Jnr FD (aged 7) has one of these Frog 55's
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The lad around the corner has one of these Ridgeback MX20's
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When Jnr FD gets on the other lads bike, the position immediately looks more comfortable, and he immediately has more control. I've always thought the position on the Frog looked odd. ie a bit old school stretched out. To try and add some other context, on the Ridgeback I feel he would be confident doing a red run, on the Frog he just about copes with a blue.
The Ridgeback has riser bars, where as the Frog has fairly narrow straight bars. Will this really make that much difference?
He wont have long left on the Frog before he out grows it, but I'm now half thinking of selling the Frog and getting a Ridgeback, because it just fits him so much better.
Is this a bit silly, can I cheaply make the Frog better?
Frogs are hybrids really whereas the Ridgeback is an MTB.
The Frog stem/bar is definitely designed more 'hybrid'. Not sure I'd get a ridgeback though as that's a lot of weight in a front fork to be pushing around...
Easy enough to swap the bars/stem on his new bike to get the right position though.
The Frog stem/bar is definitely designed more 'hybrid'. Not sure I'd get a ridgeback though as that's a lot of weight in a front fork to be pushing around...
I kind of agree with that, but you wouldn't think it given how he rides it.
So whats best then, buy an adult bar and cut it down, or can you buy kids bars?
What's the clamp size, I have a couple of "spare" bars that I'm not using.
If one fits you can have it for nowt.
Si
@FunkyDunc .... LMTTM Jnr moved up to a Frog 55 ( The longer one ) from a combination of a Isla CNOC 14(!) and a 16'' BMX. This happened when he was 5 and a few months.
I flipped the layback post around so he was a bit closer to the bars and not so stretched out and made sure the HS spacer was under the stem to raise the bars.
In time I'll flip the post back around and perhaps add a riser bar - I've kept all my unfashionable 640 - 660mm bars to cut down as required.
I think, and it seems to work for LMTTM Jnr, that the longer set up on the frog works better that the more sit up and beg MTB alike bikes around.
I hope he is on it until he is on 26'' wheels 🙂
My eldest daughter got some EA30s and a shorter stem for her Hotrock 20" from my the spares bin, they needed an extra trim as she didn't get on with the initial width, but now it's all good, she's 8 and has been on the bike for almost two years...
My youngest just had some wider ~600mm RF bars fitted to her 16" Ridgeback 'melody' which she really seems to be getting on with, I thought they might be a shade too wide but she's actually getting on better with them than the narrower stock ones, I'm quite impressed with that older Aluminium ridgeback frame/fork for a smaller rider, She's five and far too brave already.
It's a shame ridgebacks bigger sized bikes end up with BSO pogo-stick forks and lack disc tabs, I'm still looking out for a bargain 24" frame for the eldest one, the 'MX24' was almost a contender at one point...
What's the clamp size, I have a couple of "spare" bars that I'm not using.
If one fits you can have it for nowt.
I will try and have a look tonight, that would be a very kind offer !
I flipped the layback post around
I should have thought about that when he first got it! I think turning it round now would get him too close, but I will give it a go.
I had similar thoughts when I got a Frog for my daughter, it looked very stretched and head down. I got a cheap riser bar and cut it down a bit. The stem was the smaller diameter older clamp size stem so most current bars didn't fit the existing stem, but you could change that too. With a riser bar it is still a bit stretched out but more upright and looked more relaxed to ride. It does still seem a bit of an odd geometry to me.
Fitted a new (well second hand) riser bar this morning.
Has made a massive difference. Oddly had to move the saddle back a fraction though too. I think he's starting to grow out of the bike with still quite a bit of seat tube left to go.