Madness to do Bike Park Wales on a bike with no suspension?

[JQ]

I'm thinking of taking my 10 year old son to BPW over October half term. He's currently riding a Frog 69 - very light and has 26" wheels, but absolutely no suspension and is on rim brakes. (https://www.frogbikes.com/lightweight-kids-bikes/hybrid-bikes/frog69.aspx) He's had a couple of hardtails in the past but they've weighed more than my bike which has made riding uphill more painful than it should be, and generally the suspension is crap.

He's a good little rider and is happy on the black run at Llandegla and has done the North Face Trail at Grizedale. He'd likely only do the blue runs and maybe some reds at BPW.

Would I be guilty of child cruelty getting him to do it on his own bike or should I be hiring him a super duper full suspension ladies bike which will likely be little too big for him?

[Ian_sUK]

Be fine on the blues and some of the reds but saying that I would still look to rent if you can get one small enough. Take the lad's bike and if it's too rough then look to rent. I take it you will be on the uplift anyway so weight won't matter.

ETA: a lot of it will be like parallel universe at llangdegla but much longer.

Edited by Ian_sUK on Sunday 16th September 19:28

[P-Jay]

Blues should be fine, they’re mostly very smooth bar some carefully placed rock gardens that look rougher than they are. Brakes can be more of an issue, runs are long and blue are FAST if you want them to be, you can hit 40mph in places.

Reds I would avoid, they’ve been getting into ‘progression’ a lot of late and the reds have been upgraded, most have unavoidable drops and jumps and/or loose rocks and harder gardens, would be murder on a rigid bike, even for a bouncy 10 year old.

Still blues are ace and there’s loads of them.

[threadlock]

We used to ride trails like the ones at BPW when I was a kid, long before bikes had suspension. If I could do them on a Muddy Fox Courier that was a bit too big for me then I'm sure your lad will be fine on a modern rigid bike

[Sa Calobra]

I don't rate llandegla.

I rate bike park Wales.

Hire him a decent bike. It'll magnify his day ten fold.

Life's too short to ride fully rigids on fast, flowing and technical trails. Fully rigids are fun but not the right tool for bpw.

[C722]

Even parts of the blue trails can be rough on a full sus, I'd stay well clear on a rigid bike. See if they rent small full suspension bikes there?

[JQ]

Problem solved, having spoken to BPW they stopped renting kids bikes a few years ago. The smallest they have is a ladies XS which starts at 5' 1". My lad is 4' 9" so the rental bike is likely to be too big and probably quite heavy for him.

Looks like he's doing it Old Skool.

[sjg]

Yep, while some parts of the blues are fairly smooth there's plenty that's chattery enough to cause my hands problems even on a full suspension bike. Brakes would be the other concern, there's some steep/fast stuff and that's tough if you need 2 or 3 fingers to brake properly.

He might manage it OK on that bike, but if he'll fit an adult small then he'd have a much better time on a rental.

[Fetchez la vache]

If he's riding blacks a degla then buy him a new bike for being such a hero and don't be such a tight-arse
Some good deals on 2018 bikes at the mo. 'tis the offloading season before the new lot come in.

Dads are supposed to spoil their kids...
.. that's what my girls tell me anyway

[dhutch]

Are you doing uplift?

[JQ]

Fetchez la vache said:

If he's riding blacks a degla then buy him a new bike for being such a hero and don't be such a tight-arse
Some good deals on 2018 bikes at the mo. 'tis the offloading season before the new lot come in.

Dads are supposed to spoil their kids...
.. that's what my girls tell me anyway

Unfortunately it's a fine balancing act, his Callaway golf clubs weren't cheap, nor his Predator footy boots, nor his piano, nor motocross lessons, nor his kickboxing kit, nor his current bike . BPW is a one off - he ain't getting a bike a new bike out of it !! He does get spoiled but there's a bloody limit. Having had crappy front suspension bikes in the past he'd be looking at something north of £500 that he'd outgrow in 18 months - no chance.

[JQ]

dhutch said:

Are you doing uplift?

I'm tight, I'm not fking evil. That really would be cruel.

[P-Jay]

FYI if you did want a suspension fork.

The cheapest 'not st' fork is the RST F1rst, they make a couple, but not one with steel sanctions.

It's about the only affordable fork you can get in 24" so they're quite popular with kids bikes, they make a 26" version too. Disc and rim brake compatible.

[dhutch]

JQ said:

I'm tight, I'm not fking evil. That really would be cruel.

As someone now just into the 30's and desk based, I think making some one cycle up is cruel.... ... but fair enough.

I go with a high-spec'd specialised pitch (all mountain full sus) but if you pick the right trails there plenty to do a day there if you can ride degla, afan, fod etc.


Daniel

[JQ]

dhutch said:

As someone now just into the 30's and desk based, I think making some one cycle up is cruel.... ... but fair enough.

Daniel

Apologies, I was trying to be funny - I may have missed the mark.

We're going to BPW so he can do the uplift, we do Llandegla and a few others together but for a 10 year old it's really hard work. I want him to enjoy the downhill without being knackered. But there's a limit on how much I'm prepared to spend as it's already 8 hours driving, 2 nights in a hotel, 4 sets of uplifts and restaurant food for 3 days, whilst his little brother's stuck at home at holiday club.

Although this does look rather nice - https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/TCw8C9QrGt20EEPC...

[Sa Calobra]

If you are near Manchester I've got body armour/suit that may fithim if you want to borrow?

[JQ]

Sa Calobra said:

If you are near Manchester I've got body armour of my son's that may fit him if you want to borrow?

That's very kind of you, we are Manchester based, but after a few over the handlebar trips when we first started out he's fully kitted out now.

[dhutch]

JQ said:

Apologies, I was trying to be funny - I may have missed the mark.

We're going to BPW so he can do the uplift, we do Llandegla and a few others together but for a 10 year old it's really hard work. I want him to enjoy the downhill without being knackered. But there's a limit on how much I'm prepared to spend as it's already 8 hours driving, 2 nights in a hotel, 4 sets of uplifts and restaurant food for 3 days, whilst his little brother's stuck at home at holiday club.

Although this does look rather nice - https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/TCw8C9QrGt20EEPC...

Fair, I am at work and answering between waiting for the CAD to load. Plenty of people do ride up it, mad fools!

Such a hard line to know what to spend. Not blessed with any kids yet but obviously you can't do a £1200 bike every year, certainly not if its only one of many hobbies, and while secondhand bikes can be amazing (as my pitch was, actually, thanks pinkbike) its always a lottery.


Daniel

[Sa Calobra]

Buy secondhand 6yr old 26'er full sussers in XS or small and it isn't that expensive.

You can buy a decent Fox F&R full susser for circa 500 in good condition

[velocgee]

Having done BPW with my 10yo on his Whyte 403 I’d say you’d be pushing it having him do it on fully rigid. Steer clear of the reds and more technical blues such as Willy Waver.