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My 8 1/2 year old son has been happily riding is 24" wheeled Isla Beinn since last Christmas but he's having another growth spurt and looking at him on the bike over the weekend it's now looking really quite small.
As I've got a bundle of 26" stuff at home and with Chr*****s in the distance (and his 9th birthday in March) I'm looking at options to build something up. His older sister has a semi retro build 26" which she started riding at around the same sort of age but this time I want something modern. I'll be using disc brakes and have some Fox float 32s which could be reduced in travel and have a tapered steered (I even have a 100mm drop Reverb that he'd be over the moon with).
So all this stuff (which I could sell but for less than it's worth to me) needs a frame it can be fitted to.
I've got as far as a 14" 4560b which although takes bigger wheels ticks every other box. The 26" inbred and 456 would need new forks though.
So has anyone done this kind of thing?
I'm trying to start a what full size kids bike thread and I am looking at the other usual alternatives like a not too aggressive jump frame but the On One route appeals as a new frame with no work needed is a decent price.
Ta.
Wow... he must be massive. My lad is the 3rd tallest in his class and the same age and only recently moved the the Islabikes 24". I think we're a chunk off the 26" version for a while yet !
I'd be looking for something aluminium
I'd look for a 14" frame scandal (the original one for 26" wheels) - being aluminium it'll be lighter
I used a 14" inbred frame for my son when he was about the same age - he is very tall for his age (currently 5'3" at 10yrs). He is still riding it, but the idea was to just get a bigger frame and swap over the bits as he grows. I had some old 26er bits from my old bikes that I used to build it up. I agree that ideally I would have used a Scandal frame (or similar), but found it difficult to find one, and the Inbreds were on sale at the time (there is actually not that much difference in weight anyway).
Our daughter is on an Islabike Beinn 24 and will be 9 in March, but she's still a fair bit off needing a bigger bike. I have however started looking and since I found a home for all my 26" spares, by building myself a SS, I've been looking at potential full bikes.
[url= https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-jarrah-2-2016-mountain-bike-EV244130 ]This[/url] looks like a great option (you could quickly shave some weight off by going 1x). I hope they're still doing an XS HT in a year or so.
I've an 18'' 45650B. Everyone's surprised at how light it feels, don't be put off by the fact it's steel I doubt he'd notice the difference in weight.
I like mine.
I bought an 13" Norco charger frame from Evans for my daughter (turns 9 next year), it's for 27.5" wheels but I build it up with 26" parts, makes it a bit lower, which is probably a good thing. The frame was £90, nice and light, and while it's not finished yet, saddle, handlebar, and pedals are attached, and it doesn't look too big. She will come straight from a 20" Islabike which she still rides, jumping the 24" bikes. The Chargers are not available any longer on Evans, but bike-discount often have Cube frames for cheap, try to look for a 12 or 13" frame there?!
I did a 'parts bin special' upgrade on a 13" Specialized Myka for my daughter:
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/specialized-myka-13-build-for-my-10-year-old-daugher
Think you can get hardrock / rockhopper in 13" too.
Can sometimes be cheaper and easier to buy a whole bike and then swap bits around, than buying a frame and building up...
26" wheeled 14" Scandal here, little rider fits on it (145cm), before that the top tube length was a bit long.
But has anyone sourced cheap derailleur hangers for it, Wheels mfgr ones are bit spendy?
My kid (now 14, don't think he could've ridden it at 8 1/2!) has a Boardman Team frame in dinky size. Its really nice n light. Bought off the classifieds. Worth looking on eBay, can be had pretty cheap.
keep us posted on how it goes - I'm tempted by the Orbea MX24 disc, partly so I can use the wheels on my small Trailstar until he can use it with 26ers 🙂
Well after a bit more digging I've got as far as this
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/trek-dual-sports-kids-bike-2016
It's been replaced with a grey version but I reckon this is better.
I've got some new 10 speed kit ready so it would easily go to 1x10 plus some SLX brakes which would fit a treat. The question is whether the fat headtube will take a tapered headset. If it will then I'd have sorted everything on the list of must haves.
I've not pressed the button yet and won't until I'm sure but will post back here when I do.