Womens bike for small teenage boy
12-05-20, 08:11 AM
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Womens bike for small teenage boy
Looking for advice. My son is 14 and 5'2" and I would like to get him riding but do not want to drop a bunch of money for him to not enjoy it. There are plenty of 48 to 52 cm bikes on Craigslist but "womens". To my knowledge, the only difference is frame geometry and the smaller frame is what I need.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Anyone have any thoughts?
12-05-20, 08:14 AM
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Looking for advice. My son is 14 and 5'2" and I would like to get him riding but do not want to drop a bunch of money for him to not enjoy it. There are plenty of 48 to 52 cm bikes on Craigslist but "womens". To my knowledge, the only difference is frame geometry and the smaller frame is what I need.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Anyone have any thoughts?
Just don't get anything too crappy. Aim for a raleigh at a minimum.
Etc. No huffy or supercycle)
12-05-20, 01:04 PM
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The majority of boys his age prefer BMX bikes, which have the advantage that essentially the same size fits everyone from 8 years old up.
Of course, if it's his idea to get a geared bike rather than yours, that's a different story. In any event, I wouldn't buy a women's bike for him with consulting him first, unless you think he wouldn't mind being mercilessly teased by his peers.
Of course, if it's his idea to get a geared bike rather than yours, that's a different story. In any event, I wouldn't buy a women's bike for him with consulting him first, unless you think he wouldn't mind being mercilessly teased by his peers.
12-05-20, 01:13 PM
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It seems all the manufacturers that offered "women" frames have stopped. Just as different manufacturers has different geometry for a specified size, you need to find one that fits the specific person. Doesn't matter if they have a slot or a tab 
When it comes to used and low end, you have to take what you can find.
When my son was 14 he bought a new Specialized Allez with money he got when becoming a Eagle Scout. He raced that bike and won many races against riders with very expensive bikes.
When it comes to used and low end, you have to take what you can find.
When my son was 14 he bought a new Specialized Allez with money he got when becoming a Eagle Scout. He raced that bike and won many races against riders with very expensive bikes.
12-05-20, 01:33 PM
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What does the boy want?
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12-05-20, 02:01 PM
#7
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Do they still make very many "women's" bikes anymore (the kind with the sloping top tube)? I sure don't see many of them except for the ones ridden by adult women who I assume have owned them awhile already.
Last edited by Reflector Guy; 12-05-20 at 03:00 PM.
12-05-20, 02:23 PM
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No reason not to if your son likes the bike. Two of my sons had women's bikes and rode the heck out of them. My youngest son (12 y/o) still rides a women's Schwinn Suburban. Neither one was even aware they were riding a women's bike, and their friends & classmates didn't notice either. Kids don't seem to think in those terms about bikes anymore. It's just a bike.
12-05-20, 11:22 PM
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My wife and son are both 5’1” , and what I found is that most 700c wheel ‘women’s bikes’ road bikes don’t work out too well because the reach is still too long.
The 650c wheel bikes fit much better. I just bought a 47cm 2002 Cannondale R500 with 650c wheels for my son. The full name of that model was the ‘R500 Feminine’, but of course I didn’t tell my son that
So keep your eyes peeled for a mid 90’s to mid 2000’s Cannondale or Trek with 650c wheels. Felt also made a 650c road bike from the mid 2010’s to now(?) Fuji Ace and Windsor too but those are lower grade bikes.
The 650c wheel bikes fit much better. I just bought a 47cm 2002 Cannondale R500 with 650c wheels for my son. The full name of that model was the ‘R500 Feminine’, but of course I didn’t tell my son that
So keep your eyes peeled for a mid 90’s to mid 2000’s Cannondale or Trek with 650c wheels. Felt also made a 650c road bike from the mid 2010’s to now(?) Fuji Ace and Windsor too but those are lower grade bikes.
Last edited by icemilkcoffee; 12-05-20 at 11:34 PM.
12-06-20, 10:26 PM
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As an actual 14 yr old boy I think you would be fine getting him a "women's" bike as long as it isn't obviously a women's bike (says woman somewhere on it or is hot pink). I hope he enjoys cycling!
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12-07-20, 03:21 PM
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I'm 5'4" and really dig '90s steel mountain bikes with 26" wheels. They made some badass bikes in the day; one might suit him.
If the OP would tell us the city he lives in, I'm sure we'd be happy to help him find some options.
If the OP would tell us the city he lives in, I'm sure we'd be happy to help him find some options.
