Another kid's bike build…..

Evening all. Thought I’d share our newly finished 14″ build for my 9 yr old lad. I had some forks, brakes and other bits, and bought a brand new frame from Bike discount for 79€.Frame is 27.5″ but seems fine running 26″. Fancy crest/hope 3 wheels, carbon bar, stem and seat post all came from classifieds here, thanks all. Cranks are the ever popular 152mm sun tour ones off amazon, brand new seat, chain, cassette and chainring. Skiddaw in the background, seen from our front garden!

image by Tom Blakely[/url], on Flickr

image by Tom Blakely[/url], on Flickr

Worth knowing if you are considering doing the same: frame came with no hardware- bottle cage bolts, under bb cable guide etc, but these were easily found. I hadn’t realised modern rear mechs mount differently to old ones. My 9-speed XT is unused but a few years old, and my friendly LBS had to bodge a long b-screw to make it work with the new frame, which should have a direct mount rear mech:

image by Tom Blakely[/url], on Flickr

*likes*

What does it weigh?

Nice piece of kit that!

Re the frame hardware – just email bike discount and they will post it out.

Nice build!

I’ll try to weigh it tomorrow. Hefting the bits (far more accurate than scales….) suggested: frame: heavier than I might have thought, wheels: lush light, cranks: heavy but better once 3x steel rings removed. The forks are dual air Rebas, and not too bad. Overall now when I lift the whole thing, seems light.

Like! and book-marked

Nice one dad!! 😀

Nice front garden…

Hi

Just wondering about the cranks that you mentioned – are they these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Suntour-RBR604-Triple-Chainset-Black/dp/B004XVPPH0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1518678253&sr=8-5&keywords=suntour+152mm+crank

If so, do you know what the BCD is to fit an N/W ring?

Many thanks

Very nice build!  Good work!

Just wondering about the cranks that you mentioned – are they these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Suntour-RBR604-Triple-Chainset-Black/dp/B004XVPPH0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1518678253&sr=8-5&keywords=suntour+152mm+crank

Those rings look riveted onto the arms. Try the XCT Jr chainset instead.

My experience of Suntour cranks isn’t good.

Depending on their legs you can get a proper crank/external BB in SRAM from 155mm or if you need shorter cut down some square tapers (SRAM S600’s are cheap but compared to the Suntour kids ones feel better engineered in every way possible)

It’s actually a lot easier than you might expect cutting down solid cranks.  Main thing you need is a decent drill you can control the speed that will take a 13mm bit.  (If you don’t have a 13mm bit and taps I’d lend them to you for return post)

You can also cut down Zee’s but the weight saving isn’t really worth it over the S600’s

I’ve also cut down some old Alivio cranks I got for £12 … about the same weight as the SRAM’s but didn’t need them (after putting the Zee’s on the DH bike) and gave them away on here.

Shiny!  Was very tempted to get one of those and swap all the bits from the 24″ bike my boy is currently riding.

Would you be so good as to measure standover and actual top tube length?

That Cube frame looks good, my lad is just 9 and getting into biking. I can transfer the kit off his old bike.

Not the forks though and I don’t have any in the parts bin.

What are people using for forks for their kids bikes, what’s good out there for a reasonable cheap price hopefully around £70 – £100.

Anyone used the Suntours?

Or should I just go for rigid an upgrade later on.

I went for a 24″ Exotic carbon fork.