Bike for a BEAST of a 9yo
03-11-10, 07:25 PM
#1
YAT-YAS
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Bike for a BEAST of a 9yo
Hey all,
My oldest boy is 8 1/2 and looks closer to 12! He is too big for his TREK 20". We went to the LBS today to look at what was available...... the 24" kids bikes are too small I think. He fits just right, but by next week, he will probably be too big for the bike. We also looked at the Fuji kid sized road bikes. They had a 24" model in stock, and can get a 650c size ( just a little bigger). I think the 650c size would be good, but do I really want to spend upwards of $350 for a bike the kid will be lucky to get two years out of?
I have two more boys (5 & 3) who will probably get what ever bike the monster gets.......
I have been looking at CL, but need some suggestions on what to look for........ (I know what I want, but what's good for a kid!)
I'm about to breakdown and get a Walmart special
My oldest boy is 8 1/2 and looks closer to 12! He is too big for his TREK 20". We went to the LBS today to look at what was available...... the 24" kids bikes are too small I think. He fits just right, but by next week, he will probably be too big for the bike. We also looked at the Fuji kid sized road bikes. They had a 24" model in stock, and can get a 650c size ( just a little bigger). I think the 650c size would be good, but do I really want to spend upwards of $350 for a bike the kid will be lucky to get two years out of?
I have two more boys (5 & 3) who will probably get what ever bike the monster gets.......
I have been looking at CL, but need some suggestions on what to look for........ (I know what I want, but what's good for a kid!)
I'm about to breakdown and get a Walmart special
__________________
Master Guns Crittle, You out there??
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert A. Heinlein
Master Guns Crittle, You out there??
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert A. Heinlein
03-11-10, 07:58 PM
#2
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I'd search CL for a small MTB, 13" or 14" frame size with 26" wheels from a reputable manufacturer (not a department store)- they're a bit harder to find used than most, but they're out there. It will hold up to the curb jumping and other rough and tumble play that kids do with their bikes. Some makes, such as Marin and Cannondale, have models with the top tube shaped like a shallow U to reduce the straddle height even further and that would help. You'll need to have the seat tube all the way in at first, but at the rate he's growing that won't last long! Suspension probably isn't needed, unless you plan to take him mountain biking a lot. He may need some coaching to understand how to use all the gears.
I'm probably not much larger than your son and have always found that small sized MTBs work well for me. I have two that have been "roadified" into commuter bikes, and one for actual thrashing around on trails.
I'm probably not much larger than your son and have always found that small sized MTBs work well for me. I have two that have been "roadified" into commuter bikes, and one for actual thrashing around on trails.
Last edited by rnorris; 03-11-10 at 08:20 PM.
03-12-10, 06:10 AM
#3
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+1
Find a Giant dealer and check their line of Boulder bikes - 26" hardtail MTB, comes both in Aluminum and steel frames, sturdy and smooth. Gear shift is trigger Shimano Rapid-Fire, not barrel. Kids sometimes do not have sufficient hand strength (or control) to rotate the barrels. Pic on website do not reflect real geometry in small sizes - in XXS and XS it looks almost like step-through frame, and seat-post is really long.
I got XXS for my son for 9th b-day and he still rides it, he is almost 13 now.
Pre-teen market is grossly under-served by bike industry.
Have fun
SF
Find a Giant dealer and check their line of Boulder bikes - 26" hardtail MTB, comes both in Aluminum and steel frames, sturdy and smooth. Gear shift is trigger Shimano Rapid-Fire, not barrel. Kids sometimes do not have sufficient hand strength (or control) to rotate the barrels. Pic on website do not reflect real geometry in small sizes - in XXS and XS it looks almost like step-through frame, and seat-post is really long.
I got XXS for my son for 9th b-day and he still rides it, he is almost 13 now.
Pre-teen market is grossly under-served by bike industry.
Have fun
SF
03-12-10, 10:44 AM
#4
GATC
I've wondered about a 14" 1x1 for those tween years. With 3 kids you could get some good hand-me-down mileage.
This one is the most over-the-top conceivable:
https://anchorage.craigslist.org/bik/1598438695.html
The single-speed implementation should be bombproof for many years of kids.
This one is the most over-the-top conceivable:
https://anchorage.craigslist.org/bik/1598438695.html
The single-speed implementation should be bombproof for many years of kids.
