icepick_trotsky 

Not C&V, but I trust your collective wrenching judgment, and maybe some of you have been through this. I picked up a Raleigh Mountain Scout on CL for my niece's birthday. It has 24" wheels, and ok components, especially for a kids' bike -- Shimano Tourney derailleurs, Tektro V-brakes, etc. It also is ready to pull double duty as a boat anchor. I attribute a lot of this to the suspension fork, as a lot of the weight feels up front. Also, the triple crankset seems heavy and potentially confusing for a seven year old just learning the concept of shifting.

Generic google image result for bike in question:



New Raleigh kids' bikes have gone to a 1x drivetrain and a rigid fork (in some models), both of which seem like good ideas to me, but were not around on my local CL.



So, should I make some changes? Would I see a noticeable weight reduction and uptick in rideability? Are there even 24" rigid forks available out there? I realize this might be a waste of time/money/etc., since the only thing kids care about is what color the bike is, but my inner tinkerer is curious on how best to use this thing.

rhm

The handlebar is absurdly on one with suspension, and probably too high on the other one as well. You may be able to lower the stem, or change it to one with no rise, but I think you'll have a hard time setting it up for a small rider.

If you could find a non-suspension fork, you could lower the front end considerably, while also changing the frame geometry considerably. That might not be good; but I'd try it if I could find a suitable fork (which is not likely).

yooperbiker

I think that you are over thinking this. Your niece will love the bike as it is (well, maybe after seat is adjusted up some I hope - almost looks like a BMX bike as-is). Most likely she will never shift the front derailer out of the middle ring however unless climbing a big hill (I know I rarely do).

hig4s

you might be able find a non suspension fork from an old 26" bike that would be the same length as the one on the old bike.

CliffordK

The front suspension does add a bit to the front stack height, but the bars looking tall may also be an artifact from a very low seat position in the stock photo.

Leave the front triple. She'll learn, and if you want her to ride hills, she'll need the gears to do it.

Personally, I wouldn't change a thing on the bike other than tuning it and making sure everything works.

One note, however. I got a Fuji Ace for my nephew. He has a lot of troubles shifting on the fly with the paddle shifters. I'm not sure if it is a strength thing or coordination, or both. We borrowed a 24" MTB last summer. The grip shifters have a good location on the bars, but for some reason he lacked the strength to easily shift. I'm not quite sure what the solution is. More leverage? Schwinn used to have about 6" tall stem shifters, but those are a bit out of style, and still aren't located where the hands are.

Anyway, the only thing I might do is try a comparision of the ease of use of trigger shifters vs grip shifters. I got it. Try grips on the right and triggers on the left. And, ask her which works best.

icepick_trotsky 

But the canti studs would be in the wrong spot for the 24" wheel, right?

cbutler

Your goals as I understand you are; 1) weight reduction, 2) Ease of use, 3) Reliability and 4) My inference of easy & inexpensive.

So, replace the knobby tires with more slick tires. The benefits are weight reduction, ease of acceleration and less friction on smooth surfaces, this makes the bike more fun. Don't buy slicks, but tires that are more like road touring/racing tires. You can expect to trim off about 400 to 600 grams.

I'd replace the FD, FD shift, and triple steel with a single ring alloy crank. You may save as much as 1000g and simplify both the shifting and the maintenance. Your niece will appreciate the simplicity of the gear shifting and the weight loss. There's also less to go wrong. Naturally, the chain will have to be shortened also. Once your niece outgrows this bike, the original parts can be reinstalled.

Replacing the fork is a great idea, you could save an easy 1200g, however, as you have pointed-out rigid, cheap, forks that will fit will be difficult to find.

Best of luck with your project!

mstateglfr 

If she is 6 and about to turn 7, whatever changes you make must make it easier for her to ride and more enjoyable.
That's an obvious, but I think it's often times lost when adults decide to do a labor of love project for a relative.
So it's worth mentioning.

At her age, twist shifters may be difficult to use. They are more difficult when new, so hopefully these will be easier since they have been worked in a bit thru use.

A triple is total overkill at her age. Yes, what another poster said is true, she will have to learn eventually, but the complexity of properly utilizing a 3x7 drive is lost on many adults, so getting a just turned 7yo to understand and remember is more than necessary right now.
Perhaps a 2x7? My almost 9yo daughter rides a 2x7 and rarely changes the ring up front. The gearing is set so she often times doesn't have to and can handle neighborhood hills with the 7 cogs in back.

A suspension fork is overkill, but buying a rigid fork could be a lot of money versus taking the cost for the bike, plus updates, plus fork change into account. Would a different bike that already has this stuff be better?
My daughter rides this-https://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-Bicycles-Clarity-Performance-24-Inch/dp/B00FC1TOIQ
It was $150 last fall. Just saying that if costs to get your bike to a good level are too much, perhaps it's best to buy new or a more complete used?


If she is not a new rider, she can handle more than a 1x7 system, most likely. It'll probably just be that she doesn't touch the front rings unless an adult suggests to during a long flat or hilly climb(depending on which ring she defaults to).

Best of luck


ETA- forgot to totally agree on the slicks. A 32-38mm road/hybrid tire will roll so much better.

CliffordK

You can do all that, but you'll need a 150mm to 165mm length crank which may not be in your junk pile. And, either a huge cluster in the rear, or you may teach her bad habits of getting off the bike and walking up hills because she just doesn't have the power to ride them. Add low enough gears for the hills, and she might be lacking top end for the flats.

Is the goal to ride on roads or trails?

icepick_trotsky 

Definitely trails, to begin with at least. Good point on the crankset -- that may be just as difficult to source as the fork. The chainrings are definitely not removable.

hig4s

I keep forgetting, I have disc brakes.

CliffordK

Full Carbon plus Through Axle

Sinz Stealth Elite Cruiser 24" Carbon Fiber BMX Race Fork Fit Haro Redline DK GT | eBay

Who needs brakes?

There are a few options for steel unicrown forks with cantis, and not too expensive. It would drop the whole frontend down quite a bit (changing quite a bit on the bike).

Tubular 24" Fork Chrome 1" Threaded Steer Tube Canti Bosses New | eBay

Just make sure you have the right steer tube size, 1" vs 1 1/8".

cbutler

Strong point. 150 - 165mm cranks are hard to find.

CliffordK

I'm not saying they are that hard to find.

Amazon.com : Origin8 Triple Alloy Crankarms, 155mm, Silver : Bike Cranksets And Accessories : Sports & Outdoors

But, as with everything, the price adds up on what was a fairly cheap kid's bike.

I got a good deal on a right 165, but will probably have to resort to E-Bay for the left for a project I'm working on.

Rocket-Sauce 

Leave it alone. Maybe switch out the seatpost for a (MUCH) lighter Kalloy. Probably save a bunch of grams.

Lighter tires would be a noticeable upgrade -even for a 7yo. Maybe something a little less knobby. Conti Tour Rides or Schwalbe Marathon both come in 24 x 1.75" sizes are much better for road riding, sidewalks, multi-use paths and are fine for trails.

If she is anything like my daughter, a front basket is a necessity. A cool bell or horn is nice too.

I'd advise restraint when upgrading this bike. This is a kids bike that will be abused (hopefully!), and outgrown.

rhm

FYI, FWIW, etc, my daughter has outgrown her trash picked "Motiv" MTB, 24" wheels, no suspension, cantilever brakes, POS. It is not high end. If anyone wants it, I can ship cheap. That is all. Unless you want photos, which I can provide... sooner or later.

markk900

My two cents: you are overthinking it. I understand the desire to make sure a loved one gets the "best", but remember she's a kid! Tell her the gears up front are for later and leave it on the middle ring until she sees she needs more gears. Weight is a non-issue for a 7 year old - how many on this list started with single gear 20" or 24" bikes that weighed as much or more, and never knew we should be disappointed?

I think the biggest thing to remember is she will be thrilled with such a cool bike.

Roger M

My son is 7 years old, and near the end of fitting his 20" Specialized Hotrock. I am going to a small 26" wheeled bike for him next, probably a 13" ridged frame(rockhopper/stumpjumper or similar). As fast as the kids grow, a small 26" will last longer than a 24"(in my opinion).

rhm

I value your opinion, really, I do , just keep the target in mind. In my daughter's case, I had my doubts she would ever outgrow a 24" wheel. As it is, she has, though only just barely. If your son is destined to be a reasonably tall man, you will be right. My daughter is destined to be petite, though, and she got plenty of use out of this bike.

Edit, I'm not sure how long she rode the 24" mtb, probably about five years. She has now outgrown it at age 16. Obviously this is anecdotal evidence with no bearing on anyone else's kid. What can I say, mine is little, and is likely to stay that way. Be that as it may, I don't think it's good to put a kid on a bike that cannot fit them.

mstateglfr 

Yeah...my daughter is tall for her age, regardless of gender, and her seat was slammed for the first few months on the 24" she started riding this year.
It's now proper height for her legs, and the bike fits well but is big. She will have it for another couple years most likely until she is 10.5yo.
At that point we will look at 26" bikes and even then it'll probably be a sloping tube or step thru.

Everyone is different in skill and height, but a 26" wheeled mtb just seems like a large bike for a 7yo, even with that frame size.

JohnSteven123

Hi everyone. I know this is an old post, but I had to struggle myself trying to find suggestions and ended up going with trial and error. Here's a video from my 2015 Specialized Hotrock 24 upgrades. This can be done to the 2013 models and up since they have the rear disc brake mount. Also works for the 20" models but of course the fork and crankarm length will be different. Also, I don't think a 11-42 will be good for that size, maybe an 11-36 with a 34T chainring.

That being said, for anyone looking for a decent cheap bike worth upgrading or looking to find out just how much a hotrock can be upgraded, go to youtube and type "hotrock upgrades" and look for a video titled "2015 Specialized Hotrock 24" Upgrades". Because I am new here it won't let me post the URL.

Hotrocks can be found used on craiglist between $80 to $150, my kids loved the upgrades and were able to enjoy the trails instead of struggling through them.

Parts list:
Upgrades include:
- SR Suntour XCT crankset
- 34t narrow-wide chainring
- 11-42 Shimano deore cassette 10 speed
- Shimano deore m8000 hydraulic disc brakes
- Sram x9 10 speed derailleur and shifter
- SunRingle MTX-33 wheelset
- Schwalbe Rocket Ron 2.1
- Fox Float 32 100mm travel(26")
- ScudGood platform pedals

I would really recommend changing the handlebar since the stock one is heavy. Also a shorter them.

Also, since the new fork brings the bottom bracket up a little bit I would also change the crankset to a 165mm instead of 152mm for better leverage. I changed the fork after I did the crankset. And lastly, I would go for a wider tire, maybe 2.25 or 2.3. I asked specialized and 2.3 is the max size they recommend.

After swapping the stem upside down the handlebar height was the same as the stock setup(compared side by side). The bike is what every adult wants on a bike, but meant for kids.

I wanted to be fair to my kids and let them experience the trail the same way I do, and they loved it.

cudak888 

^
John's video:


Doesn't look like it's any lighter as the OP was looking for, but it sounded like @Icepick_trotski wanted that little Raleigh to be something it never would be - a kid's-sized Raleigh Sports Tourer.

-Kurt

ryansu

My daughter seemingly outgrew her 24" bike before she really settled into it so I would advise not doing a ton of work because this bike is just a way point it won't fit for all that long make it work for her but don't swap forks etc on a bike that will soon be out grown. That's my girl flying along during a Portland Parkways I love how confident and at ease she is and as you can see she is just about outgrown the bike and we hadn't had it much more than a year iirc. That might be the 20 and not the 24 but the point is the same, they get outgrown quickly

Have fun and take your niece on a nice flat ride on a quiet route to the ice cream shop or a park and instill that riding is fun!

JohnSteven123

As far as weight loss I didn't really do much or care so much about it. But the air fork(even though its bigger) did drop some weight compared to the stock fork, it's amazing how heavy that small fork can be. Even the 26" RockShox Dart 3 on my oldest daughter's Rockhopper was heavier than the fox. The stock handlebar in the Hotrock is unbelievable heady too.

bark_eater 

My son is 6 and is riding 16" bikes. They don't look to small, but I guess I keep my eyes open for the next size up bike. To circle back to C+V, I did pick up a 24" wheel late 70's Fuji. The plan is to convert it to 24" mountain wheels with long reach brakes. I was assuming I had three years before I needed to get it together..