Jrowe4512

Hello everyone,

I am new to the forum and and sport. I am trying to find a bike for my son to ride. Right now he just has a cheaply made mountain bike. I would like to get him something that would allow him to keep up a little better. He is 10 years old and about 4’8”. The size charts i am looking at dont seem to list much under 5’ and im afraid that would be too big of a frame for him. I have looked at a few of the major brands (specialized, trek, giant, cannondale). Specifically, i am looking for a hybrid (fitness) bike, not one with curled handlebars in the $4-500 range. Any advice you have is appreciated, thanks in advance!

pickettt

Try Commencal. I have my son's frames custom made, but if I were buying "off the rack," Commencal would be my choice. They have a lot of choices for kids of varying heights.

CliffordK

Hmmm... Thinking about it, I haven't heard much about Hybrids in youth sizes.

One option is to find a moderate quality 26" MTB and install relatively narrow tires (1.5") with moderate tread.

For drop bars, one has "road" and "cyclocross". The road bikes would be 520 bcd for 24" and 650c for the next size up (26").

For cyclocross, the sizes would be 540 bcd for 24" and 650b for 26".

I have seen people take say a 24" or 650c Fuji Ace and add flat bars to make a narrow tire flat bar bike that would still fit close to your budget, especially if you find used.

Personally I'd probably try the 650b or 650c.

Going for a small flat bar hybrid, one might get an adult women's bike.

For example, this Cannondale Althea in 650b XS size.

https://www.rei.com/product/124801/c...-2-womens-bike

Unfortunately you're way over budget with that one.

The Cannondale Althea 3 is a bit closer to budget, if you can find it in XS size.



Trek 7.3 FX, XS frame with 700c wheels.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Trek-7-3-FX...wAAOSwT~hdOLr1

sheaffer

Hey, my son is almost 9 yrs old. Bought him extra small Trek Marlin 5 adult bike in VOLT green color. Size of the bike fits his posture just great with plenty of room to grow. He is so happy to ride on adult bike. Just on Monday, rode with me 15 miles.

Good luck and stay away from el cheapo big box kids bikes. Invest in your kids! And please don't get him women's bike as suggested in a thread above. That will make bike riding just awful for a 9 year old boy. Believe me no boy wants a woman's bike. If you can afford, go to your local bike store and get him a man's bike in xs or small size and have a happy kid who will be proud to ride on man's bike in fun colors.

USED ebay bikes? Almost $300 and $100 for shipping. Ridiculous...you can get a BRAND new 2019 model Trek Marlin 4 for less. Good luck with your decision and keep us posted what you decide.

NomarsGirl

They aren't all pink with streamers on the handlebars you know. It could be hard to actually tell the difference. Get the bike that fits with some room to grow and that he likes. If that happens to be a women's bike -- he doesn't need to know that.

sheaffer

NomarsGirl...not sure if you are a parent but probably not if you are advising a father to withhold vital info about a bicycle to his son. Of course a 10 year old child will notice what bike he is riding. Woman's or men's...he will know. OP please do your sons a favor and get him a proper man's bike in the size that fits him. Because my wife's underwear could possibly fit me, should I wear it? Maybe I will try :-) anyway, woman's bikes have women specific seats and geometry. Of course there is nothing wrong with a boy riding a woman's bike, but don't let his friends find out at school or the neighborhood. Woman's bike or men's bike...don't forget to get him a helmet and front/rear led lights so he can be visible to others. Also a fun color bright bike would also make the bike more visible rather than an old woman's black or brown bike :-) Let us know of your decision. Off to go for a 20 mile bike ride now. Be back around 1ish can't wait to see a response from NomarsGirl :-)

indyfabz

*smh*

VegasTriker

Check out the Recreational and Family Forum at this site: https://www.bikeforums.net/recreational-family/ This question has come up before many times. You may find an answer there.

I recently ran across a garage sale where they had a small frame Trek woman's bike for sale. I had no idea it was made for a woman from looking at the bike. It was priced at $75 which was a pretty good price for a bike that retailed for a couple hundred dollars about five years earlier. When I looked it up online I realized it was designated that way. Although a bit heavy at 30 pounds, it would have been a good bike for a smaller child around 5' in height. Way better than the crap sold by mass merchandisers.

Razorrock

I'm right there with you. My son is around 4' 2". He has pretty much out grown his 20" Cannondale Quick. So I've been looking for his future bike.
The 2 choices you have are 24" or 26" (Wheel size) The 24" is more of a kids bike and will only get him a couple of years before he out grows but might fit him better now. The 26" is basically an adult size bike but can get in different frame sizes. There are many Hybrid style bikes in these sizes that fall in your price range with the manufacturers you mentioned.

terrymorse 

I think at 4'8", he's looking at a 24" wheel size. He might be able to squeeze onto an extra small women's 26" hybrid, but that would be a stretch.

The Cannondale Quick 24 is a good fit [$400 MSRP]:





Also, Trek makes a 26" hybrid for kids, called the Wahoo 26. The Trek site says it fits riders 4'10" to 5'3", so it might be a bit too big. They also make the Wahoo 24, for riders 4'3" to 4'11".

burnthesheep

Vitus makes a 24" with trigger shifters for $270.

Seems like what you're after

CliffordK

The extra-small adult women's bikes that I pointed out don't have a women's look to them.

Some people have posted about using hand-me-down bikes within a family, often repainting a bike for the next kid... who somehow survives the ordeal (at least we think, not always any longterm followup).

I had contemplated giving my nephew a Lexa or Dolce. And, still am not entirely opposed to doing it, but chose not to.

By 8 to 10 years old, kids are well aware of gender identity, and as mentioned, especially in school. Nonetheless, a plain blackish bike may not really make any difference.

Part of gender identity may also include building inner strength.

There was a previous discussion that some brands were choosing more gender-neutral bicycle conventions.

A straight diagonal top tube is common on modern kid's bikes (lots of adjustment and room for growth), and is not the same as a vintage step-through.

rumrunn6

10? I'd buy used

riva

Exactly. Buy used and then return it to the used market for what you paid when said child inevitably outgrows it.

There is pretty light stuff out there for not too bad a price. The brand new cheap mart stuff is really heavy. And similar price range.

Jrowe4512

Thanks for the info guys! I went to Trek today and the lady tried to push one of the womens bikes pretty hard. She said the only difference is the seat and the distance between the brake lever and handlebars. This may be a good option but i cant, in good conscience, put my son on a womens bike whether he knows the difference or not. I have been burned on buying used before so i tend to buy new bit i will see what is on the used market. I will keep you posted on what i decide but for now, the search continues.

mstateglfr 

Is it your good conscience or bias that is holding you back?

If the paint scheme looks good, then why not?

My youngest daughter asked for a navy blue paint when we repainted her bike.
My older daughter's road bike is cherry red.
Some of my bikes are pink and purple.

Anyways, just buy one from raleigh. The bike will come mostly belt Kama and it is just a few bolts that you have to assemble. It will be the same quality as a bike shop bike in the $400 range.
https://www.raleighusa.com/kids/8-12-years-old
https://www.raleighusa.com/kids/12-16-years-old

Track, haro, trail craft, and other brands make 24 and 26" kids bikes. These brands have models and they 4 to $500 range.

sheaffer

Jrowe: You're a great father. Only fathers will understand, a boy needs a proper boy's bike. You can definitely buy a great used brand name bike...but you will not get that feeling...you and your son at the bike shop test riding a proper new bike for your son. Seems like your price range is on par with great bike for your son. My 8 yr old is into technical stuff so he loved the idea of having hydrulic disc brakes on his Trek Marlin 5. Initially, I wanted to get him Marlin 4 but once he heard Marlin 5 has hydraulic disc brakes (same as my Trek FX 5 Sport and Trek DS 2) his eyes lit up like Christmas lights and I could not NOT get him what he wanted. Also buying used, the bike might need new tires, or new seat or new chain and definitely a tune up. So for us it was an obvious choice to get new.

riva

Tell the boy the bike is marketed for women and let him decide. If he cares, then don't get that one. My boy when he was ten was riding a "woman's frame" mtb. I told him as much, and he did not care. Every kid is different. Nothing wrong either way.

CliffordK

There are a few people that rebuild and resell bikes on Craigslist. Otherwise, I consider most Craigslist bikes to be "project bikes".

One can get good deals if one wishes to put a little work in, and may end up with a better bike than a similarly priced new bike.

It could also make a good Father/Son project.

NomarsGirl

Man's bike or woman's bike? Defend your response.(Added: this bike is much too large for a 10 year old and definitely not in budget).

sheaffer

It's a woman's edition of Specialized road bike with a female specific seat. Nice BIG bike. :-) how often do you ride it? I'm up to 60 miles this week.

NomarsGirl

But can you actually tell that by looking at it? Yes, you can see that it is a Specialized Ruby which is a women's bike. But there is nothing about it that gives it away as a woman's bike except the name. (And they call that color acid pink, but it's orange).

I have been traveling for work the last couple of weeks, but I have put 1500 miles on her since I got her this spring.