Robert A

We decided to get our daughter a new bike for her 8th birthday. It's time to shed her single speed, foot brake bicycle for one with gears and two handbrakes. She's solid on her bike now and is ready for something more capable.

She's tall her age -- about 4'4" and 65 lbs -- and strong.

I'm looking for recommendations that strikes the right balance between quality, price and complexity. I've seen only one bike with a 7-speed cluster in the rear and a single chain-ring up front. The brand was either Trek or Specialized, and the price is was in the low $300s.

I'd like some recommendations of what to look for. We ride only in the city.

spyguy

We just bought an Escape Jr 24 from Giant for our very-soon-to-be 8yo. Sounds like very similar circumstances (outgrown single-speed, etc). She is about 4-2, and the bike shop said she fits a 24" bike, so that's what we got, but I would say she is just a little small for it still. But better than a 20" that she would outgrow quickly. It was right in your range of 7-speed and about $300. Haven't had it for very long, but I am happy with everything I've seen so far from it.

hokiefyd 

Robert, don't overlooked used options. I recently bought our 7 year old daughter a 2012 model Specialized Hotrock 24. I paid a total of $35 for it. Paint was in great shape -- it had rusty brake noodles and the derailleur needed adjusting. It has a 1x7 drivetrain, which may be what you're after. It had the stock Shimano Revoshifter on the handlebar, which was difficult for my daughter to operate.

I took the chain guide wheels off near the chain ring, adjusted the derailleur, replaced the brake noodles, and removed the Revoshifter and installed an SL-M310 trigger shifter. She's able to run through all the gears now. I also have a set of Continental Tour Ride 24x1.75" tires on it, and the bike turned out REAL good. I have a total cash invest of less than $100, and it looks and works like a new Hotrock (even better for her, with the $30 trigger shifter from the LBS).

This is the best picture I have of it at the moment -- we just finished the project a few weekends ago, before it got cold again. I was taking a picture of the Speed Ride tires on my Trek, but I actually got most of the Hotrock in the background.



From what you're describing, a Specialized Hotrock 24 could be what you're after. I think they made/make two versions -- one with a 3x7 drivetrain and one with a 1x7 drivetrain. I think the 1x7 drivetrain comes with a suspension fork, and I think the 3x7 drivetrain comes with a rigid fork. I obviously didn't have my choice of models, buying used, but I am glad I got the 1x7 model -- not for the suspension fork, but for the simplicity of the drivetrain. I also really like the trigger shifter on it -- the stippling of the Revoshifter really dug into the web of her hand while she tried to twist it.

Othello44

You can get a new bike now for your daughter. But ensure that the bike should have handle behind. So that you daughter don't get down.

CliffordK

What type of riding do you do?

There should be a number of small MTBs, even at Walmart. Also used.

A few small road bikes. Fuji makes the Fuji Ace 24 and Fuji Ace 650. If she can fit the 650, it would skip a later upgrade, and is easier to find tires and tubes for. A few other (more expensive) brands too.

mel2012

My 8-year old daughter who is about the same height/weight as your daughter rides a 24" Hotrock Street (no suspension fork) that we got used for $100. We swapped out the heavy alloy handlebar and grip shifters for an aluminum flat bar and trigger shifters. With those adjustments, it's about 23.5 lbs. It does have a triple chain ring upfront, but for the most part she keeps it in the middle ring up front and treats it like a 7-speed.


The bike she moved up from was an Islabike Beinn 20, which her younger brother now rides, and it is a fantastic bike. My original plan when we got the Hotrock a year and a half ago was to have her ride the Hotrock 24 for a year or so and then move up to the Islabike Beinn 26 Small which fits your requirements well and would last your daughter a long time. For us, the Hotrock has worked out well enough that we'll probably just keep her on it until she can fit an adult XS bike.


The Woom 5 would be another good option.

mel2012

Also, the "girl's" version of the Giant Escape 24 is the Liv Alight 24 and it's also right in line with what you're looking for: https://www.liv-cycling.com/us/bikes-alight-24

Senrab62 

Bought my girlfriend's boy a Diamondback Insight. For the dollar amount paid, it's pretty light weight. Narrowish tires for 20" rims. Real brakes and a grip shift 7 speed. I swapped out the grip shift for a trigger style for little hands.

If it helps, he's 7 years old, 4'2" and growing, and about 58 pounds. He loves it because he has a "skinny wheel bike with gears like your bikes". I compared many bikes in the $2-400 range and this fit the bill perfectly. About 20 lbs (the lowest weight I found was about 16 pounds, but was about triple the price) with cage and lights. Once he outgrows this, he will be on to a small framed road bike anyway, so it's a great in between bike. He has his own small stable with a mongoose fat tire, and a mini BMX style. He prefers the new bike due to lower weight and the gears. I highly recommend the trigger shifter upgrade because the grip shifter is harder for small hands.

Good luck ad keep us posted.

Robert A

Resurrecting this thread for a bit more advice. We've narrowed it down to the Specialized Hotrock for $380. It's about $80 more than the Trek counterpart, but for whatever reason, the Hotrock appears to be a better engineered bike. I just have a little bit of hesitation about spending nearly $400 on a kids bike, but don't mind paying for quality.

Any comments would be appreciated. We want to buy new.

hokiefyd 

Well, I think the Hotrock is the right bike. I'd seriously consider buying used. Here are a couple of Craigslist ads from your area for 24" Hotrocks, though I don't know how close they are to you:

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/bik/6065696177.html - $120

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/bik/6069895875.html - $120

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/bik/6068877155.html - $120

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/bik/6059674425.html - $125 (exact same model that I have, and they list "like new condition")

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/bik/6062857971.html - $175 (says it was ridden 3 times)

I personally think there's a ton of value in looking at used, and it looks like you may have your choice of a number of good or claimed "like new" examples.

hokiefyd 

Even if you buy one of the used ones and put all new brake and shifter cables and housings, install a new trigger shifter if the twist shifter is not easy to operate, and put new tires and tubes on it, you're looking at $75-100's worth of parts, and you'll still be well under the $380 spend on a new one.

snow_echo_NY

twowheelingtots.com

^^ Natalie has tested and reviewed the bikes with kid subjects and puts it together in a thorough way to comparison shop and use your dollars wisely. best of luck

Robert A

Good website. Would like to see some comparisons to the more common brands being carried in Los Angeles -- Trek and Specialized.

syncro87

I just picked up a Liv Enchant 20 Lite for our daughter. I couldn't justify $500 for a Woom or Islabike, given how quick she'll probably outgrow the thing--but at the same time, I didn't want to buy crap. The Liv at $200 seemed like a good compromise point on the price/quality continuum. The 24" version they had looked decent for $230, and would seem to me to be a pretty good option for kids slightly older than ours.

I wanted something without a suspension fork, not insanely heavy, with gears, decent quality.

I'll be happy to spring for something higher-end when it will be something she'll ride for a longer time.

atbman

For what it's worth, as a general principle, I agree with forumers who are against suspension forks. At the price most people are prepared to pay, they're heavy and undamped and tend to act like pogo sticks. Our kids club has found that they can also encourage kids to ride at speeds beyond their skill level, so any fall is likely to be more painful.
They can better develop their bike handling skills at lower speeds with rigid forks, so that when/if they move onto a bike with decent sus forks, they have the skills to control the bike over rough ground at higher speeds.
And never, ever buy one with full suspension unless you're prepared to spend silly money, because I've not come across one yet which isn't a bike-shaped object and doesn't weigh a ton (metaphorically)

XCSKIBUM

My 8 year old granddaughter loves her WOOM 4. She even geared down on the fly and climbed a pretty steep hill without stopping. I swapped out the twist grip shifter for a thumb shifter and she is catching on to the "gears" quite nicely. If you order direct from WOOM, you can get the thumb shifters as OEM.

nolan7120

Slight hijack here but am guessing the OP has already picked up a bike for his kid so don't feel too bad about jumping in. I just picked up a used bike and got burned on it. The left shifter was broke and after replacing it, the rear wheel hub became stripped, necessitating a new rear wheel. I'm buying a used bike for $30 just for parts in an attempt to repair it. Anyway, I also am looking at new bikes to get her.

Since she'll outgrow this in 4-5 years, it doesn't have to be a super expensive bike. I was looking at two different models. They are:

Nikishi Girls' Pueblo Mountain Bike 24" (Dick's Sporting Goods) $180

or

Schwinn Girls' Ranger 24" Mountain Bike (Target) $200

I would've linked the bikes directly but Bike Forums says I can't post links until I have 10 posts. Between these two models, which should I go with? Please don't say neither and then suggest a bike twice as expensive. Thanks.

Clarkrw3

try and find a xs 26" bike...they make all the difference to young ones

Viich

What is wrong with the used bike, and what make and model was it? It might be worth putting money into fixing the bike rather than buy one of these.

snow_echo_NY

Specialized hotrock is in the comparison list if you look. i don't know about Trek.
I second the Woom. although for a big 8 year old i would look at the specs and perhaps go for a Woom 5. you can look at Natalie's website to assist you with sizing, she has so many articles that explain just about everything. my daughter is on a Woom 4 (a 20") as well and she's 6.

the gearing plus hand brakes was a lot. i wish i had just kept single speed and added hand brakes and then the next bike i would have gotten both hand brakes and gearing. it is a lot for a little kid to deal with, and we had a lot of sad cries as a result.

Woom is great as they offer a buy back program. most other kids bikes do not.

Other bikes we tried and were going to go for was the early rider belter urban 20" - but they only make a trail 24" so that's out of the question as they're already pricey as it is. the internal hub is really nice as is the shifting and the brakes. it's by far the best bike we tested.

however my daughter liked the woom b/c she got to pick a color which she was psyched for - purple. we like the company and the philosophy.

@Robert_A what did you end up getting for your little one?