Any latest kids' MTB recommendations?

[Murph7355]

Time for another bike for the kids and think my 9yr old is ready for an MTB.

He's had a couple of Islabikes and they've been superb. With the price of the Creig I'm looking at alternatives

Thus far, from searches on here and general Google, the options seem to be:

- Islabikes Creig 26
- Dawes Academy 26 MTB
- self-build of "something" (least preferable option though a possibility)

Any others?

11kg seems to be about the weight marker, and something with suitably kid sized components too (I think both of these were winners with previous Islabikes). Not fussed on suspension options - I suspect front suspension may be handy.

Edited to add...used or new are both options. Creig type prices or less!

[PomBstard]

How big/tall is he? My daughter was just gone 10 when she started riding a secondhand FS Trek, adult size M, with 26” wheels. My 7-y-o son can just about ride the same bike, although it’s clearly too big for him. Might be more choice out there than going for kids-specific stuff.

[Murph7355]

PomBstard said:

How big/tall is he? My daughter was just gone 10 when she started riding a secondhand FS Trek, adult size M, with 26” wheels. My 7-y-o son can just about ride the same bike, although it’s clearly too big for him. Might be more choice out there than going for kids-specific stuff.

138cm or so, reasonably long legs.

The thing I've found to date with (decent) kids stuff is that it tends to be lighter, but also the cranks, handlebars, levers etc tend to be better sized for them.

[PomBstard]

Murph7355 said:

138cm or so, reasonably long legs.

The thing I've found to date with (decent) kids stuff is that it tends to be lighter, but also the cranks, handlebars, levers etc tend to be better sized for them.

Fair enough though none of my three have had a problem with any of that so far.

Smaller bikes tend to come with smaller cranks which helps, and bars can be cut down to suit the rider.

A bike with a 1x set up is easier to learn and manage, and hydraulic disc brakes make stopping a doddle for little fingers.

A small/medium adult hardtail shouldn’t weigh too much if it was a half-decent frame to begin with and often the weight is in the cheap forks that are put on kids bikes, which negates all the kid-friendly components.

My daughter only has an FS frame to manage her limb difference, whereas her older sister has been on an 18” hardtail since the age of 10. Both bikes have decent forks, and the HT comes in at around 11kg, the FS around 13kg.

I only suggest this as a way to open up more options - you’ll be looking for a bigger bike in about a year…

[Matt_N]

Carrera Blast 24” wheel always seem to pop up on the various groups I’m in and this one looks pretty good:





https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/52543502...

[Murph7355]

PomBstard said:

...

I only suggest this as a way to open up more options - you’ll be looking for a bigger bike in about a year…

Definitely being considered - appreciate the input.

Matt_N said:

Carrera Blast 24” wheel always seem to pop up on the various groups I’m in and this one looks pretty good:...

Thanks - will take a look at these too.


(Dawes on my list above is scratched off - I knew it was a discontinued bike but thought I'd found somewhere with old new stock....turns out there was nothing).

[Fat hippo]

I went down the route of self build for my 9 year old. Started last year as was supposed to be an 8th birthday present but not finished on time.

As a retro mtb fan myself, my son was heavily brainwashed into the idea.

The frame is a lightweight steel frame from c1995 and fully built weighs around 17lbs.
I tried to keep it period correct but ended up with some modern concessions to carbon as my son loves carbon.

Mainly retro XTR, new wheels built onto new set of Campagnolo rims, plus also some trick parts Chris King, CarbonTi to help keep the weight down.

Did a complete strip down of the original bike as was very tired and sourced the replacement parts either new or on ebay.
Did a bare metal re-spray on the frame to get it looking new ago. Really pleased with it

Edited by Fat hippo on Wednesday 28th July 12:35

[Russ_H]

I built my lads 26er as new ones seemed to have too many compromises unless you spend ££££. Mainly eBay bargains, hand me downs with a few new parts. Built with weight in mind to help with the climbs - came in at 9kg which I’m pretty happy with

Spec......

Giant Talon XS frame (surprisingly light)
Rock shox SID 100mm forks
Fulcrum Red Carbon wheels (Sweet!!)
XT 11 speed group set inc. brakes
Schwalbe Rocket Ron’s tubeless
Islabike chainset & titanium BB
Carbon bars and seatpost.

[vwsurfbum]

A Trek Marlin is a great value starter bike, if you get the 27.5 you'll be able to stay current with tyres, forks etc as getting 26" stuff is getting harder.

[Austin_Metro]

Russ and fat hippo, very impressed by your builds. Without wishing to go off thread too much, what sort of cost are you talking for these bespoke bikes?

[Russ_H]

Austin_Metro said:

Russ and fat hippo, very impressed by your builds. Without wishing to go off thread too much, what sort of cost are you talking for these bespoke bikes?

Around £850. Although have subsequently serviced the forks and replaced some wheel bearings.
There's also some man maths going on with the hand me down parts. Call it £1000 all in.

Considering the wheels were £2000+ originally and there's a full XT groupset it's not too bad.

[Fat hippo]

Austin_Metro said:

Russ and fat hippo, very impressed by your builds. Without wishing to go off thread too much, what sort of cost are you talking for these bespoke bikes?

I think I managed about £1,000. Re-spray was £200ish with small rust repair but looks brand new. Bought it cheap and got a few quid for selling original groupset and brakes.

Main problem was the time taken. Took about a year mainly due to the respray and the frame going in just before lockdown.

Plus, if you are being picky on the retro parts that you are happy to use, it can be a but of a waiting game on ebay for the right item to come up.

But so much more satisfying than buying off the shelf.

I picked up this frame for little brother for when he is big enough (not sure if you are into retro mtbs)

[Austin_Metro]

Russ_H said:

Around £850. Although have subsequently serviced the forks and replaced some wheel bearings.
There's also some man maths going on with the hand me down parts. Call it £1000 all in.

Considering the wheels were £2000+ originally and there's a full XT groupset it's not too bad.

Thanks. I wondered how strong the man maths was in that. It’s full cycling man maths… a particularly strong type!

[Austin_Metro]

Fat hippo said:

I think I managed about £1,000. Re-spray was £200ish with small rust repair but looks brand new. Bought it cheap and got a few quid for selling original groupset and brakes.

Main problem was the time taken. Took about a year mainly due to the respray and the frame going in just before lockdown.

Plus, if you are being picky on the retro parts that you are happy to use, it can be a but of a waiting game on ebay for the right item to come up.

But so much more satisfying than buying off the shelf.

I picked up this frame for little brother for when he is big enough (not sure if you are into retro mtbs)

Looks great.

You and russ look like experts and have ended up with something fantastic.

[Russ_H]

Fat hippo said:

Main problem was the time taken. Took about a year mainly due to the respray and the frame going in just before lockdown.

Agree with the time taken, I started sourcing parts for his 26er as soon as I'd finished his 24er.
Was also pre lockdown and when 26er parts were cheap

[Fat hippo]

Russ_H said:

Fat hippo said:

Main problem was the time taken. Took about a year mainly due to the respray and the frame going in just before lockdown.

Agree with the time taken, I started sourcing parts for his 26er as soon as I'd finished his 24er.
Was also pre lockdown and when 26er parts were cheap

Its a bit of a labour of love. When i’m done with it i’ll either strip it down for parts and sell it on ebay or retrobike so should get most of my money back.
Alternatively, I may just buy a larger retro frame for my son and move the parts across.

It’s just more satisying. Having said that if I wasn’t into bikes myself I’d be going straight into a shop myself…

[Murph7355]

Managed to get to a shop that had a few different sizes in stock...

Looks like an XS adult bike with 27" wheels would be the best bet, which I think opens things up a bit.

Bars were too wide for him. Will Google but am assuming I could just swap these out for a narrower set (could cut down easily but may be worth keeping the wider ones for later).

Also, how much benefit/sense is there in shorter length crank arms? I'd have thought shorter ones might make it slightly harder to turn them, all other things being equal?

[Fat hippo]

Murph7355 said:

Managed to get to a shop that had a few different sizes in stock...

Looks like an XS adult bike with 27" wheels would be the best bet, which I think opens things up a bit.

Bars were too wide for him. Will Google but am assuming I could just swap these out for a narrower set (could cut down easily but may be worth keeping the wider ones for later).

Also, how much benefit/sense is there in shorter length crank arms? I'd have thought shorter ones might make it slightly harder to turn them, all other things being equal?

The shorter cranks keep everything in proportion. The other thing is the Q factor which i believe is how wide apart the pedals will be. This is dependant on bottom bracket width plus the cranks - whether the cranks taper outwards or curve back in. If the Q factor is too high then your son could get knee problems as his legs wont be going up and down in a rotating motion but also slightly out and then back in.

On my sons build, I went with dedicated childrens cranks which was one of the factors that increased cost of the build

[JT68S]

Frog 62 or 69 MTB
Orbea Lauffey Junior
Whyte 403

All great bikes

[Murph7355]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

I'll possibly look at a self build for his next bike if he's showing more of an interest in building things. Meanwhile...

JT68S said:

Frog 62 or 69 MTB
Orbea Lauffey Junior
Whyte 403

All great bikes

More Googling from the suggestions everyone made and the Whyte looked interesting. And there was a store close to where I was on Saturday that actually had one in stock (stock of youth sized mountain bikes is tight everywhere at present it seems).

Popped over to take a look and it fitted him perfectly.

Hydraulic brakes, air fork, pretty light. The handlebars are narrower than an adult bike and the cranks are shorter - it seems very, very similar to the Islabike Creig 26 only for less money than the Creigs are selling for used. We had a chance to try an XS adult bike and he looked much, much more comfortable on the Whyte.

The frame had a matt orange finish which looks great against the black components, so my lad was very happy with that too. I think he'll get a good few years out of this one.

His brother now gets his Beinn 20L for a few years and then we'll see where we're at

Thanks again for all the suggestions.