my eldest is 7 and is going to need a new bike soon. been looking at islabikes, and also the frog bikes. now he’s tall for his age, looks mpre like an 8-9 yr old so could almost fit on a small adults bike perhaps, is this worth pursuing? Kids being kids, its got to look ‘cool’ and frankly the islabikes dont really cut it in the looks stakes…. he wants a mountain bike like daddy and they look a bit meh. i realise a suspension fork is pretty unnecessary and makes the bike heavy, but hes not going to be going on epic all-day rides…

thoughts and links appreciated

MTB’s arent cool, BMX’s are though. Get him one of them!

Search on the forum for ‘Orbea 24 Team’ – there are a few folk on here who have bought them for their kids.

Got one for my lad when he turned 8. Cracking bike with 10 speed Deore – it’s a little bit more XC but he happily rides it on the local 4X track.

Budget is the big question.

I just bought a fantastic small adults ht secondhand for my other halfs 9 year old…. hope hoops with crossmarks and a near on new Sid fork plus brakes with lever reach adjust screws and hey presto a light smooth rolling bike that will last a few years… and he loves it!

could almost fit on a small adults bike perhaps, is this worth pursuing?

Not really. He may fit on a XS or S 14″ frame, but I suspect a 24″ wheeled bike will be a better fit at his age. Kona, Specialized, Scott, Giant all make hardtails that have modest front suspension but are more than capable of trailcentre red runs.

My sister picked up a Specialized Hotrock FSR 24″ for £150, used. It is the coolest kids MTB. Fact.

+1 for the Specialized, in particular the Hotrock 24 Disc, got one for my 8 year old and it is very good. I ditched the bars and stem as they were heavy lumps and fitted some nice adult XC bars and a short stem and some proper high volume tyres and he rides all sorts of stuff in the Alps on it, its holding up very well indeed but is nice and light as well. Looks like a little 4x race bike with the short stem and low rise XC bars 🙂

Just bought my 7 year old daughter a Frog 62 (having always had 2nd hand Specialized bikes and an Islabike 20). The 62 denotes minimum leg size (cm) although standover height is OK for my daughter whose inside leg is a bit shorter. Top tube seems long (haven’t measured) so I’m going to put on a shorter 50mm stem. Useful review of the Frog 62 page 42-45 of Review.

thanks for the input chaps – like the look of the frog bikes, particularly the 60. guessing chunky tyres would improve the look of the 62, as would the islabikees version. he already has a bmx, i want something he can happily pedal down the trails for an hour

Just got a 2013 specialized p street 2 £450 in 13″.

really like the orbea range, could be just the ticket

Commencal Ramones 24

looking at the orbea range, i think the team is probably more than i can get passed the wife, so its down to the ‘XC’ or the ‘Dirt’ I’m leaning towards the dirt as it will be lighter. Am i missing anything obvious?

Focus do some decent kids bikes, liking the 20″ one for LittleMissMC but can’t find one second hand

My lad’s had a second hand Hotrock 24″ for the last two years, been a great bike, cost £110. Just outgrown it at 10 years old, but then he is nearly 5′ already. Which annoys his 4’10” mother 😆

(who has her eye on his bike for when I find him a bigger one…)