glockman
I hate Jeep trucks
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
Some kids are different. I have 4 boys. 3 of them love bikes. One is totally not interested. Luckily he is 17 now and really likes race cars, I guess that can also be a negative.
KIDS BIKES
- Thread starter Gravy
- Start date
Some kids are different. I have 4 boys. 3 of them love bikes. One is totally not interested. Luckily he is 17 now and really likes race cars, I guess that can also be a negative.
Corban_White
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Payson, AZ
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
I settled on a Spawn Ruiju in black.
Everything else was a compromise or completely sold out (this is really a problem with almost all bike companies who's suppliers are in Asian countries. i.e. not shipping frames).
Things that were a must for my boy:
Cool color.
At or below 20lbs. (He's 40lbs. I'm picky about 3 lbs on a dirtbike, Can you imagine how riding a bike that weighs half of your weight feels?)
19" standover (he's 5yrs old and doesn't want to rack himself and ALL the others I looked at were 22"+)
2.0+ tires. (I liked the Saracen for example but it had 1.9" tires so I would have to add another $80 for 2.3 tires and more if I wanted discs).
Disc brakes.
114mm-125mm crank length. (This is a must as I found longer lengths on lots of bikes my boy rode made his hips rock back and forth and bent his knees WAY high up close to the seat with his low seat height.) I think correct crank length- sized to your kid's height is key for power and enjoyment.
Good components:
I don't want something I would have to change immediately. (i.e good pedals, good kid sized seat, quick release seat post, good tires, SMALL actual kid sized levers.)
I can add a Spinner Grind Air 20 50mm fork later if I feel he needs it (and it's only $140 with remote lockout)
I love Spawn Cycles. They are 100% kid committed. Designed in Squamish B.C. and the US distribution center is in SLC.
Whenever I've had a question I've been able to call and talk to a human person who sells KID bikes only and their kids ride bikes.
The bikes are LIGHT and Tough for my little destroyer.
Everything else was a compromise or completely sold out (this is really a problem with almost all bike companies who's suppliers are in Asian countries. i.e. not shipping frames).
Things that were a must for my boy:
Cool color.
At or below 20lbs. (He's 40lbs. I'm picky about 3 lbs on a dirtbike, Can you imagine how riding a bike that weighs half of your weight feels?)
19" standover (he's 5yrs old and doesn't want to rack himself and ALL the others I looked at were 22"+)
2.0+ tires. (I liked the Saracen for example but it had 1.9" tires so I would have to add another $80 for 2.3 tires and more if I wanted discs).
Disc brakes.
114mm-125mm crank length. (This is a must as I found longer lengths on lots of bikes my boy rode made his hips rock back and forth and bent his knees WAY high up close to the seat with his low seat height.) I think correct crank length- sized to your kid's height is key for power and enjoyment.
Good components:
I don't want something I would have to change immediately. (i.e good pedals, good kid sized seat, quick release seat post, good tires, SMALL actual kid sized levers.)
I can add a Spinner Grind Air 20 50mm fork later if I feel he needs it (and it's only $140 with remote lockout)
I love Spawn Cycles. They are 100% kid committed. Designed in Squamish B.C. and the US distribution center is in SLC.
Whenever I've had a question I've been able to call and talk to a human person who sells KID bikes only and their kids ride bikes.
The bikes are LIGHT and Tough for my little destroyer.
Last edited:
Tonkaman
Well-Known Member
- Location
- West Jordan
I think you made the best choice. The fact that they only make kids bikes really solidifies their commitment to a quality product.
UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
I’m looking for a mountain/street bike for my 8 year old son. He sat on a 24” bike and it seemed to fit good. I’m done with Walmart bikes but not ready for a car payment either. I’d say $300 tops. Looking new and used. Don’t need suspension, discs, etc.
just spent $200 flat proofing my daughters bikes and will have to do that with this one as well I’m sure. So maybe I need a $200 bike.
Any advice?
just spent $200 flat proofing my daughters bikes and will have to do that with this one as well I’m sure. So maybe I need a $200 bike.
Any advice?
- Location
- Vehicular limbo
Giant has a 24" bike for $300 - https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/xtc-jr-24-lite. Most everything else looks to start at $350 and go up, but there are several name brand bikes in that $350 to $500 range.
If you're willing to buy used, check out the Salt Lake Bike Collective. They're a non-profit that tries to get bikes to folks that need the. They take donations, fix them up, and sell the better ones to help cover the cost of the operation. You might find a really good bike for the kid, and if he finds one that comes in a little higher than you want to spend they have volunteer "earn a bike" programs he could get involved with.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
Just curious.
How did you spend $200 flat proofing your daughter's bike? Sounds futuristic
My kids don't have $400 video gaming machines, laptops, or tablets and I'm not spending thousands on team sports gear and coaching.
Their bikes get handed down through three boys and then still have some significant resale.
So for me it's buy once cry once. But definitely different kids will have different priorities.
You're definitely smart to ditch the Walmart bikes.
There is nothing worse than having to waste time to fix a cheap bike every time you want to go on a family ride.
It is literally amazing how much less friction a well engineered bike has. We just took my 3 year old on a 9 mile ride around Pineview on Sunday and other than water breaks to get a sip from the camelback he never stopped!
Prevelo has some good choices also check on Chainreaction.com
Last edited:
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
New bike day!
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
The boys loved assembly.
The thing I was worrying about was shifting.
And he's already shifting pretty intuitively.
Easier/ harder seems to be the way to explain.
As you can see the 19" seat height is key for a 5 year old.
The thing I was worrying about was shifting.
And he's already shifting pretty intuitively.
Easier/ harder seems to be the way to explain.
As you can see the 19" seat height is key for a 5 year old.
UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
Two bikes. $50 per tire. No idea if that's a good price or not. The guy that did it came highly recommended by a neighbor that was having the same thorn issue that my kids were having. He hasn't had a flat since he had it done, two years ago. That's worth it to me.
Kevin, the Bicycle Collective has one he is really interested in. It's a Trek 820 for $175. They are calling it a 13" bike. I guess that's the frame size. We are used to looking at wheel size, so hopefully it fits. We have an appointment on Saturday.
- Location
- Vehicular limbo
You're right, when they say 13" they're talking about a frame size, and that would be an Extra Small. It'll still probably have 26" wheels and not the 24" you were thinking of, but if it fits him and he likes it...
Trek 820 is a solid frame. New ones run $400 right now, so for $175 I'd look for that one to have upgraded components with lots of life left.
That looks like a perfect seat height for him. We need to get our kids together and go ride!
Tonkaman
Well-Known Member
- Location
- West Jordan
I get what your saying, but I don’t agree with that mentality. I think it’s too important to setup a kid for success with the right equipment. In my opinion it’s just north worth getting a bike that’s big now, so it fits next year, and sell it a year after it’s been too small.
ID Bronco
Registered User
- Location
- Idaho Falls, ID
I have 5 kids so I have been through both of these scenarios many times. For me it was easier since I knew I could pass a good bike down to my own kids and get years of use out of it. Sucks for the younger kids, they never get new ones since the hand me downs are awesome bikes (whatever else I'm buying) I went with a cheap bike once, it sucked so bad my kid thought he didn't like riding, truth was, he didn't like riding that one. We are not serious bicycle enthusiasts, we ride for fun off and on, but a good quality, good fitting bike is best. If you can afford it. If not, it's ok, my first bike was a second hand piece of junk and I rode it and many other bikes into the ground. Do what you can, when you can. Iv'e realized it's alright if my kids don't have the best of everything. (but the kid in me wants them to)
ChestonScout
opinions are like Jeeps..
- Location
- Clinton, Ut
My boy is needing a MT bike. Just seeing if anything is available used before we buy new
He is 10
looking at 26” with a small frame most likely
I don’t want to spend a ton.
anything?
He is 10
looking at 26” with a small frame most likely
I don’t want to spend a ton.
anything?
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
What's your budget
ChestonScout
opinions are like Jeeps..
- Location
- Clinton, Ut
like to be under 300-500 or so. He just rides around the neighborhood and is starting to ride in the hills a little. I don’t think he needs super fancy. Just needs to work
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
What about a 24"?
