11yr old girl: what size bike?

[Christopher Brunsdon]

So my daugther is going to spend 3 weeks with us in December and she is 10 going on 11. What size bike do I need to get her?

 

Would a 14inch std MTB work? Or is that too bigg

 

I see a 24" on SportsmansWarehous site that seems to be for her age.

 

I'm just scared of getting stuck with something for too long as the next youngest is only 3yrs.

[GuyP]

I got my daughter a 14" Raleigh Sahara WSD MTB when she was 9, straight after her 20" bike. She's a tall girl though, and now that she's 10, there's probably still a few years in it.

 

I dropped the handlebar stem by placing the spacers on top of the stem rather than underneath, and twisted them a little inwards while shifting her saddle forward. She was happy and comfortable from the word go.

 

For my son it will be different - he's on the short end of the gene pool, so we'll have to go 24" for him from the 20"

[AfricaMike]

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/87271-gary-fisher-precaliber-24/page__p__1193115__hl__fisher__fromsearch__1#entry1193115

 

I'm selling my daughters 24" Gary Fisher which we bought when she was 10 years old. With me in Jhb and you in Somerset West it's a pity you cant take it for a ride but here's my advice - unless she's vertically challenged the 24" is not going to last long, but who cares. My daughter is a shorty but by the time she turned 12 the 24" was already getting too small for her, by my standards - but she LOVED the smaller bike - she could put her feet on the ground, was confident with the steering and could easily do a standing climb.

 

She's now 14 and has a 'regular' small GT.....she's scared witless of the 26" wheels, the 'big' frame and the trigger shifters (her old bike has gripshifts which are easier for small hands)

 

My recommendation - rather buy smaller than bigger. It might cost you more in the end financially but you'll have a youngster that LOVES bike riding!!

 

Buy the 24"..........

[Christopher Brunsdon]

My daughter is also short so it looks like 24" then. She will only use it for 3 weeks. I wish I could send it back with her but her mom is too scared to let her ride her own bike (its a 20") so its a waste.

 

@Cactus: That GaryF look schweet - wish my son was old enough for that one