Decent Kids MTB

[Marnix]

My 8 year old son has out grown his little Trek and I want to get him a proper MTB with 26" wheels, disk brakes etc. I had a look at an XS GT and although it had disks, Shimano components etc, it weighs about 14kg.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions for a bike that wont cost more than R6k that doesn't weigh the same as a small motor car?

[SteveS]

Eight years. I think you are maybe optimsitc with a 26" bike. I bought my 8 year old daughter the Silverback 24" bike. She is tall for age and she just manages to stand over the toptube. The silverbacks are good value. They come with Shimano branded parts and go for R1800.

[DJR]

Stick to a 24 inch bike for another year or even three. Around 11 or 12 they are normally ready for the bigger bike. Even a XS 26 inch bike will be awkward to handle, both in size and weight, for even a large-ish 8 year old. On the smaller 24 inch wheels with a lower centre of gravity, their bike skills will improve much faster that on a 26 inch bike. The lightest stock 24 inch bike I could find (a year or 2 ago) was from Specialized, with V-brakes and a so-so Suntour fork, it sold for R3-4000 back then.

[LEMOND]

Its redicculose when a 10 year old's bike weighs more than an adults bike, especialy when you take their weight in consideration a 25kg kid riding a 14kg bike is similar to an 80kg adult riding a 45kg bicycle.

[Starry nights]

I am building my son an XS MTB from parts from the hub - will be a fairly fine bike for about R2000 (decided on V-brakes or would have cost another R1500 - R2000 more), if I can get the last few things cheap too. And I have learned a bit and had some fun along the way.

[LeTurbo]

Congratulations on having a decent kid, Marnix!

[Topwine]

Its redicculose when a 10 year old's bike weighs more than an adults bike, especialy when you take their weight in consideration a 25kg kid riding a 14kg bike is similar to an 80kg adult riding a 45kg bicycle.

 

It is stupid isn't it? I also looked long and hard to find a light bike for my 10 year old son, that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg. There is definitely a gap in the market for a far lighter spec 24" MTB . Compared to these kids weight, the current bikes on offer is way out of proportion.

 

In the end I found a cheap Spirit Surge at a LBS for R 1200-00. The complete bike weighed around 12.5 kg's, the same as my Anthem X1. It was an 18 speed though which made hill climbing very difficult for him. I then ordered a new back hub, 8 speed cluster , chain and shifters from CRC together with an order of mine, and rebuilt his back wheel. I don't think I paid more than R400 extra. Now he has a decent "light" and very affordable 24" MTB and he flies on it!

[Ratty]

I think the kids bikes are heavier than the adult bike so that us adults can try keep up with them!

 

A friend of ours son got a Specialized kids mtb and it was a LOT lighter than the bmx he had been riding (I struggled to take it up a hill for him) so he was stoked.

[levett]

Its redicculose when a 10 year old's bike weighs more than an adults bike, especialy when you take their weight in consideration a 25kg kid riding a 14kg bike is similar to an 80kg adult riding a 45kg bicycle.

My Son had a Giant MTX250 (I think) 24" MTB with V Brakes and, yes, it weighed a ton!

 

I built him a 26" wheeler with my 'cast off's' and a 14" MTB frame that I bought from CRC for about R400 to R500. The most 'difficult' part is getting cheep'ish 165mm cranks!

 

Build your own is the way to go - you learn a lot, can get a lot of 2nd hand bits off here, and build a decent (spec and weight) bike for a reasonable price (oh and it gives you the excuse to buy new stuff for yours so that you can 'cascade')