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Looking for a decent mountain bike for 9 year old girl. Height 132cm and inside leg 62cm. Main criteria is it needs to be light - so many kids bikes weigh a ton! Wondering about 26 inch wheels vs smaller? Islabikes do some smart stuff but no idea re weight. Local bike shop has very little to try and it all seems poor quality and heavier than some adult bikes!?
Suggestions please! Thanks.
I wouldn't go with 26" wheels at that height.
can you imagine if someome switched your bike frame for one with too long a reach and no stand-over that you'd have to slam the saddle to ride then lengthened your cranks by 50%?
everyone will say Islabikes, I prefered my kids to have a suspension fork on their mountainbikes.
@GW - thanks. I had same feeling re the wheel size. Any advice on brand etc?
I bought my 10 year old one of these last year, she loves it has a problem with the gripshift... to be fair, i would too!
http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/destiny
Predictably, I'm going to say Islabike. My 10 year old rides a Beinn 24, and rode a Beinn 20 up to this year. Both bikes have been through 2 kids relatively unscathed.
Controls are light and sized to a child's hand, and the bike is very light. No fancy bits, just a bike. When we go camping, all the other kids on the campsite want to ride the Islabikes, because they're so fast. Friend's (tall) daughter had a Beinn 26 small when she was 9, and that fitted well.
And when you're ready to sell, they're easy to resell for a decent price.
Just been looking at 24" wheeled bikes for my nine in October daughter.
Top of the list at the moment is Spesh Hotrock A1 FS.
These reviews at [url= http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/kids?searchTerm=&searchType=productSearch&productBrand=&sortBy=publishedDate&dateFromYear=2008&_brc=0&productPriceFrom=&productPriceTo=&submit=Search ]Bikeradar have weights for the bikes tested.[/url]
The Islabikes look great but the lack of suss fork on the 24" wheel bikes puts me off.
kona hula, specialized hotrock 24, trek mt220, or a scott. All great bikes and suitable for technical riding.
If she is the oldest, i'd buy any of the above new after a test ride - all around £300. If the youngest, i'd buy second hand off ebay.
We bought a kona hula. It has done two boys and survived tbe worst that Swinley can throw at it!
I'd suggest Islabikes as well.
They're very light. And I don't think she would miss the lack of suspension fork.