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Need advise on bikes for kids.

Old 12-01-22, 07:30 PM
  #1  
Millroy
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Need advise on bikes for kids.

New here and to BMX. I rode for a couple years when I was kid… a lot has changed since then.
My kids just finished their first season this fall. Need some advise on bikes my 10 year old rode a vintage haro. 20 inch. Pretty heavy, single piece crank ultimately non buildable. He has a hard race up against kids with more experience and better bikes.
My 6 year old rode a 16 inch we the people bike that I rented from the track every week. He should probably be on an 18 inch.

I’m looking for advise on decent entry level bikes with frames that are worth building up over time without breaking the bank.

I don’t have thousands of dollars…

thanks in advance everyone!
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Old 12-02-22, 10:37 PM
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been a while since we were into BMX

consider a Redline or GT ... ??? ...

we had a Specialized micro and Redline mini ... I believe my youngest had the Specialized micro when he was around 8 yrs old ??? ... but not certain)

attached pic that includes the Specialized micro
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Old 12-03-22, 08:12 AM
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Chuck Naill
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Did they have a good time? I'd have to think there would be parents of older children with bikes for sale.
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Old 12-04-22, 06:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Chuck Naill
Did they have a good time? I'd have to think there would be parents of older children with bikes for sale.
you are correctumundo

often at the tracks there will be bikes for sale - or flyers / etc of race bikes for sale
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Old 12-04-22, 06:53 PM
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our redline mini looked similar to this

Last edited by t2p; 12-04-22 at 06:58 PM.
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Old 12-04-22, 06:57 PM
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our specialized micro/mini looked like this
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Old 12-06-22, 10:31 PM
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Local buy and sell / craig's list / kijiji / facebook marketplace / bmxmuseum.com classifieds.... where are you milroy ?

Find something race-specific. The difference between a 10yo entry level bike and the highest end carbon fibre race bike is far less than the difference between that and the department-store BMX

Even a vintage race-specific bike in the right size is going to be better.

10yo you're probably looking for an "expert" size, the 6yo you probably want to look for a "junior" - the 18" bikes will be too small unless he's far shorter than average.
An older bike you might want to look for shorter cranks, but other than that, just clean, grease, new chain and go. You may need to look at tires, common that the rear has flat spots on older race bikes from kids skidding them.
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Old 12-06-22, 10:46 PM
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Don't have any experience with BMX bikes. It's one of the things I really wish I had experienced as a kid. Skate Boards too...
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Old 12-07-22, 06:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Viich
Local buy and sell / craig's list / kijiji / facebook marketplace / bmxmuseum.com classifieds.... where are you milroy ?

Find something race-specific. The difference between a 10yo entry level bike and the highest end carbon fibre race bike is far less than the difference between that and the department-store BMX

Even a vintage race-specific bike in the right size is going to be better.

10yo you're probably looking for an "expert" size, the 6yo you probably want to look for a "junior" - the 18" bikes will be too small unless he's far shorter than average.
An older bike you might want to look for shorter cranks, but other than that, just clean, grease, new chain and go. You may need to look at tires, common that the rear has flat spots on older race bikes from kids skidding them.
6 yr old - typically a micro or mini

10 yr old - often a mini ... 10 yr old kids with size junior

older than 10 ... some on junior ... many ride the expert sizes (?)

obviously kids vary significantly in size - so above just a guideline
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Old 12-07-22, 06:45 PM
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Old 12-07-22, 06:46 PM
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Old 12-07-22, 07:44 PM
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Old 12-08-22, 09:02 AM
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Originally Posted by t2p
6 yr old - typically a micro or mini

10 yr old - often a mini ... 10 yr old kids with size junior

older than 10 ... some on junior ... many ride the expert sizes (?)

obviously kids vary significantly in size - so above just a guideline
Absolutely agree. Very much depends on individual kid - and I was assuming that 6yo & 10yo finishing season now will be bigger & older when the season starts again in June.... My 10yo was on an expert this year. Might have been a touch on the big size for him, but the junior was too small as well.... and you have to move at some point. Good point on the 6yo, you're right, most 6yo, and some 7yo, should be on a mini.

But ​​​​Millroy - the point is, get them the right size entry level race bike, used and 4+ years old, and you can most likely sell it for about the same as you bought it. The bikes haven't changed much in a while.
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