Ride A Long, then to plastic motorbikes of doom, took the training wheel route, and when those came off the bug bit HARD - we're talking last place to first place in her kiddies races within a couple of weeks, and has now upgraded to her first 'big girl bike' with gears - and im already under pressure to keep up!

2. Youngest (3) started on the jump seat on the handlebars, then the balance bike, won her first race on the balance bike and when her sister upgraded she jumped onto her sisters old bike, no training wheels, and took off like a pro - video is her first attempt!

We are blessed in our little town in Zambia to have a semi-pro bike team, and the guys are brilliant with getting the kids on bikes... we have a mini school series, and three or four other events in the year - so much opportunity and the kids love it!

[dave303e]

Nevermind, remembered we have confirmed this before

Edited September 27 by dave303e
old age memory

[Shebeen]

Junior tyres! What we have here is mostly crap. 

Asked this a while back, and the answer seemingly was to just get some decent rubber from bike24.de, the schwalbes have been great!

Thinking this might still be the case, for instance rush sports don't bring in any of the junior maxxis range, but then you can't ship the sizes you do want directly from https://www.bike24.com/search-result?searchTerm=tyre+24&attributesWithKeyValue.wheelSize=24"+(507mm)

 

another option is to go spez, looks like they might have this in stellenbosch.

https://www.specialized.com/za/en/shop/cycling-gear/bike-parts/bike-tyres?size=24+x+2.1&size=24+x+2.125&size=24+x+2.2&page=1

Am i missing something, does any shop online or brick and mortar have decent 24" tyres available? What do all the "spur series" junior kids use?

Without going too far down the mine, i did find Olympics has some sort of range