TashW

My daughter learnt to ride on an Isla bike as I wanted something super lightweight for her as she is very slight.
She now needs a bigger bike (24”) and wants gears, so I’ve been looking at options. I can’t afford another Isla or similar and now she is very competent I think she’ll be ok on a slightly heavier bike.
I’ve found this: Giant XTC Jr 2019 24inch kids aluminium frame hardtail mountain bike
The manufacturer doesn’t seem to have published the weight anywhere so I wondered if anyone knows if it’s an alright bike? And if it is lightweight?
I have someone offering me a Frog bike the same size and about the same price, but obviously second hand (and in a colour she won’t want!)
I just want something she can hop on and ride, with easy gears to learn with, and lightweight enough so riding on grass etc isn’t a problem as she’s not very big at 7 years old.
Advice gratefully received!

pickettt

Budget?

Darth Lefty 

They have three or four versions of that bike in various levels of trim. Giant also sells girl-themed bikes under the name Liv, look there too.

It's hard to recommend a bike-store brand right now when the boutique options like Spawn, Commencal, Flow, Trailcraft, Frog are all so much better... but also way more expensive. Woom has now made an entry with a very light and not expensive but kind of de-featured MTB.

riva

For small tire stuff pretty much only mtb's are easy to find. I think what you're talking about would do fine. Its the probably the most sane affordable choice.. a modern aluminum mtb. Road 24" stuff starts getting at pretty crazy money. Just grab a mtb and put some skinny tires on it.

There are *used road bikes you could look for, but its not an easy search. And the super cheap stuff is just as heavy as mtbs. I bought an old 24" tire mixte for my son one time.. put alloys on it. Was going to try upgrading the drive train. It looked cool but it was a boat anchor just like the sooper mart mtbs. Probably had just as much $ into it as a new mtb. If I knew up front how heavy it was I probably wouldn't have even tried.

There are some light racing bmx frames you could try to build a road capable bike off of, but in stock config they are so poorly suited to it. Its not an out of the box ready to go deal. These are probably the only truly light "racing" kids bikes easy to find at affordable rates. I've bought them for $100 or less used. I think the conversion could be done though, kind of like a mini velo but economy style. Never tried it even though I wanted to a few times. Super long seat post a la Tomac, drops and some gears. Somebody on this forum posted a pic of him on a bmx setup this way.. and if its good enough for him then its good enough for us all...

Or if the kid is reasonably close to a tiny adult.. you could try to find a used terry or 650c road bike.. those can be light but not easy to find a cheap one. I picked a terry design bike up for $120 and scaled it at 21 pounds. I have like twelve nieces and nephews in this size range so I've put some thought into this topic... I recommend used stuff because they push through the sizes so quick. /ramble

Piperflyer

well this is a little late on response. But for maybe anyone else who comes into this for research i can’t say enough about Woom bikes. My son 6years old is on a Woom 4 weighs 16lb. I couldn’t find anything lighter. Good build quality SRAM 8 speed very adjustable in handlebars and seat so it will fit the child as they grow. They make rear racks, frame bags, bells, the bikes can carry 2 bottle holders! (Amazing on a kid bike), fenders can be fitted for rain. It’s customizable for how your child will want to use it.

For long rides i put on some slick tires and keep weight down, for his everyday commute to school we put on the fenders for rain, rear rack to help haul stuff around. Then on weekends he want to just ride we can take it all off pretty easy and throw on the any terrain tires it came with for trail riding. He is 6, but with it his speed improved usually around 11mph, and he has gone 20 miles in a day. With that said winter came in and now he just sticks to 5-8 mile rides. But when spring hits he would like to go on some bike packing trips, so the frame bag, rear rack, 2 bottle holders is a good option for that.

I don’t and won’t expect him to carry much. I have a topeak trailer that i will load up with everything but will let him carry some snacks, his water, and maybe something light on the rack.

With all that being said, it is a 1 bike job for a kid. Does what you want it to do, very stable and built machine. High resell value so when it comes to upgrading you can sell it to get a new one OR Woom has a buy back program so you trade in the old and get a new. Check them out!

we were looking at Giants ARX, but again the weight. 16 pounds vs 22 pounds i believe. Small kids 5 pounds makes a pretty big difference. Probably like 20 pounds as an adult equivalent.

riva

That is very cool they specifically try to keep the bikes light.. never heard of woom before.

Viich

My kids and I started BMX racing last summer. It's a hoot, and even the entry level race bikes are crazy light in kid's sizes - kid's size 24" wheel are hard to find though. The main complication in trying to multi-speed one is the 110mm OLD rear wheel. I think some of the folding bikes use that spacing, but I'm not sure.

My kids' normal bikes are 24" specialized hotrock street - I found the pair of them cheap, and I thought they were really light until I bought the boys junior size race BMX.

riva

Nice!

I know right, soooo light. As any kids bike should be. If you can find a chromo frame just cold set it to 130. I found a junior 24 chromo frame, so they are out there. I think the fact that its so hard to find a light kids bicycle these days is a bigger impediment to bicycling than folks realize. It'd be like us adults having to ride around a 60 pound bike. Imagine how YOU would feel going up a hill on that!

Panaracer does offer a Pasela Terry 24 tire.

seydisehir

I recommend you to a folding bike your daughter. because the saddles and handlebars of folding bicycles can be adjusted. A folding bike can be used by people between 145 centimeters and 185 centimeters in length.
weight of folding bicycles is approximately 11-12 kilograms

hermanchauw

Just fit/make/build taller seat post and stem.